Polygamy is a common theme in this year's Ramadan TV season A new issue address in this year's Ramadan TV season is multiple wives, after star Nour El Sherif blew the lid off the phenomenon in "Haj Metwaly" and other similar shows.
This, year star Mostafa Shaban appears in a new look and marries more than one wife in his new series "Al Zoga Al Rabaa" (The Fourth Wife). Khalid Saleh in "9 Sharea Gamet El Dowal" (9 Gamet El Dowal Street) also marries more than one wife, and actor Ahmed Beder marries two wives in  "Ked El Nesa 2" (Women Traps 2). How much does the portrayal of the phenomenon on our small screens affect real life? Why is it such a common theme? Does it reflect Egyptian reality? Here is the Arabstoday report on the sensitive topic of polygamy.
Director Magdy El Hawary says" "We didn’t mean for 'Al Zoga Al Rabaa' to promote polygamy, but script writer Ahmed Abd El Fatah in this work is concentrating on the disadvantages of having multiple wives, which we should discuss"
El Hawary denied the similarity between his work and "Haj Metwaly" saying: "The two are totally different from each other with different stories...the only common aspect is that they portray polygamy."
Entertainment critic Majeda Moris said: "I don’t know why we are repeating scripts, when a show succeeds others hurry to imitate it without thinking that shows affect real Egyptian life...for example 'Haj Metwaly' starring Nour El Sherif led to an increase in husbands marrying multiple wives after its broadcast. A year before that it was 'Haja Zohra' starring Ghada Abdul Razek where she played a woman of with multiple husbands. Now we have 'Al Zoga Al Rabaa' (The Fourth Wife) starring Mostafa Shaban...when I saw the promo I just saw it as another 'Haj Metwaly' but with a different star cast. Is there a dearth of good ideas? Why, if a show succeeds, do we have to keep repeating and repeating until viewers get bored or the show fials? I wish television show makers are aware of how big and difficult Egyptian audiences are."
Writer Walid Youssief said: "It's important that TV shows reflect real life and society, if the don't, the show is underestimating the intellect of the audience. As for multiple wives, it is already present in society so why can't we discuss it in shows? It is not a strange phenomenon but is normal, as it is widespread these days...there are also women who marry more than once, so it's normal."
Critic Mohamed El Shafei was of the view: "We cannot judge shows without watching them first, but generally we shouldn’t repeat ideas to that degree as we presented 'Haj Metwaly', "Ekhtfaa Sayed Mahran" (Saied Mahran disappearing), and 'Haja Zohra'. Many shows this year are discussing the same issue, so no doubt that audience will get bored."
Dr Mohamed Ismail, a psychology professor, said: "Unfortunately so many people are influenced by Egyptian television. For example if they saw a star whom they love happily marrying four wives, the viewer will also want to do it. Sme children look up to these actors and when you ask them what they want to do when they grow up, they say marry multiple wives! This is a very dangerous phenomenon, no one knows how much it affects new generations, teenagers, and married men."