The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

There is something about legal dramas that we just can’t get enough of. Whether it’s the adrenaline rush, the tension between the character’s work and personal lives when they seep into each other, or the sitting-on-the-edge-of-your-seat as the cases twist and turn, we can’t help binge-watching the shows. The Arabic remake of Suits has proven there is as large an audience in the Middle East for the genre as the western world. So, here are some other great legal dramas you might not have heard of and are worth binge-watching!

Goliath

An Amazon Studios production, Goliath premiered in 2016 and ran for four seasons, ending in 2021. The series follows a down-and-out lawyer looking for redemption after a world-view changing case, where he brilliantly helped a man win the case, and things escalate from there. The show is praised for the strong performance of Billy Bob Thornton and the tackling of important topics like the inherent corruption in the legal system. 

American Crime Story

Though ‘underrated’ doesn’t exactly describe a show as highly successful as this one, American Crime Story has (unfairly) never reached the popularity level of How to Get Away with Murder and Better Call Saul, at least in the region here. Much like Mindhunter, American Crime Story reenacts historical, high-profile cases with proper factual evidence, official records, and background information, such as the infamous case of O.J Simpson and the impeachment of Bill Clinton.

The Trial (Il Processo)

With only eight episodes, this Italian mini-series thriller is a tightly woven court drama involving the murder of a 17-year-old girl. The series follows the classical formula: a highly successful prosecutor about to take a leave of absence gets handed a case involving a highly wealthy suspect and a brilliant rival lawyer. What’s notable is the way the story is told, the nuances and multifacetedness of the characters, and the tackling of the Italian legal system.

Case (Réttur)

Retitled both ‘Case’ and ‘The Court’ for English speaking markets (its original title translates to ‘Right’), Réttur is an Icelandic legal drama filled with the best of what marks Scandinavian shows: dark truths, gloomy atmosphere, intense dynamics, and cold blood thriller elements. If you’ve not watched Scandinavian dramas before, this would be a great place to start. The premise follows the self-destructive and reckless but brilliant young lawyer as he gets involved in disturbing cases with secrets and alarming truths.