No Spoiler Review: Tehran

Full psychological gambit of the cat and mouse spy game.

Apple+ is the global distributor of Tehran.

CNI Protip: Surprise in TV and movies almost always makes entertainment better so we are dedicated to avoiding any spoilers apart from sharing how and why a show or movie is psychologically beneficial and entertaining. Also be assured that CNI reviews will almost always be a positive endorsement of things worthy of your valuable time.

TV Show Review: Tehran

I recently watched and enjoyed the new Ghosts of Beirut, but since I try to avoid spoilers and the title seemed mysterious rather than specific, I didn’t realize it was a docudrama. Yes, it is extremely well done and only seemed like a docudrama when they would have interviews with real people explaining the context of what was going on in the Middle East and the world at the time, but it kept reminding me of a somewhat similar yet completely fictional series that is even better than the real thing.

If you like to ride the full psychological gambit of a modern day cat and mouse spy game that explores shades of gray and asks the tough personal, patriotic and global existential questions, Israeli produced Tehran is up there with the best of them. It is an action-packed, heavy, intense, thrilling and mostly fun ride. It also gives the viewer such a good peak behind Iran’s curtain that you really feel like you are getting a view from inside Iran. It reminds us that Iranians are also tough, smart, dedicated, proud and complex people who love their families too, which is a fairly surprising perspective from an Israeli production.

The cast is also fantastic. It is led by relative newcomer Niv Sultan as a Persian-Jewish Mossad hacker/agent who definitely has that, “it-factor.” She not only lights up the screen by being stunningly beautiful but is equally intense, vulnerable, tough, brilliant and believable as a real person (No Mary Sue!). She is in fact so lovely and familiar that I would sometimes forget I wasn’t watching powerful Swedish actor and Tomb Raider Alicia Vikander’s Middle Eastern twin sister in action. I found myself questioning who I liked more and settled on a tie but another great Tehran season might put Niv on top.

With its honest high quality writing, Hollywood-level production value, multi-dimensional characters and tight dramatic pacing, it is no wonder Niv Sultan and the rest of the very talented cast and crew have taken Tehran to the upper echelons of extremely appealing, multi-layered and high quality psychological spy thrillers. That is also why it is no surprise Tehran won for “Best Drama” at the International Emmy Awards for its first season, the second season was just as good if not better and it has been renewed for a third season scheduled for 2024.

Warning! If this is a genre you like, don’t start this until you can binge it because you probably won’t want to stop.

Season 1 was so good Glenn Close wanted to join Season 2.

If you would like to see a psychological review of a TV show or movie, please feel free to make suggestions. CNI is always on the look-out for entertaining ways we can educate ourselves and the world about humanity’s darker sides, and all other aspects of life and psychology that could benefit from a greater understanding of Intelligence.