Netflix's Unorthodox is a beautiful, immersive portrait of a woman's rebirth that feels right for these times

Vulture

"Thanks to the COVID-19 shutdown, we are all desperate to feel like we’re somewhere other than on our own couches," says Jen Chaney. "We want to be transported, to feel like we’re encountering new people, as opposed to no one other than our pets and houseplants. The new Netflix series Unorthodox is able to work that much-needed magic. In broader, thematic terms, the four-episode series, about a woman attempting to break free of a life that constrains her, feels right for this moment. Unorthodox also introduces its audience, in immersive detail, to Satmar Hasidic Jewish culture and to a community of conservatory students in contemporary Berlin. It’s a journey in every sense, and the first series that I’ve been able to binge-watch in a rush, without taking extended pauses to mainline more news, since the pandemic began."

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• Unorthodox is a story of personal discovery with the intensity of a spy thriller
• Unorthodox is gripping, carefully constructed and rich in authentic details
• To its immense credit, Unorthodox resists making anyone into the bad guy, nor does it succumb to easy stereotyping
• Unorthodox oscillates between dour coming-of-age drama and taut survival story
• Israeli actress Shira Haas on fully embracing her character: "I knew that I was going to shave my hair from the very beginning, even before I signed on. And then I read the episode and I understood how crucial it is and how beautiful it is. It’s part of this community — the rituals — and it’s so important for her journey. And of course I said yes, without even questioning it.”