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S1 • E1
NOAM ASHKENAZI (25), a journalist, is trying to finish writing his column but the words don't come out. He takes some Ritalin, then snorts it. But it only makes him anxious, suspicious, and paranoid. He asks his ex-girlfriend for more but she refuses to give him, so in a fit of madness he sprays her apartment with a fire extinguisher and steals her pills. Noam returns to the editorial, hides under his desk, and calls his dad, a well-known poet, and bohemian figure, called UDI ASHKENAZI. Udi realizes he is having a mental breakdown, dashes over, and gets him out of there. Udi calls the Head of the Psychiatric ward at Shaarei Tikvah Hospital whilst Noam tries to convince him that he is okay. But the more he tries, the more convinced his dad gets, that it's the right thing for Noam.
S1 • E2
At first, the ward seems like a horrible place, and Noam is convinced he shouldn't be there. He meets the ward's medical staff, as well as CHELI, who pretends to be a social worker but is a patient, just like him. The episode reaches its climax when Noam is lying in his bed after 24 sleepless hours, trying to fall asleep. But his roommate Yoel keeps on screaming, following a PTSD panic attack. Terrified, Noam heads over to the Nurses desk and demands they let him call his dad to come and get him out of there. But instead, Udi gets jealous at the level of intensity of the stories he is surrounded by. "You can't make shit like that up", he says, "you are in a writers' paradise, get on board. Enjoy the ride". Noam realizes his dad isn't coming to save him this time.
S1 • E3
Noam is at the Intake Committee, whose purpose is to decide which treatment he will get. Noam is determined to prove to them he is not crazy. Prof. Porat convinces Noam to look at his time at the ward as a kind of vacation, and he reluctantly accepts the verdict. During the morning medication handout, a young patient by the name of KARIN (20) steals his pills, and although they have nothing in common, Karin and Noam bond quickly, due to their shared love of narcotics. Karin takes Noam under her wing. Noam fantasizes about ordering pizza and Karin injures herself on purpose, gets rushed off to the hospital's ER, and returns a few hours later carrying a bag full of pizza slices. Noam is ecstatic but the pizzas cause serious riots at the ward he realizes he is in the best place in the world.
S1 • E4
The sexual tension between Noam and Karin rises and they end up having sex. As they go out for a cigarette, a religious patient called YAKIR shows up, convinced he is the messiah. Noam realizes he truly is in a writers' paradise and joins Yakir on his apocalyptic journey. Suddenly another religious guy walks into the room - MOSHE. Yakir panics and claims Moshe is a collaborator. Noam is ecstatic; he is in a room with two people who are certain they are the true messiah. But the situation spirals out of control and Yakir starts beating the daylights out of Moshe. Noam runs off to look for Karin and finds her having oral sex in the shower with another patient. He realizes that his fun and games at the ward are a frightening, painful, and cruel reality for other patients.
S1 • E5
Noam wakes up to an urgent phone call from his dad, letting him he was replaced by another writer. Udi insists it's his time to get out of the hospital and get back to work. Noam tries to convince Dr. Zarovsky he is ready to leave the ward. She thinks it's too early, but he is adamant, and she releases him. Back home, Noam speaks with the Newspaper editor, promising him he is coming back bigger and better. The editor is thrilled. Excited, Noam calls his dad to let him know he's back and working on his Hospital Diaries. But his dad tells him it's a childish idea and urges him to look for something more sophisticated. Noam's excitement evaporates completely, and he starts doing drugs again. He calls up his shrink crying whilst standing on the roof, threatening to jump off.
S1 • E6
Udi shows up on Noam's door, said he left his wife, and he is moving in with him. Udi organizes a double release party for them and does lots of coke. Noam refuses, but when his dad laughs at him in front of all his friends, he decides to join in on all the fun. When Noam fancies one of the waitresses Udi writes a poem and gives it to Noam to give her. But when they hit it off Udi tells her he wrote the poem. Shocked by his dad's destructive and harmful behavior Noam goes back home but his dad keeps on calling. When he finally answers he hears the waitress screaming, saying something happened to Udi. He rushes back and finds Udi unconscious after he had overdosed. The paramedics take him to the ER. Noam joins them but instead of going with his dad, he heads back to the Psych Ward.
S1 • E7
Noam attends a group therapy session, and the therapist reminds everyone about Gila's farewell party. Noam, who bonded with her deeply decides to organize a patients' show for her. He also has a meeting with his shrink and his mom, who had flown in especially. The session starts positively but takes an unexpected turn when the psychiatrist implies her lack of presence in Noam's life is a major factor in his condition. She storms off and Noam can't find her anywhere. When he finds her eventually, she tries to convince him to fly back to LA but she refuses and walks away disgraced. At the end of Gila's farewell show, Prof. Porat says he has a happy announcement to make: it's time for Noam to be released. He has undergone a meaningful process and it's time to go back home.
S1 • E8
"Noam joins the other patients for a final soccer game and hears Atia's story for the first time: Atia used to be a promising soccer player, but the severe OCD he suffers from destroyed his career. Ever since he became obsessed with details - he knows everything about Israeli soccer. Noam decides to sneak him out and get him a job as a sports reporter. Ronen, another patient, joins. At the paper, the sports staff are amazed by Atia's phenomenal knowledge, but things get complicated when Ronen disappears and Atia gets completely manic and violent. When they are taken back to the hospital Noam wants to readmit himself, but Dr. Zarovsky says ""you are just not crazy enough to be here"". Sparkly-eyed Noam looks at her and says: ""the problem is that I'm not normal enough to be outside either"". "
Noam Ashkenazi
Ronen
Nurse sigal
Attia
Karin
Yakir
Moshe
Tomer
Professor Porat
Dr. Zarowski