No Man's Land

Another terrific French series in the genre of the fantastic The Bureau, this well crafted saga set in the Middle East captures the complexity of Syria in the context of the competing agendas and alliances. Compelling acting, especially from the women who join the Kurdish fighters battling ISIS. Season 2?

Wow. One of the best series I have seen this year. Complex and thrilling. Acting is first rate all around and there few wasted moments through all 8 episodes. Every episode is strong start to finish. A fascinating and credible look at how ISIS operates and a thrilling spy story at the same time. Could not recommend it more highly.

I found this series by accident while reading a biography of James Krishna Lloyd ( The Good Karma Hotel) and sat up all night watching the story told from a non US side. The lukewarm reviews might be from American critics unaware that the US isn' t the only player in the Iraq,/Syria debacle. They just started it. The story follows two separate themes, a young Frenchman looking for his missing sister who was presumed dead, and three young boyhood friends in working class London, who never really fitted in due to the Arab ancestry of two, who go to Iraq to join the fight for Islam. Throw in a deceitful foreign agent, a few converging plot twists, and the Kurdish female fighters and you get an engrossing series showing some of the reasons that many Europeans went to join the cause, whether it be for excitement, alienation from the countries where they had grown up, or genuine patriotism, set against the desperate fight for survival of the Kurds. The fact that the series is French/European gives it a quieter feel than the frenetic 'Homeland' or similar US shows. I sincerely hope to see a season 2.

I watched the entire series in one go...the writer of the series Amit Cohen is amazing again, he has created an amazing backdrop of war torn Syria, the pain Kurd were going while ISIS were in power. Everyone must watch to understand the real pain Kurd have through.

Acting wise all the actors have made their presence so well.

Well acted, good storyline, with a cast that you love and hate at times. Binge watched! Roll on season two.