Exploring the Mixed Reception of the Series "Gum"

The Teenage Series "Gum": A Reboot of the Genre or Just a Collection of Clichés?

The Russian TV series "Gum" (2024), launched on the Premier platform, aims to redefine the scope of teenage cinema. The online streaming service has proclaimed this project as the cornerstone of a refreshed lineup of youth-oriented shows. However, viewer feedback and critical evaluations reveal glaring issues: from the predictable plot to a dubious approach in handling complex themes. Let's delve into what draws in the audience and what repels them from this series.

Plot: Love, Stalking, and Tragedy

At the heart of the narrative is Galya Shalamova (played by Darya Balabanova), a girl from a suburban orphanage, with dreams of enrolling in VGIK to become a screenwriter. Her life is saturated with drama: she finds herself in an abusive relationship with Kirill (Anton Artemyev), anticipates her mother’s release (Yulia Volkova) from prison, and suffers from a complete lack of support and genuine connection.

Galya stumbles across a stream featuring popular blogger Roma (Anton Rogachyov), who is known online as Hans Shmuze. This young man, hailing from a wealthy family, seems to embody everything Galya has never known—freedom, ease, and carefreeness. As she craves a future filled with happiness, her infatuation with Roma begins to morph into naive fantasies.

What starts as a romantic date quickly spirals into an unbalanced obsession. Galya fabricates stories about her life to impress Roma, while he treats their relationship as a trivial fling. His drastic act—faking his own death as a prank—turns into a catalyst for tragedy. Believing her beloved is gone, Galya embarks on a quest to find his "murderer" and exact revenge.

Key Themes: Superficiality or Relevance?

The series touches on several themes that should resonate with today’s youth. Yet, its exploration of these subjects leaves many questions unanswered.

1. Love and Stalking

Galya's transformation from a hopeful dreamer to a possession-driven stalker raises eyebrows. Her actions appear more indicative of a toxic dependency than genuine affection. Conversely, Roma’s deceitful and manipulative nature highlights typical toxic behaviors.

2. Bullying and Toxic Environments

Abuse permeates not only Galya's relationship with Kirill but also her interactions with the world around her. The bullying within the orphanage, the absence of outreach, and ridicule from the "golden youth" create a stifling atmosphere.

3. Parent-Child Dynamics

Despite Maya’s family possessing material wealth, their relationships are starkly cold and disconnected. The mother is engrossed in her own struggles, the father is buried in work, and the ailing sister fades into the background. In contrast, Galya has no parental figure to rely on; her mother is freshly out of prison, and her father is notably absent.

4. The Impact of Social Media

Relying heavily on social media imagery, Roma, as a typical influencer, showcases a fabricated life while concealing his true dilemmas. His entourage feeds the illusion by participating in the death hoax. While one would expect a deeper commentary on social media's effect on teenage life, the series merely skims the surface of this pertinent issue.

Characters: An Attempt to Showcase Complexity

The creators aimed to present intricate, flawed characters. However, the final portrayal feels somewhat ambiguous.

• Galya evokes pity and empathy, yet her obsessive tendencies and actions often alienate the audience. She appears more a victim of fate than an independent individual.
• Roma falls into the trope of the stereotypical wealthy youth: callous, frivolous, and self-absorbed. His antics, particularly the prank of pretending to die, render him utterly unsympathetic.
• Kirill, for his part, resembles a caricatured thug from the 1990s, his abusive nature being painfully evident from the onset.

Direction: Clichés and Mediocrity

Directed by Alexander Tsui, who was previously involved in projects like "Difficult Teens" and "The Fusion," "Gum" fails to reach the heights of the director's earlier efforts.

1. Music and Visual Atmosphere

As is typical in many Russian teenage series, "Gum" is rife with neon-lit parties, music video-style montages, and average soundtracks. These features serve more as background noise than contributing to narrative depth.

2. Dialogues and Script

With nine screenwriters on board, expectations were high; however, the result fell flat. Dialogue often feels forced, and character behaviors lack logical consistency.

Critique: What Disappointed the Viewers?

The overwhelming sentiment among audiences and critics was one of dissatisfaction towards "Gum".

• Clichés in Place of Originality: The plot is rife with overused tropes—from neon parties to wealthy teens seemingly unconcerned about expenses.
• Lack of Realism: The actors portraying teenagers often appear considerably older than their characters, raising questions about authenticity.
• Absence of Clear Direction: The series attempts to address too many themes, resulting in a lack of narrative cohesion.

Comparison with Other Works

Viewers have repeatedly drawn comparisons between "Gum" and other series like "Euphoria" and "Sex Education." However, the depth of drama, character development, and the relevance of issues in those projects far surpasses what "Gum" offers.

Culmination: Is It Worth Watching?

The series "Gum" stands as a quintessential example of an attempt to create something meaningful and youth-centric, but the outcome leaves much to be desired. Clichéd storylines, lackluster dialogue, and shallow exploration of themes prevent it from standing out in the genre.

For those seeking a light-hearted teenage drama with elements of depth, "Gum" may hold some interest. However, viewers accustomed to profound storytelling would be better served exploring other offerings.