The Best TV Shows on Central Television USSR

Every Central Television USSR Show Ranked From Best To Worst

From 1961 through to 1988, Central Television USSR has accumulated a diverse collection of over 20 television shows. Peruse our comprehensive roster of Central Television USSR’s top shows, encompassing over 20 distinct series as of November 2025. Notable series such as KVN and Fuse from Central Television USSR first graced the screens in 1961 and 1962.

  • War and Peace
    War and Peace (1966)9.6

    An epic adaptation of the novel by Leo Tolstoy. The love story of young Countess Natasha Rostova and Count Pierre Bezukhov is interwoven with the Great Patriotic War of 1812 against Napoleon's invading army.

  • Приключения Петрова и Васечкина
    Приключения Петрова и Васечкина (1984)9.0

    The story revolves around two young schoolboy pioneers, Petya Vasechkin and Vasya Petrov, as they navigate their attempts at self-discovery and their shared affection for their friend, Masha Startseva.

  • Aide of His Excellence
    Aide of His Excellence (1970)8.5

    Yuri Solomin in the military-adventure film about the fate of red scout Koltsov, who in 1919 was sent with the special sssignments into Denikin's army headquarters, where he became adjutant of the commander. The film not only tells about the operations brilliantly conducted by Koltsov, but also reveals the complex inner world of characters who lived in the controversial and tragic time.

  • 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."

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Adventures of Captain Vrungel
    Adventures of Captain Vrungel (1980)7.8

    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.

  • 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.

  • 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".

  • Investigation Held by ZnaToKi
    Investigation Held by ZnaToKi (1971)7.3

  • The Life of Klim Samgin
    The Life of Klim Samgin (1988)6.7

  • 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.

  • Следствие ведут Колобки
    Следствие ведут Колобки (1983)6.5

  • State Border
    State Border (1980)6.4

  • Russia Is Young
    Russia Is Young (1984)5.8

  • Mikhaylo Lomonosov
    Mikhaylo Lomonosov (1984)5.2

    The history of Russia of the 18th century through the life and work of the outstanding scientist and writer Mikhail Lomonosov.

  • Time
    Time (1968)3.5

  • The Road to Calvary
    The Road to Calvary (1977)3.3

    St. Petersburg, 1914. Pre-revolutionary bourgeois society, decadent intelligentsia - the signs of this troubled time. The focus is on the Bulavina sisters Dasha and Kata, their personal lives, loves, hobbies, and heartfelt dramas.