Ramadan is a holy month in which Muslims fast, worship and pray from sunrise until sunset, an exhausting duty. The release comes after sunset with eating and relaxing from the tiredness of fasting. Some sleep, others like to watch series on television.
Series have been in trend for the last 3 decades among Arab viewers. While in their first appearance in the 80 they came – censored of course – from as far as US, Mexico, in the last decade they moved closer, Turkey. Arabic series from Egypt, Kuwait, and other Arab countries were popular as well.
Ramadan is the season for advertisement, watching television and consuming.
The race starts with TV channels announcing their production for the season a few weeks before Ramadan.
Last year and for the first time, Middle East Broadcasting Cooperation (MBC) showed a Saudi series Al Asouf, with Saudi actors and actresses among them Nasser AlQasabi, one of Saudi Arabia’s leading actors. The series dealt with the history of society 50 years ago, touching on sensitive issues such as infidelity, divorce, adoption, crime, etc.
Last week, MBC announced that the second season of Al Asouf will start this Ramadan (this year starting May 6th). According to information on social media, this season will deal with the Makkah siege and its impact on Saudi society.
People on social media reacted mostly positively, with a few exceptions, to this announcement.
More such productions are needed. Art productions that reveal the history that Saudi society seems to be missing in the process of developing the country is going through. It is essential for a society to understand its past to create a future.
Al Asouf Season 2 to be seen on MBC 2 this Ramadan.
