This paper differs from a large part of previous media realism-related research by focusing on the ways in which media representations relate to the lived experiences of both the creator of the media text as well as the audience members. I examine the 2015 television drama series “Ghadan Naltaqi” (See You Tomorrow) as a case study that reveals both the political, economic and cultural challenges that face Syrian refugees in neighboring countries as well as the challenges that face Syrian television drama producers after the 2011 uprising. In 2015, I conducted 16 in-depth interviews with the writer/creator of the series as well as members of the audience who communicate with him via Facebook. I also conducted textual analysis of material from 30 episodes of the series as well as secondary material from media online and print coverage. I show that with the availability of social media, a two-way process of media realism occurs in which media representation relates to the lived experiences of both the creator of the media text as well as the audience members. This leads to a highly interactive relationship between the creator and the audience members that the writer/creator compares to theater where the artist receives immediate feedback. I conclude with a discussion of the broader question of: why does popular culture matter in a time of war? I examine the ways in which my informants see the drama as a reason to continue having pride in their country even as it is in crisis; their discussion of the characters as metaphors for the Syrian conflict; and the complex nature of their “identification” with the characters in the series. At the end of the paper, I explore how, unlike actual news media of various stripes, Syrian TV drama may be able to contribute effectively to national reconciliations efforts.