Behind the Glass (Russian: За стеклом [Za steklom]) was a "widely popular" Russian copy of the reality TV show Big Brother, first aired in 2001 by television station TV-6. Behind the Glass was the first television reality show in Russia, where six men and women between the ages of 21 and 24 living together in a glass apartment, filmed by 26 cameras. One way mirrors allowed pedestrians to see into the bedroom, living room and bathroom. Security guards protected the glass. Fans were charged 20 roubles to look in on the show. Former NTV producer Grigory Luibomirov, producer and director of the show, created the reality series. Background According to TV-6, the original selection process for the reality show consisted of two stages. A group of psychologists, sociologists and doctors selected 12 people from several thousands, and then the audience selected the 6 winners. Six are considered "a reserve", in case one of the participants decides to leave before their time. "The participants that TV-6 chose for the show seem to be selected in such a way so as that no individual immediately emerges as the winner or audience favorite. One of the girls is very pretty, but highly hysterical. Another is relatively homily, but frequently goes to the shower to show her body off. The guys are pretty much the same - one is charming, but fairly nimble minded, the second guy is smart, but unattractive, and the third is attractive, but pretentious." Popularity The television weekly Novaya Gazeta voted Behind the Glass the top program and top TV event of November 2001, as well as worst TV event of the month. Half of all Russian viewers watched the program. Millions of viewers logged on to the website, zasteklom.tv6.ru, which crashed frequently because of the heavy Internet traffic. First season The first season, launched on October 27, 2001, was filmed in the first floor of the Rossiya hotel in Moscow (which was torn down in March 2006). The ultra modern apartment was furnished by the show's sponsor, IKEA, a Swedish retailer, who opened its first superstore in Moscow in March 2000. During the 34-day first season, everyday around 3,000 curious Muscovites lined up to wait a half-hour to look for five minutes through the one-way mirror that opened onto the apartment. Costing over $1m, it was by far the most expensive TV show ever made in Russia. The series