There’s blood on the walls, on the floor and on people’s hands in the fourth season of “Fauda” which dropped on Netflix on January 20.
Those waiting to see Doron (Lior Raz) give some guys a beatdown won’t have to hold their horses — it happens in the first episode. Raz earns every penny he is paid with a consistent powerhouse performance in every episode.
Doron, who has led an elite Israeli unit that dresses up like Palestinians to take down terrorists and thwart plots, is feeling out of sorts, with some guilt over friends that have been killed and is once again thinking that he should no longer be doing his stressful job.
In a season where the action takes place in numerous places, from Jenin to Belgium, to the Golan Heights and Lebanon, Doron is incensed when someone close to him is kidnapped and tortured by Hezbollah. It’s a race against the clock to save them and the list of his colleagues who have died is long enough as it is.
But there seem to be more complications and more things in his way.
As always, Raz spits out his dialogue to let you know he is not in a good mood and you better stay out of his way. Unit member Nurit, played by Rona-Lee Shimon has taken her romance with Sagi (Idan Amedi) to the next level, but when she hides something important from him, he is angry and starts to have doubts. Shimon should have more screen time and could very well have a spin-off show of her own.
Created by Raz and Avi Issacharoff, “Fauda” remains a highly impressive show that features significant gun battles in Episodes 8 and 10. There are also a few impressive hand-to-hand combat scenes. Once again, the bureaucracy of the Israeli security services frustrates the desire of Doron and other members to save their friends or complete a mission.
In this case, Adel Tawalbe (Loai Nofi) and Omar Tawalbe (Amir Boutrous) both do fine jobs as threats to Israel who are making moves, with one of them double-crossing someone who is supposed to be smarter than him. Nofi and Boutros both are credible, but it’s Tawalbe whose character says he will burn his enemies one by one.
We see vulnerability and pain in everyone, from Doron who is sad as he watches and video of better times with unit members who have died, a member of the unit who asks when there will be a cease-fire, the relatives of a terrorist victim brazenly screaming at a terrorist gunman and a character says the one they loved who was lost was not a martyr. Steve (played by a convincing Doron Ben-David) openly expresses suicidal thoughts while another character says she doesn’t want to die as a young widow.
There are a number of twists and turns, including a scene that may remind you of “Munich.” In this season, there are bombs, missiles, hammers, small guns, automatic guns, grenades, and fists used to inflict damage. Inbar Lavi is impressive as Shanni Russo, who is working hard as a new member of the unit, but worries she made a mistake during one day in the field. Lucy Ayoub is also on point as Maya Binyamin, a strong woman whose loyalty is called into question.
While the show is driven by the ability of Raz to look like a tortured soul looking to find redemption through saving lives and taking out terrorists, the second-most magnetic actor is Itzik Cohen, as Gabi, the Captain. Always talking about food (here he mocks a vegetarian buffet) he can talk sweetly and humorously one moment, and then speak about something deadly serious, the next second, without missing a beat. His one romantic scene is fine, but the show would benefit from a few more.
The 12 episodes are action-packed, with plenty of tension and a heaping dose of introspection. While viewers had to wait a while for the new season, it was well worth the wait and there is no doubt people will be putting it at the top of their list of shows to binge.
