In 1969 a lugubrious haematologist looks back to his childhood encounter with a mysterious young girl, who may be making her presence felt once again…

Based on a long-running series of novels by Dr Ahmed Khaled Tawfek (the series Ma Waraa Al Tabiaa ran to 81 titles) the basic setup for this new Egyptian series may sound familiar, as a sceptical scientist joins forces with a more paranormally-inclined sidekick to investigate various spooky goings on. However the show is spared any sense of déjà vu by its historical setting and well defined characters. Set during the final year of the Egyptian-Israeli War of Attrition we’re immediately placed in a world unfamiliar to most of us.

It can’t be overstated what a big deal bringing these books to the screen is. They’ve never been translated but in the Arabic-speaking world they’re hugely popular, and this project seems to have been a labour of love for many of those involved, although sadly Dr Tawfek didn’t live to see it (he died in 2018 at just 55).

Our hero is the bespectacled and chain-smoking Refaat Ismail (Ahmed Amin). Fiercely sceptical, he has no truck with myth and monsters, his most out-there belief being an adherence to Murphy’s Law (anything that can go wrong, will). He’s an adorable character, prematurely middle-aged and rather dorky but with occasional flashes of a very dry sense of humour (indeed Amin is best known as a comic actor). Early on he’s reunited with his old university friend, and secret love, Maggie McKillop (Berlin Station’s Razane Jammal). Her presence raises eyebrows among his family, as he’s been long engaged to another woman. While I’ve no idea how this potential love triangle will play out it all seems rather chaste; despite the secular tone this is a product of a different culture and refreshingly seems free of the predictable “will they, won’t they?” of American and British shows.

While it must be said that the “creepy child” trope is well-worn, it’s effective here, with a suitably disturbing performance from Reem Abd El Kader as Shiraz, and it seems her presence will be felt again as the series progresses. However, the paranormal element isn’t the big draw here for me, it’s Ismail himself and I’m genuinely curious to see what becomes of him and his Scottish sidekick.

Verdict: Thoughtful, dryly funny and utterly charming, Netflix’s commitment to producing international content seems to have given us a winner. 8/10

Andy Smith