The Laser War of the USSR and the USA is Presented in the Series 'Striking Beam' 0 22

The Russian channel REN TV offers a deep dive into the spy retro-detective 'Striking Beam'.

The Currency Speculator Becomes a Double Agent

...the 1970s, the height of the Cold War. A Soviet military laboratory is developing lasers for missile defense. American intelligence is extremely interested in obtaining secret data and is willing to do anything to achieve its goals. Thus, at a scientific conference in West Berlin, under mysterious circumstances, the outstanding Soviet physicist Kostyrin (Vladimir Vinogradov) dies. Now the CIA's plan is to implant its own 'mole' in the laboratory of Nobel laureate Nikolai Basov (Evgeny Kharitonov plays the real scientist, one of the 'fathers' of the Soviet laser). However, our counterintelligence operatives are not idle and suggest as a suitable candidate Kim Nikanorov (Ivan Kolesnikov) – a seasoned currency speculator, who was once a promising scientist and a protégé of the deceased Kostyrin. Kim's task is to mislead the enemy.

At first, everything goes smoothly; the now former currency trader successfully follows the instructions of KGB Colonel Valentin Simagin (Kirill Grebenshchikov). Moreover, Kim is comforted by the fact that his former lover Vera (Marina Petrenko) is leading the laser project in the laboratory.

"In our spy detective, the central event is a human drama, the main character finds himself in a situation where he is forced to become a double agent. This is a story about a difficult choice," says director Alexey Muradov.

People with Burning Eyes and a Hot Heart

The main character undergoes a complex transformation: just yesterday he was a successful speculator, easily disregarding the law for his own benefit, not reflecting at all on the scientific career he had abandoned. And suddenly, he awakens what can be called civic consciousness. "Yes, Kim is undoubtedly a fraudster. But he is a devoted fraudster," Colonel Semagin characterizes Nikanorov to his superiors. Meaning that he is loyal to the people he values and loves – and is not prone to betrayal. "As the plot develops, my hero finds himself in the most difficult situations, and these challenges push him to reevaluate – he matures and realizes that life is not so simple," says Ivan Kolesnikov about his character.

Selfless Service to the Cause of a Lifetime – One of the Motifs of 'Striking Beam'.

"In our project, viewers will see not stereotypical scientists, but true pioneers of science who were a step ahead of the whole world," says Marina Petrenko. "These people pushed science forward, obsessed with their ideas. They could work around the clock in laboratories and at the same time lived vibrant, full lives – falling in love, breaking up, and meeting again. My heroine is one of them. This is a story created with a deep understanding and love for that era. It is filled with warmth and features multifaceted characters who cannot be divided into 'good' and 'bad'. They find themselves in difficult situations, but always emerge with burning eyes and a hot heart – that’s what captivates."

Despite the depth of meaning, the creators of the series never forgot the task of making the visuals as spectacular as possible. 'Striking Beam' is filled with unexpected plot twists. Fights literally to the death, chases and shootouts, playing all-in for the sake of an idea and love – the series fully presents everything that is loved about spy stories. The genre's canons are followed to the smallest detail, even though the plot is based on real events that surely did not unfold in such an exciting manner.

Many years have passed, and military lasers have long been invented – but there are always moments when one has to make a choice. Agent Leonardo has no chances – but she does not know this yet.

However, the seasoned CIA agent with Russian roots and the call sign Leonardo (Darya Moroz) is not sure that Nikanorov is who he claims to be. The task set before Kim turns out to be much more complicated than he anticipated. There is clearly a traitor operating in the laboratory, who is helping the CIA simulate Vera's escape to the West in order to destroy the laboratory. But Kim does not believe in Vera's betrayal and begins a deadly investigation…