The return to the screen of “Manaich”, the Israeli suspense series, which burst into our lives in the summer of the Corona virus (August 2020) returned last night for a third season and this is good news for all those who like their television in Hebrew. There is a clear and double context with the start of this season – the first is, of course, the war, which disrupted the programs of all television channels wherever they are. Complete formats were thrown into the trash can or a drawer, and even those who did appear did so completely differently than they had planned, a few days before the “after the holidays” that never came. Its second clear context is that of the event that shook our lives before 7/10 – which is, of course, the coup d’état.
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The shooting of the series began in April, when the streets were already noisy and angry against the coup attempt that Levin’s opponent started with that speech on January 4. The correspondence is clear: the series contains a very sharp criticism (to the point of dystopia) of what is called in extreme right-wing circles “the rule of law gang” – the corrupt connections within the law enforcement system – one that includes lawyers, police officers, politicians and businessmen. Through the spectacular story of the relationship between Izzy Bachar (Shalom Assig) and Barak Harel (Amos Tamm), the message is not blurred at all and its connection to the initiative of the Minister of Justice is also clear.
Each episode does open with the disclaimer that “the connection between the events and reality is strictly coincidental”, but it is clear to every viewer – and to anyone who has read a bit of current affairs in recent years – that this is not something that the creator Roy Idan has concocted from his fevered mind. Quite a few stories within the plot of “Manaich” correspond with things we have seen and heard about in the news. So although it is an exaggeration of reality (sometimes to the extreme), there is definitely a connection to reality. The worldview of its creators – even if you don’t know Roi Idan, the tweeter and satirist – you can definitely recognize the messages that the series conveys with the right (and certainly the populist right that promoted the “reform”).
Even (and especially) when he’s bad. Amos Tamm, “Manaich” (photo: Kan 11)
Is this really a “right-wing series”? It’s hard to say. She is not conservative in any way and is very secular. The opposition it may arouse among leftists stems mainly from the built-in campiness we have in mind. After all, doubting authority and power was supposed to be the most leftist principle in the book. It is the root of everything we believe in. And to the same extent that we should doubt the judgment of politicians (and rightfully so), we should also think about excessive power that may also be in the hands of other parties. In other words, even if the coup attempt by Netanyahu and Levin was a terrible mistake that tore the people apart, it is clear that there is a lot to fix (in more sane ways) in the judicial system so that we will be in a better place. Calls for legal reform, by the way, emerged from left-wing jurists starting in the 1990s, long before Levin’s opponent heard of the term.
The dark sides that are excellently presented in “Manaich” are something that should worry not only the “right”, but the truth is that the political question marks also fade in light of the fact that “Manaich” is simply a good series that maintains a level that is rarely seen on the screen in Israel. The one who particularly caught my attention, and who is probably going to play an increasingly central role during the season – is Barak Harel, who in my eyes succeeds in reflecting again what I call “the Avigdor Lieberman complex”. Like Lieberman of “Wonderful Land” (played by Assi Cohen), Barak Harel is also a very bad man – by any standard – played by one of the most beloved actors (Amos Tamm).
The political question marks are fading. Shalom Assig, “Manaich” (photo: Kan 11)
And Harel himself is, in the end, complex. Like any good villain (Frank Underwood from “House of Cards” is a great example), he’s not all bad – as much as he leads a trail of the dead, he’s also a loving father to his daughter. His identity, like that of humans in general in reality, is always more elusive than something that can be defined simply by “good” and “bad”. The way in which this complex character is reflected is part of the secret of the magic of “Manaich” – along with the fact that you are very clear about who the good guys are and who the bad guys are, there is good and bad in everyone. And the division is not always as clear as it seems to us in advance.
Apart from that, Liraz Hammi continues to lead the way – in the spectacular role of Tal Ben Harosh – and proves how great an actress she really is. In the first episodes of the season, you can see her slowly coming back into the picture and the fact that there will be more of her, even when it seemed like she disappeared in the previous season, is definitely positive news.
A great actress. Liraz Hammi, “Manaich” (Photo: Kan 11)
The first episode is not always easy to watch (mainly because our mind is very busy, after all we have a war on our heads), but whoever gets to the second episode – will benefit. The pace of the series goes up and up and pulls you in completely. In a period of distraction, certainly in a period of high anxiety, it is a bit difficult to concentrate on one thing until the end. “Manaich” absolutely does it. These days, that’s another big plus.
And another noteworthy decision: after the war broke out, the actress Mona Hua published a rather blatant denial of the events of the 7.10 massacre. These were shocking and serious things, and Eve will rightfully pay the price for them. Still, Hua was not “cancelled” or deleted from the series. “Kan” and the production of the series shunned the things and from her, and rightfully so, but it is good that it was not deleted from the series that at least kept its narrative integrity. The series should not be affected. This is exactly the difference between a liberal and free society, and the people that Hua supported in that post.
The return of “Manaich” to the screen is very good news for anyone looking for a good Hebrew work on their television. In a television environment that is addicted to news, this is a piece of quality, smart writing, meticulous direction and an excellent cast. We don’t have many “menaichs” around – and when we have a series like this we should embrace it as much as possible.
>> “Manaich”, season 3, Wednesday 21:30, here at 11
