Paranormal (TV series)

Set in the late 1960s, Egypt. Refaat Ismail, a skeptical Egyptian hematologist at the university of Cairo with dark sense of humor, who considers himself unlucky, meets Maggie, a friend of his youth while studying in Scotland. Dr. Refaat finds himself plunged into a series of supernatural events as he attempts to unravel the mysteries behind each unique and unusual case in a world full of mysterious events that he himself experiences, or ones that are narrated to him.[8] As a counter to his scientific work, Refaat is faced with a world where logic and scientific reason are replaced with local mythology and global folk tales, battling numerous health problems with a ready supply of medicines rattling in his pockets as he goes.[9]

Dr. Refaat, whose world slowly turns upside down after he starts to question his strong scientific convictions after experiencing a series of paranormal activities as he enters his 40s, along with his university colleague Maggie, both enter the paranormal world and try to save their loved ones from the immense danger that surrounds them.[10]

In the first season, the Egyptian professor's journey of doubt is presented in a series of six episodes, each centered around one of the famous urban legends mentioned in the Paranormal books novel series. Each episode is a standalone story, but all are interconnected through one common, a recurring element in the first season: The Khadrawy House.[11]

Refaat invents his own laws in an attempt to make sense of the unexplainable things going on around him. His ongoing state of denial does get a bit much at points, though his need to rely on science over superstition, and gradual acceptance that somethings can’t be easily explained is a key part of the tension.[12]

• Ahmed Amin as Refaat Ismail, a cynical Egyptian hematologist, and an elderly professor residing in Cairo that narrates his experiences with paranormal activities which he refuses to believe. Skinny, bald and suffers from many diseases and problems including but not limited to: peptic ulcers, narrowing of the arteries, asthma, pneumonia, joint pain, anxiety, pessimism. Misfortunes.

• Reem Abd El Kader as Shiraz Elkhadrawy, the girl Refaat loved during his childhood, only to discover that she was a ghost. She stalks his old friends and their families to lead him to what she wants.

• Samma Ibrahim as Raeefa Ismail, Refaat's older sister and Talaat's wife.
• Razane Jammal as Maggie Mckillop, Refaat's university colleague from Scotland, whom he happens to still have feelings for, when she came back to Egypt for a visit.
• Aya Samaha as Huwaida Abdel Moniem, Refaat's ex-fiancée, whom he is breaking up with due to a sharp disagreement. A low-intelligence girl that encounters many problems during her acquaintance with Rifaat, and indirectly participates in a paranormal event in the myth of the Gathoum.
• Rushdi Al Shami as Reda Ismail Refaat's older brother.
• Batea Khalil as Talaat, Raeefa's husband.
• Abdelsamee Abdallah as Kamal
• Adam Wahdan as Taha (kid)
• Fatima AlBanawi as Nargis
• Heba El Dessouky as Tayseer/Samah/The Naiad

News of Paranormal first came to light in the summer of 2020. For context, 'Paranormal' is the biggest-selling fictional series of books in the Arab world, with more than 15 million copies sold by the author Ahmed Khaled Tawfik. Paranormal is Netflix's first foray into Egyptian drama. Being brought to life and produced by both Mohamed Hefzy and Amr Salama.[13]

"Staying true to the books, 'Paranormal', filmed in Egypt will see an all-Egyptian crew, that will reflects Netflix’s commitment to creating authentic Egyptian content for global audiences to enjoy. The series will also bring to life the supernatural, using powerful post production and visual effects (VFX) techniques to complement cast performances." - Amr Salama, producer and director.

Egyptian actor and writer Ahmed Amin plays the lead role of Refaat Ismail.

"Put simply, Dr. Refaat Ismail is an anti-hero. An ordinary and frail man, he resonated with readers because he was unlike the usual trope of a hero in Arabic literature. “He doesn’t have any typical hero characteristics,” explains Amin. “He has a dark sense of humour, is very sarcastic and, ultimately, is very lonely person. He would never consider himself a hero, and – most importantly – doesn’t consider himself a believer in the paranormal.” - Ahmed Amin, lead role.

As for next seasons, season 2 of Paranormal is looking like a possibility after the series made its debut on Netflix on November 5. Netflix has been keen to feature more Arab content which gives hope that the series will be renewed for a second season in 2022. Although, with the coronavirus pandemic bringing production to a halt for many series, there is no confirmed date for when the creators of the series will be able to start filming for season two.[14]

Paranormal was released on 5 November 2020 on Netflix.

• Paranormal on Netflix
• Paranormal at IMDb