Nadine Ibrahim’s Beyond The Veil returns for a second season, and we’re eager to continue following Na’ima, Baddie, Hanifa, and Zizi on their journeys. With about a year since the first season aired, here’s a brief recap to get you up to speed before we dissect the new season.

Season 1 Recap

When we first meet Baddie, she’s just ended a relationship and is being pursued by a married admirer. Hanifa juggles motherhood and university aspirations, despite her husband’s opposition. Na’ima battles depression and anxiety while trying to build a relationship with Amir. Kassim and a marriage suitor court Zizi but she has no interest in marriage or kids.

Baddie agrees to become her suitor’s second wife. Zizi and Kassim develop a relationship. Hanifa and Ahmadu’s marriage deteriorates as she secretly pays her school fees. Na’ima struggles to commit to Amir, reconnects with an old love, Matthew, in Lagos, and ends things with Amir. A confrontation between Surrayah and Na’ima before Baddie’s wedding leads to a fight among the rest of the girls.

The season ends with Baddie’s wedding, where Zizi loses her grandfather, Hanifa discovers she’s pregnant, Na’ima gets into a car accident on her way to Matthew, and Baddie starts to see her husband’s true colours.

Now that we’re all caught up, let’s get into season two. Skip ahead to the paragraph on the plot to avoid spoilers.

Episode 1

The season begins six months after Baddie’s wedding and Na’ima’s accident. Hanifa is six months pregnant and finds out she’s having a boy. Na’ima has recovered and her relationship with Matthew has grown, though they’re keeping it a secret. Zizi gets reassigned to the crimes and investigation unit, and Baddie tries to maintain appearances on social media, which doesn’t sit well with Sadiq. Na’ima still struggles with drug addiction and makes a new friend at therapy. Kassim continues to delay his wedding to Maryam.

Episode 2

Na’ima’s new friend, Fatima, reintroduces her to drugs while Kassim and Matthew try to locate her. Hanifa’s sister comes to help her at home. Kassim tries to fix things with Zizi but he’s still working towards marriage with Maryam. Zizi spends some time getting to know Tariq, and Surrayah gets a new love charm to use on Kassim.

Episode 3

Tariq asks Zizi out on a date. Surrayah discovers that Baddie is being abused by Sadiq after listening to some household staff. Zizi struggles to sell her grandfather’s home and finally finds the file on Sadiq that was delivered to her the day he died. Na’ima catches up with Hanifa and Baddie, and Matthew asks her to meet his family. After seeing Tariq and Zizi together, Kassim begins to build his relationship with Maryam. Baddie tells Sadiq she doesn’t want children with him.

Episode 4

Baddie rejects Zizi’s offer of help after being dropped off with Zizi by Bilquis following a beating from Sadiq. Sadiq’s mum scolds him for his behaviour towards Baddie. Surrayah starts selling her products through Na’ima’s hammam. Na’ima struggles when she meets Matthew’s family. Ahmadu secures an internship for Hanifa. Baddie asks Hanifa and Na’ima to see her at Zizi’s house and reveals the abuse she’s facing from Sadiq. Surrayah makes her move on Kassim. Na’ima’s aunt shares her reservations about Na’ima and Matthew’s relationship with Na’ima’s mum.

Episode 5

Sadiq finds Baddie while she’s alone at Zizi’s house, and Zizi rushes home to protect her. Hanifa faints at work, and Na’ima’s aunt arranges for a friend to talk to her about her relationship with Matthew. Sadiq confronts Bilquis after learning she took Baddie to Zizi’s place. Surrayah sets up Sarah, causing her to quit the hammam. Zizi finally sells her grandfather’s home. Na’ima and Baddie visit Hanifa at home when they learn about her fainting spell. Baddie decides to leave Sadiq, and news about their troubled marriage ends up on social media.

Episode 6

Baddie opens up about her abuse on social media, and her family deals with the fallout. Na’ima prepares for her mother’s birthday dinner, and Matthew asks her to relocate with him. Kassim finally asks Maryam to marry him. Tariq gets news about a transfer to Port Harcourt.

Na’ima discovers what Surrayah has been doing at the hammam. Baddie confronts Surrayah and learns she was the one who shared the news about her marital issues online. Ahmadu tells Hanifa she and the kids will move to Dubai so she can continue her studies there. Na’ima ends things with Matthew. Hanifa goes into labour, but something goes wrong. Zizi ends things with Tariq and reaches out to Kassim while he announces his plans to marry Maryam to his family.

Plot

One notable aspect of the show is that despite the various plotlines, it remains easy to follow. However, this simplicity doesn’t necessarily contribute to a strong plot. Many loose ends from season one remain unresolved, indicating a lack of effort in tying up those storylines in the new season. With more time and attention to plot development, the show could have delivered a much stronger narrative.

Story

Na’ima’s story feels disjointed due to an overwhelming focus on multiple aspects: her relationship, drug abuse struggles, and her business. These elements lack a cohesive thread, making it difficult to stay engaged. Additionally, there’s much about Na’ima’s past that remains unexplored; more insight could have strengthened her narrative.

Conversely, Hanifa’s storyline appears uneventful for most of the season, only to be abruptly packed with significant events in the final two episodes. The season seemingly concludes with Hanifa’s death, a surprising twist that feels like a forced attempt to shock viewers. Although her death isn’t explicitly confirmed, it seems the only plausible explanation for the events in the final episode.

Baddie’s storyline is the strongest this season, tackling the topical issue of domestic violence in Nigeria, though certain aspects could have been handled better.

Surrayah’s narrative still lacks coherence within the broader context. Her sudden anger towards Na’ima in season one and her obsessive pursuit of Kassim don’t make sense. Given her previous marriage and divorce, it’s baffling why she would want to marry a man who doesn’t reciprocate her feelings. Her motivations remain unclear.

Performances

None of the performances in Beyond The Veil stand out. While some actors are better than others, overall, the acting is simply passable. Many scenes that could have been more impactful fall flat due to mediocre performances, and stronger direction could have significantly improved these moments.

Final Thoughts

We appreciate the show’s attempt to highlight the struggles of being a northern Muslim woman in modern times. However, this season was a letdown, with nothing standing out and leaving us questioning the quality of the first season after watching the second. The show does a good job showcasing Abuja and northern fashion, which we enjoy. However, the pacing could have been better, as the final episode felt much more eventful than the preceding ones.

Verdict

Overall, Beyond The Veil is an interesting watch, and with only six episodes, you can get through it in a day. The show has potential, and we hope for a stronger third season. However, the poor writing and subpar acting in season two earns it a 2.5 out of 5 rating. Beyond The Veil is now streaming on Prime Video.

Rating: 2.5/5