The Choice

Based on true events, The Choice follows Colonel Ahmed Mansi, commander of Egypt's elite Thunderbolt Brigade, and his former comrade Ashmawy — once brothers in arms, now on opposite sides of a war. While Mansi fights to defend his country against rising extremism in the Sinai, Ashmawy has been radicalised into a militant leader. A gripping military drama about sacrifice, loyalty, and the diverging paths two soldiers choose.

The Choice (2020-2022) is an Egyptian television military drama series created by Peter Mimi and produced by Synergy and United Media Services, broadcast on ON and MBC Shahid. Built on true events, it follows Colonel Ahmed Mansi (Yaser Galal), commander of the elite Thunderbolt Brigade, as he fights to defend his country against rising extremism in the Sinai. Mansi's former comrade Ashmawy (Ahmed El Awadi), once his brother in arms, has been radicalised into a militant leader, and the two men end up on opposite sides of the war. Other principal figures include Yusuf Rifai (Ahmed Mekky), Mustafa (Ahmed Al Saqqa) and Zakaria Younis (Karim Abdel Aziz). The engine of the series is the operational grind of counterterrorism work: raids, intelligence networks, field operations and the personal cost of duty that each episode carries forward. Spanning three seasons of thirty episodes each, it unfolds as one continuing campaign rather than standalone cases. The tone is sober and tense, with a heavy emphasis on sacrifice, loyalty and the diverging paths two soldiers choose. Set in modern Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula, it is a patriotic, war-focused drama for viewers who enjoy the military thrillers of Zero Dark Thirty and the morally divided intelligence world of Homeland.

• Tahet Al Saifrshared military drama tones and counterterrorism subject matter in a real-events frame
• Zero Dark Thirtyshared true events counterterror thriller with a soldier pursuing an insurgent
• Homelandshared war and politics stakes with a national security frame and loyalty tested by ideology

Created by

Peter Mimi

Release Date

2020-04-24

Episode runtime

45 min

Rating

6.9 / 10 (25)

What is The Choice about?

Egyptian Thunderbolt Brigade commander Colonel Ahmed Mansi confronts his former comrade Ashmawy, now a radicalised militant leader, in a war against extremism in the Sinai.

What is The Choice like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Choice as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.

Is The Choice violent?

Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Choice as brutal.

Which shows are like The Choice?

Shows with a similar feel include Tahet Al Saifr, Zero Dark Thirty, and Homeland.

How long is The Choice?

The Choice: 3 seasons, 90 episodes.

Is The Choice still running?

No, The Choice has ended.