Undercover (Bulgarian TV series) explained

Native Name:
Genre:Crime drama
Creator:Dimitar Mitovski[1]
Country:Bulgaria
Language:Bulgarian
Num Seasons:6
Num Episodes:72
List Episodes:List of Undercover (Bulgarian TV series) episodes
Executive Producer:Elitsa Dimitrova
Runtime:50 min
Company:Bulgarian National Television
Camera Ltd.
Channel:BNT 1
First Aired:-

Undercover (Bulgarian: Под Прикритие|translit=Pod Prikritie, in Bulgarian pronounced as /ˈpɔt priˈkritiɛ/) was a Bulgarian crime drama television series produced by Bulgarian National Television that premiered on BNT 1 on 17 April 2011. On 20 March 2016, the fifth season premiered on BNT 1. It was announced that it was the final season of the series.

In February 2024 BNT 1 announced that they will start filming a new sixth season of the series. It is expected to broadcast in 2025.

The series tells the story of the undercover police officer Martin Hristov (Ivaylo Zahariev), who infiltrates the gang of Bulgarian mafia boss Petar 'Dzaro' Tudzharov (Mihail Bilalov).

Plot summary

Martin Hristov, a specially trained agent, is appointed to go undercover in the gang of Bulgaria's top mafia boss, Dzharo. On his way he faces numerous challenges in order to completely become part of the criminal world. His task becomes more complicated when he meets the big boss' girl, Sunny. While undercover he gets a promotion in the mafia hierarchy and becomes part of the world full of crime, violence and corruption.[2]

The show is inspired by Martin Scorsese's 2006 film The Departed.[3]

Cast

See main article: List of Undercover (Bulgarian TV series) characters.

Episodes

See main article: List of Undercover (Bulgarian TV series) episodes.

Critical reception

Undercover has received critical acclaim as well as becoming a hit with viewers, managing to attract a strong audience from its debut. Critic Emil Antonov said the show "offers viewers a dynamic and tense atmosphere, and interesting characters in a crime drama attractive to much of the native audience. Although many of the stories in the new Bulgarian cinema navigate around the time of transition and development of crime in Bulgaria, Dimitar Mitovski manages to break this pattern. He creates a story that strikes a chord with Bulgarians and is dynamic enough to keep us distracted from our daily lives."

The series received five nominations for the Golden Nymph Award at the 2012 Monte-Carlo Television Festival: Sevda Shishmanova, Dimitar Mitovski and Ivan Doiko as Outstanding European Producer (Drama Series) and Outstanding International Producer (Drama Series); Mihail Bilalov and Zahary Baharov as Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series; and Irena Miliankova as Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series.[4] Undercover also won "The Golden Umbrella" award for Best Series, as well as awards for best cinematography, best musical score and most popular series at the 2012 MediaMixx International Festival, devoted to all forms of media in Central and Eastern Europe.[5]

However, the show has been criticized in Bulgaria for its depiction of graphic violence, sexual situations, profanity and drug use. During the fourth season, BNT head Vera Ankova threatened to pull state funding from the show, putting the series' future in doubt.[6] Additionally, Bulgaria's Council for Electronic Media (CEM) demanded the series be fined for profanity and said its content was not suitable for its 20:45 timeslot.[7] State regulators declined to fine the network so long as the show was moved to a later time slot.[6]

International broadcast

While the first episode was in production, Fox Crime began negotiations to distribute the film internationally in other Balkan nations Romania, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania and Serbia. The early demand to distribute a series was a first for a BNT production.[8] [9]

In 2012, New Films International announced plans to distribute the series in China, Germany, France, Great Britain, Turkey and throughout Latin America.[10]

In 2014, Netflix released the series in France.[11]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Под прикритие 3 . . 23 February 2014 . bg . Undercover - Season 3.
  2. Web site: Undercover . podprikritie.bg . 3 January 2015 . bg . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150119165206/http://www.podprikritie.bg/%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%84%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BC%D0%B0%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%8F/ . 19 January 2015.
  3. News: Под прикритие . Undercover. Avtora.com . Emil . Antonov . 6 April 2012 . 4 January 2014. bg.
  4. News: Шишманова, Митовски, Билалов и още трима с номинации в Монте Карло за "Под прикритие" . . 9 April 2012 . 4 January 2015 . bg. Shishmanova, Mitovski, Bilalov and three more with Monte Carlo nominations for "Undercover".
  5. News: "Под прикритие" обра наградите на фестивала "Медиамикс" в Албена . tialoto.bg . 14 June 2012 . 4 January 2015 . bg. "Undercover" collected the prizes of the Mediamix festival in Albena.
  6. News: Шефката на БНТ Вяра Анкова бясна на порното в кримката! . 15 March 2014 . PIK . 4 January 2015 . bg. Stop "Undercover"! Head of BNT Vyara Ankova furious at the porn in the crimson!.
  7. News: СЕМ няма да глобява "Под прикритие" за вулгарен език . blitz.bg . 4 February 2014 . 4 January 2015 . bg. CEM will not fine "Undercover" for vulgar language.
  8. News: Балканите и Русия ще гледат "Под прикритие" . hotnews.bg . 9 May 2011 . 4 January 2015 . bg. Balkans and Russia will watch "Undercover".
  9. News: SERIJA KOJA DRMA SRBIJU: U "Balkanskoj mafiji" pljačke i ubistva su se stvarno dogodili! (VIDEO) . 16 November 2017 . 10 April 2023 . sr. Heists and murders in "Undercover" really happened!.
  10. News: Сериалът по БНТ "Под прикритие" ще се излъчва на три континента . . 6 March 2012 . 4 January 2015 . bg. The BNT Undercover series will be broadcast on three continents.
  11. Web site: 7 Bulgarian Films and TV Shows You Should Watch. Angelova. Maria. 2018-02-04. Culture Trip. 2019-04-14.