REN TV International

REN TV International is the sort of channel that defines the messy middle of Russian television. It's not the state machine of Rossiya 1, not the niche cool of CTC Love, it's the channel your uncle leaves on while he reads the paper. Programming is a jigsaw of crime dramas (“Streets of Broken Lights” reruns, endless detective series), late-night talk shows with hosts who shout over each other, and news bulletins that feel stuck between state and independent. The crime block, starting around 8pm local, is genuinely compelling, cheaply produced but strangely addictive, like a procedural that never quite ends. Daytime leans into documentaries about Soviet history and conspiracy theories, which tells you something about the target audience. You won't find prestige drama here, but you will find a weirdly pure version of what Russian free-to-air TV was in the 2000s. To watch REN TV International online is to glimpse a TV culture that doesn't care about your approval. It's noisy, uneven, and occasionally fascinating. If you want REN TV International live, Tvivu has the stream.