Channel 8 International

Channel 8 International live offers a familiar Russian general mix: daytime leans heavily on Soviet-era comedies and melodramas, while prime-time swings to contemporary crime series and talk shows. News bulletins are brief and state-aligned, so don't expect investigative depth. What sets this channel apart is its slightly heavier reliance on international co-productions dubbed into Russian-you'll catch French dramas and German thrillers that Russian networks rarely touch. Production values vary wildly: the 20:00 film block looks crisp, but the 16:00 talk show feels like it was shot in someone's basement. Still, if you want to watch Channel 8 International online, you're getting a genuine slice of Russian television that isn't just the big three networks. The schedule repeats heavily on weekends. Best to tune in on weekdays after 19:00 for the stronger content. There's nothing groundbreaking here, but as a General tv Russia option, it fills a space between state propaganda and pure entertainment.