CultureThe Strugatskys’ ‘Hard to Be a God’ attacked dictatorship. Russia’s new TV version removes its politics

Wink has released a series based on the Strugatsky brothers’ science-fiction novel. The adaptation follows Don Rumata from his early days in Arkanar and adds characters, adventures, spaceships and spy-thriller elements, while leaving out the book’s vision of utopian progress, the role of science and its critique of dictatorship, making it largely apolitical.

Russian televisionStrugatsky brothersscience-fiction adaptation

MMeduza★★☆☆☆2026-09-22 13:11Original