At first glance, Rough Diamonds seems to be a standard Netflix thriller with debts, deaths, and dirty deals. However, this Flemish-Yiddish series happens to also be a compelling family drama, centered around Antwerp’s Haredi Jewish diamond community. The series starts the season strong with the death that puts the family into chaos. It continues the series’ suspense with the return of prodigal son Noah, who, like Godfather’s Michael Corleone, initially disagrees with the family’s orthodox lifestyle, but can’t help but be drawn back to the family business. As the family scrambles to figure out their dead brother’s debt, they squabble with each other in a dynamic reminiscent of Succession, with an added organized crime twist. The resulting mix creates an intriguing thriller series that also happens to be a nuanced portrayal of a rarely portrayed community.
Genre: Crime, Drama
Actor: Casper Knopf, Els Dottermans, Gene Bervoets, Ini Massez, Janne Desmet, Jeroen Van der Ven, Julia Akkermans, Kevin Janssens, Marie Vinck, Robbie Cleiren, Sofie Decleir, Soroush Helali, Tine Joustra, Yona Elian