German, French, Spanish, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Icelandic, Russian, Japanese, South Korean. I’ve really enjoyed the polyglot of languages on Netflix programming. (Some Americans would add the U.K. and Ireland to the list of countries whose TV programming requires subtitles.) Netflix has made international programs accessible and easy for many who previously might have shied away from subtitles. (Notice I’m not even acknowledging the choice to watch any of these programs in dubbed English.) I’ve recently discovering some good Israeli shows, so now I can add Hebrew to my list.
Hit & Run
A man’s wife is killed in a hit-and-run accident. His search for the truth takes him into a dangerous web of secrets stretching from Tel Aviv to New York. Lior Raz as Segev leads a strong international cast within a compelling story with lots of side plots. It gets a little ridiculous but no more so than others of this genre. Hit & Run starts off with a jolt and keeps the action rolling before it loses some energy in the second half of the season as the hunt for the killer takes Segev to New York. The parallel threads become more complicated and unresolved. The show’s creators had two-three seasons in mind to wrap up all the loose ends, but Netflix surprisingly canceled it after the first season. So, one season with a cliffhanger ending may not be enticing for many, but if you’re looking for an intriguing, entertaining hour (9 episodes) it could fill a slot in your TV schedule.
D² Rating ◼◼◼☐☐
Black Space
Black Space opens up on a beautiful morning at a Tel Aviv high school. Instantly, the ordinary day turns into a nightmare as anonymous figures wearing unicorn masks storm into an assembly opening fire on the students and killing four of them. Rami Davidi (Guri Alfi) is the lead investigator and an alumnus of the school with his own life-changing experience on campus as a student. He’s consumed by work 24-7 even as his pregnant wife needs him at home. Conventional wisdom in a hotbed of terrorism points to the two Palestinians arrested in the vicinity. Davidi thinks it’s someone else.
The subject matter is obviously violent and disturbing; Netflix begins each of the eight episodes with a trigger warning basically acknowledging that the show is not for everyone. The rogue cop is certainly not an original concept. The teenage actors are pretty good, it’s their motives and actions that are hard to believe.
If you can handle the school shooting aspect, Black Space is a suspenseful, engaging multi-faceted drama. Issues of bullying, parent-teenager relationships, and the influence of social media on the behavior of young people are all explored. Unlike Hit & Run, Netflix has announced a second season for Black Space, with no details at this time. Not sure where the story goes from here, but that quandary doesn’t stop television producers.
D² Rating ◼◼◼☐☐ (Trailer video not available…at least not one I was willing to share.)
Hit & Run and Black Space are full of twists and turns and binge-worthy, particularly if you like crime thrillers in international settings. If you’re familiar with Israeli shows, you’re probably wondering why I haven’t included Fauda. I haven’t watched it yet, but plan to! The worldwide hit addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict just ran its 4th season with #5 on the way next year. Fauda was created by the Hit & Run team and also stars Lior Raz. According to Israel21c, its complex, realistic storytelling doesn’t gloss over the violence while portraying likeable characters from both sides. It has dominated the Israel TV Academy Awards in recent years. (Note: this article was written just before the October 7th attack on Israel.)
Trivia: What long-running, award-winning Showtime drama was based on an Israeli series?
Answer: Homeland, starring Claire Danes, one of my all-time favorites, based on the Israeli program, Prisoners of War.