The Zelensky Story

The election of an anti-politician rarely turns out well. Often they prove as corrupt as their predecessors; even if honest, they lack the skillset to sort out the problems that led their countries to turn to them. But when Ukraine chose a comedian famous for playing an everyman who became president in a popular television series to be their president for real, almost accidentally the country did the right thing - because when it was attacked by Russia, the people had a leader who was, authentically, one of them. The Zelensky story is amazing, and if Ukraine ever wins its war, it will be considered a fairytale. This documentary series, however, is very fawning: not one interview with a critic, not one hostile question directed at its subject. One feels that there's enough good stuff to genuinely say about the man not to need to pretend that he's perfect. In spite of this, the basic narrative is clear and compelling. As Europe faces facism reborn, Ukraine has a figurehead who can at least represent what we would like our leaders to be.