On July 6, the first episode of season 3 of the American series Tyrant (Tyrant).
This series is supposed to take place in an imaginary Arab country Abuddin. A country at the mercy of a capricious and bloodthirsty dictator, a people who suffer, who claims more freedoms and who begins to revolt. And finally an occupation by extremist Islamist terrorists called “Caliphan”, and which are the compliant copy of Daesh.
This Jamel dictator (Ashraf Barhom) To a brother, Bassam (Adam Rayner) who lived 20 years in the USA and founded a family there. The first season also begins with the return of Bassam to Abuddin.
An event that strangely recalls what happened with Mohamed Bouazizi
During the first two seasons, the facts reported borrow a lot from the news and the situation of various Arab countries. In fact, it is a mixture of facts in several countries, for example in one of the episodes we even talked about an event that strangely recalls what happened with Mohamed Bouazizi in Tunisia.
The second season ends with the victory of the resistance fighters, led by Bassam, on the “Caliphat”. These resistance fighters, with the help of the army, had been able to get rid of these extremists and release their country. This gave Bassam the means to demand the abdication of his brother.
It was planned that the latter announced this to the people during a television speech, but of course they did not keep his word. But during this television program, we will shoot Jamel.
The same roadmap as Tunisia
Starts season 3, Jamel is at the hospital. Even if he came out alive, he would keep consequences that will no longer allow him to govern. With the help of the Americans and the army, Bassam is appointed interim president, the time to prepare for elections. So begins a period of democratic transition. This first episode strangely resembles what happened in Tunisia.
Bassam will decide to fix the elections within 6 months. He also decides to release all the opponents who were in prison, including the Islamists, he announces that he provides for a general amnesty, he associates the various former opponents of the new government and announces that he will not present himself in the next elections. In fact, almost the same roadmap as Tunisia in 2011.
An instance of truth and dignity
Bassam will also create a committee of elections in which all the currents will take: Islamists, secularists, close and opponents of the old regime and the dictator Jamel. Will this committee of elections be a kind of independent higher body for the elections (ISIE) or a kind of high body for the achievement of the objectives of the Revolution, the Political Reform and the Democratic Transition? The next episodes will tell us.
Bassam will also create an instance of truth and dignity. Yes, yes, her name is really so in the series. Exactly like in Tunisia. Bassam also says it clearly, it was by studying the case of Tunisia that he made this decision.
Bassam thinks that it is necessary to put an end to the cycle of revenge. This body will deal with the files of all the misdeeds and injustices committed during the period of the dictatorship, including the father’s reign period. According to him, knowing the truth will make it possible to understand and then to forgive. Reconciliation is better than revenge, he said!
A woman at the head of the IVD
This body will be chaired by a former activist, Dalyha (Melia Kreiling), the “mother of the revolution”. Another coincidence? A woman at the head of this body?
The novelty of this new season is the appearance of a moderate Islamist. This Islamist, Sheikh Hussein al-Qadi, (Khaled Abol Naga), is announced as a character who will represent true peaceful and merciful Islam.
Moderate Islamism. Term dear to Westerners. Is there moderate Islamism? Will this supposedly moderate Islamism be like the Tunisian party Ennahdha? Or did the authors of the series simply wanted to respond to the various criticisms and controversies that deplore the bad image that the Islamists of the “Caliphat” refer and that they wanted to show another Islam opposite to the violent and stereotypical Islam that American spectators know?
A parody of the Arab countries?
Is this Sheikh Hussein Al Qadi really moderate? From this first episode, we see him criticize democracy and deplore that Auddin has moved away from the law of God to obey that of man, and ironize by saying that some call it progress!
There was controversy about this series. Some criticized him for being a parody of the Arab countries, a forced caricature and racist. Possible, yes. But not easy. Sometimes we Arabs, should look a little in a mirror. We would discover things that we would surely not like.
The role of America
Another polemical subject concerns the role of America. Bassam, the Americanized Arabic is the one who will try to save the country. It’s a shame. The series would have been more credible without it. There was no need for Bassam to lived 20 years in the USA so that he was “democrat” and patriot!
America is very present in Abuddin. It was the Americans who support Bassam, who advised him to insure the interim before others could grab the power left by the attack on Jamel, help him …
This first episode ends with the arrival of General William Cogswel (Chris Noth) who will be the advisor to Bassam. Will the Americans really help to establish democracy and to assert the will of the people whatever they are or will they bear the “moderate” Islamis?
How will the series evolve? Will it still be inspired by Tunisia or will it take a different path?
Neila Driss
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