In the nonsense of the election plot twists there are yet some pregnant scenes and some cute ones. Recalling, Olya was upset that Vasia had resigned, her fingers involuntarily jerked when Dmitry (who she now calls Dima) gently puts his hand on top of hers in the back seat of the Mercedes presidential limo after dear Dima completes a corrupt phone call.. But then she and and Dmitry crash an election brain session at Vasya's home. Dmitry has paid Vasya's election deposit. I didn't mention this when I posted on that episode previously but as Dimitry tells Vasya Olya affirms, "We believe in you Vasya." Dimitry then takes Vasya aside and tells him that he, Dmitry, has also filed for the presidency but that at the right time he will throw his support to Vasya. Olya is not within earshot of that aside. Really, Zelensky? Olya had NO IDEA? Hmm...
Some of this tangle is in scrambled screenwriting by Zelensky. The resignation-re-run for president is absurd. I don't even remember if Zelensky made it even opaquely clear why Goloborodko had so abruptly resigned. That whole thing was not even half-baked.
And Zelensky is deliberately and unconvincingly throwing sand in viewers' faces about Olya. She KNOWS Dmitry is corrupt, she has known it from their night in the gold vault. Yet the screenplay herks and jerks from knowing to insouciance to knowing, or willful blindness, and Olya is just not the character to have the wool pulled over her eyes. She IMMEDIATELY--upon first seeing dear Cuban-Ukrainian Ania, her smoldering sexuality molding away now in gaol, knew that Vasya and she were sleeping together. She is whip-smart and intuitive.
So with those criticisms: One pregnant moment, in the rich, airy, white, light furnished home Olya and Dmitry share:
The new president is busy.
Period. "I suggest separating" Period. I don't think that is translator's error. I think that is screenwriter's intention. More sand. For Olya immediately explains that she does not mean that she is sick of Dmitry's corruption and thinks they should separate as a couple, which of course is what every viewer thinks.
I think this is translator's imprecision. I think what Olya is explaining by "separating" is that the duties of president should be separated between Dmitry and Vasya, that Dmitry with his looks and his charm will "go to the dinners" and that Vasya will do the work of state.
However, but. In the background you can see Dmitry on TV. Dmitry has just fired a minister. And at the dinner table Olya is troubled by what she is seeing and hearing on television:
Really, Zelensky. Olya is shocked, SHOCKED?
Olya's conscience is bothering her.
Weak, Zelensky. What Dmitry speaks is pregnant with meaning. The man he admits to setting up to fire is "not a person",
This is another of twist of the ethical Rubik's Cube that Zelensky is so skilled at. The Housing Minister is dehumanized as not even a "person". And, giving the cube a twist, can, Zelensky asks us, one do a wrong to a person who does wrong. Can you use ruthless, ethically questionable tactics to get at a larger bad--or for a larger good?
The translator means, "publicly humiliate" him.
Dmitry explains further that the Housing Minister's public firing will benefit him, and Vasya, with the electorate.
"Yes, but..." Olya reacts.
Look at that face. The Olya* actor (not allowed to say "actress" anymore) is fabulous. That is the face of a person taken aback by a loved one's callousness. That does not excuse the jerking off screenplay that has the actor acting so well.
That is a good line. Dmitry is now demeaning Vasya, to Vasya's ex-wife and Treasury head. What will Olya's reaction to that be?
Look at that face! "You motherfucker."
That's the back-of-the-limo face! She is a fantastic actor; her facial expressions are acting genius. The problem is the screenplay. A character as sensitive, intuitive and smart as Olya cannot be, just cannot be, as oblivious to Dmitry's true character as Zelensky writes her.
A comic scene, with meaning:
Vasya's home-painted campaign bus stops for workmen:
There have been a rash of accidents in Ukraine where pedestrians have been hit by motorists who don't see or who ignore crosswalks. This work crew is installing lighted crosswalks. It is a genius idea and Vasya gets out to inspect. The camera focuses on his face for an instant as he looks up from the lighted crosswalk in thought. The 💡goes on in his head.
The campaign is penniless and in the next scene the Finance Minister, the nerdy looking good-guy, asks for Vasya's credit card to pay for various campaign material. He comes back a moment later and tells Vasya, with the rest of the loyalists present, that the credit card has been declined. Okana--I am thrilled to say that my favorite has gone from "minor" character heretofore (per Wikipedia) "to major"--Oxana turns on the TV and Dmitry announces that to end the traffic "crushes" (sic; crashes), of which he has taken personal control, all crosswalks will be illuminated with light-emitting diodes...
Sergey: "Wow!"
"What? You spent our campaign money!" Sergey looks at Vasya. lol.
Looking at the TV in disbelief.
Looking at Vasya.😂Mouse-Tiger's gonna hit Vasya with her binder!
Vasya. "Who me? There are lots of people with the surname Goloborodko. I have one living in my household." He actually says that. it's terrific:
Mikhail:
Vasya then gets up to leave the room.
And flees, with them chasing after him!
One weirdness that I have elided that has now occurred in a few successive episodes: Vasya's father has turned on Vasya, calling him a failure as president, mocking him. I don't get it. The mother and the insufferable sister have not been seen in several episodes.
*Yes, Olya is a Total Milf. Soo hot.
