What to watch this week: ‘Unconditional’ series grips, Israeli women’s magazine history revealed

The Israeli thriller series 'Unconditional,' known in Hebrew as 'Ha Bat' (The Daughter), offers a gripping narrative with strong psychological undertones, now available on Apple TV+ with English subtitles.

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How much do we really know the people closest to us?

The series centers on Orna, a devoted mother caring for her husband, Benny, who suffers from early-onset Alzheimer's. Orna, who married and had her daughter Gali at a young age, anticipates a vacation with Gali after her daughter completes her IDF service in army intelligence. However, their journey takes a nightmarish turn during a layover in Moscow when Gali is arrested for alleged drug possession found in her backpack, a plot point echoing real-life cases.

With no resources or connections, Orna embarks on a desperate mission to free her daughter in the harsh Russian winter, a stark contrast to the warm, colorful scenes set in India. The series transforms into Orna's hero's journey, but its intrigue deepens as it reveals that Orna knew surprisingly little about Gali's life. It emerges that Gali was traveling with Eastern European men's passports hidden in a toy, and photos suggest connections from her army service.

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But the vacation turns nightmarish during a layover in Moscow on the way back, when security officers drag them separately into interrogation rooms and arrest Gali, saying they found drugs in her backpack, in a plot turn that echoes real cases.

'Unconditional' excels when these questions about Gali's involvement, whether she is a victim or a ringleader in an illegal operation, remain open, leaving both Orna and the audience in the dark. The series masterfully explores the complex issues faced by parents whose children, serving in army intelligence, become privy to state secrets they cannot discuss. This situation is rich with dramatic potential.

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It turns out that Gali has been traveling with Eastern European men’s passports hidden in a stuffed toy deer, and that there are photos of these men with Gali from her army service.

However, as the plot progresses and a Russian oligarch becomes involved, the series begins to unravel. While Orna's transformation into a tough and shrewd character is compelling, some scenes depict her fighting off aggressors with implausible ease, stretching the boundaries of believability and detracting from the narrative's overall strength.

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The series is at its best when all these questions are completely open, and we are as much in the dark as Orna.