Russia (20 Nov. 2006)

Directors:

Sarah Hutt, Mark Cannon

Writer:

Sarah Hutt

Stars:

Peter Weller, Michael Carroll, Tom Cikoski

Cast

Episode credited cast:
Peter Weller
Michael Carroll
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tom Cikoski	...	Boyar with crown
Richard Davis	...	Peter the Great - reenactment
Nancy Digonis	...	Catherine the Great
James Matthew Gallagher	...	Ivan the Great
Athena Kazantzis	...	Princess Sophia
John B. Nelson Jr.	...	Son of Ivan the Terrible
Ken Sandberg	...	Young Lover
Robert Sciglimpaglia	...	Czar Nicholas II

Storyline

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Genres:

Documentary | History

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 November 2006 (USA)

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

KPI Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Too Much of a Good Thing.

The episode is divided about equally between Russian history and a description of it technological feats. The technological accomplishments include the basilica at Novgorod, the onion-domed Church of St. Basil in Moscow, the building of St. Petersburg in a swamp, and the Trans-Siberian Railway.

We get to know something of Ivan the Great and his grandson, Ivan the Terrible, who made Russia out of Moscow. Then Peter the Great and Catherine the Great, all of whom brought European influences into what was essentially an isolated and almost Medieval culture.

Catherine, born of a Prussian aristocratic family, ruled about the time of the American revolutionary war and apparently was an excellent administrator and accomplished diplomat, but, like the other rulers, she favored the nobility and this led ultimately to the Russian revolution of 1917. All those opulent palaces and enormous monuments had been built on the backs of neglected and starving workers. Finally, under Tsar Nicholas, enough was enough.

The many CGIs help us understand how structures were built and war was waged, but I found the brief history of the nation to be at least as interesting.