The show consists of episodic comedy sketches that present social commentary on the Saudi society. Every episode has a new story and characters, though popular characters tend to re-appear in new storylines. Most episodes poke fun at the flaws of Saudi society while others show a tendency for dark comedy and melodrama. The show was one of the pioneers of self-criticism in the Saudi media, with the episodes often dealing with sensitive topics such as social aspects, culture, terrorism, marital relations, and religion. The show satirizes regional social, cultural, and legal state found within Saudi Arabia.
Set Locations
Societal relations
John R. Bradley, author of Saudi Arabia Exposed: Inside a Kingdom in Crisis, said that the show continues to run and receive high ratings because, in Saudi Arabia, people perceive comedy to be a good valve for frustrations for social, regional, and other issues. The show has been a target for religious clergy after an episode aired which criticized the judges of the local courts of skipping work or leaving early, leaving paperwork and cases delayed. One episode portrayed the difficulty for women to do basic things without a mahram. The two heroines of the episode were alone because the husband of one and brother of the other were in Paris for a few weeks. The women were harassed and flirted with in parks by young men, escorted out of shops and turned away from banks. They tried to regain freedom of movement by borrowing a senile grand father and finally disguised the daughter of one and niece of the other as a little boy. Ultra-conservatives deemed this episode offensive to Islamic traditions. Many people considered this episode to be somewhat exaggerated but true. The two stars of the show even received death threats from terrorists after the show aired an episode which attacked terrorism. Actors constantly receive death threats. As of 2011, the show has been discontinued and there are no plans for future seasons. Badria Al-Bishir details what she calls battles between the extremist and the liberals in Saudi Arabia. The show is considered a milestone in the critique of extremist thought in Saudi Arabia, which has been used to shape the public opinion. It rose in times when the Newspapers and TV production were dominated the liberal party, while the educational systems were dominated by the religious party. The nature of the clash has often been explored in the Tash Ma Tash program.
