Shababnikim aka The New Black (referring to the men's attire) is a raucously funny and clever comdram, even romcom. It's an endearing peek into what to most of us is the mysterious world of the Ultra-Orthodox Jews. Without dwelling, it presents the friction between the ethnic Ashkenazi and Sphardi groups, between the young and the old, the variety of religious streams, the religious and the secular; not an easy task, and the creators aced it.
How to translate the slang word "shababnik"? Maybe rascally. Yes, these young men are rascals, a tad off track and finding their paths.
I love how they so glibly quote The Sages in relevant situations. It's so adorable.
The funky music, and the romantic music are wonderful. I want to find the soundrack.
And the matchmaking, the pressure to find just the right wife and husband are also presented endearingly and delightfully. So you find out that the whole matchmaking scene of the ultra religious is not as stringent or coercive as you may have thought.
The actors (men and women) are just impeccable.
The character development of each one is brilliant. Of course the unexpected favorite is Gdaliah, who seems to be such a neurotic nerd, but his strong belief is his and everyone's moral compass. The actor Ori Laizerouvich, who I'd seen but never noticed before, is Jerry Lewis type. He has me in stiches.
Maya Wertheimer is just precious with her character Dvorahm the feisty feminist Haredit (Ultra-Orthodox) young woman, intent on finding the right match.
Guri Alfi, so out of character, is brilliant. Rotem Keinan plays good and evil like I've never seen him before. Our beloved Dov Navon, also out of character, is perfect. Same goes for Israel Atias, very versatile young man.
Very talented creators/directors Eliran Malka (I believe that for him, this was a labor of love), and Daniel Paran, did a great job collaborating on this entertaining materpiece.
I can't recommend this series enough for good laughs and a sneak peek into this enriched world. Thank you Netflix for including the first season. Looking forward to the second season for sure!
