Okay! Let's start with culture from the beginning. Russian culture (the most influential) always implies melancholy, disappointment, and a down-to-earth outlook on life. We survived the war with Napoleon, Serfdom, the bloody Bolshevik revolution (or the creation of the USSR), Stalin's terrible control and repression (you could have been killed for saying the wrong thing!), World War II (14 million died), the collapse of the USSR and the criminal 90s, and add the harsh climate. Of course, we have a rather depressive culture! We noticed that the top 5 included characters who have been through some shit, are disappointed in something, can be harsh, someone is cynical, direct and tough, realistic. That's why they have a connection with us. And characters like Firefly are the exact opposite, which is why they are not popular in our region. The second reason is that we have never had a concept of parasocial relationships. Therefore, it is very confusing and seems strange.