''Undercover'' (, ) was a Bulgarian crime drama television series produced by

Bulgarian National Television The Bulgarian National Television ( Bulgarian: Българска национална телевизия, ''Balgarska natsionalna televizia'') or BNT (БНТ), stylized as ·Б·Н·Т· since 2018, is a public television broadcaster of Bulgaria ...

that premiered on

BNT 1 BNT 1 () is a Bulgarian language, Bulgarian-language public television, public television station founded in 1959. The headquarters are located in Sofia, Bulgaria. BNT 1 is run by Bulgarian National Television. History First trial broadcasts beg ...

on 17 April 2011. On 20 March 2016, the fifth season premiered on

. It was announced that it was the final season of the series. In February 2024 BNT 1 announced that they will start filming a new sixth season of the series. It is expected to broadcast in 2025. The series tells the story of the undercover police officer Martin Hristov ( Ivaylo Zahariev), who infiltrates the gang of

Bulgarian mafia The Bulgarian mafia or Bulgarian organized crime () also known as "Mutri" (Мутри) are the general terms used for criminal organizations based in Bulgaria and composed of ethnic Bulgarians. Bulgarian organized crime groups are involved in ...

boss Petar 'Dzaro' Tudzharov (Mihail Bilalov).

Plot summary

Martin Hristov, a specially trained agent, is appointed to go undercover in the gang of Bulgaria's top mafia boss, Dzharo. On his way he faces numerous challenges in order to completely become part of the criminal world. His task becomes more complicated when he meets the big boss' girl, Sunny. While undercover he gets a promotion in the mafia hierarchy and becomes part of the world full of crime, violence and corruption. The show is inspired by

Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November17, 1942) is an American filmmaker. One of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Martin Scorsese, many accolades, including an Academ ...

's 2006 film

The Departed ''The Departed'' is a 2006 crime film, crime thriller film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by William Monahan. It is both an English-language remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film ''Infernal Affairs'' and also loosely based on the real-lif ...

Cast

* Ivaylo Zahariev as Martin Hristov * Irena Miliankova as Silvia Veleva - Sunny (season 1–2) * Zahary Baharov as Ivo Andonov * Vladimir Penev as Inspector Emil Popov * Mihail Bilalov as Petar Tudzharov - Dzharo (season 1–4) * Alexander Sano as Zdravko Kiselov - The Hair (season 1–3) * Deyan Donkov as

Vasil Nikolov This is the full list of main and recurring characters on the Bulgarian crime drama television series ''Undercover''. Overview Main characters Martin Hristov Martin Hristov (portrayed by Ivaylo Zahariev) is the lead character on the first fou ...

(season 1–2) * Kiril Efremov as Tihomir Gardev - Tisho the Twin (main: season 1–3; recurring: seasons 4–5) * Ventsislav Yankov as Nikolay Rashev - Niki the Twin (season 1–3) * Ivaylo Hristov as Kiril Hristov, Martin's father (main: season 1; guest: season 2) * Marian Valev as Rosen Gatzov - The Hook * Hristo Mutafchiev as

Alexander Mironov Alexander Mironov (; born 22 January 1984) is a Russian professional road bicycle racer, who last rode for UCI Professional Continental Team . He is the 2005 under-23 national road race champion and the winner of 2010 Trofeo Franco Balestra. He t ...

(main: season 2; recurring: season 1; guest: season 3) *

Tzvetana Maneva Tzvetana Georgieva Maneva () (born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria on 30 January 1944) is a Bulgarian actress. She was born in Plovdiv and her artistic career started there. The eminent Bulgarian actress made her debut in cinema in the 1960s and has appear ...

Cveta Andonova This is the full list of main and recurring characters on the Bulgarian crime drama television series ''Undercover''. Overview Main characters Martin Hristov Martin Hristov (portrayed by Ivaylo Zahariev) is the lead character on the first fou ...

, Ivo's mother (main: seasons 2–3; recurring: season 1) *

Georgi Staykov Georgi Staykov (, born 10 August 1964 in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria) is a Bulgarian actor. He graduated in acting from the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts, Sofia. Professional career His debut in cinema was a minor role in ''Boris I' ...

Anton Damyanov This is the full list of main and recurring characters on the Bulgarian crime drama television series ''Undercover''. Overview Main characters Martin Hristov Martin Hristov (portrayed by Ivaylo Zahariev) is the lead character on the first fou ...

(season 2) * Petar Popyordanov as

Momchil Neshev This is the full list of main and recurring characters on the Bulgarian crime drama television series ''Undercover''. Overview Main characters Martin Hristov Martin Hristov (portrayed by Ivaylo Zahariev) is the lead character on the first fou ...

(season 2–3) * Boyko Krastanov as

Erol Metin This is the full list of main and recurring characters on the Bulgarian crime drama television series ''Undercover''. Overview Main characters Martin Hristov Martin Hristov (portrayed by Ivaylo Zahariev) is the lead character on the first fou ...

(main: season 5; recurring: season 4) * Yoanna Temelkova as

Nia Tudzharova This is the full list of main and recurring characters on the Bulgarian crime drama television series ''Undercover''. Overview Main characters Martin Hristov Martin Hristov (portrayed by Ivaylo Zahariev) is the lead character on the first fou ...

(main: season 5; recurring: season 4)

Episodes

Critical reception

''Undercover'' has received critical acclaim as well as becoming a hit with viewers, managing to attract a strong audience from its debut. Critic Emil Antonov said the show "offers viewers a dynamic and tense atmosphere, and interesting characters in a crime drama attractive to much of the native audience. Although many of the stories in the new Bulgarian cinema navigate around the time of transition and development of crime in Bulgaria, Dimitar Mitovski manages to break this pattern. He creates a story that strikes a chord with Bulgarians and is dynamic enough to keep us distracted from our daily lives." The series received five nominations for the

Golden Nymph Award The Golden Nymph Award(s) are the prizes awarded to the winners of the Official Competition of the Monte-Carlo Television Festival. History Prince Rainier III of Monaco created the Festival de Télévision de Monte-Carlo in 1961 to "encourag ...

at the 2012

Monte-Carlo Television Festival The Monte-Carlo Television Festival is held every year in June in the Monaco, Principality of Monaco at the Grimaldi Forum, under the Honorary Presidency of H.S.H. Albert II, Prince of Monaco, Prince Albert II of Monaco. The opening ceremony ...

Sevda Shishmanova Sevda Shishmanova (born June 2, 1962, in Razgrad) is a Bulgarian producer, director and journalist of Bulgarian Turkish origin. Education Shishmanova studied Bulgarian Philology at Sofia University and documentary film directing at Krastyo Sa ...

, Dimitar Mitovski and Ivan Doiko as Outstanding European Producer (Drama Series) and Outstanding International Producer (Drama Series); Mihail Bilalov and Zahary Baharov as Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series; and Irena Miliankova as Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series. ''Undercover'' also won "The Golden Umbrella" award for Best Series, as well as awards for best cinematography, best musical score and most popular series at the 2012 MediaMixx International Festival, devoted to all forms of media in Central and Eastern Europe. However, the show has been criticized in

Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...

for its depiction of graphic violence, sexual situations, profanity and drug use. During the fourth season, BNT head Vera Ankova threatened to pull state funding from the show, putting the series' future in doubt. Additionally, Bulgaria's Council for Electronic Media (CEM) demanded the series be fined for profanity and said its content was not suitable for its 20:45 timeslot. State regulators declined to fine the network so long as the show was moved to a later time slot.

International broadcast

While the first episode was in production,

Fox Crime Fox Crime (stylized as FOXCRIME), was a television network, launched by the Fox Networks Group, which aired across several countries of Europe, Africa and Asia such as Italy, Portugal, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Turkey. Its basic programming including n ...

began negotiations to distribute the film internationally in other Balkan nations

Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

Slovenia Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...

Macedonia Macedonia (, , , ), most commonly refers to: * North Macedonia, a country in southeastern Europe, known until 2019 as the Republic of Macedonia * Macedonia (ancient kingdom), a kingdom in Greek antiquity * Macedonia (Greece), a former administr ...

Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...

Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...

Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...

and

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

. The early demand to distribute a series was a first for a BNT production. In 2012, New Films International announced plans to distribute the series in

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

and throughout

Latin America Latin America is the cultural region of the Americas where Romance languages are predominantly spoken, primarily Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese. Latin America is defined according to cultural identity, not geogr ...

. In 2014,

Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...

released the series in France.

References

External links

* *
New Films International: Undercover
* {{IMDb title, id=1909015 * https://bnt.bg/news/blockbuster-crime-series-%E2%80%98undercover%E2%80%99-will-delight-bnt-viewers-with-a-new-season-325667news.html. New-season 6 * 2011 Bulgarian television series debuts 2010s Bulgarian television series 2016 Bulgarian television series endings Bulgarian National Television original programming