THE 11th CAIRO International Market for Radio and Television (CAMAR TV) ended on a rather somber note after news of the execution of Ihab El-Sherif, the head of the Egyptian diplomatic mission in Iraq, hit the airwaves. Out of respect and solidarity, organizers canceled the closing ceremony, which had been planned for July 7th at the Egyptian Media Production City (EMPC).

The four-day event itself was, nonetheless, quite a success. The fringe TV and Radio Festival — featuring 130 booths that represented all 22 Arab countries — showcased new TV productions ready to be launched in the upcoming period and several international companies arrived to promote their latest broadcast equipment in the ‘market’ area. The festival also featured two important symposiums entitled ‘The Arabian Image in Worldwide Media’ and ‘Media vs. Terrorism.’

But the festival also had its share of glitches. First off, there was a noticeable (and regrettable) absence of TV representatives and celebrities, with only a handful of stars like veterans Ahmed Maher, Ahmed Bedeir, Madeline Tabar and Elham Shaheen making repeat appearances. Then, there was the fiasco of the official competition, which included a staggering 770 TV & Radio productions competing for 50 awards. Accordingly, one question begged to be asked: How on earth could the 270 members making up the 24 jury committees (chaired by Dr. Magdy El-Helwany, dean of the faculty of information at Cairo University) have the time to watch such a huge amount of audiovisual material in just four days?

The results themselves were nothing short of a joke: Each and every award — be it old, silver or bronze — for all the different categories, was jointly awarded to two winners, one from Egypt and the other from another Arab country. For example, the Best Actor Award went to both Mamdouh Abdel-Aleem for his role in the historical drama Al-Tarek and Gamal Soliman for his role in the Syrian series Al-Taghreeba and so on.

As for the upcoming productions, TV addicts and couch vegetables will rejoice at what is in store for them this season. The three main national branches of video production (the Production Sector at the Egyptian Radio TV and Union (ERTU), EMPC studios and Sout El-Kahira) are currently racing against time to wrap up more than 50 TV series.

At the current time, obtaining any statistical information about the sales of Egyptian series from ERTU is like trying to draw blood from a stone, but one can gauge the increase of local drama productions in direct proportion to the launch of new Arab channels on our homegrown NileSat satellite. The latest NileSat viewership research indicated that its transmission has now reached over 10 million households in the Middle East alone. In Lebanon, for example, 80 percent of an estimated 1 million households receive NileSat. And it doesn’t need an entertainment critic to tell you that the major demand on satellite channels is for Egyptian series, especially in the peak time of viewership, i.e. the month of Ramadan.

Sherif Awad El-Zaher Bebars, taking you back even further

One often wonders why the formula in writing TV series has become increasingly clichéd along the years. Characters are either extremely wealthy or dying from poverty. They are corrupt businessmen from big families with lots of sons and daughters who face the usual emotional problems and psychological diseases; or they are intrepid journalists and revolutionary leaders who fight injustice. It is perfectly normal to notice one actor or actress playing three similar roles in three different series all of which are showing at the same time. (Last Ramadan Dr. Ezzat Abou-Ouf and Boshra both appeared in three series each.) It is thus not uncommon for a star or even a supporting actor to move between three sets and shoot for 24 hours in front of the rolling camera — every day. Due to their busy and crazy schedules, performers are usually worn out and extremely stressed. That doesn’t mean, however, they can’t manage to make time for (an often paid for) guest appearance on TV programs.

According to many rising starlets, quantity rules over quality in TV outings, as directors rarely ask for second or third takes to perfect performances. As a result most TV series turn out far too lengthy, with 35 dragged-out episodes full of repetitive scenes. Still, they seem to be raking in the profits. From historical productions to social dramas and comedies, here are our picks and pans of what’s in store.

Taha Hussein Salem continues to explore the social events that led to the Egyptian revolution in this, the third part of Awraq Masreya (Egyptian Papers). Directed by Wafik Wagdy, this installment stars Salah El-Saadany, Mahmoud El-Guindy, Ahmed Bedeir and Ashraf Abdel-Ghafour.

Another historical drama tracks the vivid life of great Egyptian social worker Hoda Shaarawy portrayed by Fardous Abdel-Hamid. TV veteran Mohammed Fadel, who is also Abdel-Hamid’s husband, takes the director’s seat for this series. Shaarawy was the first Egyptian woman to lift the veil off her face and establish the first union for the women of Egypt in 1923.

Sherif Awad Yanabe’e El-Eshq starring the beautiful Dina

Set in the late years of the 19th century, Yanabe’e El-Eshq (Springs of Love) also retells Egyptian history through three main figures: Mustafa Kamel, Mohamed Abdou and Kassem Amin. Directed by Wafik Wagdy, it stars Hala Sedky, Nabil El-Halafawy and Dina.

El-Zaher Bebars is a drama that holds the name of the great military leader who faced the Mongol invasion of Egypt. The series stars Yasser Galal, is written by Taha Shalaby and directed by Ibrahim El-Shawady

Written by Fatheyya El-Assal and directed by Bassem Mahfouz, Zahra Fee Ard Boor (A Flower in Barren Land) revolves around a girl called Zahra who was raised by a father that wished her to study medicine but she refuses and joins the faculty agriculture.

Directed by Mostafa El-Shal, Ta’er El-Hob (Love Bird) is your typical social drama tackling corruption. It tells the story of a businesswoman called Ashgan (Fifi Abdu) who inherits her dying husband’s magazine publication and uses it for just causes with the aid of her right-hand, the intrepid journalist, Khaled played by Ahmed Rateb. Abdu (a former belly dancer) has yet another starring role in El-Set Asseela, currently shooting at Areen Studios. Events on the set were apparently more dramatic than the series itself, with director Samy Mohammed Aly collapsing in mid-shoot due to extreme fatigue and being rushed to the hospital as well as Abdu’s wig catching fire during the shooting of a sobou (baby shower) scene.

Sherif Awad Al-Ganeb Al-Akhar Men Al-Shate’e written by film critic Magda Khayr-Allah

Directed by Yasser Zayed, El-Mansoureyya casts Ezzat El-Alayly as a war veteran who has made several successful investments resulting in his son’s (Mohamed Riad) irresponsible reliance on this fortune.

Screen legend Kamal El-Shennawy stars in Al-Ganeb Al-Akhar Men Al-Shate’e (The Other Side of the Beach) as a wealthy Egyptian who returns to his homeland — after 30 years of absence — to reunite with his sons and brothers. The series is written by film critic Magda Khayr-Allah and is directed by Mohamed Helmy.

Written by another veteran, this time of the stage, Al-Raqs Ma’a Al-Zohoor (Dances with Roses) co-stars El-Sayed Rady with Fathy Abdel-Wahab, Donya Samir Ghanem and Ahmed Zaher. The story focuses on Samah (played by Ghanem) who was raised by her grandfather and whose fiancé is a journalist (of course fighting injustice).

Departing somewhat from the stale formula, El-Kalam El-Mobah (Allowable Talk) tells a different story in each episode. Written by Atef Beshay and based on short stories by journalist Sanaa El-Beissy, the cast includes Hussein El-Imam, Dalal Abdel-Aziz, Abou-Bakr Ezzat and Mimi Gamal.

Hasanat Wi Hammam El-Talat (Hasanat and the Tuesday Bath) stars singer Shaaban Abdel-Reheem (for whom TV seems to be the only way for him to expand his audience after his two cinematic efforts flopped). He plays a fetewwa (bully) who lives in a poor area in which the title character Hasanat (Ghada Abdel-Razek) plays out her daily existence facing sadness and happiness. The series is written by Zakareya El-Seily and co-stars Amir Karara, Aida Riyad. And is directed by Karim Diaa El-Deen.

Sherif Awad Zahra Fee Ard Boor will be among the upcoming social dramas

Khaled El-Nabawy and Hala Sheeha are cast as star-crossed lovers who become separated by time and distance in Rage’lek Ya Eskendria (Alexandria, I’ll be Back). The series was shot in Egypt and several European countries including Germany and France.

Absent from this summer film marathon, Hanan Turk has devoted her energies to the title role in Sara, a mentally challenged young woman living in a specialized institute. Directed by Shereen Adel, the series co-stars Ahmed Rizq and Olfat Omar.

Veteran writer Kawthar Heikal teams up with director Abdel-Aziz El-Sokkary on Ala Nar Hadia (Simmering) starring Elham Shaheen, Rasha Mahdy and Youssef El-Sherif.

Because Hany Ramzy’s Ghaby Meno Feih (Natural Born Idiot) was recently a box-office flop, we’ll be seeing more of him on Ramadan TV. He co-stars with Ghada Adel in Mabrook Galak Qalaq (Congratulations You Have Worries) in which he plays a schoolteacher responsible for baby-sitting two kids.

Sherif Awad Hany Ramzy back to television in Mabrook Galak Qalaq

Masa’el A’eliyya Geddan (Family Matters) stars film and TV legend Hassan Youssef who plays a retired middle-class employee who focuses on resolving the problems of his numerous children with his wife Dalal Abdel-Aziz.

From actress-turned-writer Nadia Rashad comes Mobara Zawgeya (Marital Match), which depicts several newly married couples whose private ambitions affect their emotional relations. This series is directed by Enaam Mohamed Aly and stars Ahmed Shaker, Hana Sheeha and Abdel-Aziz Makhyoun.

Oreed Halan (I Want a Solution) is another social comedy. Ahmed Shaker plays a different character in each of the 30 episodes that take on the problems of everyday life.

Social commentary comedy Edhak Qabl El-Dehk Ma Yeghla (Laugh Before Laughter Becomes More Expensive) stars Ahmed Abdel-Aziz who encounters different problems and characters in his daily life. The series is written by Faisal Nada and is directed by Karim Diaa El-Deen.

Dawaer El-Shak (Circles of Doubt) is a seven-episode thriller revolving around the kidnapping of a young child and the authorities’ race against time to find him. Written by Tarek El-Kheshen and directed by Yassin Ismael Yassin, it stars TV star Kamal Abou-Raya and Gamal Abdel Nasser.

Teen novelist Nabil Farouk offers up El Ameel 1001 (Agent 1001) starring Mustafa Shaaban as a Raafat El-Hagan/Gomaa El-Shawan type of Egyptian spy who is recruited by a special agent to travel to Israel in the aftermath of the 1967 defeat where he encounters beautiful actresses Nelly Karim, Noor and Razan.  et