Undercover (Bulgarian TV series)
| Undercover | |
|---|---|
.png) The logo of the series used for posters and multimedia covers, featuring yellow police tape. | |
| Genre | Crime drama |
| Created by | Dimitar Mitovski[1] |
| Written by | (as credited by season)
|
| Starring | Vladimir Penev Ivaylo Zahariev Mihail Bilalov Zahari Baharov Marian Valev Kiril Efremov Alexander Sano |
| Country of origin | Bulgaria |
| Original language | Bulgarian |
| No. of seasons | 5 |
| No. of episodes | 60 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Elitsa Dimitrova |
| Running time | 50 min |
| Production companies | Bulgarian National Television Camera Ltd. |
| Original release | |
| Network | BNT 1 |
| Release | April 17, 2011 – June 4, 2016 |
Undercover (Bulgarian: Под Прикритие, transcribed: Pod Prikritie, and pronounced:/pɔt pri'kritiɛ/) is a Bulgarian crime drama television series produced by Bulgarian National Television that premiered on BNT 1 on April 17, 2011.
The series tells the story of the undercover police officer Martin Hristov (Ivaylo Zahariev), who infiltrates the gang of Bulgarian mafia boss Petar 'Dzharo' Tudzharov (Mihail Bilalov).
Plot summary
Martin Hristov, a specially trained agent, is appointed to go undercover in the gang of Bulgaria's top mafia boss, Dzharo. On his way he faces numerous challenges in order to completely become part of the criminal world. His task becomes more complicated when he meets the big boss' girl, Sunny. While undercover he gets a promotion in the mafia hierarchy and becomes part of the world full of crime, violence and corruption.[2]
The show is inspired by Martin Scorsese's 2006 film The Departed.[3]
Cast
- Ivaylo Zahariev as Martin Hristov
- Vladimir Penev as Inspector/Detective Emil Popov
- Mihail Bilalov as Petar Tudzharov - "Dzharo" (season 1-4)
- Zahary Baharov as Ivo Andonov
- Marian Valev as Rosen Gatzov - Kukata (The Hook)
- Kiril Efremov as Tisho - "Golemiya Bliznak" (The Big Twin)
- Alexander Sano as Zdravko Kiselov - "Kosuma" (The Hair) (season 1-3)
- Ventsi Yankov as Niki - "Malkiya Bliznak" (The Little Twin) (season 1-3)
- Irena Miliankova as Silvia "Sunny" Veleva (season 1-2)
- Milena Nikolova as Adriana (season 1-4)
- Plamen Manasiev as Inspector Mihail Zarev
- Yosif Shamli as Inspector Atanas Kirov
- Lyuben Kunev as Inspector Todor Todorov
- Snezhana Makaveeva as Zornitsa Popova (season 1-4)
- Liliya Maravilya as Margarita Popova
- Koyna Ruseva as Boyana Vasileva (season 1-3)
- Tsvetana Maneva as Tsveta Andonova (season 1-3)
- Hristo Mutafchiev as Aleksandar Mironov (season 1-2)
- Petar 'Chocho' Popyordanov as Inspector Momchil Neshev (season 2-3)
- Teodora Duhovnikova as Elitsa Vladeva (season 2-3)
- Mehmet Ulay as Faruk (season 4-5)
- Yavor Baharov as Bardem/Mesut (season 4)
- Yoanna Temelkova as Niya Tudzharova (season 4-5)
- Boyko Krastanov as Erol Metin (season 4-5)
- Hristo Petkov as Rony (season 5)
- Silviya Petkova as Yana Taneva (season 5)
Critical reception
Undercover has received critical acclaim as well as becoming a hit with viewers, managing to attract a strong audience from its debut. Critic Emil Antonov said the show "offers viewers a dynamic and tense atmosphere, and interesting characters in a crime drama attractive to much of the native audience. Although many of the stories in the new Bulgarian cinema navigate around the time of transition and development of crime in Bulgaria, Dimitar Mitovski manages to break this pattern. He creates a story that strikes a chord with Bulgarians and is dynamic enough to keep us distracted from our daily lives."[3]
The series received five nominations for the Golden Nymph Award at the 2012 Monte-Carlo Television Festival: Sevda Shishmanova, Dimitar Mitovski and Ivan Doiko as Outstanding European Producer (Drama Series) and Outstanding International Producer (Drama Series); Mihail Bilalov and Zahary Baharov as Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series; and Irena Miliankova as Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series.[4] Undercover also won "The Golden Umbrella" award for Best Series, as well as awards for best cinematography, best musical score and most popular series at the 2012 MediaMixx International Festival, devoted to all forms of media in Central and Eastern Europe.[5]
However, the show has been criticized in Bulgaria for its depiction of graphic violence, sexual situations, profanity and drug use. During the fourth season, BNT head Vera Ankova threatened to pull state funding from the show, putting the series' future in doubt.[6] Additionally, Bulgaria's Council for Electronic Media (CEM) demanded the series be fined for profanity and said its content was not suitable for its 20:45 timeslot.[7] State regulators declined to fine the network so long as the show was moved to a later time slot.[6]
Airing
In Bulgaria, the series premiered on 17 April 2011 on BNT 1, and airs on Sunday evenings, with reruns airing on Fridays.
While the first episode was in production, Fox Crime of Fox International Channels began negotiations to distribute the film internationally in other Balkan nations Romania, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Croatia, Montenegro and Albania. The early demand to distribute a series was a first for a BNT production.[8]
In 2012, New Films International announced plans to distribute the series in China, Germany, France, Great Britain, Turkey and throughout Latin America.[9]
In 2014 Netflix released it.
On 20 March 2016, the fifth season premiered on BNT 1. It was announced that it will be the last season of the series.
References
- ^ "Под прикритие 3" (in Bulgarian). Bulgarian National Television. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|trans_title=ignored (|trans-title=suggested) (help) - ^ "Undercover". podprikritie.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 3 January 2015.
- ^ a b Emil Antonov (6 April 2012). "Под прикритие" (in Bulgarian). Avtora.com. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
- ^ "Шишманова, Митовски, Билалов и още трима с номинации в Монте Карло за "Под прикритие"". 24 Chasa (in Bulgarian). 9 April 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
- ^ ""Под прикритие" обра наградите на фестивала "Медиамикс" в Албена". tialoto.bg (in Bulgarian). 14 June 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
- ^ a b "Шефката на БНТ Вяра Анкова бясна на порното в кримката!". ПИК (in Bulgarian). 15 March 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
- ^ "СЕМ няма да глобява "Под прикритие" за вулгарен език". blitz.bg (in Bulgarian). 4 February 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
- ^ "Балканите и Русия ще гледат "Под прикритие"". hotnews.bg (in Bulgarian). 9 May 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
- ^ "Сериалът по БНТ "Под прикритие" ще се излъчва на три континента". Dnevnik (in Bulgarian). 6 March 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2015.