Ramy Review: Hilarious and Necessary
Season 1
Ramy is a show that’s been on my radar for awhile, and from the very first episode, I was hooked. I love this show, not necessarily because it’s always laugh-out-loud hilarious, but more so because it is eye-opening. Ramy is a Hulu comedy series about a guy in his late 20s trying to navigate life as he balances his Muslim values with his American upbringing. His parents immigrated from Egypt to New Jersey while he and his sister were young. I think this series is hilarious, educational, and so necessary for people to pay attention to.
Ramy Youssef plays the title character, Ramy, and the story is inspired by his own experiences as a first-generation Egyptian-American. Youssef has excellent comedic delivery, and also knows how to hit the deep, emotional moments. Ramy is a very awkward character, so some of the hilarity lies in how he deadpan reacts to something incredibly cringe-y. I think this show touches on a lot of relatable topics grounded in reality, which makes it especially engaging. Anyone who has grown up in an immigrant family may find ways to relate to the quirks of Ramy’s family. For instance, I remember one scene where the parents were packing up 4 massive suitcases to bring back to Egypt to disperse gifts to the extended family, which made me think of my own mom doing the exact same thing whenever we visited China. At first, I thought a lot of the things that Ramy did were irrational and idiotic, but the show does a great job exploring his vulnerabilities and confusions. I’m very excited to see how his character develops further in Season 2.
It’s so rare to find a mainstream series that shows an appreciation and love for Islamic traditions and cultures. More often than not, the American media portrays Muslims as the “other,” but Ramy introduces us to the beauty of faith and how it’s important to always keep an open mind. I liked the exploration of racism and prejudice in this show, and especially how it can go both ways. While racism towards Muslims is undeniable in America, it’s definitely not the sole focus of this series. For instance, Ramy’s family members have their own prejudices and “backwards” thought processes, which is honestly pretty common for parents who grew up in very conservative societies outside of America. My favorite episode of season 1 was the one from the POV of Ramy’s mom. It was an exploration of how moms too are trying to navigate life and figure out what brings them joy.
In conclusion…
I appreciate this series for giving me a window to Muslim culture, and I loved how entertaining and educational it was. I highly recommend this series and hope that you get a chance to watch it!