The Thaw () is a Russian television series which debuted in 2013. Valery Todorovsky debuted as a TV director with it. The series is a melodrama about life in the Soviet Union during the Khrushchev Thaw, specifically about film artists of the age. Relational is that Todorovsky's father worked on film in roughly this era. In the West the series has been compared to Mad Men in terms of tone and visuals, though the subject and plots are quite different. Plot The series is set in 1961. Cameraman Viktor Khrustalyov is in a difficult situation; he is suspected of being involved in the death of his friend, talented screenwriter Kostya Parshin, who committed suicide during a drinking-bout. The authorities try to put Khrustalyov in prison by any means. Viktor needs to shoot the comedy "The Girl and the Brigadier" in order to get permission to make the film "Shards" after the wonderful scenario left from his deceased screenwriter friend. Young director Yegor Myachin wants to adapt this screenplay. Khrustalyov arranges him as a trainee to the venerable director Krivitsky for a comedy. In the same film act Khrustalev's ex-wife Inga and his young sweetheart Maryana, with whom Yegor Myachin is also in love. Cast Yevgeny Tsyganov — camera operator Viktor Khrustalyov Aleksandr Yatsenko — director-trainee Egor Ilich Myachin Anna Chipovskaya — student of the Moscow State University Mariana Pichugina Viktoriya Isakova — actress Inga Vitalevna Khrustaleva Mikhail Efremov — director Fyodor Andreevich Krivitsky Svetlana Kolpakova — wife of Krivitsky Nadia Jana Sexte — cameraperson Lusia Polynina Pavel Derevyanko — actor Gennady Petrovich Budnik Evgeny Volotsky — Mariana's brother, Tailor Alexander (Sancha) Pichugin Nina Dvorzhetskaya — second director Regina Markovna Victor Horinjak — actor Ruslan Anna Kotova — make-up artist Lida Paulina Andreeva — singer Dina Vladimir Gostyukhin — director of Mosfilm Semyon Vasilievich Pronin Vasily Mishchenko — investigator Tsanin Andrei Smirnov — father of Viktor, Sergey Viktorovich Khrustalev Larisa Malevannaya — grandmother Mariana Zoya Alexandrovna Olga Shtyrkova — Khrustalev's daughter Asya Fedor Lavrov — scriptwriter Kostya Parshin Nadezhda Markina — costume designer Olga Filippovna Valery Todorovsky — director Duta Skhirtladze — director of the film Giya Revazovich Taridze Evgeniya Khirivskaya — Larissa Konstantin Chepurin — requisitor Arkady Vladimirovich Somov Viktor Dobronravov — old friend of Khrustalev Peter Sophia Kashtanova — Sophia Loren Sergei Bondarchuk (junior) — Sergei Bondarchuk Nikita Yefremov — Oleg Yefremov Antonina Papernaya — Tatiana Samoilova Alexander Sutskover