The leading character of The Real Dudes, a simple, down to earth, but kind and charismatic guy named Nikolai, is caught stealing manhole covers. He is offered a deal, a suspended sentence in exchange for taking part in an experimental TV reality show with him as the main character. Nick agrees and now a cameraman is constantly following him, documenting Nick’s every step. Along with Nick are his true homies, Anton and Vovan, who are not the “sharpest knives in the drawer” and who constantly end up getting into all sorts of trouble and comedy situations. In the first season the friends are typical small time neighborhood punks, but in the future they vow to become decent citizens, sort out their personal lives and become successful. However, as the saying goes, old habits die hard and things won’t always turn out the way Nick, Anton and Vovan plan them.
Originally designed as a story about three ordinary guys from a poor provincial town who are trying to make ends meet by engaging in petty theft, the TV series has grown to be one of the most successful Russian shows. In the future seasons the characters move to Moscow to try to make it in a big city, but will nevertheless stay true to their roots and come back to their home town eventually.
