For TV programming during Ramadan, the golden rule is that there must always be something for everyone. Whether you believe it is a good or a bad thing, the secular habit of TV viewing has become as much a part of Ramadan as fasting. Television networks across the Middle East – including heavyweights such as MBC, Abu Dhabi TV, Dubai TV, Sharjah TV, CBC, OSN and LBC – all rely heavily on this time of year for a spike in ratings. This is good news for viewers, as the channels go all out to lure them with the finest small-screen entertainment. We’ve sifted through the soap operas, historical dramas, regional sitcoms, cultural chat shows, religious programmes, cooking shows, big-budget epic sagas, social broadcasts and entertainment series to highlight some of the most interesting options to look out for.
Afareet Adly Allam (Ghosts of Adly Allam)
Egyptian actor Adel Imam makes his annual TV appearance in a comedy-drama series. This time, he plays a journalist known for stirring up controversy and shaping public opinion. As the series progresses, a ghost appears to him and the star’s signature hilarity – infused with a healthy amount of drama – ensues. Also starring fellow Egyptian stars Ghada Adel, Hala Sedki and Kamal Abou Raya.
MBC, MBC Masr
Ard GAW (Ground Air)
In this social-drama/thriller, Egyptian A-list actress Ghada Abdel Razzak stars as an eccentric flight attendant planning a vicious revenge on someone who hurt her. Her plans go awry when she is arrested and accused of hijacking a flight. Is she guilty or not? Tune in to find out.
OSN
Gharabeeb Soud (Black Crows)
This much-publicised series dramatises life under terrorism, exploring “terror practices under the guise of religion”, as viewed from the perspective of women. Produced by MBC, it is considered the first Arabic show to portray the lives of women living with and under ISIL. Expect heavy issues and hard viewing.
MBC, MBC Masr, LBC, Abu Dhabi TV
Madfaa' Al Iftar (The Iftar Cannon)
Broadcast on Sharjah TV annually during Ramadan, Madfaa’ Al Iftar features the iftar cannon firing, live at sunset from Al Majaz Waterfront. The programme also carries both religious and public messages, and is an interactive live show with an audience that takes part in religious contests to win valuable prizes, in association with the Sharjah Police General Headquarters.
Sharjah TV
Al Nishan
Popular cultural game and talk show Al Nishan has been revamped this year. The new edition will feature a range of fast-paced segments, including artistic performances and mental competitions. At the end of every episode, viewers are presented with a question – answer it correctly and you can win some seriously impressive prizes.
Sharjah TV
Fi El Lala Land (In La La Land) ≥
Egyptian actress, comedian and singer Donia Samir Ghanem stars with a group of her actor friends in this sitcom about a plane forced to land on a remote, uninhabited island. To survive, with no hope of being rescued, the group decide how to make do. Think of it as a comedy version of the hit American TV show Lost.
OSN, Dubai TV
Rummana (Pomegranate)
This UAE social drama stars Hayat Al Fahad and revolves around the lives two families, one poor, the other better off, and how their fortunes change overnight. Set primarily in Fujairah, the show has a message about how money – and overnight riches – can change people, regardless of culture and education.
OSN, Dubai TV
Qalbi Ma'i (My Heart Is With Me)
This pan-Arab drama has more romance than most other Ramadan programmes this year. A series of love stories unfold and, little by little, the ways in which the characters’ lives intertwine are revealed.
Abu Dhabi TV
Selfie
Ramadan is not complete without Nasser Al Qasabi's satirical comedy show, Selfie. The third season of the show, which comments on social interactions typical to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, is expected to feature guest appearances by renowned Kuwaiti actor Abdulhussain Abdulredha. Considering how much controversy this unassuming comedy stirred up last year when it presented skits mocking ISIL, it is definitely one to watch.
MBC
Manal Al Alem
A new show from popular chef Manal Al Alem will be airing at 2.50pm every day during Ramadan, in which she will present dishes from across the Levant, the Arabian Gulf and North Africa. Al Alem is a household name in the region for a reason: her dishes are presented simply and the result is always mouthwatering – perfect Ramadan fare.
Fatafeat
Wahat Al Ghuroob (Sunset Oasis)
Based on Egyptian novelist Bahaa Taher's sixth novel, which won the inaugural International Prize for Arabic Fiction in 2008, Wahat Al Ghuroob is a much-anticipated historical drama starring Mona Shalaby and Egyptian heart-throb and movie star Khaled El Nabawy. The latter plays a police officer exiled to an oasis in Siwa, in Egypt's western desert, for resisting the British occupation in Egypt towards the end of the 19th century.
Dubai TV
Al Za’baq (Mercury)
Egyptian A-lister Karim Abdel Aziz ups his drama game with a series based on real cases from Egyptian Intelligence operations in the late 1990s. He plays a heroic intelligence officer.
Abu Dhabi TV, OSN
Orchidea
Essentially an Arabised version of award-winning HBO fantasy drama Game of Thrones, this big-budget Syrian series might become the most-watched show this Ramadan. Directed by Hatem Ali, Orchidea was shot in Romania and France, and features a cast of renowned Syrian actors, including Sulafa Memar, Basel Khayat, Jamal Suleiman, Abed Fahed, Samer El Masry and Yara Sabry.
Abu Dhabi TV, OSN, ART
Al Yawm Al Aswad (The Black Day)
This Gulf drama with a strong philosophical message examines the relationship between a person’s situation and the society in which he lives, and the important role people can play in changing the course of a life, whether for better or worse. Featuring big-name Gulf actors, the show revolves around one black day that faces each of the characters.
MBC
El Hesab Yegma’(Everyone Pays Their Dues)
Starring veteran Egyptian actress and singer Yousra, this social drama focuses on the life of Naima, a 40-year-old woman who after working as a domestic maid for more than 20 years, decides to set up a business of hiring other maids. When she does, she uncovers cases of blackmail, abuse and rape, and sets about putting things right.
Dubai TV, OSN
Shouq (Longing)
This Bedouin drama, with a Jordanian cast, opens with a traditional desert wedding between Rashid and his cousin Shouq. But their love story is cut short when the wedding ends in tragedy after a stray bullet, shot in celebration from a rifle by Shouq’s brother, kills her groom. But was it really an accident, or an intentional murder?
Abu Dhabi TV
Ramadan Kareem
This show features the first comedic role from Egyptian singer Ruby, who proved her acting credentials in a dramatic role in last year's Segn El Nessa (Women's Penitentiary). In this Egyptian sitcom, she has to deal with the rituals and vices of society, including fasting, bribery, family relationships and charity, along with her brothers, Ramadan and Kareem.
OSN, Abu Dhabi TV
Khatoun Part 2
Fans of popular Syrian series Bab El Hara, which will itself return for a ninth series this year, should tune in to this show which is also from Syria and of a similar standard. The love story continues in this second season, which is set in alleys and homes of old Damascus while Syria was under French rule.
Abu Dhabi TV
Awnak (Your Help)
As it does every Ramadan, this show showcases the work of the UAE Red Crescent Society around the world. The organisation’s achievements are highlighted, as are the good deeds they initiate that make such a difference to lives around the world. Worthy viewing during the holy month, and a good way to see how charity dirhams are spent.
Abu Dhabi TV
Al Shara (The Sign)
Presented by Hessa Al Falasi, this cultural game show delving into Emirati heritage gives viewers a chance to participate each day. Questions explore the UAE’s customs and traditions, from dialects, handicrafts and traditional architecture to proverbs and the lives of influential figures, past and present.
Abu Dhabi TV
Grab this week’s copy of The Review, in The National on Saturday, for our interview with soap-opera director Mohammed Shaker
artslife@thenational.ae
