Did I get your attention?

For the last few months, Donna and I have been watching a T.V. series — “Tehran.” It is an Israeli spy thriller that debuted on January 22, 2020. A few months later the series went global on Apple TV. There are three seasons – with a fourth currently being filmed.

The series is steeped in intrigue and espionage. It follows the work of Tamar Rabinyan — a young Jewish woman who was born in Tehran and raised in Israel. Speaking both Farsi and Hebrew, she is recruited by the Mossad to work undercover and ply her specialty — computer hacking. Her objective? Prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. While the action takes place in Tehran, filming is done in Athens — a city that bears the distinct “feel” of Iran’s capital. With the language constantly shifting from Farsi to Hebrew to English, the subtitles have helped a great deal. Glenn Close and Hugh Laurie have major roles. Laurie assumes the role of nuclear inspector Eric PetersOn. And kindly note the character’s name has a Swedish “sOn” and not the Danish “sEn”. . . . .

In November 2021, “Tehran” received an Emmy for the best drama series. And Rotten Tomatoes gives Season One a 94% rating. Tehran — more specifically the government of Iran — has been a state sponsor of violence, terrorism and evil for the last 47 years (including the murder of tens of thousands of its own citizens during recent protests). If you want to get a taste of the city, the politics and a sense of what’s happening now — you might wish to check out this captivating series.