Exploring the Flaws of the Teen Drama 'Chewing Gum'
The Teen Drama Series "Chewing Gum": A Renovation of the Genre or a Clichéd Rehash?
The Russian television series "Chewing Gum" (2024), which premiered on the Premier platform, may claim to herald a new era in the realm of teen cinema. The online streaming service insists that this project represents the first step in revitalizing their lineup of youth-oriented shows. Nevertheless, audience reactions and critical analyses point towards glaring issues: from a threadbare plot to a questionable approach to thematic exploration. Let’s dissect what draws viewers in and what ultimately pushes them away.
The Plot: Romance, Obsession, and Tragedies
At the heart of "Chewing Gum" is Galia Shalamova (Dar'ya Balabanova), a girl hailing from an orphanage in the Moscow suburbs, who harbors dreams of entering VGIK to become a screenwriter. Her world is beset by dramatics: an abusive relationship with her boyfriend Kirill (Anton Artem'yev), the looming release of her mother (Yuliya Volkova) from prison, and a profound lack of support and authentic connection.
Galia stumbles upon the livestream of a popular blogger named Roma (Anton Rogachyov), who goes by the alias Hans Shmyuze. He is the epitome of everything Galia has never experienced: freedom, ease, and joy. Falling for Roma, she starts spinning naive fantasies of a blissful future together.
However, the interaction between Galia and Roma shifts from romantic rendezvous to a one-sided obsession. Galia fabricates aspects of her life to catch his interest, while Roma views their relationship as nothing more than frivolous flirtation. His reckless act of faking his own death for a prank sets off a tragic chain of events. Believing her beloved has met an untimely end, Galia becomes determined to track down and confront the perpetrator behind this apparent crime.
Key Themes: Superficiality or Relevance?
The series confronts several themes that seem tailored for today’s youth. However, the execution leaves much to be desired.
1. Love and Obsession
Galia quickly morphs from a starry-eyed dreamer into an obsessive stalker. Her behavior borders more on a compulsive fixation rather than a genuine expression of love. Meanwhile, Roma’s actions—filled with deceit and manipulation—serve as a textbook representation of toxicity.
2. Bullying and Toxic Environments
Abuse is prevalent not only in Galia's turbulent relationship with Kirill but also in her dealings with the outside world. The mocking and bullying in the orphanage, combined with the derision from the privileged youth, create an oppressive atmosphere that shadows her every move.
3. Parent-Child Dynamics
Despite financial stability, Roma’s family is depicted as emotionally fragmented and distant. His mother is lost in her own struggles, his father engrossed in work, with a sick sister pushing further into the periphery. In stark contrast, Galia has no parental support whatsoever: her mother has just been released from prison, with her father entirely absent from the narrative.
4. The Influence of Social Media
As a quintessential online influencer, Roma showcases a fabricated existence that conceals his true struggles. His entourage maintains the facade, even participating in the staged death event. This aspect was ostensibly meant to highlight the heft of social media’s impact on adolescents, yet the series merely grazes the surface of this profound issue.
Characters: An Attempt to Showcase Complexity
The creators of the show asserted their mission to craft intricate, imperfect characters. Yet the outcome is marked by ambiguity.
- Galia elicits pity and sympathy, yet her obsessive traits often drive viewers away, making her appear more as a victim of her circumstances than a fully realized individual.
- Roma is presented as a stereotypical wealthy brat: self-absorbed and frivolous. His actions, particularly the prank involving “death,” paint him in an unflattering light, rendering him wholly unsympathetic.
- Kirill emerges as a caricature of a 90s thug, with his abusive tendencies glaringly evident from the outset.
Direction: Clichés and Mediocrity
Directed by Aleksandr Tsoi, who has previously tackled youth dramas such as "Difficult Teens" and "The Clamp", "Chewing Gum" disappointingly falls short of the standards set by his earlier works.
1. Audio and Visual Atmosphere
Following the trend of many local teen dramas, "Chewing Gum" is laden with neon-lit parties, montage-like sequences, and forgettable music. These elements tend to serve as mere backdrops rather than enriching the narrative’s depth.
2. Dialogue and Script
Despite being penned by nine different screenwriters, their collaborative efforts yield a lackluster outcome. Dialogue felt forced, and character actions frequently seemed illogical, contributing to an overall disjointed feel in storytelling.
Critique: What Left Viewers Disappointed?
A significant portion of both viewers and critics expressed dissatisfaction with "Chewing Gum."
- Clichés Over Originality: The story is rife with worn-out tropes—from neon parties to entitled rich kids—making it a predictable affair.
- Lack of Realism: The cast embodies characters who are significantly older than their portrayed ages, prompting questions regarding authenticity.
- Vague Story Arcs: The series ambitiously tries to tackle too many themes, resulting in a narrative that lacks a cohesive trajectory.
Comparative Analysis with Other Projects
Viewers frequently draw comparisons between "Chewing Gum" and shows like "Euphoria" or "Sex Education." Yet, the levels of drama, character development, and contemporary relevance in those series far surpass what is found here.
Culmination: Is It Worth Watching?
"Chewing Gum" serves as a quintessential example of a show aiming to strike a chord with its adolescent audience, yet ultimately falls flat. The generic clichés, uninspiring dialogues, and superficial thematic exploration prevent this series from standing out in the crowded genre.
For those in search of lighthearted teen drama mixed with a sprinkle of emotional depth, "Chewing Gum" might hold some appeal. However, for viewers who crave more substantial narratives, it would be wise to seek out other offerings.