With Ramadan almost halfway through, are you too impatient to keep waiting another night for the next episode of your seasonal drama of choice on the mainstream broadcasters? In that case, Starz Play may just have the answer.
The streaming service has launched its biggest-ever line-up of new Arabic series for the holy month, and they're all available to binge watch at once – or enjoy at your leisure.
The star-studded bill features a selection of the Arab entertainment world's top names, including the likes of Lebanese singer and actress Haifa Wehbe, Egyptian actors Yasser Galal and Ahmad Izz, Tunisian actor Zafer El-Abedin, Syrian actor Bassel Khayyat and Lebanese actress Maguy Bou Ghosn.
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The shows are a mix of comedy, drama and action, an are all available on the streaming service across the Middle East and North Africa throughout Ramadan.
Here’s the lowdown on Starz Play’s top new Arabic Ramadan offerings:
La’net Karma
Starring Haifa Wehbe, one of the region's biggest stars, and Egyptian actress Sherine, La'net Karma tells the story of a beautiful con artist who uses her looks, wit and charm to defraud millionaire businessmen – but is there an ulterior motive behind her latest victim?
Abou Omar Al Masri
Ahmad Izz plays a lawyer who attempts to establish a community legal organisation and faces problem after problem as corrupt authorities resort to illegal methods to shut down his operation. He is left with no other option than to take a more aggressive approach.
Raheem
This series revolves around a black-market dealer whose illegal business includes weapons, drugs and knock-off medicine. Raheem, played by Yasser Galal, falls in love with a university professor who turns his world upside down.
Tango
An edge-of-your-seat drama starring Bassel Khayyat, Basem Moghnieh, Daniella Rahme and Dana Mardini, Tango tells the story of how hidden secrets and infidelities threaten to tear apart four friends following a fatal car crash.
Julia
Qays Sheikh Najib plays a psychiatrist who finds himself in trouble after falling for a patient, played by Maguy Bou Ghosn. The patient, who suffers from multiple personalities, cannot separate real life from imagination, a factor that proves quite a challenge for her admirer.
Layali Eugenie
Romantic drama starring Zafer El-Abedin and Amina Khalil. Layali Eugenie is set in the 1940s and tells the story of a princess accused of murdering her husband. While trying to prove her innocence, with the help of her late husband's brother, an unexpected romance blossoms.
The Flight
Bassel Khayyatand Mai Selim star in the story of a group of people battling different levels of mental illness who are thrown together on a flight to Egypt.
A Howa Da Illi Sar
A Howa Da Illi Sar highlights the vast differences between classes in an Egyptian household. It stars Sawsan Badr, Ahmed Dawood, Mohamad Faraj and Ruby.
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More than just Arabic series
Don’t worry if you’re not an Arabic speaker because there’s plenty of fresh English language content available on Starz Play, too. Here’s our pick of shows that have just launched over Ramadan. Not all of these are immediately available as full series, though where shows broadcast episodically, all will be available within 48 hours of their US broadcast, and usually on the same day.
Six: Season 2
Inspired by the real-life missions of Seal Team Six – the elite Special Operations unit best known for eliminating Osama bin Laden, this action drama series is by Oscar-nominated screenwriter William Broyles Jr. (Apollo 13) and military veteran David Broyles. Troop leader Rip Taggart makes a questionable decision while on a mission in Afghanistan. Two years later, Rip is captured by Boko Haram and it’s up to his former Seal Team Six brothers to locate and rescue him.
Billions: Season 3
A complex, intricate narrative that takes a forensic look at New York’s world of high finance. As two highly ambitious figures collide – a blue-blooded, politically connected US attorney and a brilliant, blue-collar hedge-fund king chasing the American dream – their high stakes game of predator-versus-prey reveals the interconnected worlds of ultra-wealth, influence and corruption.
I’m Dying Up Here: Season 2
It’s 1973, and every night, a group of up-and-coming comedians wait to perform at Goldie’s, the hottest stand-up club in Hollywood. But first they’ll have to win over Goldie, who rules the Sunset Strip with an iron fist. Among those waiting for their break are bitter Bill, Vietnam vet Ralph, hot-headed Edgar, and Southern gal Cassie. Together, they brave the pain of sharing their innermost thoughts and darkest secrets, hoping that someone – anyone – will laugh.
