Israeli Web Star Bar Elmeliah-Dontzov’s 'HaPashuta' Becomes a Hit TV Series on Kan

For decades, Israeli television struggled to find its role alongside the internet, initially viewing it with suspicion as it drew away viewers and seemed like an aging relative at the family table. Over time, TV experimented with internet content, sometimes awkwardly stretching short clips into longer shows, but also successfully launching internet personalities like Udi Kagan and Tom Ya'ar into TV fame. The relationship evolved into a symbiotic one, with the internet as the wild frontier of new content and television as the responsible validator.

This dynamic culminated recently with the premiere of "HaPashuta" on Kan, a TV series adaptation of a popular Facebook page created by internet personality Bar Elmeliah-Dontzov. With over a million followers, Elmeliah-Dontzov did not simply translate his online language to TV but crafted television in his native digital style. The plot centers on Bat El (played and co-written by Oshrit Sarusi), a modest woman abandoned by her fiancé Nahorai (Shon Sofeti) during their henna ceremony two weeks before their wedding. Accused of being aimless and unambitious, Bat El is sent to study communications at the fictional "Savidur Merkaz" college in Tel Aviv by her friend Timor (Karmel Netzer), who hopes to prove Bat El can transform. The story also features Nofar (Niv Shtrit), a waitress from their hometown, and Topaz (Chen Rotman), the landlord’s son and reluctant roommate.

"HaPashuta" is fast-paced and dense with references, wordplay, slang, and a loving, parodic tone that embraces its characters rather than mocking them. The show’s unique language and style, familiar to fans of Elmeliah-Dontzov’s online persona, create an immersive experience that may require multiple viewings to catch all nuances. The series, consisting of nine episodes (three reviewed so far), demonstrates that a character originating from social media posts can successfully sustain a 30-minute TV format.

The public broadcaster Kan’s support allowed the show to flourish in its niche, blending camp, trash culture, nostalgia, and irony. It captures a worldview where lounging in sweatpants is a legitimate aspiration and trivial moments are treated with grand significance. "HaPashuta" represents a full circle for Israeli media, as television now embraces and elevates content born from the internet, no longer needing to choose between the two mediums.