“Patient Zero,” which premiered on May 19 on Kinopoisk, skillfully and engagingly interprets HBO’s “Chernobyl,” telling the story of an impending catastrophe that is collectively ignored by those in power, those directly responsible, and ordinary peo...

1988, the Kalmyk steppe, a classic yellow “PAZ” bus, among the passengers a young doctor, not yet suspecting that he will soon find himself at the epicenter of a catastrophe that no one wants to notice. This is how “Patient Zero” begins, a bold and ambitious series about AIDS—a disease that, as we know, did not exist in the USSR.

Fictional Circumstances, but an Extremely Realistic Story

The plot of the series “Patient Zero” is divided into two conditionally equal storylines. One is dedicated to Moscow epidemiologist Dmitry Goncharov (Nikita Efremov), desperately opposing the Ministry of Health’s position on the existence of HIV-infected people in the USSR. According to the authorities, this disease is exclusively a vice of the capitalist world with their “prostitutes, homosexuals, and homeless people,” a view with which Goncharov vehemently disagrees.

In the second storyline (so far more interesting, convincing, and emotional), a young empathetic doctor from Elista, Kirsan Ayushev (Askar Ilyasov), working as a pediatrician in a local hospital, notices signs of HIV in several patients at once and, against the opinion of his superiors, sends blood tests to Goncharov in Moscow. It is these two who will have to prevent (or not) a medical catastrophe of state scale.

“Patient Zero” is based on real events, but only indirectly, as the authors honestly state before each episode (currently 2 episodes are available for viewing). Nevertheless, the main thing the creators of the project managed to do is to project a fairly realistic general attitude towards the disease as something alien, to show the complete disregard of the ongoing situation by the authorities, as well as the ostracism to which the infected are subjected. The latter is so far outlined in broad strokes, but it is obvious that the theme will be developed further. And it will concern not only LGBT representatives.

And in many ways, this narrative framework of the domestic series resembles the HBO hit “Chernobyl” with the same palpable approach of a grand catastrophe and indifference from the authorities. The scenes in bureaucratic offices, the ignorance of the people trusting what is said on TV, and the lonely odyssey of the main character going against the odds also echo. Except that the brainchild of Kinopoisk so far falls short in the depth of character portrayal and the subtlety of storytelling.

Not Boring Documentary, but a Lively Thriller

The medical version of “Chernobyl” is less accurate in details and depiction of the era, but it does not set such a goal. This is evidenced by a more dynamic and tense presentation of the material. Some episodes resemble classic detective stories, where the characters, capturing the audience's attention, draw threads from one suspect to another in attempts to find that very “patient zero.” And in the scene where Efremov's character tells his love interest that HIV is transmitted through unprotected sex and not necessarily only between men, the suspense is felt as in the best examples of thrillers.

But sometimes, in attempts to add dynamics, the directorial duo of Sergei Trofimov and Evgeny Stychkin (who, by the way, plays a not insignificant character in the plot) overdoes it and slides into clip editing, which is absolutely unnecessary in the presented circumstances. And sometimes they rely on proven clichés: the plot features a walking stereotype—a “KGB officer” played by Pavel Maikov with scenes whose outcome you know in advance if you have ever watched Russian cinema about the Soviet Union.

Frightening Topicality

Despite some rough edges and the desire to make the series lighter and more entertaining, “Patient Zero” is an extremely curious and important attempt to draw attention to a serious problem that remains acute to this day, one only has to look at medical reports. Moreover, it is not only a fascinating, albeit loose, retelling of one of the darkest pages in the history of the USSR, but also a frighteningly topical piece that easily projects onto our pandemic present (many of the dialogues will surprise you with their relevance).

We will not make far-reaching conclusions yet; 2 episodes are not the distance over which one can render a final verdict on a multi-episode show. But we advise you to pay attention to Kinopoisk's flagship and follow the developments with us.

Trailer: