Ha-Shir Shelanu

1st of all, I'd like to say that I had a big surprise when I saw that this show's listed in this amazing website, 'cause I didn't see many new Israeli shows since the last time I've checked (which was about... er... 18 months ago 8-]). Now lets cut to the chase: When this shows first started on Channel 3 (god, it sound sooo Isreali :-P) I thought it's a stupid show for dumb teenager girls, but then my sister (who's 26 years old) made me watch this "stupid" show, and what can I say- I caught in its web. Soon after I've found out that my brother (who's in the army) watch this show either, and almost all of my friends! So, the first season was great (except a few episodes), funny (especiall Mick-Mick!!! :-)), annoying (Noa Shachar), intuitive (Hanna Laslau), but it was trash. A good trash, though.

And then- the first season ended with a veeery cheesy "bang", and a huge gap was created in my TV schedule. After a few months, the second season was back, and the expectations from the fans were huge, after all this year of "Ninnet-mania". But- unfortunately, the season blow it, and it wasn't as good as the first season AT ALL, although it was quite enjoyable sometimes.

What makes the show stand out is its precise blend of drama, humor, and romance. It takes familiar tropes-rivalries, love triangles, family secrets-but somehow makes every moment feel authentic and full of emotion. It treats the characters' conflicts seriously, gives them real depth, and isn't afraid to go to darker, more painful places.

The characters are probably the best part of the show. Each one feels alive and real, with development that unfolds organically. Even the more "villainous" characters get human moments, and even the heroes make mistakes, which makes everyone compelling and believable. The chemistry between the actors is so good, it makes every scene feel completely natural.

It's one of those rare shows that actually gives you euphoria-it pulls you in so deeply that you forget reality for a moment. You feel the butterflies when Ninet and Ran meet, the tension when enemies plot, the heartbreak when characters fall apart. There's no other show that captures that feeling , a mix of nostalgia, intense drama, and an inexplicable magic that makes every moment feel larger than life.

And the music-oh, the music.

The songs are an inseparable part of the story. They say what the characters can't. And Ninet's cover of Hopelessly Devoted to You? Easily one of the best covers ever.

But what makes it even more special, for me, is that it wasn't just fiction. I ended up truly admiring people I discovered through the show. I saw Ran perform live so many times I lost count, and I even got the chance to meet Ninet and talk to her-a moment I'll never forget. The show didn't just stay on the screen. It became part of my life.

(The first time I watched it, I was in sixth grade.)

Usually I would say a show as horrible as Ha'shir Shelanu isn't worth even mentioning for good or worse because even a negative criticism for it is a free publicity it doesn't deserve but unfortunately some people with minimum artistic understanding and zero artistic standards have chosen to leave their remarks in this site and even recommended people from abroad to watch it. watching this series i am afraid will undoubtedly damage the slowly emerging reputation of Israeli cinema and T.V making in the world. so for those of you who wonder: In Israel like in every other place bad TV is being produced when the ratings are good. The show itself is amateurly written and acted. The plot is stupid and unreliable like in every common soap opera and sometimes worse. The primary actors were certainly chosen only for their singing abilities which are their selves not that impressive except maybe for Ninet Tayeb's singing. What they lack in acting skills they try to compensate with dialogues being shouted (especially Maya Dagan) and spoke Vulgaricly. The more professional and famous actors in the show Like Hana Laslaw or Tuvia Tzafir are probably there because it pays well and sadly there are no many other options in the Original TV productions market in Israel. This is a common phenomenon. Take Hana Laslaw's Character for instance: it's obvious this Character is relatively more interesting and funny not because it was written so well but only thanks to the improvisation skills of Laslaw who seems to treat the show as it really is - An amateuristic acting/singing workshop were you can do a lot of fun and nonsense and even get paid for it! The dialogues are full of slang and street language (not cursing) not as a way of sending any artistic message but because the all thing is poorly written with no slight of effort to put any thinking into it. I am not asking of course that they speak Biblical or Talmudic Hebrew but rather insist on keeping standard and accurate Modern Hebrew. Finally I would say Ha'shir Shelanu is a series created so that some people will have an excuse to sing from time to time with a plot in between whose role is to connect one singing segment to another as such it's far far away from being the greatest Israeli TV series ever.

The second season of the popular show HaShir Shelanu has just ended with an impressive and well written season finale. What was entertaining about the show was the ability of the creators/writers to poke fun at themselves and the whole television industry by relating to notions such as show ratings, popularity, stardom and more, all in good spirit. The main focus of the show revolves around the love story between Ninet (Tayeb) and Zohar (Danker), who demonstrate real on screen chemistry. It probably helps that they are a couple off screen as well. The rest of the cast includes talented young actors such as Mia Dagan, Efrat Boimold and Yael Sharoni- a wonderful addition to the second season. The show boasts a whole line of cameos by different Israeli celebrities, and that definitely adds to the fun. Overall, it's been a great source of entertainment, and i am looking forward to the third season. Regards from Israel! :)