House of Saddam

2008 · 1 season · War & Politics
6.8 Modest

Series finished

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War & Politics Drama

The intimate world of Saddam Hussein and his closest inner circle is in this gripping four-part drama that charts the rise and fall of one of the most significant political figures in recent history.

Country of origin
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Year
2008
Created by
Alex Holmes
Channel
BBC Two
Studio
HBO Films · BBC

Trivia & behind the scenes

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Origins

House of Saddam is a 2008 docudrama miniseries co-produced by BBC Television and HBO Films, charting Saddam Hussein's rise and fall in four parts.

Filming

The series was first broadcast on BBC Two in the United Kingdom in four parts between 30 July and 20 August 2008.

Casting

Israeli actor Yigal Naor played Saddam Hussein, delivering a performance widely praised by critics as the anchor of the series.

Casting

Iranian-American actress Shohreh Aghdashloo portrayed Sajida Talfah, Saddam's first wife.

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes the series holds a 60% approval rating based on 20 reviews, with critics praising Naor's performance but criticizing the show's shallow insight into Saddam's history.

Reception

The Independent newspaper described the drama as 'The Sopranos with Scud missiles', while The Guardian's Nancy Banks Smith also compared it to The Sopranos, calling it 'an extraordinarily ambitious attempt'.

Reception

Tim Teeman of The Times noted the show evoked the feel of Dallas, pointing to details like Saddam's tacky glass lift reflecting late-1970s/early-1980s glam.

Reception

UK viewership declined steadily across the four episodes, from 2.7 million viewers for Part I down to 1.5 million for Part IV, while the HBO broadcast in the US drew about 1.1 million viewers on debut.

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