RED5
2020 / Pilot episode
Director: Mike Starchak
Genre: Comedy
Country: Russia
Starring: Vlsdimir Vdovichenkov, Roman Kurtsin, Aleksander Baluev.
Synopsis:
Special services agent Bekeshev, who can single-handedly neutralize any enemy, one day, despite all his experience, fails a mission and is forced to retire. Bekeshev does not know how to live in «civilian life»: he suffers from extreme suspiciousness, does not trust his neighbors and turns his apartment into a makeshift headquarters.
But suddenly his skills are needed again: Bekeshev’s former boss Anatolich asks him to catch criminals with superpowers who escaped from a polar prison. Bekeshev is assigned a hacker nicknamed Granny — an extravagant but highly qualified specialist — as his partner. Now the spy trio will have to save their homeland from real supervillains.
Mike Starchak:
One of my all-time favorite projects
At some point in my career, I started feeling burned out from sitcoms. I needed something different. That’s when the script for the action-comedy Red-5 landed in my hands — and I was hooked. I wanted to create something fast, bold, and high-energy.
The pilot had everything — fights, chases, and even a beautifully choreographed dance scene featuring the main villain. The Pilot Festival recognized our work, awarding us a Special Jury Prize for Best Energy & Drive in 2022.
Unfortunately, by the time the show went into full production, I was no longer attached to the project. Another director took over, and the final version turned out different from what I had envisioned. Do I regret it? Not at all. I proved to myself that I could do action — and that I loved it.