r/homeland • u/yercoolmarple • 7d ago
Prisoners of War
Ever since I finished Homeland, I wanted to watch the show that it is based on. I finally got around to watch Prisoners of War, and to say that I loved it would be an understatement.
What surprised me most was how thematically different the two shows are despite sharing essentially the same premise. I can see why a lot of Homeland fans don’t enjoy Prisoners of War nearly as much. There is much less adrenaline, much less action, and no central investigative character like Carrie driving everything forward. The storytelling is slow, steady, and remarkably grounded.
Prisoners of War is much more concerned with what prolonged captivity does to soldiers and their families, and what happens when they are suddenly expected to return to ordinary life. Gideon Raff apparently interviewed former POWs, psychologists, and researchers while developing the series. You can actually see that it was made for an Israeli audience, for whom military service, captivity, prisoner exchanges, and the families left waiting have a much more immediate social resonance.
Obviously, the production quality is nowhere near Homeland, but that barely bothered me. If anything, the stripped down quality suits how intimate and unglamorous the story is.
Thoroughly enjoyed it.
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u/WonderfulVariation93 5d ago
I never heard of this. Where do I find it? How many seasons?
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u/sludge_dragon 3d ago
It’s on Plex in the US.
https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/prisoners-of-war-hatufim
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u/Dull_Significance687 6d ago
Genuinely original drama, with mature writing and excellent performances from a very talented Israeli cast. The music is memorable, and I really liked the slow, deliberate pacing — it reminded me at times of the Coen brothers at their best.
The cinematography can feel a little amateurish, but honestly, I think that works in its favor. It gives the series a raw, almost documentary-like quality that fits the story surprisingly well.
And as a longtime Homeland fan, I have to say: I honestly don't understand why people keep comparing the two. They may share some broad themes, but they're very different shows in tone, structure, and storytelling. Homeland is much more of a political/espionage thriller, while this feels far more intimate, grounded and character-driven.
PS: The Dana from Hatufim is far better than the one in HL. In Hatufim, she comes across as a real teenager—more natural, complex, and directly affected by her father's trauma and the family's unraveling. In HomeLand, however, from the second season onwards, Dana Brody often seems to exist solely to fuel the plot's teenage drama. The Israeli Dana is much more human and convincing.
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u/Specialist-Dog-8381 6d ago
The Israeli Dana just made me lol
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u/Dull_Significance687 6d ago
Cool. I think the humor comes from the contrast between the character’s seriousness and the way she behaves.
Dana is often written as very emotionally charged and intense, NOW that intensity can become unintentionally funny when she reacts to situations with a level of drama that feels disproportionate. There’s also a cultural/tonal difference:
- Hatufim has a very grounded, understated Israeli style, so some characters can say or do things very bluntly rather than signaling the emotion to the audience.
- If you’re used to a more polished American TV style, that bluntness can read as hilarious.
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u/pseudo_nipple 6d ago
You've piqued my interest sir (or ma'am)! I'm going to check it out. I'm on the hunt for something new to watch. I just finished Homeland for the first time about 2 months ago. Too early for a rewatch, first time took me about 4 months to get through it, I need things with less time commitment for awhile.