The Best TV Shows on Central Television USSR

Every Central Television USSR Show Ranked From Best To Worst

As of August 2025, we’ve curated over 20 of Central Television USSR’s premier shows for your viewing pleasure. Premiering in 1961 and 1962, KVN and Fuse are among Central Television USSR’s most celebrated shows. Central Television USSR has over 20 shows broadcast from as early as 1961 and as recent as 1988.

  • What? Where? When?
    What? Where? When? (1975)8.3

    What? Where? When? is an intellectual game show well known in Russian-language media and other CIS states since mid-1970s. Today it is produced for television by TV Igra on the Russian Channel One and also exists as a competitive game played in clubs organized by the World Association of Clubs. Over 17 000 teams worldwide play sport version of game, based on the TV show.

  • Guest from the Future
    Guest from the Future (1985)8.2

    Alice Seleznyova, a girl from the future, finds herself 1984. Following her are the space pirates Krys and Joker Y, with most nasty pirate's intentions. Coming to her help is an ordinary boy, Kolya, and his friends from 6th grade. Based on Kir Bulychyov's 1077 novel "One Hundred Years Ahead."

  • More Than Life At Stake
    More Than Life At Stake (1968)8.1

    A series about the adventures of a Polish secret agent, Hans Kloss, who acts as a double agent in the Abwehr during Second World War in occupied Poland.

  • Well, Just You Wait!
    Well, Just You Wait! (1969)8.0

    Follows the comical adventures of a mischievous yet artistic wolf [Volk], trying to catch a hare [Zayats]. The series has additional characters that usually either help the hare or interfere with the wolf's plans.

  • Adventures of Captain Vrungel
    Adventures of Captain Vrungel (1980)7.9

    An old sea captain and his student decide to take part in the international regatta. At the same time an amateur thief steals a statue of Aphrodite from Louvre and boards their yacht by mistake. A long, fun adventure is ahead.

  • The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson
    The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson (1980)7.8

    The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson is a series of five films produced by Lenfilm for the Soviet Central Television, split into eleven episodes, starring Vasily Livanov as Sherlock Holmes and Vitaly Solomin as Dr. Watson. They were directed by Igor Maslennikov and filmed in Russia (the then Soviet Union) between 1979 and 1986, and the series was one of the most successful in the history of Russian television.

  • Seventeen Moments of Spring
    Seventeen Moments of Spring (1973)7.7

    A Soviet spy is tasked with disrupting the negotiations between Karl Wolff and Allen Dulles taking place in Switzerland, aimed at forging a separate peace between Germany and the Western Allies.

  • In Search of Captain Grant
    In Search of Captain Grant (1985)7.7

    Lord and Lady Glenarvan found a bottle in the ocean. This bottle contained a letter from Captain Grant that he and two of his sailors had survived a disaster at sea and need help. Unfortunately, the letter was damaged by water, and the latitude is known (37 degrees), but not the longitude. The Glenarvans decide to find Captain Grant.

  • Fuse
    Fuse (1962)7.6

    Fitil is a popular Soviet/Russian television satirical/comedy short film series which ran for about 500 episodes. Some of the episodes were aimed at children, and were called Фитилёк, Fitilyok, Little Fuse. Each issue contained from the few short segments: documentary, fictional and animated ones. Directed by various artists, including Leonid Gaidai who presented his famous trio of Nikulin, Vitsin and Morgunov into the cast. It was called in USSR as "the anecdotes from the Soviet government".

  • The Twelve Chairs
    The Twelve Chairs (1977)7.4

    Set in late-1920s Soviet Union, Ostap Bender and Ippolit "Kisa" Vorobyaninov are after a stash of diamonds hidden in one of the chairs in 12-chair set. They are forced to go on a cross-country chase when the chairs are auctioned off.

  • D'Artagnan and Three Musketeers
    D'Artagnan and Three Musketeers (1979)7.3

    The musketeers battle against the all-powerful Cardinal Richelieu and the treacherous Milady.

  • Investigation Held by ZnaToKi
    Investigation Held by ZnaToKi (1971)7.1

  • Confrontation
    Confrontation (1985)7.1

    Operatives are looking for a killer who has appropriated someone else's identity. The story of a real case based on the story of Yulian Semyonov.

  • Yeralash
    Yeralash (1974)6.6

    The children's humorous film magazine "Yeralash" is a one-of-a-kind work of cinematography that ironically approaches the solution of everyday problems, focusing on the views and needs of modern society, allowing different generations to achieve mutual understanding.

  • KVN
    KVN (1961)6.5

    KVN is a Russian humour TV show and competition where teams compete by giving funny answers to questions and showing prepared sketches. The programme was first aired by the First Soviet Channel on November 8, 1961. Eleven years later, in 1972, when few programmes were being broadcast live, Soviet censors found the students' impromptu jokes offensive and anti-Soviet and banned KVN. The show was revived fourteen years later during the Perestroika era in 1986, with Alexander Maslyakov as its host. It is one of the longest-running TV programmes on Russian Television. It also has its own holiday on November 8, the birthday of the game, which KVN players celebrate every year since it was announced and widely celebrated for the first time in 2001.

  • The Life of Klim Samgin
    The Life of Klim Samgin (1988)6.3

  • Russia Is Young
    Russia Is Young (1984)5.8

  • Eternal Call
    Eternal Call (1976)5.6

    A saga about the life of the Siberian Savelyev family during the period 1902 through the 1960s as they survive through three wars, a revolution, and Soviet government approval.

  • Soldiers of Freedom
    Soldiers of Freedom (1977)4.1

    The action of the epic film takes place in the second half of World War II. The plot focuses on the liberation of European countries from German occupation and the anti-fascist activities of the communist parties of these countries. After the victory at Stalingrad, a decisive turn occurred during the war. The main aim is the rallying of all patriotic forces, the creation of a national anti-fascist front in the struggling countries. The swift offensive of the Soviet troops, problems with the opening of a second front, major operations and the offensive of the Soviet army lead to the liberation of Europe. Rebellions are rising in different countries - such as the heroic uprising in Warsaw, in Slovenia, Bucharest and other cities. Brave heroes who performed immortal feats in the name of the happiness of mankind and freedom.

  • Time
    Time (1968)3.5