Netflix has released Off Road, a six-part unscripted series that follows a 4×4 expedition through the landscapes of Central Asia with Israeli actors Lior Raz and Rotem Sela. Each 40-minute episode documents their journey across Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, framing the adventure not as a simple travel show, but as an exploration of a long-standing friendship. The series premise is built on the actors’ shared dream to undertake such a journey, one designed to challenge their personal beliefs and the foundation of their bond. This positions the authenticity of their relationship as the central narrative, with the rugged, less-traveled terrain serving as a crucible for their interactions. The show fits within the broad genre of the travelogue, a form of storytelling that blends memoir, journalism, and documentary. However, Off Road innovates by weaving in a distinct therapeutic element, focusing as much on the internal journey of its subjects as on the external one. The production is a joint effort by Faraway Road Productions and Keshet International, leveraging the global profiles of its stars to present a character-driven story to a worldwide audience.
A Study in Contrasts: Lior Raz and Rotem Sela
The series is anchored by the dynamic between its two protagonists, whose public personas are markedly different. Lior Raz is known internationally as the co-creator and star of the political thriller Fauda. His brand is deeply connected to his past, which includes service as a commando in the elite Sayeret Duvdevan undercover unit of the Israel Defense Forces and a stint in the U.S. as a bodyguard for Arnold Schwarzenegger. His career is defined by intense, action-oriented roles in projects like Operation Finale, 6 Underground, and Gladiator II, which draw on his real-world security experience. Raz has described his time in the special forces as “the highest stakes acting in the world,” an experience that has profoundly shaped his approach to his craft.
Rotem Sela, in contrast, is one of Israel’s most versatile and prominent celebrities. Her career spans modeling, hosting popular television shows like Rising Star and Ninja Israel, and acting. She gained international recognition for her leading roles in the romantic comedy Beauty and the Baker and the surrogacy drama A Body That Works, for which she won a Best Actress award at the Series Mania festival. Beyond entertainment, Sela holds a degree in law and business administration and is known for engaging in social and political discourse in Israel. The on-screen chemistry in Off Road is built on the juxtaposition of these two figures. Their established friendship, reinforced by previous work together in the series A Body That Works and the film Soda, provides a foundation of trust that allows the series to explore their vulnerabilities as they step away from their public images.
The Unscripted Format: A Travelogue with a Therapeutic Twist
Off Road distinguishes itself with a hybrid format that merges the celebrity travelogue with a docu-therapy structure. While showcasing the landscapes of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, the show’s primary focus remains on the psychological journey of its stars. A unique element is the inclusion of a therapist who accompanies Raz and Sela, actively prompting them to engage with a set of predetermined themes. These topics—including friendship, control, fame, family, personal fears, conflict, and resolution—provide a narrative framework for each episode, ensuring moments of structured introspection and emotional disclosure. This therapeutic component functions as a production device, transforming the series from a passive observational documentary into a guided emotional exploration. It is a method of ensuring the show delivers the very authenticity it aims to capture, making the process of the stars shedding their public personas a central and consistently delivered element of the series.
A Strategic Venture for Global Storytellers
The production of Off Road signals a strategic expansion for its creators. Faraway Road Productions, founded by Lior Raz and Avi Issacharoff, built its reputation on scripted thrillers like Fauda and Hit & Run. The company’s mission is to pursue “storytelling at its boldest,” focusing on character-driven narratives that connect with global audiences. According to Faraway Road’s EVP of Content, the company is “thrilled to branch out into the unscripted space” with Off Road, applying its core mission to a new format. This move diversifies its portfolio and leverages the brand recognition built by its scripted hits.
The partnership with Keshet International, a global content producer and distributor, is also key. Keshet has a history of successfully exporting Israeli formats and is increasingly co-producing original content for global platforms. This project aligns with Keshet’s strategy to collaborate with established storytellers across genres and reinforces the growing trend of Israeli-created content being produced directly for a worldwide market.
Global Release Information
The series presents a character-driven, unscripted travelogue that uses the authentic friendship of its stars and a unique therapeutic format to explore personal discovery against the backdrop of Central Asia. Off Road premiered globally on Netflix on July 10, 2025.
