The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem Season 1 Part 2 Struggles to Find Itself

The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem Season 1 Part 2 is now available in the United States, and the show could really only improve after the horrific ending of the season’s first half. 

At this point, it’s probably more accurate to say that The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem is loosely based on Sarit Yishai-Levi’s novel of the same name. This isn’t always a bad thing, but it does put the show in an…interesting narrative position.

For starters, what the show does with the character of Becky is nothing less than appalling. I don’t even want to re-hash the Season 1 Part 1 finale that was incredibly racist, but let’s just say that Becky was not the way to deal with this. 

Becky is one of the novel’s most dynamic characters. It’s so sad that she’s being reduced to a plot device to further a racist storyline that’s never critically examined through a historically accurate lens.

The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem treats this character so poorly pretty much every time she’s mentioned or is on-screen. Every moment she’s a part of the story, she’s so sweet and endearing. She deserves so much better.

Hopefully, as we look toward Season 2, this character will get the chance to come into her own. The Handsome Eli Cohen story is particularly sweet and would lend itself well to a screen adaptation.

Rachel, or Rachelika, seems like she has missed at least several crucial moments in her character development. In The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem Season 1 Part 1, she goes on a deeply painful yet necessary journey as she finds her place in history.

The second half of the season short changes this character, who also has so much potential. She’s far reduced, and it’s a disservice to the character.

It is not for lack of trying on Eli Steen’s part. She does her absolute best with what she’s given.  When a character is written unsatisfactorily, however, there’s only so much an actor can do. 

Swell Ariel Or continues to be a standout as the show’s titular character, for all of The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem‘s flaws. The second half of Season 1 sees the character development that she deserved from the beginning.

There’s no doubt that Or is conventionally attractive. What really makes her shine, however, is her attitude. The way she portrays this character, with an indelible sense of entitlement, makes her both less likable, but so much more relatable.

What The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem does well is show Luna as a spoiled brat who really has no reason to expect anything less than the entire world after being given everything her entire life. 

It’s a testament to Or’s talent that she takes a character who is so incredibly unsympathetic on paper and makes her dynamic and engaging. Even at her worst moments, it’s hard not to root for her on some level. 

While it may not be historically accurate, it’s kind of fun to imagine Luna and Matilda having bat mitzvahs in early 20th Century Israel. The creative possibilities of what that would look like practically are virtually endless.

Another character whose story doesn’t quite come together is Merkada. Irit Kaplan is a phenom. Even her talent, however, isn’t quite enough to overcome the poor design this character is given.

It may sound strange, but in order for this character to work in The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem, she needs to be significantly more toxic. Leaning into the chaotic nature of this character would have served her better. 

In the source material, Merkada is the worst combination of a woman firmly rooted in a previous generation and someone who steadfastly refuses to change. The second half of the season sees a very uneven character who can’t find her place.

By contrast, Michael Aloni’s Gabriel is given a redemption arc, and it…kind of works? Color me surprised since, in the source material, this is among the worst character in a cast of generally terrible people. 

The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem is really making an effort to rehabilitate this character. They haven’t exactly given him an opportunity to fully process the damage his actions have caused, but he’s trying to do better.

This attempt at character redemption may only work through the sheer force of nature that is Michael Aloni. His charisma alone is able to elevate this character, and another actor may not be capable of this.

It will be curious to see how The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem handles Gabriel and Roza’s relationship repair going forward. This would be a massive deviation from the source material, about a generational cycle of unhappy marriages. It could work.

One part of the novel that frankly didn’t need to be adapted was that of the main “villain” Morduch. The source material sees this character rooted in racism, and The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem does nothing to rectify or analyze this. 

It is also a bit of a cheap fake-out to have Luna’s fate hang in the balance. In the source material, this moment is a critical turning point for the character. While the series may give this moment another chance, it doesn’t work here.

The one way to redeem this fake-out is to instead explore Luna and David’s relationship in the context of the PTSD David suffers after having served in Europe during World War 2. This could absolutely work, as heartbreaking as it would be.

This may be an incredibly hot take, but there is actually a lot of potential with the introduction of Gabriel’s son with Rochel. This could be an interesting way to take the Ermoza story. Or it could be terrible, only time will tell. 

Finally, the acknowledgement of how the horrors of the Holocaust were instrumental in developing the State of Israel is essential. In particular, Mr. Zach’s story is heartbreaking, but a necessary reminder of the trauma families of survivors endure.

The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem has set a course to tell its own story, far removed from the novel on which it is based. Some of this works, a lot of it does not. As Season 2 approaches, hopefully, the show can re-examine itself.

There is a lot of opportunity here. Yet the show remains so deeply frustrating in so many ways. It could be a fun and interesting period piece while offering a new perspective on Israel as a nation and a society.

Too often, The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem does not live up to everything it could be.

Stray Thoughts From the Holy Land:

• That was quite possibly the absolute wildest Havdalah that has possibly been put to screen. As serious as that moment was, I take it as a win for Jewish joy. Everything about it was perfection.
• I’m still in love with the miniatures. At this point, these set pieces are a character all on their own. They just add such depth to the scene transitions.
• These costumes are gorgeous. Seriously, props to the costume department for never missing.
• Rochel just can’t catch a break. #JusticeForRochel.

What did you think of The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem Season 1 Part 2? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem Season 1 is now available to stream on Netflix. 

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