History Series / SeventeenMomentsOfSpring

-->''Stirlitz opened his computer, connected to the internet, and logged onto TV Tropes. "It's a website," concluded Stirlitz.''

This series had openly disobeyed the Soviet cinema rule of depicting the Nazis as [[CompleteMonster Complete Monsters]]. Walther Schellenberg, Müller and Bormann were performed by the popular and charismatic actors Oleg Tabakov, Leonid Bronevoy and Yuri Visbor ([[AffablyEvil who managed to lend a touch of charm to their roles while leaving the audience with no illusions as to the morality of their characters]]), [[NotSoDifferentRemark and Nazi bosses in general were shown as being very much alike the Soviet bosses of the time]]. And the protagonist, Stirlitz, looked like a Soviet intellectual who had to hide his true self under the mask of obedience, loyalty and "proper ideological orientation". Stirlitz's awesome ability to outwit his bosses and keep "the human face" at the same time (despite the fact that one could hardly make a career in SS from 1939 till 1945 [[IfYoureSoEvilEatThisKitten without staining his hands]]) was praised by the Soviet audience, [[BigBrotherIsWatchingYou who felt as though they were being spied on in their own country]].

* Death by Irony: Klaus tells Stierlitz how all of his victims were admiring nature before their ends, and then proceeds to marvel at the forest right before he's killed.

%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* BenevolentBoss: Schellenberg.

%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* ColonelBadass: Stirlitz.

%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* SmugSnake: Barbara Krein.

This series had openly disobeyed the Soviet cinema rule of depicting the Nazis as monsters. Walther Schellenberg, Müller and Bormann were performed by the popular and charismatic actors Oleg Tabakov, Leonid Bronevoy and Yuri Visbor ([[AffablyEvil who managed to lend a touch of charm to their roles while leaving the audience with no illusions as to the morality of their characters]]), and Nazi bosses in general were shown as being very much alike the Soviet bosses of the time. And the protagonist, Stirlitz, looked like a Soviet intellectual who had to hide his true self under the mask of obedience, loyalty and "proper ideological orientation". Stirlitz's awesome ability to outwit his bosses and keep "the human face" at the same time (despite the fact that one could hardly make a career in SS from 1939 till 1945 [[IfYoureSoEvilEatThisKitten without staining his hands]]) was praised by the Soviet audience, [[BigBrotherIsWatchingYou who felt as though they were being spied on in their own country]].

Due to this, the series became a FountainOfMemes and the source of many anecdotes and jokes--see RussianHumor for examples of these, as well as the page quote. The series has been hit with ParodyDisplacement in Russia today, as far more people are familiar with the jokes than the original TV show. It is sometimes described in the West as "Russian Film/JamesBond", which is true only in the sense that Stirlitz is seen as the quintessential super-spy in Russia in much the same way Bond is in the West - otherwise, the austere Stirlitz has very little in common with the rather more flamboyant Bond[[labelnote:*]]''James Bond''[[/labelnote]].

* AboveTheInfluence: Stirlitz's professionalism is shown when he has to visit a brothel, and turns down an offer of sex - instead asking for coffee.

* SadisticChoice: Barbara threatens to freeze Kat's baby to death unless she gives up the name of resident.

Due to this, the series became a FountainOfMemes and the source of many anecdotes and jokes--see RussianHumor for examples of these, as well as the page quote. The series has something of a WeirdAlEffect in Russia today, as far more people are familiar with the jokes than the original TV show. It is sometimes described in the West as "Russian Film/JamesBond", which is true only in the sense that Stirlitz is seen as the quintessential super-spy in Russia in much the same way Bond is in the West - otherwise, the austere Stirlitz has very little in common with the rather more flamboyant Bond[[labelnote:*]]''James Bond''[[/labelnote]].

Due to this, the series became a FountainOfMemes and the source of many anecdotes and jokes--see RussianHumor for examples of these, as well as the page quote. The series has something of a WeirdAlEffect in Russia today, as far more people are familiar with the jokes than the original TV show. It is sometimes described in the West as "Russian Film/JamesBond", which is true only in the sense that Stirlitz is seen as the quintessential super-spy in Russia in much the same way Bond is in the West - otherwise, the austere Stirlitz has very little in common with the rather more flamboyant Bond[[labelnote:*]]''James Bond''.[[/labelnote]].

* KilledMidSentence: Klaus is in the middle of some non-stop nattering when Stirlitz, seemingly tired of listening, pulls out his gun and shoots Klaus InTheBack.

%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* PayEvilUntoEvil: Stirlitz shooting Agent Klaus.

%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample, oh yeah. * SpyFiction: Oh yeah.

%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* KickTheSonOfABitch: Stirlitz shooting Agent Klaus.

* KickTheSonOfABitch: Stirlitz shooting Agent Klaus.

* TheMole: Stirlitz is this, having been embedded in Germany for many years while reporting to Moscow.

* SmugSnake: Barbara Krein.

* SpyFiction: Oh yeah.
* StockFootage: Lots, both depicting World War II combat and illustrating the senior Nazis.
** The Soviet CulturePolice ''insisted'' on the newsreel-like inserts, because they wanted to avoid [[SpotlightStealingSquad the impression that Stirlitz alone won the war]].

** This caused [[BrokenBase considerable content among the viewers]]. Criticism is mostly comes down to colorization being very, very poorly done and edits cutting out key moments for current political reasons or for seemingly no reason at all. [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks And the simple fact that it used to be in black and white.]] On the other hand, colorising an entire mini-series was a tremendous job. A lot of details lost in the original version due to film limitations were re-added. And the result looks indistinguishable from proper colored films.

* ColonelBadass: Stirlitz.