Azazel (miniseries)

Azazel is a Russian crime drama miniseries, based on the novel Azazel by Boris Akunin, the first book featuring detective Erast Fandorin. The miniseries premiered in 2002 and stars Ilya Noskov as Erast Fandorin.

The plot follows young Erast Fandorin as he begins his career as a clerk in the Moscow police department. He becomes embroiled in a complex investigation surrounding the mysterious suicide of a wealthy student, leading him to uncover a conspiracy involving a powerful and secretive organization. The investigation takes him from Moscow to Saint Petersburg, encountering various enigmatic characters along the way. The central mystery revolves around a network operating under the guise of philanthropy, manipulating individuals for their own nefarious purposes, and explores themes of power, corruption, and ideological manipulation. The name "Azazel" refers to a figure often associated with evil or the scapegoat, hinting at the manipulative and deceptive nature of the organization at the heart of the story. The miniseries stays relatively faithful to the original novel's plot, though some details are altered for dramatic effect.