Gal Gadot's new thriller, 'Fauda' season 5 and the future of Israeli TV explored

Gal Gadot’s new thriller, Fauda season 5, and the future of Israeli television are in focus as Hannah Brown discusses the industry’s biggest stories on The Jerusalem Playlist.

Israeli entertainment continues to attract international attention, but the industry is facing challenges that could affect future productions, Jerusalem Post film critic Hannah Brown said on the latest episode of The Jerusalem Playlist.

This episode examines the current state of Israeli television, including the success of series such as Fauda, which will arrive on Netflix internationally on September 8. Brown explained that while Israeli television remains highly creative and continues to produce successful shows, producers are concerned about reduced budgets, uncertainty surrounding public broadcaster Kan, and a decline in international co-production funding. Because television projects can take years to develop, the impact of these issues may only become visible in several years.

Strength of Israeli television

Brown highlighted the long-standing strength of Israeli television, pointing to the success of In Treatment, a series built around conversations between a psychologist and patients that was later adapted internationally, including by HBO. She said the show demonstrated how Israeli creators have been able to develop original concepts that are both cost-effective and emotionally compelling.

The discussion also focused on Fauda season five and how the October 7 attacks reshaped the production. Brown said the creators scrapped their original plans and rewrote the season to reflect how the events would affect the show’s counterterrorism unit. The season includes flashback episodes depicting October 7, which were described as emotionally difficult for the cast and crew to film.

Brown also discussed Gal Gadot’s upcoming Amazon Prime Video thriller, in which she plays a London lawyer forced into a dangerous situation after her son is kidnapped. She praised Gadot’s strengths in action roles and noted the involvement of director Kevin Macdonald, who won an Oscar for One Day in September.

The episode concluded with a discussion about controversy surrounding the novel Upward Bound, attributed to autistic author Woody Brown. Brown examined questions raised over facilitated communication methods while emphasizing the importance of supporting genuine communication tools for people on the autism spectrum.