Exploring the Russian Teen Series Chewing Gum

The Teen Series "Chewing Gum": A Genre Reboot or Just Another Cliché?

The Russian teen series "Chewing Gum" (2024), which premiered on the Premier platform, aims to redefine the landscape of teenage cinema. Executives at the streaming service herald it as a fresh beginning for youth-oriented shows. Yet, as audience reactions and critical reviews suggest, there are glaring issues at play—from a lackluster plot to questionable thematic explorations. Let’s delve into what draws viewers in while pushing some away.

Plot Overview: Love, Stalking, and Tragedies

The series pivots around Galia Shalamova (portrayed by Daria Balabanova), a girl hailing from a suburban orphanage, with aspirations of getting into VGIK to become a screenwriter. Her life is riddled with dramas: abusive relationships with boyfriend Kirill (Anton Artemyev), an impending release of her mother (Yulia Volkova) from prison, and a glaring absence of support or genuine interaction.

Galia fortuitously stumbles upon a stream by popular blogger Roma (Anton Rogachev), better known online as Hans Shmueze. Hailing from a well-off family, this young man epitomizes freedom, ease, and carefreeness—qualities Galia has never known. Captivated by Roma, she begins to weave naive fantasies about a blissful future with him.

However, the interaction between Galia and Roma, which initially blooms into a romantic date, quickly morphs into a lopsided dependency. Galia fabricates stories about her life to impress him, whereas Roma treats their connect as a whimsical fling. His prank—faking his own death—ultimately becomes a catalyst for tragedy. Believing her beloved is dead, Galia resolves to find and punish the imagined “murderer.”

Key Themes: Superficiality or Relevance?

The show delves into several themes that should resonate with contemporary youth. Yet, the execution often leaves much to be desired.

1. Love and Stalking

Galia swiftly morphs from a starry-eyed dreamer into an obsessive stalker. Her behavior veers away from true affection, morphing instead into a painful dependency. Simultaneously, Roma’s deceitful and manipulative actions expose a familiar toxicity.

2. Bullying and Toxic Environments

Abuse permeates not only Galia's interactions with Kirill but also with the wider world. The torment she endures in the orphanage, the sheer lack of support, and the derision from the affluent youth contribute to a stifling atmosphere.

3. Parent-Child Dynamics

Despite their financial wealth, Roma’s family is disjointed and cold. His mother is lost in her own troubles, his father is engrossed in work, and a sick sister lingers in the shadows. On the flip side, Galia’s parental figures offer no support: her mother's recent prison release signifies an unstable foundation, whereas any mention of her father is entirely absent.

4. The Impact of Social Media

Roma, as a typical influencer, flaunts a fabricated life, masking his genuine struggles. His friends enable this facade, playing roles in his sad, deathly charade. This dimension was ostensibly intended to emphasize social media’s influence on teenagers, yet the series only scratches the surface of this significant issue.

Characters: Aiming for Complexity

The creators claimed they focused on crafting flawed, multi-dimensional characters. However, the end result feels disjointed.

• Galia elicits sympathy and empathy, yet her obsession and choices often alienate the viewer. She comes across more as a victim of circumstance, lacking agency.
• Roma embodies a stereotypical privileged youth: affluent, indifferent, and frivolous. His actions, particularly the “death” prank, render him thoroughly unlikable.
• Kirill, in contrast, is archetyped as a caricature of a gangster from the '90s with an abusive personality that is glaringly evident from his first appearance.

Production: Clichés and Mediocrity

Directed by Alexander Tssoi, known for projects like “Difficult Teenagers” and “The Bridge,” the series "Chewing Gum" unfortunately fails to reach the heights of Tssoi's earlier endeavors.

1. Music and Visual Atmosphere

Like many Russian teen shows, "Chewing Gum" is saturated with neon parties, montage-style editing, and mediocre music. These elements serve more as a backdrop than contributing depth to the narrative.

2. Dialogue and Screenplay

Despite a team of nine screenwriters, the outcome lacks impact. The dialogue often feels forced, and character behavior leans toward illogical rather than relatable.

Critique: What Disappointed the Viewers?

A significant number of both viewers and critics expressed dissatisfaction with "Chewing Gum.”

• Clichés Over Originality: The plot is saturated with clichés, from neon-lit parties to wealthy adolescents oblivious to financial realities.
• Lack of Realism: The actors playing teenagers appear significantly older than their roles, raising eyebrows regarding authenticity.
• Absence of Clear Narrative Arc: The series attempts to tackle too many themes, causing the storyline to lose cohesion.

Comparison with Other Productions

Viewers have drawn parallels between "Chewing Gum" and shows like "Euphoria" or "Sex Education". However, the levels of drama, character development, and relevance of issues in those series markedly surpass that of "Chewing Gum."

Culmination: Is It Worth Watching?

The series "Chewing Gum" serves as a quintessential example of a bid to craft something timely and relevant for a teen audience, but its execution falls significantly short. With its clichés, lackluster dialogue, and superficial exploration of critical themes, it struggles to carve out a distinctive identity amidst other works in the genre.

For those seeking light-hearted teen dramas with a sprinkle of complexity, "Chewing Gum" may offer some entertainment. However, viewers accustomed to richer narratives would do well to explore other titles that deliver deeper storytelling.