Netflix's "Stateless" Is Your Next Weekend Binge!

“Stateless”, which dropped on Netflix on Wednesday, is based on real events and consists of six 50-minute episodes, making it the perfect show to start and finish all in one day! The series follows the parallel stories of Sofie Werner (Yvonne Strahovski), Ameer (Fayssal Bazzi), Mina (Soraya Heidari), Majeeba (Saajeda Samaa), and Sadiqa (Ilaha Rahemi), and Cam Sandford (Jai Courtney).

Sofie is an Australian citizen who struggles to live up to her parents’ (and sister’s) expectations of her, while also trying to make herself happy. After becoming involved with an Eisteddfod (a Welsh cult) that encourages her to open up and be true to herself, Sofie begins to isolate herself from her family, quits her job as a flight attendant, and dedicates herself to the group. After being sexually assaulted by the group’s leader, Gordon Masters (Dominic West), Sofie’s mental health begins to rapidly decline, she is kicked out of the group, and her family has her hospitalized. Sofie runs away and finds herself in an Australian immigration detention center, using the name and passport of German backpacker Eva Hoffman.

Meanwhile, Ameer and Majeeba are the parents of Mina and Sadiqa. The four make up a family of Afghan refugees trying to start a new life in Australia. After an immigrant smuggler steals their money and leaves the family to be captured, Ameer and his family escape, but his youngest daughter, Sadiqa, falls sick. Ameer and another refugee steal their money back from the smuggler and send his wife and two daughters to Australia on a boat; however, he is captured by the smuggler before he can get on it himself. Ameer finally arrives at the same detention center that Sofie is at a few weeks later, but his family is not there. Later on, Mina arrives at the center after having stayed with a local family.

Cam Sandford is a stay-at-home dad who is offered a job at the detention center by some friends who work there. Cam takes the job, becoming one of the refugees’ favorite guards, until he is faced with some challenging tasks which break his soft demeanor.

While it may seem like a difficult compilation of characters to intertwine into one show, the writers and directors turned “Stateless” into one of the most enthralling shows I have ever seen. Even though there is very little interaction between the three sets of characters, those moments where they do connect are super important and it never feels like the show is overshadowing one group or another.

“Stateless” also gives viewers a peek inside immigration detention centers and shows that the immigration issues we face in the U.S. are not an issue exclusive to us.

The show provides a clear ending to Sofie’s storyline, though the ending leaves you wondering what will happen to Ameer's and Cam’s families next. Though the show hasn’t been confirmed for a Season 2, we really hope there will be one!