TV Review: Why 'Not to Fight' Fell Flat and Natali Dadon’s New Show Misses Too

Television critic Roy Even surveys several current Israeli TV offerings and argues that, despite the attention around them, some of the most promoted projects are simply not landing. His main target is "Not to Fight" on Kan 11, the comeback series tied to writer and creator Erez Driggs. Even says the show was never really a success, citing weak ratings, lukewarm reviews, limited buzz, a comparison to "Havrot" that was too hard to meet, and a finale twist that pushed its characters into "The Bold and the Beautiful" territory. He also notes that the effort to turn the line "Go eat ptitim" into a catchphrase never worked.

Even then turns to Gwyneth Paltrow’s new Israeli advertising campaign for real-estate company Aviv Melisron, saying there is no reason to be impressed by it. In his view, Hollywood stars who appear in Israeli ads often do so after they have little left to lose, and Paltrow is already a public punching bag because of her eccentric image. He says her saying "Herzliya" and then "Israel" on camera is notable only on the surface, and should make viewers suspicious rather than excited.

The strongest reaction in the column is reserved for Natali Dadon’s new lifestyle strip "Shishi Nashi" on Channel 14. Even says the show feels like a teleshopping channel in conservative, religious packaging, with a studio full of product placement, a Lubavitcher Rebbe image, an Israel map made of flowers, and guests brought in mainly to discuss grooming, internal connection, and other soft promotional themes. Dadon is described as having little real role beyond connecting segments, and Even says her transitions are awkward and hard to watch.

Along the way, he recommends "2026" on Yes and Cellcom as a BBC mockumentary about FIFA’s World Cup preparations, with the organization’s name bleeped for legal reasons. He also mentions upcoming or recent TV events, including the finale of "The Daughter" on June 15, the Netflix series "I Will Find You" on June 18, and a new season of Apple’s "Sugar" on June 19.