London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Oct 03, 2025

Netflix: Three Arabic language shows to binge on in October

Netflix: Three Arabic language shows to binge on in October

Middle East Eye’s three recommendations include an anthology of Saudi shorts, a dramatisation of a real Lebanese peasant uprising, and a drama set in 60s Cairo

With the warmer weather on its way out and the days shortening, many of us will find ourselves indoors during the evening, looking for entertainment.

Thankfully, there is no shortage of offerings from the Arab world on streaming platforms to while away the autumn nights. Netflix, for example, has a huge library of original productions and acquisitions from the Middle East. These range from traditional soap operas to experimental fiction; high-octane action to slowly drawn-out expositional drama.

But with so much to choose from, there’s a risk we’ll spend more time browsing than actually watching. To that end, Middle East Eye gives its three picks for October.

Suggestions are based on the British version of Netflix and some shows might not be available in other regions.

Six Windows in the Desert


An anthology of six short films by Saudi filmmakers, Six Windows in the Desert tackles issues confronting the country’s youth as their rulers find themselves at the intersection of tradition and progress.

Each episode sheds light on topics such as extremism, female-male interactions, and the human psyche. Of the six, two stand out: Wasati (Moderate) by Ali Kalthami and Is Sumiyati Going to Hell? by Meshal al Jaser.

Based on real events, Wasati chronicles an assault by religious scholars on a play named Wasati bela Wastiah (A Moderate Without A Middle-Ground), produced by students at Al-Yamamah University in Riyadh in 2006. Kalthami takes a comedic slant on the scholars' campaign against the production, as they attack actors on stage, provoking widespread shock across the country and frenzied media coverage.

Wasati is a damning critique of the Saudi religious establishment


Told through the perspective of Layan, the youngest child in a Saudi family, Is Sumiyati Going to Hell? explores the relationship between the eponymous housemaid and the family who employ her.

Sumiyati struggles to deal with tough working conditions - she is locked up to prevent her escape - and the stinging racism of her employers.

Is Sumiyati Going to Hell? looks at the treatment of domestic workers in Saudi Arabia


In the defining scene, Layan echoes her mother’s religious prejudices, warning the housemaid that her failure to convert to Islam will result in her going to hell. The little girl's underlying innocence, however, becomes a means of questioning the absurdity of treating fellow human beings in such an oppressive manner.

The short is a sobering rebuke of Saudi Arabia’s kafala system, which binds the fate of domestic workers to their employers.

Peasants' Rebellion


We’re in mid-19th century Lebanon, and Maronite peasant Tanyus Shahin is leading an uprising against his feudal overlords. Peasants' Rebellion is a retelling of his struggle.

Without straying into excessive glamorisation or melodrama, the series covers Shahin’s attempts to attain dignity and social justice for his fellow peasants, taking on a Robin Hood persona as he makes the elites pay for their exploitation and cruelty.

Syrian composer Iyad Rimawi’s soundtrack perfectly captures the mood of the peasants’ valiant campaign for justice and elevates the defiant figure of Shahin.

As well as the conflict between rebels and landowners, the show also delves into the internecine power plays between different elite clans.

With 61 episodes on Netflix, this is a series likely to keep viewers busy for a while.

Cairo Class


Originally a Ramadan special, Cairo Class recounts the story of a group of Kuwaiti women who attend university in the Egyptian capital. There, they embark on a number of adventures - of the romantic and self-discovery variety.

The social drama, set in the 1960s, depicts the complexity of life for a woman studying abroad, highlighting the characters' hardships around love and overbearing families. Each member of the group embarks on their own unique adventure, with no clear protagonist.

Cairo Class depicts the complex lives of Kuwaiti women studying abroad in the 1960s


The programme also delves into the political dynamics of the region, from the 1950s to the 1960s, covering Gamal Abdel Nasser's rise in Egypt, as well as the 1967 Six Day War between Arab states, led by Egypt, and Israel.

After the country’s defeat, the show’s mood turns sombre, reflecting the pessimism that reigned in the Arab world following the loss of Sinai, the Golan Heights and the Palestinian territories of East Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Administration Launches “TrumpRx” Plan to Enable Direct Drug Sales at Deep Discounts
Trump Announces Intention to Impose 100 Percent Tariff on Foreign-Made Films
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Singapore and Hong Kong Vie to Dominate Asia’s Rising Gold Trade
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Manhattan Sees Surge in Office-to-Housing Conversions, Highest Since 2008
Switzerland and U.S. Issue Joint Assurance Against Currency Manipulation
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Thomas Jacob Sanford Named as Suspect in Deadly Michigan Church Shooting and Arson
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
New York Man Arrested After On-Air Confession to 2017 Parents’ Murders
U.S. Defense Chief Orders Sudden Summit of Hundreds of Generals and Admirals
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
Trump Claims FBI Planted 274 Agents at Capitol Riot, Citing Unverified Reports
India: Internet Suspended in Bareilly Amid Communal Clashes Between Muslims and Hindus
Supreme Court Extends Freeze on Nearly $5 Billion in U.S. Foreign Aid at Trump’s Request
Archaeologists Recover Statues and Temples from 2,000-Year-Old Sunken City off Alexandria
China Deploys 2,000 Workers to Spain to Build Major EV Battery Factory, Raising European Dependence
Speed Takes Over: How Drive-Through Coffee Chains Are Rewriting U.S. Coffee Culture
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Ringo Starr Champions Enduring Beatles Legacy While Debuting Las Vegas Art Show
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
FBI Removes Agents Who Kneeled at 2020 Protest, Citing Breach of Professional Conduct
Trump Alleges ‘Triple Sabotage’ at United Nations After Escalator and Teleprompter Failures
Shock in France: 5 Years in Prison for Former President Nicolas Sarkozy
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
BNP Paribas Abandons Ban on 'Controversial Weapons' Financing Amid Europe’s Defence Push
Typhoon Ragasa Leaves Trail of Destruction Across East Asia Before Making Landfall in China
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Big Banks Rebuild in Hong Kong as Deal Volume Surges
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Arnault Denounces Proposed Wealth Tax as Threat to French Economy
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Denmark Investigates Drone Incursion, Does Not Rule Out Russian Involvement
Lilly CEO Warns UK Is ‘Worst Country in Europe’ for Drug Prices, Pulls Back Investment
Nigel Farage Emerges as Central Force in British Politics with Reform UK Surge
Disney Reinstates ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ after Six-Day Suspension over Charlie Kirk Comments
U.S. Prosecutors Move to Break Up Google’s Advertising Monopoly
Nvidia Pledges Up to $100 Billion Investment in OpenAI to Power Massive AI Data Center Build-Out
U.S. Signals ‘Large and Forceful’ Support for Argentina Amid Market Turmoil
Nvidia and Abu Dhabi’s TII Launch First AI-&-Robotics Lab in the Middle East
Vietnam Faces Up to $25 Billion Export Loss as U.S. Tariffs Bite
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Indonesia Court Upholds Military Law Amid Concerns Over Expanded Civilian Role
Larry Ellison, Michael Dell and Rupert Murdoch Join Trump-Backed Bid to Take Over TikTok
Trump and Musk Reunite Publicly for First Time Since Fallout at Kirk Memorial
Vietnam Closes 86 Million Untouched Bank Accounts Over Biometric ID Rules
×