Ourika

This series gets real intense unexpectedly. The twist and turns along with the character development promise a nice and savory ride for a weekend binge. I don't really know any of the actors but the acting is nothing less of excellent. Also, I always recommend watching foreign shows in their appropriate language and read the subtitles!

I haven't completed the series yet but when you know you know. I was also motivated to write this review since it doesn't have many. It is definitely better then the 6.6 score it has. I always wonder why great foreign shows get low imdb scores. It's disappointing.

I do like this series, but it could have been far better, and also far worse. I am not that deceived, because acting is rather convincing, and the story predictable despite good surprises from time to time. It is not boring and the social elements - suburbs, ghettos, riots, police force, drug traffic, are very in the mood, fashion of today's series. But something is very unlikely. The young lieutenant, cop, who goes to Morocco to investigate, just like that, without any commissioner, any substitute, to meet Morocco officials of the local Drug Enforcement Agency.... Very unlikely and I think the writers could have done a bit better concerning such details.

Alright there are two obvious narratives that are clearly inspired from Coppola's master piece (no spoilers, watch and will know ^^) but overall, a show quite original, entertaining and deserves a wider audience. Why? Because of the stellar performance of the lead: he gets the assignment and the poker face of the hardened criminal to a T. The convincing dynamic and chimistry of the cast is also a positive. As someone who grew up in Marrakech, I was mostly intrigued by the title (the French version Ourika which is actually a region in the south of morroco) and didn't expect it to be a solid entertaining cat and mouse pursuit that kept me going until the last episode! So kudos to the team behind the series!

The first criticism I have is of the woeful miscasting of Noham Edje as William. He looks about eighteen years old. That the chief would have chosen him as his personal assistant is inconceivable especially given his impetuousness and inexperience.

The second problem is the filming on location. I live in Morocco and I can tell you that the house the Jebli family retreated to was nowhere near the Ourika Valley which is a lush area of waterfalls. The supposed kif-growing region is also nothing like the Rif. Lastly, the city meant to be Tangiers was shot somewhere else.

As for the plot, we were meant to believe so much nonsense. That an ordinary Moroccan cop would, on his own initiative, arrest a high-ranking official and his contacts on the say-so of a rogue officer from France is simply out of the question. Firstly, it wouldn't have worked; the official would simply have ordered the cop to be the one to be arrested. Secondly, in the febrile and corrupt world of the Moroccan police force someone would have blabbed and the compromising situation would have been avoided. Lastly, subordinates just don't act on their own initiative. A terrible and extreme example of this is when a fire broke out at Sidi Moussa prison in Doukkala. Despite there having been time for the prisoners to be rescued by unlocking their cells, not one guard did so as they were all waiting for orders from above, Fifty two men perished and 100s were maimed. So no run of the mill cop would ever risk an operation to catch a big fish.

Apart from that, situations that were ridiculous abounded. I don't want to list them as I don't want this review to have spoilers. What I will say is that the complicity of judges, commissaires and customs in the importation of huge consignments of drugs would and could never happen seeing as it led each time to multiple arrests of the intended recipients. No one sussed?

There's so much more but this review is long enough. I gave three stars because of the presence of Salim Kechiouche. However even he couldn't lift this out of the slough of despond.

The show is a good story. Filmed well and good cinematics. The music is terrible and is constant throughout the entire series. Who needs the constant drum kit and the same beat over all of the series? It's super annoying and almost ruins the show . The characters are good and attractive. I like the international scenes in Paris and Morocco. It showed the reality of the drug trafficking trade and the danger of that lifestyle. It was a little cliche though with some of the characters and the portrayal of those in the middle East but overall it was right on with most acting. I would definitely recommend it but be prepared for the horrible music.