DHAHRAN: Jordanian Netflix show “Al-Rawabi School for Girls” returned on Feb. 15 after a two-year hiatus. Viewers flooded the Netflix MENA comments section when the trailer for season two dropped; they had hoped that the story would pick up where it left off in season one, but, much like high school, fresh blood — and fresh drama — graced our screens instead, with an entirely new cast introduced. Actresses in the new season include Raneem Haitham, Kira Yaghnam, Tara Abboud, Sarah Yousef, Tara Atalla, and Thalia Alansari.
This time around, the show’s Jordanian creator, writer, and director Tima Shomali took on even more responsibility, appearing on screen in a surprise role that is so fitting you could argue it was written precisely for her. Like the first season, this one was also co-created and co-written by Shirin Kamal and Islam Al-Shomali.
For her 2015 appearance at the Woman in the World Summit in New York, Shomali, a popular YouTube sketch comedy writer, was introduced as “the Tina Fey of the Arab World.” And “Al-Rawabi School for Girls” has been compared to Fey’s “Mean Girls.”
And there are similarities: “Al-Rawabi School for Girls” features cliques and clueless adults as well as insecure teens who try to gain control over their lives with mixed results. But it would be remiss to simply label the show as a version of something else. “Al-Rawabi” is quintessentially Jordanian, Arab, and Middle Eastern, but also universal. It comes from a place of deep understanding of how it is to be a young, Arab girl.
Like the debut season, each episode in season two ends with a message asking viewers to reach out for help if they find themselves troubled by any of the issues portrayed in the plot lines, such as bullying, eating disorders, or even suicidal thoughts.
There are only six episodes, but all are packed with a punch that will hit you straight in the gut. You will discover unlikely alliances and cautionary tales. One day a girl might be top of the popular list, the next she could end be dead or forgotten.
Fans hoping for some closure of the events of season one shouldn’t worry — in a brief but powerful moment, many of the original cast members make a mid-season cameo that will answer many questions without anyone saying a word.
This second season of “Al-Rawabi” follows the recent Netflix release of the Saudi film “From the Ashes,” which was inspired by the true story of a fire that broke out at an all-girls school in the Kingdom. Both projects have hit the Top 10 list on Netflix MENA, further demonstrating that there is an insatiable appetite for wanting to understand these narratives of young Arabs.
