Catalog is a newly released Egyptian drama now streaming on Netflix. Directed by Waleed El Halfawy. Yousef, a husband and father, takes his wife Amina to a graveyard, showing her the exact plot where he wishes to be buried. Though she finds it morbid and unnecessary, he insists it’s important for her to know.
Tragically, just a year later, Yousef finds himself burying Amina in that very spot after she succumbs to cancer.
Plot
Yousef, now a widower, is thrust into a life he’s unprepared for. He’s a father of two, a teenage daughter and a young son, and suddenly responsible for everything Amina used to manage seamlessly: school runs, packed lunches, doctor appointments, and emotional support. Amina had always been the heartbeat of the home, balancing parenting, household management, and running her own YouTube channel, which, ironically, Yousef never bothered to watch while she was alive.
But now, her YouTube videos have become his saving grace. They are filled with tips, schedules, and life lessons, a digital guidebook that helps him learn to parent, cook, and even understand his kids better. Slowly, through her online legacy, Amina continues to mother her family from beyond the grave.
Meanwhile, Yousef’s company is falling apart. Once a successful businessman, he struggles to balance the emotional toll of grief with the pressure of keeping his business afloat. To complicate matters, his brother, who coaches his son’s football team and has been a pillar in their lives, is secretly battling cancer. Yousef, too wrapped up in his own chaos, doesn’t notice until much later.
On the emotional front, Yousef begins to develop a romantic interest in his daughter’s schoolteacher, which brings its internal conflict. He’s unsure if he’s ready or if it’s even respectful to Amina’s memory. Just when things seem to be stabilising, Yousef takes a vacation and stumbles upon an old email from Amina, one that reveals she had been considering divorce before her death.
This shocking discovery sends Yousef spiralling. He starts questioning whether Amina was ever truly happy, whether he was enough for her, and if their love had been as mutual as he believed. As he searches for answers, he slowly comes to understand that their marriage, while imperfect, was filled with deep, layered emotions, not all of them visible on the surface.
Cast
Catalog features exceptional actors like Mohamed Farrag, Tara Emad, Khaled Kamal, Sedky Sakhr, Donia Sami, Ahmed Essam, and Ali Elbeyli. Others include Retal AbdulAziz, Bayoumi Fouad, Samah Anwar, and Riham Abdel Ghafour.
Language
The Netflix series was predominantly performed in Arabic.
Final take
Catalog is that kind of show that sneaks up on you. At first, it feels like a regular family drama, but the more you watch, the more it pulls you in. It’s got a great mix of humour, emotion, and just enough plot twists to keep things fresh. The characters feel real, the script is tight, and the story, especially the whole part about Amina secretly planning a divorce before her death, adds a layer of surprise you don’t see coming. It’s not trying too hard to be dramatic or overly romantic, which makes it even more enjoyable. If you’re into stories about healing, family, and finding your way after loss, this is a really solid pick.
