Netflix just brought back comedy series starring Ukraine President Zelensky

Someone holding a remote pointed at a TV with the Netflix logo on it
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Servant of the People has just returned to Netflix. The satirical comedy series stars Volodymyr Zelensky, the current President of Ukraine. 

All three seasons of the show have been added back to Netflix’s content library, after originally leaving the service in 2021. The streamer took to social media this week to confirm that Servant of the People was returning due to popular demand. 

See more

Servant of the People is an outlandish comedy series that follows a high school teacher who unexpectedly becomes President in the wake of a viral video of him complaining about government corruption strikes a chord with the public. Zelensky, who was a comedian prior to venturing into politics, plays the lead role in the series which ran from 2015 to 2019. 

In a remarkable case of life imitating art, the show was concluded after Zelensky himself was actually elected President of Ukraine in May 2019. In fact, Zelensky was elected as a representative of a political party named Servant of the People which was formed in reaction to the success of the show. 

Eccho Rights, a Swedish broadcast group, is currently handling the show’s global distribution. A spokesperson for the company said in a statement to Deadline, “while the real-world scenario facing Zelensky and the Ukrainian people is far more grim and appalling than the comedy of the series, there are obvious parallels with the real-world situation, and Servant of the People is a fascinating, important and historic piece of television.”

Servant of the People isn’t currently available on Netflix globally, but it has been added back to the streaming service’s content library in the U.S. at least. In the U.K. the first season can be watched via free-to-watch streaming platform All4

One place that Servant of the People won’t be streaming via Netflix is Russia. Netflix has suspended its services in the country and also paused all future production projects involving Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine. 

Streaming Servant of the People will certainly appeal to many people right now. Especially because Zelensky has become something of a global icon for his strength in the face of such a harrowing situation. However, it will not directly assist the people of Ukraine. Here’s how you can help those currently impacted by the ongoing war.

Rory Mellon
Entertainment Editor (UK)

Rory is an Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team.