It’s been nearly three years since we last heard from the Alrawabi girl’s school students, and by the looks of it, a lot has happened over the past 24 months. Though pupils are making their way back to school a little later than the rest of us, the Netflix series directed by Jordanian filmmaker Tima Shomali is bringing high school gossip and drama back to the forefront of our screens with the release of an exciting second season, which launched last week.
Introduced to global audiences in 2021, Alrawabi School For Girls garnered substantial amounts of attention as a result of the provocative themes and topics probed. Set in Amman, Jordan, the anthology mini-series follows the trajectory of a group of female students at a fictional girl’s school as they navigate through the complexities of adolescence and stumble across all sorts of struggles from heartbreaks to friendship betrayals.
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Lauded by regional audiences for its ability to shed light, and rebuke, many bleak patterns of social behavior, its introspective nature pushed viewers to confront some of their culture’s own morally questionable practices through fictional, yet relatable, storylines. It was also greatly appreciated for the way in which it delved into sensitive issues with honesty and nuance and how it challenged a myriad of normative tenets ranging from bullying and sexual harassment to mental health, women’s rights, and patriarchal structures.
The hit show’s first season — which brazenly earned itself the title of one of Netflix’s most successful Arabic series — ended with a major cliffhanger at the time of its debut. While the second season introduced a whole new cast and plot, writers made sure to offer some level of closure while simultaneously further exploring some of the notions introduced in the inaugural season with a new class, featuring a rich slate of fresh faces, including Tara Abboud, Sarah Yousef, Tara Atalla, and Kira Yaghnam to name just them. Available to stream since Feb. 15, the show’s latest installment carries the expectation of matching the standards initially set and maybe even surpassing them.
“It was very exciting being part of this journey and to be part of a series that audiences held high in esteem,” Abboud told MILLE. “Many actors (from season one) became successful following their appearance,” she said, adding that she hopes to achieve the same level of recognition as the debut season’s cast.
“Season one’s cast really set the bar very high,” Mohammad Nizar, who plays Omar in the show, said, echoing on Abboud’s statement. “The actors did a great job and adamantly placed a benchmark that is difficult to reach. With that being said, I’d also say that the characters in season two are very different and we were able to bring them to life by creating a whole new environment and vibe,” he continued specifying that this time around, the focus was mainly put on social media bullying– as opposed to season one’s exploration of face-to-face bullying–which he believes is a very relevant topic for our generation. “People find it easy to taunt others behind screens and often forget that actions online have real-life consequences,” he stressed.
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As the digital world seems to be just as important as the one we tangibly live in, social media’s influence on our daily lives and interactions has become more pronounced than ever before. As both a beneficial and detrimental tool, our presence on the internet can often lead to severe mental health disorders as a result of online abuse— a phenomenon that is particularly present among the youth.
“It’s not an issue that only concerns a few or only a specific part of the world, it’s a global issue that everyone has experienced to some extent and which needs to be addressed,” Laith Abweh, who portrays Aly in the series, said.
“It was an immersive experience as I had to put myself in my character’s boots and live the bullying from the other characters as if it was directly targeted towards me,” Abboud chimed in of her on-screen persona Sara, who is one of the series’ main protagonists. “Sara constantly looks at and compares herself to others. I had to try and emulate the feeling and headspace which reminded me of how much work there is to do regarding these issues,” she added.
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Tackling such heavy topics as mental health and bullying can be a daunting task, but the cast reveals that Shomali worked closely with them to ensure they were able to navigate these sensitive subjects with care and authenticity. Through open dialogue and thorough preparation, Shomali created a supportive environment that allowed the cast to delve deep into their characters’ emotions and experiences, ultimately bringing depth to their performances.
“Tima really helped us feel comfortable and fully grasp the themes at stake,” Nizar explained. “As she created the entire Alrawabi environment, we could feel how much of a perfectionist she was. She really made sure to walk us through each step and put us in the best conditions at all times regardless of whether we had previous (acting) experiences or not,” he detailed.
With the potential of sparking many much-needed conversations at home or in the region as a whole, the three up-and-coming actors seem to understand the reach and impact such a televised narrative could have on raising awareness, fostering empathy, and dismantling several stigmas and taboos.
When asked about what they hope audiences will take away from season two, Abboud, Nizar, and Abweh collectively wish for parents to understand their children better and be aware of what they’re up to on their phones, for mental health to be less stigmatized and more prioritized, and ultimately, for individuals to feel supported and empowered to seek help when needed.
