Season 2 • Episode 8
LatestRevolves around the lives of Ukrainian teenagers in a secondary school class. The teenagers struggle with bullying, including the Blue Whale Challenge, lack of parental support, suicidal behavior, LGBT identity crises-a subject that is rarely portrayed on Ukrainian television-alcoholic parents, and speech disabilities. In one of the show's main plot lines, the main characters are stalked on the Internet by an anonymous person who pretends to be their friend.
Acting
Teen cast delivers devastating authenticity.
Writing
Unflinching portrayal of post-Soviet adolescence.
Direction
Tunik balances exploitation and empathy masterfully.
Creator
Yevhen Tunik
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The Blue Whale Challenge depicted was a real 2016 moral panic; the show sparked actual Ukrainian parliamentary debates about teen suicide portrayal.
Creator Yevhen Tunik cast non-professional teens from actual Ukrainian provincial towns—several had experienced the depicted traumas firsthand.
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