The best comedies for April 1st
On April 1, April Fool's Day, it is customary to joke and have fun, and the best reason for a good mood is considered to be a high—quality comedy series. On the eve of the holiday, Izvestia studied the Russian rating of TV series prepared by Medialogia and selected the 10 best projects that made viewers laugh, empathize and discuss what they saw on social networks.
"Daddy's daughters"
The rating includes the long—awaited relaunch of the legendary family saga - the series "Daddy's Daughters". The creators of the project transferred a familiar story to new realities: years later, the "curse of the Vasnetsovs" overtakes the grown-up daughters of a family therapist.
The plot revolves around a dramatic event: on the eve of another wedding anniversary, Dasha runs away from home, leaving a farewell letter, an engagement ring and four daughters to the workaholic Broom. Now Veniamin, just like his father-in-law once did, is forced to become a father, mother, and friend to his children. The cheerful Vasnetsov family helps him in this.
The series is primarily aimed at viewers who grew up on the original 2007-2013 project: the nostalgic component becomes one of the main drivers of viewing. The project will also be of interest to a family audience that appreciates a "warm, warm and family-friendly" atmosphere, and to teenagers for whom the series raises topical issues, from addiction to gadgets to ecology.
At the same time, as noted by film critics, the new season, released in August 2025, has shifted its focus towards melodrama, so the project is more suitable for those who are willing to perceive it not as a light sitcom, but as a family story with dramatic elements.
"Univer"
The collection also includes the cult youth sitcom "Univer". The creators of the project decided to return to the basics, focusing on the narrative of student life, first loves and funny situations in the dormitory.
The action takes place in the legendary 510 block of the MVSU dormitory, where five first-year students are settled. They are already waiting for them there: Pavel Vladimirovich Zuev, who decided to return to the university in order to make it the best in the country again; the new dormitory commander Tamara Mikhailovna, Zoya Mikhailovna's sister; her wayward assistant Kisel; the "dumpling king" Kuzya, who became the main sponsor of the Moscow State University, and Vika Bobr, who plunged headlong into teaching after the breakup with Anton Martynov.
The comedy "Univer" will be of interest primarily to a young audience — modern students and high school students, who will see on the screen representatives of their generation with urgent problems: social networks, delivery, stand-up and finding themselves in the world of trends. The project is also aimed at nostalgic fans of the original 2008 franchise who will be able to meet familiar characters.
You shouldn't expect any deep meanings from comedy - "Univer" should be turned on if you want to watch light, entertaining content with an uncomplicated plot.
"Lilies of the Valley"
Premiere of the musical dramedy "Lilies of the Valley. Such a tender love" took place on January 1, 2025 on streaming services. The plot centers on the story of Katya Orlova and Lekha Danilin, who meet in a provincial Russian town and get married on the same day.
He's an ordinary guy, and she's the daughter of a billionaire who grew up in London and lost her parents in a car accident. Their relationship is a struggle of opposites. As the lead actor Sergei Gorodnichy noted, his character Lech is more patriarchal, while Katya's freedom is important.
The comedy "Lilies of the Valley" with a pronounced bias towards melodrama will be of interest primarily to viewers who appreciate emotional stories about love, the clash of worlds and overcoming difficulties. Music lovers will also like the project: the series features more than 40 songs, and musical numbers are organically woven into the narrative, turning it into a vibrant musical dramedy with songs performed by Anastasia Belyavskaya (NANSI) and Zhenya Trofimov (Room of Culture).
In addition, "Lilies of the Valley" is aimed at those who are looking for sincere stories without gloss — the creators deliberately refused to invite stars of the first magnitude, relying on rising actors Nika Zdorik and Sergei Gorodnichy, which helped the audience accept the characters without the train of previous roles.
"The Simpsons"
The collection includes the legendary animated family of the Simpsons: Homer's dad, Marge's mom, Lisa and little Maggie's daughters, and the obnoxious teenager Bart. The characters live in the town of Springfield. Homer works at the local nuclear power plant, Marge takes care of the house and children, the inquisitive Lisa does well in school, and Bart constantly gets into trouble.
The animated series, which has been afloat for more than three decades, has long established itself as one of the most recognizable animation projects in the history of television. Over the years, he has continued to appeal to viewers of different generations, maintaining his relevance and continued popularity due to his sharp social satire, recognizable characters and unique humor, which resonates with audiences around the world.
The series will be interesting to a wide audience, from those who grew up watching the first seasons and appreciate classic episodes, to young viewers discovering the world of Springfield for the first time. The project will also appeal to fans of intellectual comedy who appreciate irony, cultural references and social satire, as well as families who are looking for animated content that can entertain both children and adults.
"Bodyguards"
The plot of the crime comedy "Bodyguards" is based around three boxers from Chelyabinsk, who decide to earn extra money at the Moscow tournament in fights without rules before flying to the World Cup. After learning about the violation of the sports regime, the head coach expels them from the national team.
The guys are eating at a restaurant, discussing the inglorious homecoming. A business dinner of a well-known Moscow lawyer is taking place in the same institution, and a conflict ensues with the security of which, through no fault of the guys. Boxers demonstrate their skills and naturally end up in the police. They face imprisonment. However, the lawyer offers a deal: become his bodyguards or go to jail. The brave trio decides to change their tracksuits to classic ones.
The series will be interesting for fans of crime comedies who appreciate a dynamic plot, male friendship and irony over genre cliches. The project will also appeal to viewers who love stories about ordinary guys who get into ridiculous situations and are forced to be savvy, as well as an audience interested in sports and martial arts. In addition, "Bodyguards" is suitable for those who are looking for light entertainment content with action elements and black humor.
"Holidays"
The comedy series "Holidays" tells about the traditional May feasts with kebabs at the cottage, where two daughters come with their fiances. They will have a quarrel during the preparation for the feast, unexpected confessions, a conflict of mentalities and even shooting, but still the Pyzhovs got together, which means that they are really dear to each other.
The third season of the project was released on December 15, 2025 on TNT. According to director Boris Dergachev, the main task of the new season is to preserve the very family atmosphere that the audience liked, and at the same time add new plots, characters and funny situations. Calendar holidays will alternate between professional and family ones, and it will end with the parents' wedding anniversary.
The series will appeal to a family audience that appreciates sincere stories about family ties, recognizable everyday situations, and humor based on the clash of different generations and characters. The project will also appeal to viewers who love chamber comedies, where the main action takes place in a confined space — at a cottage or at a festive table, and the dynamics are based on dialogues and relationships between the characters.
"Holidays" is suitable for those who are looking for light, but not devoid of depth content, in which warm feelings and important family values show through comical situations and quarrels.
"Ivanovs-Ivanovs"
The popular sitcom "Ivanovs-Ivanovs" consistently ranks among the top of the best comedy series. Two Ivanov families find out that 16 years ago their children were confused in the hospital. What if your beloved son is not really your own, but your blood is being raised by strangers? And in a luxury you've never even dreamed of. And how will he accept his new, but painfully poor relatives?
The humor in the series is based on a sitcom based on the contrast of social strata and the clash of different lifestyles — provincial simplicity and metropolitan luxury. The project will appeal to fans of family sitcoms, where the focus is on relationships between relatives, finding compromises and accepting loved ones for who they are.
"Ivanovs-Ivanovs" is suitable for those who are looking for light entertainment content with an abundance of comical situations, but not devoid of warmth and sincere emotions, as well as an audience interested in watching characters from different worlds learn to find common ground and build new family ties.
"The poor laugh, the rich cry"
The series "The Poor laugh, the rich Cry" continues the theme of the contrast of different strata of society. Katya, hiding from the problems that her brother "threw" at her, gets a job living in a mansion on Rublevka. In a huge estate, behind a high fence, the oligarch Sergei gathers the whole family under one roof — his real, third wife and their children together, as well as two ex-wives and children from previous marriages, to announce to them that he is terminally ill and "has not long to live."
The ex-wives are already mentally dividing the inheritance, Katya gets closer to the eldest son of the owner of the mansion, Misha, who pretends to be an employee of the estate. His eldest daughter, Olya, who is acutely worried about being forced to return to Moscow from a warm country, finds support in the person of her new driver. And the numerous service staff not only watches the lives of surprisingly rich people, whose bags cost the same as their mortgages, but also does not stay away from the multitude of intrigues.
The series will be interesting to viewers who love stories about the contrast between the world of the rich and the poor, with elements of social satire and an ironic look at the life of the Russian elite. The project is a multi—layered comedy in which the fates of many characters are intertwined - from members of the oligarch's family to service personnel, each of whom has his own motives and participates in intrigues.
"The poor laugh, the rich cry" is suitable for those who appreciate the development of love lines in comedy series, in particular, stories about the emergence of feelings between characters from different social strata, as well as an audience interested in watching the reaction of rich heirs to the news of the imminent death of the head of the family.
"Patriot"
Another series with a claim to "nationality" was the series "Patriot". After serving in the army, Sanya Kuchin returns to his hometown, dreaming of turning his home into the best place on earth. The young man is distinguished by his honesty, energy and fervor — he sincerely believes that he will be able to guide all local hooligans and drinkers to the right path, as well as win the heart of the girl he loves since school.
Sometimes it seems to Sana that the only way to re—educate fellow countrymen is to act harshly, but here an obstacle arises.: He submitted his documents to the FSB Academy, and in order to successfully pass the check, he needs to exercise restraint and discretion.
The series is aimed at a youth audience that is close to the themes of social activism, striving to change the world around them for the better and finding their place in life. The project will also appeal to viewers who appreciate comedies about the clash of idealism with harsh reality, as well as those who love stories about the hero's return to his native land after a long absence.
In addition, "Patriot" will appeal to the audience, who are interested in watching how the good intentions of the main character conflict with the requirements of the system and the everyday realities of provincial life.
"Overheard in Rybinsk"
The series "Overheard in Rybinsk" has become a real discovery among Russian black comedies. The journalist of the small provincial newspaper Yura has been writing unremarkable news of his hometown all his life. But suddenly, an event happens to Yura that turns his whole life upside down — visions come to him that predict murders taking place secretly and unnoticed in Rybinsk. Soon the situation is complicated by the fact that Yura becomes the main suspect in one of the cases.
The series combines elements of a mystery detective, provincial drama and black comedy. The project shows the stories of ordinary people who encounter unexplained phenomena and are forced to resist the system. "Overheard in Rybinsk" is aimed at an audience that loves non-standard plot moves, where the mystical component is intertwined with the realistic life of the Russian province, as well as those who are interested in detective stories with elements of a psychological thriller and unexpected twists.
Russian TV series rating
On March 24, Medialogia presented a new analytical product, the Russian Series Rating, the first release of which was the top 100 most popular projects of 2025.
The scoring method takes into account 19 different parameters that allow a comprehensive assessment of the audience's interaction with the content. The system analyzes not only search queries, but also the actual viewing time (in minutes) on TV and online platforms, as well as the discussion activity on social networks.
The full version of the rating is available on the company's website. Experts have studied more than 1,000 Russian and foreign films released in 2025, including new seasons or franchise series, with the exception of children's animation. In the future, the company plans to make the rating regular.
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