Unorthodox

In Unorthodox, a young Jewish woman living in an ultra-Orthodox community in Brooklyn flees her arranged marriage, escaping to Berlin only to be pursued by her husband and his thuggish cousin on order by their rabbi. But the riveting thriller also dives deeper, merging a stark portrayal of religious oppression with a coming-of-age story that resonates with gritty, desperate innocence. Played by the raw and authentic Shira Haas, the heroic Esty pursues artistic and sexual freedom out of more than a desire for self-fulfillment—it is utterly necessary for her survival. Meanwhile, her young husband is unsophisticated in the purest sense, achingly hapless and dominated by his community’s demands. In this way, the series refuses easy sensationalism and remains both measured and severe, dramatizing how misogyny embeds itself in daily rituals, family ties, and tribal imperatives. For taking a hard look at how a religious community enforces strict gender roles to maintain its identity no matter the human cost, Unorthodox wins a Peabody Award.