Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has inspired legions with his response to Russia’s unprovoked invasion of his country and now Netflix has announced their users are able to watch his old Servant of the People show once more.
Today The Hollywood Reporter revealed the streaming service once again has the piece Zelensky created, produced and starred in after previously hosting it on their platform from 2017-21. It ran from 2015-19 and featured Zelensky — who was an actor in film and television before politics — as a high-school teacher who is unexpectedly elected Ukraine’s president after a rant against societal corruption goes viral. Sweden’s Eccho Rights has been licensing the show and its film to foreign buyers, and company representative Niccola Söderlund said it is a timely parallel to the crisis today.
“The series is a comedy but also an important document of where Zelensky comes from. His fictional president is a normal man, who grows into his role as a heroic and adored leader. While the real-world scenario facing Zelensky and the Ukrainian people is far more grim and appalling than the comedy of the series, there are obvious parallels with the real-world situation, and Servant of the People is a fascinating, important and historic piece of television.”
Given the current situation, a return to comedy is likely the last thing on Zelensky’s mind, though we, like most of the world, will be holding out hope for a swift, peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, ideally with Russia’s head of state coming to his senses and withdrawing from the sovereign nation.
