A Body That Works

This is one of the best series I have seen, hands down, and it just happens to be in Hebrew from Israel.

It's a story about the road to parenthood, and the dreams and embryos that die along the way, and it will absolutely rip a hole in your gut. And you won't be able to stop watching.

Anchored by two stellar performances by the leads, Rotem Sela and Yehuda Levi, as Ellie and Ido, a childless couple struggling to conceive, the story takes place across the nine months of a pregnancy. But it's not Ellie's pregnancy - it's Hen, their surrogate, who carries the child. Yet it is Ellie's pregnancy - it's her egg, after all - and the thing she has yearned for with all of her heart for years. There are three people having a baby here. If there is a better setup for a relationship drama, I'm not familiar with it.

To top it off, the script is simply excellent, the direction is fresh and surprising, and the music sets an oddly artistic French beat, which works somehow. Every element of this series is hand-crafted by people working at the absolute top of their game.

If this subject matter is at all interesting to you, search for it on Netflix and give it a chance. I cried four times in the first episode, and was hooked. This is the most intimate portrayal of the journey to becoming a family that I can remember watching. A masterpiece.

A wonderful series , very emotional... it feels so true. Rotem Sela plays so well , you really believe in her being the character and of course the rest of the cast is very good and very right for each of their part. I cried and cried .... This series really make you think as well about women and about infertility issues. I highly recommend it.

A unique story that dares to address a deeply sensitive and timely topic. It challenges us and opens the door to conversations beyond the screen, pushing us to voice what we truly believe.

The script is so real and deeply human that it allows us to step into each character's shoes and understand what truly drives them. That, in turn, leads us to a kind of intellectual empathy that transcends personal beliefs.

It's thought-provoking, relevant, and above all, real. Sometimes we're set in our ways of thinking, and this series invites us to consider things from every possible angle. It encourages debate, the exchange of opinions. It doesn't leave us indifferent.

This is an excellent series on a very sensitive and touchy subject. I believe the writers do an excellent job in that the show has the appropriate pace. It doesn't go too fast to where you miss key details and if surely isn't too slow where you would fall asleep. The cast is amazing, they do a great job of bringing depth to each character. I would advise anyone who is looking for a good series to binge or watch to consider this series. I put on English subtitles because my Hebrew language is limited, but even that isn't a detriment to watching this series. This is the perfect release for the 4th of July weekend because after you watch fireworks in person, you can now watch them on this show.

From episode one, A Body That Works grips you with an emotionally honest and deeply human story about surrogacy, love, and the complexities of parenthood.

It stands out for its raw, empathetic, and nuanced storytelling, not to mention the fabulous acting and chemistry between the main cast:

Rotem Sela is outstanding as Ellie, a successful literary editor haunted by miscarriages and desperate for connection. Her portrayal is compelling in its vulnerability and inner conflict between control and desire for motherhood. Meanwhile, Gal Malka delivers another standout performance as Chen, the pragmatic single mom who becomes the couple's surrogate. No wonder both actresses won Best Actress at Series Mania.