Eleven classic Arabic series to watch during Ramadan

Pioneering, influential and controversial — these shows have stood the test of time

Egyptian actress Safia El Emari stars in The Nights of Hilmiya, one of the most influential TV shows in the region. Photo: YouTube

One of the many modern social and cultural traditions of Ramadan is watching the annual releases of new Arabic television series.

And while audiences are spoiled for choice these days with the introduction of streaming services such as Shahid and Netflix, sometimes you just can’t beat a classic.

From political dramas to side-splitting comedies, here are 11 classic Arabic shows that are worth revisiting this holy month.

They are all available to stream in full on YouTube.

Abnaie Al Aezzaa Shokran, (Thank You, My Dear Children), 1979

One of the first Egyptian series to make a regional impact, Abnaie Al Aezzaa Shokran helped launch the career of many young actors who would go on to be a star in the Arab world, such as Hassan Hosny, Yehia El-Fakharany and Farouk Al Fishawy.

The family drama stars Abdel Moneim Madbouly as Baba Abdo, who decides to retire at 60 to spend time with his children whom he raised after his wife's death.

However, problems arise within the family when some of his children — despite the sacrifices he made in raising them — aren't interested in spending time with him, while others take an active role in controlling his life.

Despite already being an established actor at the time, the show propelled Madbouly to another level of fame in the region and his career became defined by it.

Al Shahid Wa Al Doumou, (Honeycomb and Tears), 1983

Considered a timeless masterpiece, the series is about the consequences of pride, greed and revenge.

The show stars Youssef Shaaban and Khaled Zaki as brothers who go to war against one another. The pair are raised by their father, a wealthy and successful trade merchant, with Shaaban’s character Hafez dedicated to the family business and keeping up appearances, while Zaki's Ahmad has a more bohemian approach to life with an interest in arts and culture.

However, after their father’s death, the brothers go head-to-head to claim his fortune, with Hafez cheating the system to cut his brother out. This ruthless move is the beginning of years of conflict within one family.

Al Helmeya Nights, (The Nights of Helmeya), 1987

The Nights of Helmeya remains one of the most popular television series in the region.

Starring Yehia El-Fakharany, Safia El Emari and Salah El-Saadany, the show follows the social and political changes in Egypt in the early 20th century, from the happenings in the upper-class neighbourhood known as Helmeya in Cairo.

El-Fakharany plays rich aristocrat Salim Al Badri who is married to the formidable and manipulative Nazik Al Selehdar (El Emari). The story takes a dramatic turn when it’s discovered that Salim has secretly taken a second wife after he marries a simple farm girl, but she dies after giving birth to their son.

As revenge, Nazik divorces Salim and marries his enemy, the rural mayor Suliman Ghanim, who is also seeking revenge against Salim after the death of his father.

The show returned for four more seasons between 1988 and 1995, which was uncommon for any Egyptian television series at the time.

Raafat Al Haggan, 1988

Raafat Al Haggan is the true story of the famous Egyptian spy of the same name who trained in Egypt and was then deported to Israel where he posed as an upstanding Jewish citizen for the rest of his life.

The story begins with Raafat as his persona of David Samhon on his deathbed, confessing to his wife that he is in fact a spy from Egypt. After his death, his wife Helen goes on a mission to discover his true identity. Through flashbacks, the audience is taken back to Egypt and the beginning of his story.

Theeab Al Jabal, (The Mountain Wolves), 1993

Set in the rural town of Bahtoon Al-Jabal in Egypt, the Hawara family live by traditional and strict customs. The show depicts how many of these customs set the area apart from the rest of the country, particularly those living in cities such as Cairo and Alexandria.

Sheikh Badar, head of the Hawara family, shocks the community when he decides to break from tradition and allow his daughter to marry from outside their community. This prompts his son Al-Badri to seek revenge and attempt to kill her, setting in motion a series of events that changes the rural community and their way of life.

El Mal We El Banon, (Money and Sons), 1993

The title of the series refers to a passage in the Quran that warns people of the consequences of “sinful money”, meaning money and wealth that was gathered by immoral means.

The story itself focuses on two families, one rich, one poor. Salama Farawela raises his children in a life of wealth while Abbas Al-Daw's family is struggling to get by. Abbas's son Yousuf falls in love with Salama's daughter but is castigated on the basis of his social status.

Yousuf then discovers that his father and Salama were both antique smugglers in their youth, but his father decided to stop while Salama continued and accumulated wealth. This sets off a series of events that affect both families and their values.

Yawmeat Wanees, (Wanees's Diaries), 1994

A family-friendly comedy about Wanees (played by Mohamed Sobhi), a man who views the world through an ideal lens. Along with his wife, Wanees wants to raise his children so that they are good and productive members of society.

The show is a light-hearted look, with social commentary, on the differences between generations as the family deal with everyday problems such as street theft, decorum, familial difficulties, office politics and more.

Lan Aayesh Fe Gilbab Abee, (I Won’t Live in my Father’s Robes), 1996

Starring Nour El-Sherif and Abla Kamel, Lan Aayesh fe Gilbab Abee follows Abdulghafour Al Buraie, the son of an unassuming but successful, self-made merchant. Abdulghafour rebels against his father and his strict beliefs. Instead, he tries to prove to his father, and to himself, that he can be equally successful using his own means, talents and intelligence.

From a small studio to a luxurious apartment, he builds his empire and reputation, and eventually has a family of his own but life becomes more complicated.

From friends and relatives who are jealous of his wealth, to his own children forming complicated relationships with families from the upper classes, Abdulghafour finds himself repeating the mistakes of his father and questioning where he went wrong.

Hawanem Garden City, (The Ladies of Garden City), 1997

An incredibly popular series in the late '90s featuring Ahmed Khalil, Hawanem Garden City is the story of love set against political upheaval in Egypt.

The show begins in 1944 during the time of Egypt's royal family and follows the Al-Shazly family. The head of the family is Mahmoud, a 60-year-old lawyer who decides to remarry after the death of his wife to Munira, the 18-year-old daughter of one of his friends.

His decision and subsequent marriage, from which a son is born, creates a rift within the family and in the community, both of which are rife with stories of love and its consequences as the social and political circumstances in the country also take a turn.

Zeezinya, 1997

Acclaimed for its historical accuracy and the details of the costumes and set designs at the time, Zeezinya is the story of upper-class expatriates who live in Alexandria, Egypt. The communities feature Italian, Greek and Turkish residents who lived in Egypt in the 1940s and were influenced by Egyptian culture at the time.

The series takes an intimate look at this multi-cultural fabric through the character of Beshr, played by Yehia El-Fakharany whose father is Egyptian and mother is Italian. Throughout the series, audiences see how he tries to reconcile both sides of his identity.

El Hag Metwali's Family, (The Family of Hajj Metwalli), 2001

The Family of Hag Metwali explores the topic of polygamy through a serious and comedic approach.

The story follows businessman Metwalli, played by Nour El-Sherif, who ends up with five wives. In the beginning, it's out of necessity and then out of greed and lust.

From changing alliances, complications in his business and familial issues, the series sheds light on how the idea of a blissful life of a man with many wives is one actually marred with complications and strife.