by Lurker
The first episode of the new season of Srugim won't be broadcast on TV until Sunday, Jan. 10 at 10:10 pm. However, for those who can't wait, you can already watch the complete episode online here.
Going to Israel?
Now get 2 phones for the price of 1 (and free calls too) with Talk'n'Save.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
The first episode of the new season of Srugim won't be broadcast on TV until Sunday, Jan. 10 at 10:10 pm. However, for those who can't wait, you can already watch the complete episode online here.
Going to Israel?
Now get 2 phones for the price of 1 (and free calls too) with Talk'n'Save.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
I am so confused about why they posted this online.
ReplyDeleteIf this is supposed to be appointment television, why make it available? Am I viewing this decision through an American lens?
I really tried watching srugim, hoping against hope that at least this once a television show will attempt to depict the "other" part of Israeli society (the part that doesn't live between Tel Aviv and the airport), and was sorely disappointed. The characters all seem to be spoiled, sex-starved and hedonistic, basically "Sex in the City: South Jerusalem", (with very little sex). I realize that the show is intended to be about the affluent "dati-light" bourgeois crowd from East Talpiot-German Colony-Bakaa-Katamon and not actual normal religious Jerusalemites. But the whole premise seems to be to show how "normal" the datalim are while the standard for normality is the behavior of their Tel Aviv compatriots (the ones on television, not the ones in real life), and the result is a ridiculously typical Israeli twenty-something drama, except that for some reason the characters are wearing kippot and skirts.
ReplyDeleteThere are basically two approaches to depicting religious Jews on Israeli television - the openly hostile approach or the apologetic and obsequious approach. Unfortunately srugim squanders the opportunity to provide something new in this regard.
Do you have a link for those of us in chul?
ReplyDeleteAugh! Next time put a spoiler alert up - I'm still working my way through Season 1 (slowly - Hebrew not so good), and I had no idea that what'shername got married. The photo totally gives it away. Augh.
ReplyDeleteAlex: I realize that the show is intended to be about the affluent "dati-light" bourgeois crowd from East Talpiot-German Colony-Bakaa-Katamon and not actual normal religious Jerusalemites.
ReplyDelete(1) Correction: You mean "not religious Jerusalemites of the sort with whom I am familiar". There are plenty of real people in the Jerusalem bitza similar to the characters depicted in the series.
(2) What do you mean by "affluent"? The only main character in the series (season 1, anyway) who could be accurately described as "affluent" is Reut. The rest are middle-class types who don't even have enough money to live alone in their own apartments.
Alex: There are basically two approaches to depicting religious Jews on Israeli television - the openly hostile approach or the apologetic and obsequious approach. Unfortunately srugim squanders the opportunity to provide something new in this regard.
I have a significantly different perspective on the nature of Srugim and the messages that it conveys. See this post that I wrote last year for details.
Russell: Do you have a link for those of us in chul?
ReplyDeleteWhat, the link I gave doesn't work in chu"l?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWow, Yes! blocks those living in chul? Who knew? Do you know how many times I haven't gotten access to videos because I live in Israel?
ReplyDeleteEven if it is supposed to be "appointment" TV, I succumbed and watched it. Didn't love the episode, not sure why. ****SPOILER ALERT**** Don't get Nati...what, he couldn't tell Amir that his mother was DYING??? Her timing wasn't great, but I think Amir would have understood. And I missed Reut.
And how many couples do you think decide not to tell the Rav about their, uhm, special wedding night circumstances?
Russell -- Sorry, your link is to a "behind the scenes" documentary about Srugim; not the first episode of the new season. Also, as soon as I opened the link in my browser, my anti-virus program immediately popped up a warning that the site had just tried to upload a trojan virus onto myu computer. So I'd stay away from it.
ReplyDeleteFor a critique (assuming you watched the episode), see my academictalmud@blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI understand that the producer of srugim is a reader of this blog. If not maybe you could pass this message on to him.
ReplyDeleteA show about a group of young friends that live in proximity to each other has been done in the past with great success. It was called Friends.
This show has some elements that were missing from the original. It's about Orthodox Jews living in Jerusalem. Sounds interesting, but what else is different?
On srugim they have Crooked teeth, unkempt appearances, bad posture, and general unattractiveness.
No thanks! Too painful to sit and watch.
Oh, and if I could add one more difference, Friends was as bland as the conventional good looks of its actors and had absolutely no sophistication. If you watch t.v. to look at the pretty people though, then I would stick with friends.
ReplyDeleteJeremy:
ReplyDeleteI find it astonishing that you are incapable of perceiving any substantive difference between a shallow, fluffy sitcom like Friends, and a serious, evocative drama like Srugim.
There is clearly no common ground for discussion here.
Jeremy: Srugim isn't a sitcom. There's no laugh track and many of the issues discussed and brought up are dead serious.
ReplyDeleteIts a reflection of a segment of society -- sometimes with a humourous bent. That's about the only comparison it has to Friends.
Saying that Srugim is just like Friends because they're both "about a group of young friends that live in proximity to each other", is similar to saying that Tolkien's Lord of the Rings is just like SpongeBob SquarePants, because they're both about a bunch of fantasy characters in a fictional land.
ReplyDeleteIf you are Dati and watch this, you think..how silly, would this really happen (I do not think this was as good as the first series)
ReplyDeletebut then you think, if someone who is not religious is watching this, there are so many new concepts here. OK so they are not keeping all the rules, but even simple things like the bride sitting on a special chair, the bride and groom not meeting before the wedding and more, are new concepts for some of the viewers.
Anonymous 5:42 - True, though in this case, many secular Israelis have probably been at the wedding of some religious relative.
ReplyDelete***SPOILER ALERT***
ReplyDeleteThis episode's plot was very clever, I'm impressed. Think about it: In addition to the actual wedding, Hodaya may have had a "wedding night" the same night, and Nati entered a 7-day period just like sheva brachot. All the characters go though variations of the same event, but the variations are so so different from each other.
how about a link that works in chul?
ReplyDeleteor is this another way to promote aliyah :)
Lion of Zion:
ReplyDeleteor is this another way to promote aliyah :)
Or some of us are in chul on shlichut and have already made aliyah...
Anyone from ch'ul who wants a copy, drop me an email, and I'll see what I can do.
ReplyDeleteAll the detractors with critical comments- you're clearly in the minority. Most Israeli religious, formerly religious, (and plenty of irreligious) viewers loved Srugim, and are excited for this new series. Who forced you to watch? If I don't like a TV show, I don't watch it, and I don't feel the need to lambast it, even if a blog I read follows it avidly.
ReplyDeleteObject all you like, but the dati tv-viewing world has voted, and "Srugim" is an out-and-out hit. And if this first episode is anything to go by, it is good to see that once again the director is unafraid to deal with the complex issues surrounding being young, single and religious in today's society. Looking forward to more.
the ads are neat (see last photo here).
ReplyDeleteFriends ran for 10 consecutive years and made everyone involved tons of money (236 episodes). Friends dealt with many social issues and entertained people (worldwide) for well over a decade and was fun to watch.
ReplyDeleteSrugim is different and won't succeed because not enough people want to watch an uncomfortable group of unattractive crooked tooth 20 somethings in their frumpy clothes hang around their grungy apartments.
Brighten it up, get some attractive entertaining actors and actresses. Repaint and redecorate their apartments. Get them some real clothes and maybe the show will last more then a few episodes.
Jeremy: Srugim's target market is to entertain people worldwide the same way Friends did.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, Friends is a comedy. Srugim isn't. Its a serious show, with comical moments. And people love it here.
I dont see why you find it neccessary to attack the actors -- actually, these actors are in high demand and are far from crooked teeth actors. They do an amazing job of portraying religious singles, despite that they are totally secular in their upbringing.
A few episdoes?
The show has already lasted a full season (with rave reviews), and the second season is already done...and airing.
Maybe you work for YES and are doing this just to get more publicity for them? ;-)
if you dont want to watch with all the ads they've got on walla, you can watch the episode here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.seriesvod.co.il/סרוגים/סרוגים-עונה2פרק1.html
I came across this site by mistake and it has lots of israeli tv shows, including srugim of course
http://www.seriesvod.co.il/סרוגים/סרוגים-עונה2פרק1.html
ReplyDeleteThis link works I am finally able to view the show in the US!!! :)
This show is my all time favourite of ... well all time. Priceless and genius. Is one of the few shows where I don't care what episode or season I watch Friends Online.
ReplyDelete