Fuse
A Russia-1 Original
"Fuse" is the English title used for Fitil, a Soviet short-form TV series that began in 1962 and eventually produced roughly 500 installments. Each program was a patchwork of brief pieces, mixing documentary snippets, staged comedy sketches, and short animations, with some issues produced... Read more
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About Fuse
"Fuse" is the English title used for Fitil, a Soviet short-form TV series that began in 1962 and eventually produced roughly 500 installments. Each program was a patchwork of brief pieces, mixing documentary snippets, staged comedy sketches, and short animations, with some issues produced specifically for children under the name Fitilyok. The show relied on quick, satirical takes on everyday life and official practice, pointing out petty corruption, bureaucratic absurdities, and social manners without following a single central storyline. Different directors and creative teams contributed over the years, so episodes shifted in tone and cast, and familiar faces appeared intermittently rather than in a fixed ensemble.
Created by Sergey Mikhalkov, Fitil first aired in 1962 and was shaped by many directors across its run, among them Leonid Gaidai, who brought his notable comic trio of Nikulin, Vitsin, and Morgunov into several episodes, helping to blend sketch comedy with the program's journalistic segments.
Fitil did not receive major international awards, and there are few records of Western recognition. Its value was measured more in domestic prominence and longevity, and over time contributors and performers gained professional standing within Soviet film and television circles rather than accumulating famous trophies.
The series left a strong imprint on Soviet pop culture, often described in period press as "the anecdotes from the Soviet government" because it offered officially sanctioned satire. Short-form sketches, recurring comic types, and the child-oriented Fitilyok episodes influenced later Soviet and Russian television comedy, and certain performances and bits entered the public memory.
Critics and audiences tended to respond positively to Fitil's blend of humor and social critique, and modern user ratings sit at about 7.6/10 from a small sample. The show consistently returned to themes like bureaucratic inefficiency, civic behavior, everyday ethics, and the gap between official language and lived experience, while remaining accessible to families through a mix of documentary realism, scripted comedy, and animation.
Details
- Release Date
- June 04, 1962
- User Ratings
- 8 votes
- Type
- TV Series
- Seasons
- 47
- Episodes
- 2201
- Network
- Russia-1, Central Television USSR, NTV , TV-6
- Status
- Ended
- Genres
- Comedy, Documentary, Animation, Family
- Country
- SU
- Studio
- Gorky Film Studios +2 more
Seasons (47 seasons, 2201 episodes)
Season 1
24 episodes - 1962
Season 2
37 episodes - 1963
Season 3
43 episodes - 1964
Season 4
40 episodes
Season 5
45 episodes
Season 6
45 episodes
Season 7
39 episodes - 1968
Season 8
40 episodes - 1969
Season 9
37 episodes
Season 10
38 episodes - 1971
Season 11
36 episodes
Season 12
42 episodes - 1972
Season 13
39 episodes - 1974
Season 14
38 episodes
Season 15
37 episodes
Season 16
42 episodes - 1976
Season 17
40 episodes - 1977
Season 18
37 episodes - 1979
Season 19
37 episodes - 1979
Season 20
40 episodes - 1980
Season 21
41 episodes - 1982
Season 22
39 episodes - 1983
Season 23
44 episodes - 1984
Season 24
44 episodes - 1984
Season 25
40 episodes - 1986
Season 26
39 episodes - 1987
Season 27
39 episodes
Season 28
38 episodes
Season 29
37 episodes
Season 30
37 episodes
Season 31
37 episodes
Season 32
36 episodes
Season 33
36 episodes
Season 34
21 episodes
Season 35
7 episodes
Season 36
8 episodes
Season 37
3 episodes
Season 38
5 episodes
Season 39
6 episodes
Season 40
12 episodes
Season 41
11 episodes
Season 42
5 episodes
Season 43
109 episodes - 2004
Season 44
181 episodes - 2005
Season 45
195 episodes - 2006
Season 46
219 episodes - 2007
Season 47
136 episodes - 2008