If it were up to "Barry" Bassam Al-Fayeed he had his home well with and his family happy forever forgotten-at least he has the youngest (and system-critical) scion of a dictator for 20 years voluntarily lived in California / USA and is there as a pediatrician assimilated and married a western woman. His elder brother Jamal (Ashraf Barhom) was, however, brought years of father as a successor on track.
On the occasion of the wedding of his nephew Barry comes at the urging of his wife, Molly, together with family on a visit to Middle East and the events start to come thick and old wounds are reopened ....
It would have the initial series may well done to take it a little slower, and especially Bassam character represent something different. One has the feeling within the first two to three episodes happen too much, very briefly touched on and in quick succession. The series is thus a rather superficial and easy way in which people sometimes are relatively poorly implemented.
... Particularly critical to note is initially a bit colorless and later quite jarringly inconsistent characterization of the main protagonists Bassam Al-Fayeed (Adam Rayner), which in the course of the series hopes and become the most obvious weak point ....
Basic problem is that the main role is simply occupied wrong, and in addition also wurde- to strive (at least initially) trimmed gooder which not only implausible, but both in the former, as well as later the context of his behavior (insecure, fearful, cowardly, conflicts is going out of the way ...) does not fit and annoying. Just as an example, a relatively early scene: He brings a young rebel from prison and is "gratitude" for (because he is part of the Al-Fayeed family) spit from her. Instead of writing him a repartee to the script, the series writer let him suffer like Jesus the incident apology ... So nobody behaves. A more appropriate response would have liked better.
Despite his supposed moral high and noble ambitions, which he a shield wears like before him, he comes as a spectator more and more like a cowardly and deceitful "false Fifties", of being a do-gooder in the guise, the hospitality and the contrary accommodated family trust of his oriental Relatives (especially his brother) exploits ... that was certainly not planned by the series creators ...
The plan, represent the spasmodic acting main protagonists as the good, reason why is not because essentially he has no reason to take action against his brother. This namely trusted him completely and can be - politically as seen, lead like a dog on a leash ... So it would have been easy management issues and political strategies simply thrash out with him ...
However, his wife Molly (Jennifer Finnigan) does not cut off much better. In comparison to the racy Al-Fayeeds it acts in the truest sense of the word "relatively pale" and seems so far to have only the thankless and somewhat annoying role held to inquire into every scene worried after her husband's well-being ("Are you sure you are ok?) and persuade the uncertain until stiff acting and bad see through head of the family, even though they should actually guessed, in which moral dilemma her husband is ... Besides it is probably the pretty naive person on the planet ...
By the way, the question arises as to how likely it is to have spoken as (regime-critical) son of a dictator in nearly 20 years of marriage to his family as well as a word or explanation about his past. His moral conflict is indeed tried to show in flashbacks, but does not seem quite congruent me ... And although the series of course something else wanted to bring that arrivals from American Relatives comes before a more and more like pale and boring Spaßbremsen ...
Since the series at least as a framework for action focuses on the problems of a cultural crash, it would also bring interesting (at least once in passing) a bit more explanation / oriental customs. That would make the narrative structure loosen somewhat.
Otherwise, there are still bright spots, in the form of at least two more interesting and stronger characters (Jamal and Leila Al-Fayeed), which actually give the series the spice. The division of roles (good / evil) seems relatively obvious but dictated to from the beginning.
The Israeli actress Moran Atias is busy as Bassam sister "Leila Al-Fayeed" outstanding and stands out with a proud and very harmonious performance. I would almost say it is the most successful character of the series and with the appearance they could create an international breakthrough. Without the cast, the series could hardly catch the weak characterization of the protagonist ...
Bassam's brother, Jamal Al Fayeed (Ashraf Barhom) is indeed shown from the beginning very hard as a seemingly erratic and despotic, but somehow it manages the series for all his deeds not in such a negative display, as would be necessary. What causes it is a grotesquely at the end really sympathetic when his brother Bassam ...
Conclusion: Actually a total of a rather interesting series that has to fight hard with the significant (character) contradictions of the main protagonists. Unfortunately, they do not therefore make it particularly to expand their real potential. A second season currently appears in planning, although I 'm very excited about how the series will turn things around even without introducing a completely new main character ...
Tip: View 3-4 episodes and form their own opinion ...
