This new Dutch drama series is a must-see

How could it go so wrong? That is still the question surrounding the benefits affair. BNNVARA made a three-part drama series about the impact of this scandal on the lives of the victims. However, the creators want to show more perspectives; we also follow a lawyer, a tax office employee, and journalists trying to bring the issues to light.

‘The benefits affair’

Kysia (Genelva Mourik-Lo-Kioeng-Shioe) and Rayan (Iliass Ojja) lead a carefree life with their two children, but that changes when they receive a tax letter from the Benefits department. What initially seems like a mistake quickly turns into a mountain of debt. Kysia and Rayan panic and see their family slowly falling apart. When their lawyer Vera (Alejandra Theus) also doesn't know how to help, despair sets in. What Vera does manage to do is attract the attention of journalists. They dig into the case and try to get the news out. This also brings Dennis (Chiem Vreeken) into the picture, an employee of the tax office. While he is initially very enthusiastic about combating fraud, his conscience begins to trouble him more and more. Especially when he is directly confronted with the consequences of his work, he can no longer remain silent.

Extensive research

‘The benefits affair’ is, according to BNNVARA, a ‘dramatized interpretation of real events’. The characters are fictional, but their stories are based on those of the real people involved. To make the series credible, director Joram Lürsen delved into all parliamentary debates on fraud prevention and what happened at the tax office. Not only that: he also spoke with various affected families. In emotional conversations, they shared the impact of all the events, their fears, and the shame.

A clear message

Lürsen does not want to point out one bad guy with the series. According to him, it is mainly about critically examining what went wrong and why warnings were not taken seriously. He hopes the series can lead to reflection. “We might think a bit too often: ‘It’s not about me, so it will all be fine.’” According to him, this is not a crazy thought, but one of the reasons why things like the benefits affair can happen. “This is not an individual story; we could all have been this: the family, the whistleblower, but also the tax official.”

‘The benefits affair’ consists of three episodes. The first will be shown on Thursday, November 21, on NPO 1. For those who want to watch the entire series immediately: all episodes will be available at once on NPO Start, starting Thursday.

Image: NPO Start | Image: Mark de Blok