Conceptzia is a Hebrew term for a rigid, preconceived governing assumption or groupthink that blinds military and political leaders to contrary evidence and leads to strategic failure. (source)

Conceptzia is a Hebrew term for a rigid, preconceived governing assumption or groupthink that blinds military and political leaders to contrary evidence and leads to strategic failure. (source)

I have been watching Fauda for many years. As a lifelong fan of action, I thought Fauda had found the perfect formula for an action drama series. I started watching it a year before I moved to Israel, and it helped shape and reinforce my perception of the tough Israeli you don’t mess with. It was a source of pride to see it on Netflix for an English-speaking audience, knowing that many of my colleagues and countrymen would be watching this portrayal of Israeli strength and self-confidence. I can’t think of another piece of Israeli TV that has broken into the English-speaking market in this way, certainly not in 2016. There was Prisoners of War, which inspired Homeland, but this was really the first show that put Israeli actors, writing and action in the spotlight. It also presented to a wider audience Israel’s ongoing, complicated struggle with terror, and the almost grinding daily vigilance that Israeli security forces endure to protect Israeli citizens. This was a side of Israel that, outside the headlines, I don’t think people appreciated at all.

I loved the ending of season 4, which reminded me in a way of the Kaddish scene at the end of Homeland season 2. I eagerly awaited finding out what happened to our heroes (I won’t say any more) when it aired in January 2023. Who could have imagined how, nine months later, life would become crazier than even an episode of Fauda could dream up.

Following the events of the past few years, I decided I wouldn’t watch the new series — whether because of the trauma of seeing the graphic content and tension Fauda is known for, or because it would no longer serve as escapism on the sofa in the evening when things had been so, so real. Post-October 7th, the real threat of our lives ending in a mass terror invasion, followed by the threat of missiles from Iran and Hezbollah, has made the whole genre redundant. I realise now why, all those years back, when I asked my mother-in-law, who is Israeli, whether she was watching Prisoners of War, she told me she couldn’t watch something that close to real life without getting anxious. It was around the time of Gilad Shalit’s imminent release.

Fast forward to last week. I decided to rewatch season 4 with my son, who made good progress over the summer holidays binging seasons 1 to 4. I wanted to remind myself where we left off. I was quite shocked at how radically differently I found myself seeing this series, following October 7th.

Let me say up front this........

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