Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Frightening, graphic anthology highlights hope, resilience.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
One Day in October
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a multi-pronged attack on military bases and civilian communities in the southern Israeli region surrounding the Gaza Strip. Memorializing the event is ONE DAY IN OCTOBER, an anthology series featuring seven scripted standalone episodes offering dramatic portrayals of what some survivors and victims endured during the attack from their points of view. Each narrative based on real-life accounts and set in real time reveals the love and courage exhibited by people in Israel as they faced the unthinkable. The stories acknowledge the extraordinary efforts and sacrifices made by people from different walks of life to save themselves and others around them. Throughout each installment, photographs and security camera and military footage from that day are woven in; the episodes conclude by briefly introducing viewers to the real people who inspired each one.
Is It Any Good?
The limited series is the first scripted portrayal of what happened during the October 7, 2023 attack, during which Hamas killed nearly 1200 Israelis and foreign nationals and kidnapped 251 others. Some One Day in October dramatizations convey the attackers' brutality through sound, shadow, and flashes of burns and blood, rather than showing the violence directly. The featured archive footage shows some of the actual events that occurred in real time, including some very graphic moments. Despite this, each episode successfully highlights the acts of courage, kindness, and selflessness that took place between strangers, friends, and families amidst the unspeakable pain and cruelty they were being subjected to. One Day in October isn't an easy watch, but its overall message about the enduring goodness and resilience of humanity is a powerful one.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the Middle East. How has U.S. media historically portrayed the strife between Middle Eastern countries?
What makes One Day in October controversial? Had it been an unscripted documentary vs. a scripted docudrama, would its messages be any different?
TV Details
- Premiere date : October 7, 2025
- Cast : Naomi Levov , Yuval Semo , Heloise Godet
- Network : HBO Max
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Faith ( Judaism ) , Family Stories , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Courage , Empathy , Gratitude , Perseverance , Self-control , Teamwork
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 15, 2025
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