What I’m Watching: Our Boys (Series Finale)

Our Boys: Season 1, Episode 10 “Chapter 10: A Shaft into a Dark Tunnel” (B+)

I’ve contended since it started that this show is excellent, and is the case when I watch episodes of “The Crown,” I’m eager to do some research after it ends so that I can find out what’s real and what’s fictionalized. I appreciated how the conclusion of this episode answered many of those questions, noting that pretty much everything about the perpetrators and the victim’s family was true aside from the names of the minors, whereas both Simon and Dvora, two very compelling characters whose interaction in this episode was extremely powerful, were composites of several people, just like Jessica Chastain’s protagonist in “Zero Dark Thirty.” The framing of this episode, which includes a closing note about the search for the killers of the three Israeli boys and how their homes were demolished, provides one last supporting argument for the idea that this show doesn’t portray Israel in the best light, focusing instead on how this search for justice reveals more about how unjust the country is. I do think that most of what it brings up is indeed fascinating, like Suha’s desire to have the Israeli killers’ homes demolished, but I can understand why this could just be used as more ammunition against Israel by those who already detest it. My hope is that those who watch will see it for the layered, introspective portrait of a deeply upsetting situation that hit home for so many that it is. I’m not sure it will appeal to Emmy voters, but I’m pulling for it, especially for Jony Arbid (Hussein), Adam Gabay (Avishai), Or Ben Melech (Yoseif Haim), Shlomi Elkabetz (Simon), and Noa Koler (Dvora). This has been an enlightening, excellent experience, though far from an easy one.

Series grade: A-
Series MVP: Jony Arbid as Hussein

What I’m Watching: Our Boys (Penultimate Episode)

Our Boys: Season 1, Episode 9 “Chapter 9: The Perfumer and the Tanner” (B+)

As this show nears its end, it’s continuing down a very intriguing route that asks many moral questions about the outcome of this trial. What Dvora heard about the potentially negative implications of Jews being convicted for murder in terms of worldwide perceptions of Jews and Israel is definitely cause for concern, and it’s actually something I worried about with this show in general since what it portrays could certainly be damaging. It’s continually incredible to see just how each action taken by any person involved in any aspect of the case is interpreted as an affront, like Mohammed’s name being added to the list of the victims of terror. The harassment of Simon that has begun and will surely continue shows how protective institutions can be, even if it’s clear in this case that the actions of these three people were indeed horrendous and should be fully decried, with those responsible to be held accountable. Having to find an American psychiatrist who would fly in to Israel so that he could assess Yosef Haim shows that there is a certain toxicity to any association with what’s perceived as a rarity rather than the norm. Simon’s definition of modern terrorism was powerful and entirely applicable to the spate of mass shootings in the United States. Avishai felt betrayed by what Simon said since he still believes that he never intended to kill, and getting encouraged by Simon’s past informant isn’t going to help his mental state. I’ll also now hear the song he sang upon his release, which I’ve listened to many times in the past, in an entirely different way.

What I’m Watching: Our Boys

Our Boys: Season 1, Episode 8 “Defendants 2 and 3” (B+)

There are a few people on this show who actually seem capable of seeing a world larger than themselves. Simon is one, Hussein is another, and I’d actually argue that Avishai is as well, even those he has certain trouble relating to other people and communicating how he truly feels without a sense of nervousness and embarrassment only sometimes related to his stutter. Avishai is rightfully devastated about his current state, and wants to talk to Simon because the kindly agent understands that he feels remorse for what he did, which doesn’t seem to be true for Yinon. I’m not sure why anyone would have thought it was a good idea to send Yochi in so that he could continue to fuel Yinon’s extremism and work with his colleagues on the outside to send a message to Simon through his very upset brother, Rami, who was easily identifiable due to Simon’s questionably thin cover identity. It was extremely difficult watching Hussein and Suha’s faces as they heard Uri read the indictment, and Yosef Haim declaring loudly that he is the Messiah makes it seem like he’s trying to play into an insanity claim since his prior actions indicated a fervent zealotry but not delusions of grandeur. Dvora impressively refused to cave to pressure from Rabbi Ben-David, addressing only him and never looking at his or answering the questions of his manipulative lawyer, played by Menashe Noy, a standout performer films like “Gett: The Trial of Vivianne Amsalem” and “Working Woman.”

What I’m Watching: Our Boys

Our Boys: Season 1, Episode 7 “Chapter 7: Judging by Its End” (B+)

This was a very tough episode to watch, though it was done very well. I mentioned when I first started watching that this was a personal subject for me since it’s something I remember playing out a few years ago and which I watched closely because I was coordinating youth trips to Israel that left on the day that the three Israeli boys were found. This show’s focus has been much more on the aftermath of those murders, and seeing the devout faith that has been twisted into notions of harming other people in God’s name is deeply unnerving. I know the melody that Yosef Haim was singing to his child after buying the gasoline, and my wife and I cringed when Yinon told Avishai that he should take off his yarmulke because it was for the sake of “pikuach nefesh,” or saving a life, when they were about to go out and abduct someone. The commission of the crime was almost casual, and Yosef Haim saw it as clear-cut revenge, invoking the names of Israeli killed as he beat Mohammed to death. I wasn’t sure what the purpose of the reenactment was, but it turned out to be a vivid way to understand Avishai’s worldview and how he believed that there was a distinction between what he did and the act of murder. This was a hypnotic, self-contained episode, one whose implications are sure to be felt as Avishai’s cooperation becomes official testimony and leads to severe consequences for all involved.

What I’m Watching: Our Boys

Our Boys: Season 1, Episode 6 “Chapter 6: Acceptance of Silence” (B+)

This episode pulled back from the intensity of the investigation to the slow procedure of double-checking and making sure that everything was covered before information was leaked in a way that would truly compromise the case. I was wondering whether there would be a moment when the two storylines intersected again, and Uri going to talk to Hussein was just that. He evidently wants to help do damage control to a degree, but he’s also serious about making sure that those responsible are held accountable for what they did in a legal way rather than something far less controllable. Naturally, Hussein is encouraged to doubt him by those around him, and just as he doesn’t want his son’s death to be used for causes that he doesn’t believe in, he doesn’t want it dismissed or buried either. Going to court to make sure that lawyers can’t be brought in was an interesting process, and tensions were high in the courtroom between the two lawyers on opposite sides. Simon bringing in Devorah to speak with Avishai and get him to stop his acceptance of silence was a bold move, and it’s nice to see some sort of honor with Simon actually turning the cameras off when she was in there talking to him. This show continues to do a superb job of bringing in many different perspectives, with Devorah’s husband demonstrating his own prejudices in how he thinks about the religious community and their tendencies. That final shot of Avishai being taken outside was appropriately haunting.

What I’m Watching: Our Boys

Our Boys: Season 1, Episode 5 “Chapter 5: Shabbat Shalom” (B+)

This episode’s title felt especially appropriate since things really did slow down as Simon spent time getting to know the community where his top suspects lived and Hussein got some relief from the tension around him and received a phone call from the president. Up until this point, Simon has been relatively low-key and hardly the most compelling character on this show, but in this episode, that changed. The way that he offered up details about his cover story that were apparently identical to his real life was indeed risky, as evidenced by the reactions from his fellow operatives, and it makes some sense that the one man who knew that Jews were responsible would understand because he can grasp the extreme viewpoints expressed by the mathematician, the rabbi, and ultimately those responsible for this brutal murder. Yosef Haim’s eagerness to have Simon over was his own undoing, since, after a night spent nearly being revealed as an impostor, he knew exactly what to say to unravel his top suspect after a contentious conversation with his wife. The swiftness with which Yosef Haim and his nephews were apprehended and brought in once the order was given was frightening, and certainly disorienting for the culprits and those in their immediate vicinity. I don’t know what happens next, but they’re going to need to be very careful to ensure that the information about these arrests come out in a controlled and clear way that doesn’t incite further violence, an unfortunate inevitability that can’t be prevented.

What I’m Watching: Our Boys

Our Boys: Season 1, Episode 4 “Chapter 4: The Dawn Martyr” (B+)

This show continues to be intense and involving as the investigation begins to go even deeper, and it becomes clear why resolving it is crucially important to the safety and stability of the region. I’m consistently impressed by this show’s ability to portray all sides of the situation, representing missteps and preconceptions all around that both inform and bias events and decisions. Hussein being told where and when to bury his son felt like a horrific way to treat a mourning father, but as soon as the ambulances crossed back into a Palestinian area, even he couldn’t control the protesters who just wanted to take the body and march it back to Al-Aqsa. To his credit, Hussein understood what was going to happen and managed to change the anthem of the protesters, using it instead as a call to unity, calming that storm for now. Though he’s been pushing the idea that the killers were Jews since the beginning, Simon now seems more hesitant to make an arrest because he understands the gravity of such a move and how irreversible it would be if they got it wrong. Taking his brother’s yarmulke and heading to Shabbat services to spend more time with the suspects was a formidable way to end the episode, ready to offer viewers a close-up look at what the Ben-David family and community is really like. I recognized Noa Koler, the fantastic star of “The Wedding Plan,” as Devorah Segal, but didn’t identify popular Israeli actor Lior Ashkenazi as Uri Korb.

Take Three: Our Boys

Our Boys: Season 1, Episode 3 “Chapter 3: Two Packs of Red Next” (B+)

This episode pulled out from Mohammed’s story to focus on the investigation, which involves many layers and preconceived notions. This hour in particular helped to answer for me the question of this show’s existence, since it serves as an examination of Israeli and Palestinian society and all the intricacies that make it so complex. Simon was still the only one who believed that Jews were the ones who killed Mohammed, and despite the best efforts of everyone else to list the many reasons that it couldn’t have been them, the straightforward testimony from the store clerk on a pilgrimage with his family confirmed that they were speaking Hebrew and didn’t match the description of his normal Arab customers. The religious kids barbecuing were all too willing to talk to him, and his conversation with Rabbi Ben-David was full of foreboding undertones. Simon was mostly honest and direct with Hussein when he walked in to talk to him, and it was reassuring to see him finally talk to the woman who had reported her son’s near-kidnapping, even if it came far too late. He appears to be truly invested in uncovering the truth, not merely supporting what he already thinks. Hussein remained in denial for the entirety of the episode even when he returned home to find his entire house in mourning, and the impact of getting that call was felt by watching his face without having to hear anything. Chaos is sure to erupt soon, and finding proof of which Jews were responsible for the murder won’t help abate any of that.

Round Two: Our Boys

Our Boys: Season 1, Episode 2 “Chapter 2: I Love Toto” (B+)

This episode aired immediately after the pilot, but I wanted to review it separately since the first two installments were produced separately. This show is premiering at a very interesting time as Israel is in the spotlight for the questionable policy decisions of its prime minister regarding the admission of two Congresswomen into the country, and I don’t think that this show will help with any sort of public relations. That said, it is a tremendously involving and honest depiction of the layers of society in Israel, with tensions understandably high as a result of the events depicted here but also emblematic of deeper historical and cultural decisions. This episode was grounded by the incredible performance by actor Jony Arbid as Hussein, who, frustrated by the inaction of the Israeli police, chose to go with them to the station despite all of his neighbors warning him not to, and ended up being interrogated and not told that his son has already been found brutally murdered. I neglected to note in my pilot reaction that Simon, the one investigator who believes that Jews are indeed responsible for this revenge killing, is played by Shlomi Elkabetz, brother of the late, great actress Ronit Elkabetz. The two directed “Gett: The Trial of Vivianne Amsalem,” a superb look at the difficulties of religious divorce. I’m impressed with how this show manages to make me feel like I’m right there, experiencing it all, and I plan to keep watching to learn more. I hope other viewers will too, and won’t make any problematic, generalizing real-life assumptions based on events depicted thus far that can lead to the kind of conflict that is emerging here.

Pilot Review: Our Boys

I'm trying something new with my pilot reviews, so from now on, check out video takes on each new series, which I'll embed below and you can also watch by subscribing to movieswithabe on YouTube.