By: Keaton Marcus

Review of Netflix’s Unorthodox:

Shira Haas. Don’t forget that name, the name of the incredibly talented actress that heads Netflix’s excellent new show Unorthodox. Haas might have given one of the most captivating performances I’ve seen in a while and the show she’s in is the best I’ve watched in 2020 so far. This piece of television is four parts, each lasting about 50 minutes, about a young woman named Esther who narrowly escapes her Hasidic community in New York and attempts to start a new life in Berlin with her husband on her trail. The show rarely bores, and isn’t just interesting, but also solidly entertaining to watch. The strong performances, most notably Haas’ outing and the unexpected, deft blend of humor and emotion keep it from ever getting too slow. Also, Maria Schrader’s direction is fine and the beautiful cinematography make it a treat for the eyes as well as the mind. Each episode brings some new obstacle for Esther to go against tying together with many memories of her past. Her lifestyle was a bit like prison, as one character describes that a woman’s job in a Hasidic community was to be a “baby machine”. But Esther is different from the other women, she’s “unorthodox”. She won’t stand by and watch her freedom get taken away from her just because of religious beliefs. That’s what takes the deeply-layered character to Europe. It may not be easy to watch, but it’s still beautifully made, substantially worthy television. So for the right people, this is going to be a great binge.

Should you Binge, Browse or Skip?

Unorthodox is as visually stunning as it is deeply emotional, largely benefitting from Shira Haas’ excellent performance and fine direction.

I would say…BINGE IT