No Man's Land

Another terrific French series in the genre of the fantastic The Bureau, this well crafted saga set in the Middle East captures the complexity of Syria in the context of the competing agendas and alliances. Compelling acting, especially from the women who join the Kurdish fighters battling ISIS. Season 2?

I will keep this completely spoiler free.

After finishing the season, I was surprised (and disappointed) to read so many negative reviews criticising the show for being too 'soap-like' (as in revolving around characters' emotional dilemmas) and not really being 'about' the Syrian/ISIS conflict. This is a ridiculous criticism to make. Here are some examples to help you appreciate why: "Designated Survivor is terrible, because its not really about Washington or the government". "Homeland is a bad show, it wasn't really about the CIA or the war in Afghanistan". "Die Hard is awful, its not really about LA or the Nakatomi corporation". You see what I mean? Stories ALWAYS need humanly relatable elements - which means emotions, personal conflicts, interpersonal dilemmas and dynamics. Its laughable that some critics literally compared No Man's Land to actual documentaries! If you want to learn more about Syria, the Kurds, ISIS etc - then yes, by all means watch some documentaries. No Man's Land is a fictional show that tells a very engaging and compelling story but in this CONTEXT.

And what a context it is. The closest parallel that emerged for me was Sicario - yes a different context entirely, but also similar in dynamics - a person out of their depth, moral ambiguities, shadowy leaders pulling the strings, having their own agendas etc. And of course the continual threat of random, brutal violence. Again though, Sicario wasn't really 'about' Mexico or the war on drugs - it was about one persons struggle to make sense of something so complex and futile - like life itself - something we can all relate to at times, and the same essential core as No Man's Land.

The story is hugely engaging and relatable, uncomfortably so at times, which is perhaps why some people were triggered by it. Who are you really, what do you really stand for, and why? Who would you be if those causes didn't happen or exist? How do you feel, knowing that your whole personality and life trajectory has been steered by events and experiences outside of your control? How do you then navigate that? These are deeply universal fears and quagmires that should plague anyone capable of thought, and are explored in various ways in No Man's Land. It's top-notch emotional character-driven story-telling, told in a brilliant way, set in the most uncompromising context imaginable.

I'm so thankful I stumbled upon this show, while actually looking up the Porsche stealing 80s movie of the same name (which is awesome in its own, very different way!)

I found this series by accident while reading a biography of James Krishna Lloyd ( The Good Karma Hotel) and sat up all night watching the story told from a non US side. The lukewarm reviews might be from American critics unaware that the US isn' t the only player in the Iraq,/Syria debacle. They just started it. The story follows two separate themes, a young Frenchman looking for his missing sister who was presumed dead, and three young boyhood friends in working class London, who never really fitted in due to the Arab ancestry of two, who go to Iraq to join the fight for Islam. Throw in a deceitful foreign agent, a few converging plot twists, and the Kurdish female fighters and you get an engrossing series showing some of the reasons that many Europeans went to join the cause, whether it be for excitement, alienation from the countries where they had grown up, or genuine patriotism, set against the desperate fight for survival of the Kurds. The fact that the series is French/European gives it a quieter feel than the frenetic 'Homeland' or similar US shows. I sincerely hope to see a season 2.

Wow. One of the best series I have seen this year. Complex and thrilling. Acting is first rate all around and there few wasted moments through all 8 episodes. Every episode is strong start to finish. A fascinating and credible look at how ISIS operates and a thrilling spy story at the same time. Could not recommend it more highly.

Outstanding middle east civil war thriller Great character back stories Bring on season 2