The Netflix Series the Shtetlcore Crowd Has Been Waiting For

Shomer, step aside.

Tayerer eydler leyener, if you seek your shund on screen, look no further. Following the rollicking three-season success of the hit series Bridgerton, Netfliks has recently announced plans for a new spin-off series, BRIKERSHTETL. The series follows young yidn as they seek their bashert in a turn-of-the-century Galician market town.

Writer and producer Sheyndl Rayms introduces a charismatic cast of characters: The well-to-do Brikershtetlers—Anshl, Binyomin, Gedalye, Dine, Hindele, Vikhne, Zalmele, and Khanele (yes, named loytn alef-beys)—tackle challenges and triumphs as they each try in turn to lay the foundations of a bayis neman biyisroel. Meanwhile, their across-the-street neighbors, the Federringler meydlekh—Pashe, Plume, and the youngest and wisest, Perele—get into their own scrapes under the watchful (if materialistic, and sometimes conniving) eye of their mame, Pintshe dem shoykhets.

All of this balagan is presided over by the shadkhnte, Rebetsin Sharblat, an eyshes khayil who is intent on securing her place in olam-habo by creating three (or more) perfect shidukhim. She is repeatedly frustrated in her efforts, however, by a popular pamphlet called “KOL ISHA” that is distributed in the shtetl on market days. Written by an anonymous “Rebetsin Svishtshenshtil” in accessible vaybertaytsh, the pamphlet stirs up tirkhe and tayve alike in the townspeople.“ ^{1 1} trouble and titillation! It’s nothing but rekhiles, poshet loshn-hore!” ^{2 2} gossip, simply evil speech! grumbles the shadkhnte—but the loshn-hore of the mysterious Rebetsin Svishtshenshtil is mamesh letoeles. ^{3 3} truly for good purposes
In a shtetl where the laws of tsnies reign, the written word may be the only way for a woman like the so-called Rebetsin Svishtshenshtil to have a voice and wield power in the public sphere.

Without (too many) spoilers for the first season, we can promise: zingers from the zogerke, misunderstandings at the mikve, tearful tkhines, some tirkhe on a train ride, and a subplot in which Hindele befriends a Bundist agitator. Content warning: There will also be (very rare) violations of the laws of yikhed.

Concerned about how Bridgerton’s steamy reputation might be fartaytsht un farbesert? Rest assured: Netfliks producers promised an absolutely staid spin-off, suitable to watch with the gantse mishpokhe, from bobe-zeyde to eynikl. “The show will be chock-full of eydl-meydls and upstanding bokhrim. We take being shomer-negiye seriously both on screen and off: there will be no ‘hanky-panky,’ azoy tsu zogn,” an executive promised, before adding under her breath, “bli neyder.”

Critics have also worried that the show might veer too close to the crowd-pleaser Fiddler on the Roof, which follows the love-matches of the daughters of Tevye the Dairyman. Rayms disagrees: “Anatevka has already been done; so has Kasrilevke. That’s why we’re aiming just a bit edgier. A hint of steampunk. Some chassidus. Those ‘if-I-were-a-rich-man-yay-day-day’s won’t fly in the world we’re building.”

And speaking of music: Just as Bridgerton delights in serving up classical versions of pop songs, BRIKERSHTETL will incorporate pop with a more yidishn tam—YiddishPOP. Nomi and Mobi, beloved YiddishPOP-stars, are featured in supporting roles as the shtetl klezmorim, with rumors of a romantic subplot for Mobi.

“Audiences are clearly hungry for something that draws from the worlds of both Bridgerton and Shtisel,” said Rayms, “and, borekh-hashem, I’m ready to deliver. To kukt gezuntherheyt.”

The first season of BRIKERSHTETL will air iy”h ke”h Shushan Purim, 5785, on Netfliks.