9 Must-Watch Arabic Dramas on Netflix in 2025

Let’s be honest—Netflix isn’t short on content. But if you’ve been scrolling for something fresh, grounded, and honestly more real than half the over-produced stuff on the front page, Arabic dramas in 2025 are where it’s at.

This isn’t just about exotic settings or cultural novelty. The latest wave of Arabic shows on Netflix are telling raw, smart, and often uncomfortable stories about ambition, identity, family, power, and survival. And they’re doing it without sugarcoating anything.

From a Kuwaiti financial drama set in the ’80s to a Jordanian revenge story inside a girls’ school, these aren’t shows you passively watch while scrolling your phone.

These are dramas that stick with you.

1. The Exchange (Season 2)

Season 2 continues the story of Farida and Munira as they attempt to launch their own brokerage firm amid increasing financial and societal pressure in pre-Gulf War Kuwait.

Their work is complicated by sexism in the industry, corruption in government contracts, and resistance from families who view their careers as “inappropriate.”

The plot focuses on real events, including Kuwait’s market crash and regional political tensions, while balancing strong personal arcs and friendship themes.

The production recreates 1980s Kuwait with rich detail, making it one of Netflix’s most visually immersive Arabic shows.

Cultural Impact

2. Franklin

Samir, a Beirut-based counterfeiter, reconnects with his ex to create an undetectable fake $100 bill. The reason? His daughter needs surgery, and legal options have failed. Their operation draws in underworld financiers and international law enforcement.

@daniellarahmeofficial Soon #Franklin on @NetflixMENA #DaniellaRahme #دانييلا_رحمه #NetflixOriginal #netflix ♬ original sound – daniellarahme

The show’s strength lies in its balance, exploring the real cost of desperation in Lebanon’s economic collapse while maintaining tight pacing and a layered love story. It accurately reflects everyday corruption and distrust in banks in post-2020 Lebanon.

Cultural Impact

3. The Sand Castle

A wealthy family inherits a secluded beach villa where strange hallucinations, mood swings, and ghostly phenomena begin.

But nothing is supernatural—each family member suffers from repressed trauma, anxiety, or guilt.

The show employs non-linear storytelling and clinical psychological realism, making it Egypt’s boldest exploration of mental illness in fiction. It avoids horror clichés and instead focuses on human fragility.

Cultural Impact

4. Finding Ola (Season 2)

In Season 2, Ola starts her own skincare line while caring for her kids and fending off a public smear campaign by her ex’s new wife.

The show continues to portray single motherhood, middle-class entrepreneurship, and Cairo’s social contradictions with humor and heart.

The season also introduces themes like cosmetic pressure, social media backlash, and emotional burnout.

Real-world product partnerships featured in the show also boosted local small businesses.

Cultural Impact

5. Newton’s Cradle (Le’bet Newton)

When Hana and her husband travel to the U.S. to give birth to their first child, what starts as a hopeful plan turns into a slow unraveling of their marriage.

Navigating a maze of immigration law, health care systems, and separation, the couple is forced to confront long-buried fears and differing values.

It gives space to the everyday pain of immigrants balancing dreams of a better life with the ties they left behind.

Cultural Impact

6. Al Hayba

Al Hayba follows Jabal Sheikh Al Jabal, a feared and respected tribal leader managing his clan’s interests in a lawless area between Lebanon and Syria.

As each season unfolds, Jabal navigates political deals, family loyalties, and betrayals within his ranks.

While packed with action, the series also explores themes of honor, masculinity, and survival.

With high production value and charismatic leads, Al Hayba became a binge-worthy hit far beyond Lebanon.

Cultural Impact

7. Al Rawabi School for Girls

At a prestigious all-girls school in Amman, bullied student Mariam organizes a secret campaign to expose those who hurt her. As she recruits allies and builds plans, the line between justice and revenge blurs.

AlRawabi School for Girls is officially renewed for a SECOND season! 🥳#alrawabischoolforgirls #netflix#مدرسة_الروابي_للبنات @NetflixMENA @Timashomali @islamshomali pic.twitter.com/81zNDKS2LF

— Shirin Kamal (@Shirin_Kamal) May 18, 2022

The series goes beyond school drama to tackle slut-shaming, toxic parenting, classism, and fake virtue. It’s unafraid to show the darker side of adolescence—and does so without ever feeling exaggerated.

Cultural Impact

8. Jinn

Jordan’s first supernatural Netflix original, Jinn, combines Arab folklore with teen angst.

A group of high schoolers accidentally unleashes a powerful spirit during a school trip to Petra.

Despite mixed reviews on release, the show has built a cult following.

It blends modern life with ancient myth and explores how tradition and modernity often conflict, especially for youth.

Cultural Impact

9. The Platform (Al Manassa)

The Platform follows Karam, a Syrian software engineer who builds an open-source portal designed to expose global corruption.

As the website becomes a viral tool for whistleblowers, Karam’s life spirals—his family is threatened, government forces close in, and his moral compass is tested.

The show blends suspense with philosophical questions: Who owns the truth? What happens when transparency becomes weaponized?

Featuring actors from Syria, the UAE, and beyond, the series is a pan-Arab production with real bite.

Cultural Impact

Conclusion

Arabic drama has never been more diverse, daring, or globally accessible. Thanks to Netflix, audiences around the world can now experience stories that were once limited to regional TV channels. These 9 series represent the best of what Arabic creators are delivering right now—bold themes, authentic voices, and high production value.

If you’re also a fan of Arabic movies, you’ll find these series to be equally captivating.

Whether it’s a psychological thriller from Egypt, a coming-of-age tale from Jordan, or a crime saga from Lebanon, each of these dramas brings something unique. They’re not just entertaining—they’re culturally significant, emotionally grounded, and increasingly shaping the future of Arab storytelling on a global scale.

If you haven’t started watching Arabic dramas yet, now is the perfect time.