Shouf Shouf (Arabic for "Look Look") is a Dutch series created by writer Albert Ter Heerdt, it started off with the movie 2004 "Shouf Shouf Habibi" (Arabic for "Look Look Baby") before the TV-show in 2006 was created, which had ended in 2009.
The series surrounds the Dutch society involving Moroccan immigrants, reflecting the Netherlands having Moroccan immigrants in real life. The main characters are 4 guys where 3 (Ap, Rachid and Mussi) are Moroccan-Dutch while 1 (Robbie) is completely Dutch, they are a friend group who often work together for the most craziest shenanigans in order to lead themselves into a life of wealth, even when it involves having to commit a crime, however their plans end up going completely wrong which leads the gang in trouble. They are often also aided by Ap's younger brother Driss, and the female friend Samira.
The majority of the humor reflects the lifestyle of Moroccans living in the Dutch society, most scenes of the movie and many episodes of the show feature recognizable gags towards the Moroccan-Dutch viewers of the show, whereas they can relate to such situations. It also reflects a common problem among Moroccan immigrants as some people do not accept them as members of the Dutch society or are quick to prejudice them to be criminals, the character overarching this is neighbor Boerman, however in later season he had warmed up to the gang.
This series provides example of:
- Actor Allusion: Samira, who is played by Maryam Hassouni, her mother is played by Rachida Laalla, however this isn't the first time that Rachida played the mother of Maryam's character, as the first time was in Dunya & Desi and it's not the last either considering it was followed up in the 2021 film Meskina.
- Asshole Victim: In the episode "Mario", a nightclub guest often provokes a fight by many racist remarks, despite the club owner siding with him and his beliefs, this ends up with him being attacked by a Moroccan clubber, Mussi and Ap.
- Beach Episode: The episode "Strand" has the characters going to a beach, however, things don't seem to get right for them as they have to face their own problems instead of a day of relaxation.
- Bros Before Hoes: In the end of "Missing Man", Robbie's new girlfriend convinces him not to leave her for three Moroccans, ultimately he picks the friends he's known for a long time.
- Celebrity Star: Dutch Rapper Yes-R made a cameo in the episode "Coming Man" as himself.
- Chuck Cunning Ham Syndrome: Samira has been absent in Season 3 for unknown reasons, this even applies to Ap's mother Khadija, who hasn't appeared later on in the series at all.
- Crazy Jealous Guy: In the episode "Body Fight", Mussi's love interest for Samira is heavily emphasized in this, as Samira courts her fitness teacher who is gay, and once Mussi discovers this, he tries to do everything to convince Samira that her love interest is gay, however in the end he still doesn't win her over after Samira discovered this.
- Forgotten Birthday: This was the main focus of the episode "Operation Backpack", where Robbie had lost faith in his friends for not showing up at his birthday and instead they were waiting for him to show up at a street soccer match. Rachid at the end of the episode had suffered the same fate, but at least he got to eat the cake by himself.
- Heist Episode: "Sterren gezocht" and "Tussen kunst en niets".
- Holiday Episode: "Koninginnedag", revolving around the Dutch Queen's Day, and Ramadan was the focus in the episodes "Robbie's Ramadan" and "Ramadan voor Dummies"
- Holiday Volunteering: In the episode "Robbie's Ramadan", Samira gladly takes in a homeless Dutch guy as Ramadan is about to help the poor.
- Issue Drift: The movie and the beginning of the show was initially about the life of some Moroccans in the Dutch society, but it has grown into several episodes reflecting issues of Moroccan immigrants usually facing trouble solely for their ethnicity.
- Manchild: Despite Rachid's overall immaturity, he sleeps with a Puca plush, and he bought a girl's toy which he later gave to Driss in "Coming man" in order to keep him away from the gang's foreign love interests to point out his younger age, did he even know at that time he got that toy that Driss would impress the ladies with his ability to speak French?
- Never Trust a Trailer: The trailer displayed Ap, Mussi, Rachid and Robbie getting ready to rob a bank, however the movie entirely is about a Moroccan family struggling to find their place in the Netherlands.
- Politically Incorrect Hero: Boerman isn't that much of an antagonistic character, but he has his bones to pick with the Moroccans and their culture, but there are much more occassions from the Moroccan side.
- At the finale, when Rachid was lecturing a group of Moroccan kids on who they'd marry, while he was hinting by starting of with the "Mo-", a boy ended up saying "A Man!", much to Rachid's chargin.
- There's also Samira trying to make up an excuse of why she can handle male friends, claiming that they're gay, which makes it even worse for her mother.
-
Reality Subtext: Albert Ter Heerdt planned a sequel of the movie Shouf Shouf Baraka (Arabic for "Look Look a Cow!"), however it wasn't met with ever since the assassination of Dutch film director Theo van Gogh. - Recycled Script: In ''Koninginnedag", in one scene, Rachid refuses to wear a chicken hat, saying "You really aren't thinking I'd put a fucking chicken on my head?", this line was recycled from the movie, however instead of wearing a chicken, he refuses to wear a pig on his head.
- The Smurfette Principle: Samira.
-
Suspiciously Similar Song: For an episode that's named "Mario", at the fight scene in the end, a background soundtrack plays which gives the vibe of a typical song you'd hear in Super Mario or Yoshi's Island. - Suspiciously Similar Substitute: Samira was based on the character Leila, Ap's sister who hasn't appeared in the series. This also applies to cousin Karim, who was heavily based on Ap's older brother in the movie, Samir.
- Token White: Robbie being the only one of the gang without a Moroccan background, though that slowly fades away with Boerman becoming closer to the gang as well in later seasons.
- Unknown Character: Who even owned the backpack double in "Operation Backpack" which had the actual bomb in it?
