Let me be straight with you for a second: when I initially started watching Catalog, I thought I would have no interest in this show. For a comedy, the show starts off with a very bleak premise: a woman dying of cancer and her husband unable to figure out what to do with his kids after she’s gone. Truthfully, this could’ve easily turned into a horror show, but jokes aside, as the story builds, it gets engaging and very sweet; even the mild humor is pleasant, giving us a full package of some really sweet TV. The Egyptian show tells the story of a widower named Youssef who finds his wife’s YouTube videos and watches them for the first time after her passing, understanding the true essence of parenting. Along come his kids, his brother, his brother-in-law, a schoolteacher, a neighbor, and a nanny to help him out of his slump. I know what you’re thinking: that’s a lot of people to help out one guy, but what can I say? That’s what happens when a man doesn’t know what he’s doing. I’m just kidding…or am I?
The first thought that came to my mind after watching this show was that it’s kind of a family version of “P.S. I Love You,” but then I realized recently the movie “The Life List” comes close as well, seeing as there are videos from a mom involved in that too. But I won’t give you any more spoilers. Apart from someone giving advice and guidance from beyond the grave, there isn’t much else common between these movies and Catalog. Parenthood is a difficult topic to address, for sure. While a lot of people have had similar experiences, cultural context makes a huge difference when watching something so, well, close to home. If it is about family, it’s almost impossible to make comparisons. But what Catalog does very well is make us empathetic to all the characters on the show, even if our personal experiences have been entirely different.
Youssef may not be like your own father, or he might be exactly like your father; either way, somehow this show manages to be touching. Additionally, rather than just focusing on one man’s struggles, it also gives us multiple perspectives, different and interesting subplots, and some really likable characters. Honestly, there’s no villain as such, except for a bit at the end, but that also isn’t a bother at all, because this is as close to real life as it can be. Netflix puts this in the “Intimate, Heartfelt, and Emotional” category, and that’s spot on, but it’s not something that will make you weep your eyes out or even tear up. It’s just like a dull pain in the back of your throat occasionally.
The show depicts grief beautifully, and while you’re not going to concern yourself with the stages while watching it, it certainly feels like it’s passing through them without trying too hard to present each one distinctly. Like I said earlier, the best way to describe this show is that it feels as raw and realistic as it can be. The subplots are all entertaining, and I especially enjoyed the nanny character, who brings a lot of color to the show. Additionally, this is my first Egyptian show, and I don’t know if it’s because they’ve not caught up with the “trends” of the world, or what, but I love that the show is well saturated, rather than looking dull and fake, because that seems to be what everyone else is doing right now. If you can’t tell already, I really dislike that. Like, can we have some natural lighting…please, I’m begging. Not everything needs to look like it’s coming out of Denis Villeneuve’s head (no shade, the man’s a master of his craft, but you know what I mean).
Youssef is a textbook cantankerous husband with no interest in (or time for) his family before tragedy strikes. His journey of transformation isn’t something that happens overnight; it takes time, and he learns many important lessons along the way. Obviously, I’m not saying this show is perfect. There are several flaws, and I wish the episodes were crisper, but this is not to say that it was overbearing or too long; it just seems like it would’ve been the right call. It’s perfect to play in the background because it’s not going to throw a random mystery at you; you’ll get the point even if you’re not paying attention. So yes, it’s perfect second-screen content. The dub is pretty decent, but of course, if you can, always enjoy it in the original language.
The show is also great to watch with your family (especially if you’re trying to get them to understand you for a moment, hahaha). It’s just very sweet and entertaining at the same time. The kids are adorable and will definitely make you melt too. Oh, also, don’t miss out on the intro, because the song’s pretty good, even if the artwork looks AI-generated (I’m just assuming here, mind). At the end of the day, Catalog is a delightful adult coming-of-age, or should I say coming-of-parenting, show about a man struggling to find his footing after his wife dies, and if that premise interests you, then I’d recommend Catalog.
If you’re bored of the flood of procedurals, mysteries, and action stuff we’ve been getting lately, or even the romance summer shows, this show stands out in every way and is especially perfect to watch in a family setting. There’s no profanity or obscenity, just an aggressive man, but not at an unbearable level. I’d give Catalog 3 out of 5 stars. And I know you’re thinking that’s a low rating for such a positive review, but while I don’t have anything negative to say about the show, it could be improved upon.
