Russian to the TV Set: The post-Soviet Telenovela Obsession

  The world seemed cold and bleak during the collapse of the Soviet Union. Russian and other ex-Soviet citizens felt lost, and they struggled with the turmoil of the shifting governments. They fantasized about a life they didn't have, a life filled with glamour and drama. Perhaps this longing for another life is why telenovelas completely and utterly infatuated those post-Soviet citizens and led them into a widespread obsession.

Seen here is Victoria Ruffo in her visit to Russia.

    During my time in this class, something that has really fascinated me is the global adoration for telenovelas. The genre has reached such a widespread audience, and I feel as though it may be the most popular style of television in the entire world. The history of how this widespread love for telenovelas began has captivated me, and I've found myself researching it quite frequently. One moment in the deep history of telenovelas really stood out to me - and that is the story of Russia's love for telenovelas. It makes sense when you think about it: the trauma from the Soviet Union and the uncertainty of post-Soviet life had given these citizens an urge for escapism. The perfect way to scratch that escapist itch? The over-the-top fantastical world presented in telenovelas.

    You may wonder - how did this come about? How did Russians discover novelas in the first place? The answer to this question is simple. When television networks were no longer required to air mandatory governmental broadcasts frequently throughout the day, they found themselves left with large empty blocks of broadcasting space. The economically struggling country needed cheap and lengthy television to fill this space. Who did they turn to? Telenovelas, of course. In 1991-1992, starting before and ending after the collapse of the USSR, a broadcast of one telenovela would change Russia and the other ex-Soviet states forever. That telenovela was the Mexican "Los ricos también lloran".    

    Before we can discuss in depth "Los ricos también lloran", some attention must be drawn to the Brazilian novela "Escrava Isaura". This 1976 novela was aired in the (not yet collapsed) USSR in 1988, and was largely popular with Soviet citizens at the time. This telenovela was historic as it was the first non-Soviet show to be aired in the USSR.  However, the Soviet airing of "Escrava Isaura" had been incredibly cut down, taking 100 hour long episodes and turning it into 15 hour long episodes. Albeit the massive censorship, the novela was a surprisingly large success. 

    This brings us back to "Los ricos también lloran". As previously mentioned, this telenovela was aired from 1991-1992, meaning airing began right before the USSR finally collapsed and ended right after. Due to the collapse, "Los ricos también lloran" did not need to be cut down and censored, and the entire novela was shown. It was insane just how successful this show was! "Los ricos también lloran" completely enchanted the whole nation and all the ex-Soviet states. About 200 million citizens of Russia and the surrounding countries watched the finale of this novela. For comparison, the 2020 Super Bowl earned around 102 million viewers. As you can see, "Los ricos también lloran" was an extreme success in the 1992 post-Soviet countries.

    After the conclusion of "Los ricos también lloran", what telenovela would Russians turn to next? What could possibly earn the same amount of widespread fame and success? This brings us to the third and final telenovela that swept Russia: the 1989 Mexican telenovela "Simplemente María", staring Victoria Ruffo. The entire country once again found themselves swept away in the drama as "Simplemente María" took over the Russian airwaves in the early 1990s. A New York Times article about this phenomenon quotes Russian citizen Nadia Klimova: "'...for me it's psychotherapy. We live in hard times, in a gray, difficult country. It's like a fairy tale. I enjoy the bright colors, the bright interior decor.'" (Stanley, 1994). The "Simplemente María" craze reached its peak when the lead actress, Victoria Ruffo, toured Russia in 1994:

This is a clip of a newscast about Victoria Ruffo and her tour of Russia. Please watch the title sequence, which lasts from about 0:33 to 1:50, and gives a general idea of just how infatuated Russians were with Ruffo and the character Maria.

   Seen here are the three telenovelas that dominated Russia in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

   

     The Ruffo tour, as you saw in the above video, was an event that citizens nationwide went absolutely crazy over. People traveled from all across the country to see her speak in Moscow, often spending most (if not all) of their money for the tickets and the trip. The New York Times writes about a woman who stood on the streets begging for a ticket to see Ruffo speak: "'I can't explain it,' Miss Izmailova said, almost choking as she tried to explain her love for 'Simply Maria.' She whispered, 'It's in my soul.'". (Stanley, 1994). Truly, the hearts and souls of almost the entire Russian population had been fully captured by "Simplemente María".

    Why were these telenovelas so freakishly popular in Russia and the ex-Soviet states? What was it that drew these citizens in so deeply? Well, as previously mentioned, I speculate that it was the urge for escapism. The grandiose plot lines, the romance, the beautiful mansions - these were things that Russians used to forget about their mundane and grueling daily lives. We saw in the earlier quote from a Russian woman that these novelas were a fairytale to them. Daily hour long episodes were a perfect way for Russians to immerse themselves in another, more fantastical, world. Everyone needs a break from daily life sometimes, and losing oneself in the story of Maria was the sunlight Russians needed on a gloomy day.

    Telenovelas seem to have reached the entirety of the world. As prior stated, they are essentially the most popular genre worldwide. So why then are they rarely watched here in the United States? Why is it that appreciation for telenovelas has spread across the globe, yet in the US I hear them often referred to as "cheesy Mexican soap operas"? These are the questions that come to the front of my mind when studying the post-Soviet telenovela craze. I feel as though it may just boil down to a lack of cultural understanding in the US, or a hesitancy towards a genre that is bad mouthed so often. Perhaps it is simply just the United States' distaste for subtitles. I would love to hear all of my classmates' thoughts on the lack of telenovela popularity in the US as compared to the rest of the world.

     Before this class, I probably would have never watched a telenovela. But as I've learned from class and from researching the Russian novela craze, keeping an open mind and watching new content could lead you into finding your favorite obsession. Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you've enjoyed our exploration into such a captivating part of telenovela history!

Works Cited:

Stanley, A., 1994. Russians Find Their Heroes In Mexican TV Soap Operas (Published 1994). [online] Nytimes.com. Available at: <https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/20/world/russians-find-their-heroes-in-mexican-tv-soap-operas.html> [Accessed 7 March 2021].