HBO Max’s ‘One Day in October’ revisits the horrors of the October 7 attacks — here’s all you need to know
HBO Max's 7-episode anthology drama television series 'One Day in October' will send chills down your spine. For the unversed, the series focuses on the October 7 attacks that took place in Israel, where Hamas militants killed and took hostages. The miniseries, which was created by Oded Davidoff and Daniel Finkelman, showcases the stories of love, bravery, endurance, and grief arising from the act of violence. The first four episodes of the series originally aired on Yes Drama in Israel. The full miniseries was released by HBO Max on October 7, 2025, which marks the second anniversary of the deadly attacks.
The fourth episode of the show, titled 'My Light', revolves around Sabin Taasa (Yaël Abecassis), a French Israeli who was at her home in the Netiv HaAsara moshav in southern Israel with her son Zohar on October 7. Taasa's other sons, Koren and Shay, were residing with their father, Gili, at a nearby housing unit; her eldest child, Or, was enjoying some early morning fishing at the beach when Hamas militants invaded the country. Taasa was awakened by her son Zohar, and both of them took refuge in the safe room built by Gili. Meanwhile, Gili, Koren, and Shay rushed to an outdoor shelter.
The episode gives viewers a closer look at Taasa and Zohar’s claustrophobic bunker as they hear gunfire and Arab voices from outside. A knock on the door puts Taasa and Zohar in potential danger, and as Taasa had to make sure if it was any of her other children or not, she checks it out. Following that, Taasa is confronted by a couple of Hamas terrorists. Taasa manages to save her life because of the door, which was made of concrete. Inside the safe room, Taasa and Zohar learn about the attacks through the internet and WhatsApp. Taasa, however, is prevented from seeing the footage from the beach where her son, Or, was killed.
The preceding episode, 'Sunrise', sheds light on the story of Gali Amar (Noa Kedar) and Amit Amar (Swell Ariel Or) as they hide from Hamas marauders in a portable toilet cubicle at the Nova music festival. In the episode, the two women try their best to stay quiet and calm amidst surrounding gunfire and frightening proclamations from Hamas terrorists who yell, "Kill them. Kill everyone!” In a chilling instance, a terrorist can be heard saying, “Dad, I’m calling you from a Jewish woman’s phone! I killed her and her husband! I killed 10 people with my own hands, Dad.”
After calling for help through their cellphones and praying for a miracle to happen, Amit and Gali suffer in silence for numerous hours. The episode shows viewers Amit's point of view, who tried to think practically amid the terror attacks, as Gali remained inebriated from the drugs consumed at the party. The series 'One Day in October' also consists of real-life clips from October 7, 2023, to depict the ugliest aspects of the heinous attack.
