The Optimists is a Russian spy drama series that brings a 1960's "Mad Men" aesthetic to the Nikita Khrushchev-era, set during peak Cold War. The show opens during the 1959 American National... See full summary »
The series does an excellent job of being accurate with set details. Clearly they took their cues from Mad Men. The costumes, sets etc are all first rate. the intro is one of the best. Dialogue and character portrayal is an odd mix of serious and in depth and semi sitcom. Not sure if they are to be archetypes but the result is a show that gives you post card views on events from that time. It's not really a serious deep and complex gritty series like an Ozark or and that's ok. It does seem odd that no one seems to swear in the series at all. Worth watching just to get a unique perspective on a critical time in world history.