Parents' Guide to The Veil

This series lures viewers into an overarching conspiracy thanks to a mysterious and layered protagonist like Imogen. In The Veil, Imogen appears to be all smiles and seemingly too happy-go-lucky to be a MI6 field agent. But we quickly learn that there's more under the surface, and that her outer appearance is partially a coping mechanism for deeper traumas. This makes her a perfect counterpoint to Adilah (Marwan), a woman who seems the antithesis of the feared ISIS operative she has been reported as being. Instead, Adilah comes off as a person who joined the terrorist organization against her will, with her only goal being to get back to Paris to live with her daughter.

The series is part of the recent wave of female-led action/thriller series that have come to streaming and the airwaves. It's great to see this side of the action coin, with men playing backup to women -- a role reversal from the decades of men playing the heroes with women as their support systems. While the series is yet another one about the western world's interaction with the Middle East, The Veil tries to subvert stereotypes; instead of it focusing on America's involvement, Imogen, Malik and even Adilah have European backgrounds. Adilah presents as a worldly, intelligent, and politically savvy woman, especially as she explains how her Algerian grandfather was a political revolutionary. The goal the series is seemingly to show just how global the various battles over the Middle East are; everyone has a stake, and everyone is involved. Overall, The Veil seems like a fun show to get lost in as you unravel the mystery each week.