Kancelář Blaník

Czech web series on internet television

Kancelář Blaník

Genre	Comedy
Directed by	Marek Najbrt, Bohdan Sláma, Jaroslav Fuit
Starring	Marek Daniel, Michal Dalecký, Halka Třešňáková
Country of origin	Czech Republic
Original language	Czech
No. of seasons	5
No. of episodes	75
Production
Running time	7 minutes
Original release
Network	Stream.cz
Release	13 April 2014 (13 April 2014) – 10 May 2017 (10 May 2017)

Kancelář Blaník (The Office Blanik) is a Czech web series that premiered between 2014 and 2018 on internet television Stream.cz. The main role of lobbyist Tonda Blaník is played by Marek Daniel, his assistants are Michal Dalecký and Halka Třešňáková. The directors are Marek Najbrt and Bohdan Sláma. It was written by Robert Geisler, Benjamin Tuček, Marek Najbrt, Tomáš Hodan, Jan Bartes, Milan Kuchynka and also Marek Daniel. Related film Prezident Blaník was released in 2018.

Form and inspiration

The behind-the-scenes series of Czech politics is loosely inspired by the British series The Thick of It.^[1] and at the same time by Czech police wiretapping that leaked to the media. Individual episodes are created on the basis of public media reports on current cases that resonate in society.^[2]

The main character is the lobbyist Tonda Blaník, who works on behalf of Czech politicians, can arrange the impossible, and his office therefore functions as an "alternative power center of Czech politics". The title of the series and the name of the main character are derived from Prague's Blaník passage, in which, according to a modern myth, a kind of "shadow municipality" led by businessmen Roman Janoušek and Karel Stejskal operated during the era of Mayor Pavel Bém.^[3]

The plot is based on dialogues, especially by Tonda Blaník, who is constantly on the phone, and contains many allusions to the current Czech social reality. The directing style approaches the mockumentary trend, thanks to the use of a seemingly amateur camera, the impression is created that it is not a fictional series, but rather a documentary.^[4]

Cast

Marek Daniel as Antonín „Tonda“ Blaník, lobbyist and owner of Office Blaník
Michal Dalecký as Luboš „Žížala“ Havránek, Blaník's assistant
Halka Třešňáková as Lenka, Blaník's secretary

References

^ Krásný, Jakub (14 April 2015). "Tvůrci Kanceláře Blaník: Bavíme i samotné lobbisty". Radio Wave (in Czech). Retrieved 8 July 2023.
^ "30. listopad 2014 - 168 hodin". Česká televize (in Czech). Retrieved 8 July 2023.
^ Veselovský, Martin (25 April 2015). "Peroutkův článek? Tonda Blaník to vyřeší, tvrdí scenárista". Aktuálně.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 8 July 2023.
^ Růžička, Lukáš (14 April 2014). "Za virózou Zemana stojí lobbisté z kanceláře Blaník". Echo24.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 8 July 2023.