'Fauda' Season 3: As fans binge-watch, debate rages about Netflix favoring Lior Raz’s show over 'Omar'
As 'Fauda' Season 3 dropped today on Netflix, fans of the show got ready for a marathon binge-watch session of the 12 episode show. Those who follow the show, compared notes about how many episodes they had binged with one user tweeting: "Three episodes in to #fauda3 and as with season 1 and 2 it's TV crack. Five minutes and you are hooked. How will I stop tonight?" to which he got replies of users who had binged up to nine episodes of the show.
The show is known to be addictive TV and one user joked about trying to exercise control over how many episodes he would watch, writing: "I will not watch every episode of Fauda season 3 tonight. I will not watch every episode of Fauda season 3 tonight. I will not watch every episode of Fauda season 3 tonight. I will not watch every episode of Fauda season 3 tonight."
Since everyone is on pandemic lockdown, the co-creator and star of the show, Lior Raz, reached out via a short Twitter video to all 'Fauda' fans across the world. He simultaneously publicized the show and told people to "stay safe at home".
While Raz didn't explicitly say this, he was definitely implying that since "there was nothing to do out there", people could Netflix and chill, watching 'Fauda'. One user, echoing words of Raz wrote: "If you have to #StayHome at least there's @FaudaNetflix". Fans from across the world, including India, England, Canada and even the UAE, responded to Raz's Twitter video, expressing their joy at the new season dropping.
However, as always, the show has drawn comments about whether it was Israeli propaganda dressed up as entertainment, comparing it to another film 'Omar' about a Palestinian baker who gets caught up in the conflict -- a film which had reportedly been removed from Netflix.
One user wrote about this type of censoring, writing: “'Fauda' a show glorifying the murder of Palestinians is allowed to be on Netflix but 'Omar,' a movie about a Palestinian man’s struggle living under Israeli occupation isn’t. Disgusting", while another complained: "Well I’m pissed Netflix really took off the movie 'Omar' that shows the life of Palestinians in occupation and the injustice caused by Israel! And replaced it with the show called 'Fauda' an Israeli propaganda that paints Palestinians as terrorist. Pick a damn side ya zbala!" However, one reply to such tweets about the show's bias revealed: "My Palestinian friend got me into it", to let people know that the gripping spy thriller show had fans from both sides of the conflict.
Another pro-Israel fan defended the show saying: "Not [Palestinians] crying about how Fauda is 'dehumanizing' them..." According to him, the show's Israeli writers were coming up with "creative ways to justify the terroristic (sic) ways" of Palestinians.
However, controversy or not, 'Fauda' seems to have another hit season on its hands with fans already clamoring for a season 4. Back in February, the show's co-creator, Avi Issacharoff, had revealed that a fourth season was already cooking. He was speaking at the English premiere of season 3 in Tel Aviv when he announced that the cast and crew were “working right now” on developing season 4 of the show. Once completed, it will first air on Israel's Yes TV network before reaching a global audience through Netflix in 2021.
'Fauda' Season 3 is currently streaming on Netflix.
