More from Prisoners of War
Why Homeland Fans Should Watch Prisoners of War
Get to Know the Captivating Characters of the Thriller Prisoners of War
Interview: Gideon Raff on the Making of Prisoners of War
While Prisoners of War follows the return of three Israeli male soldiers after 17 years of captivity, the women in their lives are as central to shaping the narrative as the hostages themselves. Nurit, Talia, and Yael have spent 17 years living in a different kind of purgatory, wondering whether their loved ones were alive or dead. And though they all start off from this common point, they embark on very different journeys. The robust development of the female characters on Prisoners of War is one of the things that grounds audiences in the intimacy of the series and provides compelling universal themes of family, loss, and sorrow.
In flashbacks, Nurit and Uri are depicted as a young couple giddy in love, promising one another they're always going to be together. When we flash forward to current-day when Uri returns, the formerly smitten couple has devolved into a deep sadness. Nurit has committed the ultimate betrayal: marrying Uri's brother. And the entire country rejects this act with disdain.
In one particularly effective scene, Nurit tells Uri: We were also prisoners of war. This statement seems to be an inappropriate comparison when we consider the heinous treatment the captives endured. The metaphorical ripple, however, rings true: for 17 years, Nurit has tortured herself, and she's never stopped judging herself.
In contrast, Nimrode's wife Talia devotes every minute of her life advocating for her husband's return. In many eyes, she perhaps plays the role of the model wife in this unthinkable situation, continuously campaigning with a brave face and strong resolve. But we come to realize she's been caught in a time warp of sorts, lost in the shuffle of public appearances with world leaders and stiff upper lips, while her children feel alienated by her activism for a man they barely know. Ironically her tremendous strides in getting her family back together come at their expense.
--
--
Considering Nurit as traitorous allows Talia to feel better about everything that she has sacrificed, a sentiment that produces a brilliant source of drama in the series. As the families wait for the first glimpse of their loved ones in 17 years at the airport, Talia barely acknowledges Nurit as she reaches out to her and says she's the only one in the same situation. Talia snaps back dismissively, we're not in the same situation.
In episode 5, after the funeral of Amiel Ben Horin, the two have a confrontation that reveals the impossibility of their situation:
Nurit: You're angry because I wanted to live?
Talia: That's not a right we have, we're supposed to wait and fight not surrender.
Nurit: You're stronger than I am. I couldn't wait.
Talia: Maybe you're the strong one. What did I do with my life? I waited. You dared to live.
Yael
We see how two strong women have taken very different paths, and how the return of their loved ones allows them to realize that there's no perfect end game for either of them.
The third woman we meet in the series is Yael (or Lali, as her brother used to call her). She was a child when her brother Amiel went missing, thus she imagines him alive as a ghost born out of a little sister's love for the older brother she admired. She is crushed to find out that he will be returning in a body bag, though insists on greeting her brother's coffin at the airport, even as the other families will be happily reuniting with Uri and Nimrod. Someone needs to receive him too, she declares.
Her love for her brother seems uncomplicated and pure, and the scenes between Amiel and Lali are as effective as any, imbued with a deep sadness, especially in the moments when she seems to be most happy with him. We know it's not real, and we're heartbroken for the day when she realizes it too.
The plight of the female characters provides American audiences with emotional situations that transcend global boundaries and force us to ask an important question: how would others judge our actions in the wake of such as impossibly sad and tragic situation, and perhaps more importantly, how would we judge ourselves?
Comment
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
03/05/2024
An innovative learning tool to help media and civil society better understand ho...
03/05/2024
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 21: (L-R) Actors K stutis Cic nas and Greta Grinevi i t , Director Marija Kavtaradze and Producer Marija Razgute attend the 2023 Sunda...
03/05/2024
If you aren't familiar with Danny Ocean's music, it's only a matter ...
03/05/2024
Spotify has an unwavering commitment to supporting emerging artists across all genres, to helping them launch and thrive in their careers, and to connecting the...
03/05/2024
Como uno de los sonidos de mayor expansi n en el mundo, la M sica Mexicana va m ...
03/05/2024
As one of the fastest-growing sounds worldwide, M sica Mexicana is more than jus...
03/05/2024
NEW YORK FuboTV reported that it lost 110,000 subs in Q1 2024 but it exceeded its guidance for the quarter with double digit year-over-year increases across key...
03/05/2024
Only 3 Weeks Left To Enter The Creative Industries Most Award
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Creativepool is giving a last call to the creative i...
03/05/2024
WePlay Studios Transforms the Future of Live Event Storytelling with AJA Gear
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
By 2032, the esports market is expec...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Shannon Bream, Fox News Sunday anchor and chief legal correspondent, sat for a keynote chat at The Business of TV News, with Tom Umstead, senior co...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Asked how important is local news, Martha Raddatz, who has covered foreign conflicts for decades and moderated presidential debates for ABC News, s...
03/05/2024
Sony Pictures and Apollo Global Management have made a $26 billion cash offer fo...
03/05/2024
CBS announced its 2024-2025 primetime schedule, which features the new dramas NCIS: Origins, Matlock and Watson, and new comedies Poppa's House and Georgie ...
03/05/2024
Sports-focused streaming service Fubo said it reduced its red ink in the first quarter, despite losing 110,000 subscribers since the end of the year....
03/05/2024
Walmart is reportedly about to release a new 4K streaming box/smart speaker hybrid device for Google TV that could retail for as low as $50, according to a repo...
03/05/2024
Enhancements to its Delivery Workspace solution provide increased content delivery robustness and security
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: May 3, 2024
Enha...
03/05/2024
According to reports, if the bid is successful, Sony would be the significant majority shareholder of the new private company
By Jenny Priestley
Published: M...
03/05/2024
Located in Manchesters Spinningfields district, the course aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge and industry insight for a career in the creative s...
03/05/2024
Lightbridge has created a new Cine Reflect Lighting System kit, dedicated to enabling artistic lighting with consideration of today's productivity practical...
03/05/2024
Broadcast media systems integrator BeckTV and Lawo worked together on a large-scale AES67 build of radio control rooms at KPBS, San Diego's NPR and PBS memb...
03/05/2024
Raleigh, NC, April 12, 2024 SmallHD announces PageOS 6, a powerful software update free for owners of SmallHD monitors, featuring increased functionality, exp...
03/05/2024
SmallHD announces the Quantum 32 a new 31.5 OLED monitor designed to provide reference HDR/SDR images for post-production final color grading, as well as cri...
03/05/2024
By 2032, the esports market is expected to grow to $9.29 billion, bolstered by a global player count and fan following that both continue to climb. The 2023 Lea...
03/05/2024
Amagi, the global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV (CTV), today announced that the 11th edition of the Amagi Global FAST Rep...
03/05/2024
Riedel Communications today announced that Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) is relying on a media and intercom network based on Riedel technology for the renewal of...
03/05/2024
Broadpeak , a leading provider of content delivery network (CDN) and video streaming solutions for content providers and pay-TV operators worldwide, announced t...
03/05/2024
Media technology innovator Limecraft will exhibit the latest updates to its online platform on stand G79 at the 15-16 May 2024 Media Production & Technology Sho...
03/05/2024
Audio interface specialist Prism Sound is partnering with console manufacturer Solid State Logic, professional monitor manufacturer PMC and acoustic panel and d...
03/05/2024
Intinor, Sweden's leading developer of products and solutions for high-quality video over the internet, is set to join forces with its UK partner Zest Techn...
03/05/2024
NAKIVO Inc., a fast-growing software company dedicated to protecting physical, virtual, cloud, and SaaS environments, announced its Q1 2024 financial results to...
03/05/2024
Hiltron Communications announces an addition to its range of satellite communication products and systems: a field-upgradable motorisation kit specifically desi...
03/05/2024
Visit LiveU at Stand D30
With this year an exceptional one for major sporting events alongside multiple, key elections, the power and flexibility of LiveU'...
03/05/2024
Agile Content, the leader in the development of technology and solutions for the provision of television services over the Internet, announces Koldo Unanue as i...
03/05/2024
Eight co-signers representing streaming services, pay TV operators and public interest groups have sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging their Committee...
03/05/2024
BOSTON Brightcove has announced that it has implemented Amazon Q Business, a new generative AI assistant on Amazon Web Services (AWS)....
03/05/2024
NEW YORK CBS has declared that it will finish the 2023-24 season as Americas Most-Watched Network in primetime for the 16th consecutive season....
03/05/2024
A new survey indicates that U.S. businesses and consumers had an overall positive attitude towards their technology spending plans in the first quarter of 2024,...
03/05/2024
Sony and Apollo Global Management have sent an offer letter to Paramount Global's board of directors making an $26 billion all cash offer for Paramount Glob...
03/05/2024
EMG / Gravity Media has appointed Charlie Cubbon chief operating officer (COO) and Jamie Hindhaugh regional CEO for the U.K., U.S., Australia and the Middle Eas...
03/05/2024
Final 2024 Season Games to Air Saturdays on WRAL at 10:30am in May, Championship on June 1
Taping for the final episodes of the 2024 season of WRAL-TV's Br...
03/05/2024
Estrella MediaCo said it is expanding its connected TV portfolio by launching three new channels with Curiosity that will first appear on Samsung TV Plus....
03/05/2024
Nielsen said that actors' union SAG-AFTRA has selected Nielsen as its third-party provider of streaming content measurement....
03/05/2024
Cineverse said it has released a public beta version of cineSearch, its artificial intelligence-based system designed to help users find content to watch....
03/05/2024
Court TV said that its series Accomplice to Murder with Vinnie Politan is returning for a second season beginning May 5....
03/05/2024
Paramount Advertising said it is working with Mastercard and research and analytics company EDO to measure the impact of advertising campaigns and improve their...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON The panel The Growth of Local Programming happened at The Busines...
03/05/2024
Katz Media Group said that Craig Broitman will become president of the company, succeeding Leo MacCourtney, who announced that he is retiring effective July 1....
More from Prisoners of War 
