So Close to Reality

Fauda on Netflix is a delightful surprise, and one which has made my past binge-watching week a little more exciting.

It was my mom who told me about it, and at first, I was skeptical. I am very picky when it comes to TV shows. However, Fauda (chaos in Arabic) is made to perfection.

The 12-episode series premiered in Israel in February 2015 on the Yes channel, and was recently acquired by Netflix for North American viewers. It has since been approved for a second season, which I can’t wait to watch.

When I was watching Fauda, I couldn’t help but be impressed by the incredible acting, mesmerizing plot, and above all the bird’s eye view into one of the world’s deepest cultural and religious divides – the Palestinian-Jewish conflict.

Set in Israel and in Palestine, the show centers around the Israeli secret service’s attempts to capture and kill the most notorious and deadly terrorists of Hamas who has ever struck within Israeli territory.

As the plot develops, we meet the various characters involved in this operation: Abu Ahmad (the hiding terrorist), his wife Nassrin and two children; his brother and soon to be wife; Doron, a retired special forces fighter who is recruited to capture Abu Ahmad; his wife who is having an affair with one of his best friends and colleagues; Walid, Abu Ahmad’s right hand devotee, and several other characters who contribute to the intriguing plot.

The most striking thing about Fauda is how closely it seems to reflect reality, including a cast of actors who can speak both Hebrew and Arabic fluently.

This is less surprising when you learn that one of the cretors of the show, who also plays one of the leading characters Doron Kabilio, is a former “Duvdevan” (special force unit) fighter, born in 1971. His Arabic is impeccable and so is the Arabic of some of the other lead actors.

The second season of Fauda, which will be based on true events is set to air later this year.

John Doyle from the Globe and Mail calls the show “a great thriller” and talks about other Israeli shows that have made it to North America. Read his article HERE