‘Double Stakes’ Blends 90s Cop Drama Nostalgia with Modern Ukrainian Grit

Courtesy of Viaplay Content Distribution

Don’t let the tropes fool you: Double Stakes seamlessly blends 90s cop show nostalgia with a modern Ukrainian soldier returning home to a brand new - but deadly - world, while delivering a Batman-worthy villain lineup.

Releasing on March 19th, one of Viaplay’s newest action offerings - called Double Stakes - is by all accounts, a very unique watch. On one hand, the eight episode first season heavily leans into just about every thematic aspect that made 90s and early 2000s cop dramas so great - quick and punchy dialogue, quirky and eccentric side characters and action that balances comedy with intensity. A recipe that would have dominated that era of television programming.

The official press release mentions titles like The Shield and NYPD Blue being inspirations, but the first episode alone shows that even the old school antics of the buddy cop genre seemed to have a hand towards the making of this new series. Handled almost like a tribute, the 90s is even directly referenced a handful of times.

On the other hand, the roots of the story are very much vested in current global affairs.

For those who are not familiar with the parent streaming platform, Viaplay is focused on consistently showcasing some of the newest and most innovative productions from abroad. Double Stakes is surely a great example of this. It’s a Ukrainian crime drama following the story of one Igor Shvedov (played by Ukrainian actor Vlad Niki). In the first episode, he comes back home from the front lines - returning from the Russia-Ukraine war.

This mixture of implementing old on-screen trends with modern time conflicts (a little light on the latter) is certainly a refreshing perspective.

For a short time, Igor is happily reunited with his brother - until his sibling is murdered by an unknown assailant. The main character is then not only forced to deal with his brother’s massive dealings with the criminal underworld but he also has to dive into this seedy underbelly himself in order to find out who did the deadly deed.

Ukrainian actor Vlad Niki boldly steps into the shoes of Mr. Shvedov. While some of the more explosive and/or emotional beats of the story just don’t pop as much as they should due to Niki’s stoic showing, that same trait can also be a positive one as it could be interpreted as a stone cold resolve to solve his brother’s murder. That’s something you’ll notice right away.

Some of the more notable actors joining him are Yakov Kucherveskiy, Darya Egorkina and Vitaliy Saliy. While Kucherveskiy’s character comes from the world of organized crime, Egorkina and Saliy’s roles are based in the National Police of Ukraine or Politsiia.

The greatest highlights of Double Stakes easily come from the organized crime personas - more so than those based on the law and order side. Aside from Kucherveskiy, who provides a foil for Niki’s Igor and always exudes an amusing but could-be-dangerous-at-any-moment presence (the actor balances these personality layers with ease, I might add), the four gangs that are supposedly in control (and their heads) all have very over the top and outlandish personalities.

There’s your old school mafioso type, your rabid and chaotic type, your suave and cunning type and brawler type. Aside from two or three characters, I personally always wanted to see more regarding the dynamics of these packs and how they interacted. I couldn’t care less about the many other supporting characters when these four leaders seemed to be caricatures from Gotham City - but they seemed to have taken to Ukraine instead for some reason.

I have to be honest - the set locations used needed some more authenticity. From the police station to Igor’s apartment to the home of Kucherveskiy, there isn’t much design. Besides a few spare items that tell the viewer what the place is supposed to be, there isn’t much that connects it to the character.

There is some attempt when it comes to the gang leaders - but even so - why are there arcade machines in his base of operations? What does that mean for a cunning and calculative gangster?

Also, Double Stakes cleverly reveals itself at the beginning of the series. If you blink, you’ll miss it. The show is clearly about the journey getting to the finish line, rather than the climactic finish itself - and that’s fine. There is enough tension, twists and turns to distract. The cliffhanger also does a great job of setting the scene for a possible second season. I’m definitely looking forward to it.

I will give Double Stakes a 3 out of 5.