Servant of the People

Vasiliy Petrovich Goloborodko is a modest high school teacher whose on-camera outburst against corruption is posted online by a student and unexpectedly goes viral. Public enthusiasm turns into a grassroots funding campaign that propels him into a presidential race he never planned to join. Elected by popular support, Vasiliy tries to keep his ordinary habits, living with his parents, borrowing money from friends at the end of the month, and biking to work, even as the demands of statecraft pile up. The series follows his often awkward attempts to stay true to his values while dealing with political theater, media scrutiny, and entrenched officials who resist change.

First aired in Ukraine in 2015, Servant of the People was created by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who also stars as the lead. The program mixed sitcom conventions with overt political satire, ran for multiple seasons, and made the ensemble cast widely known across Ukraine.

The show blurred lines between fiction and real politics, boosting Zelenskyy's public profile and helping set the stage for his 2019 presidential campaign. Its premise attracted international curiosity, led to translations and articles abroad, and generated many memes and media conversations that tied the series to real-world political debates.

Critics and viewers responded mostly positively, reflected in a 7.189/10 average from 82 votes. Reviewers often praised the show's humor and the central performance, while noting occasional tonal shifts as episodes balanced comedy with serious political issues. Major themes include ordinary honesty confronting corruption, the absurdity of bureaucracy, and how media shapes public perception.

It didn’t win major international awards, but the series achieved strong domestic popularity and frequent coverage in Ukrainian media. That local recognition, together with its unusual real-world repercussions, kept Servant of the People in public discussion well beyond the typical lifespan of a TV comedy.