by Mike Hilty, Contributing Writer
Representation on TV is definitely on the upswing lately. This is a welcome progression that has been a long time coming. Over the last 10 years, television has been becoming much more diverse, telling stories that are unique to a particular group of people. It’s a much needed change of pace, considering that for years the majority of the stories we saw were about straight, white, cisgender folks. Lately, it seems like from a diversity standpoint, shows are trying to reach out to a wider range in audiences. Streaming has a lot to do with this because there’s generally a longer leash for creators to make the stories they want. This year alone has seen an influx of shows from different cultures. Shows like Pachinko and Tokyo Vice for Asian culture and Dark Winds and Reservation Dogs for Indigenous culture have shown audiences new stories and experiences these groups share. Shows focusing on Islamic culture have also been prevalent lately. Ms. Marvel kicks everything off this year, and Ramy is continuing the experience.
Ramy, created by Ramy Youssef, Ari Katcher, and and Ryan Welch, explores Ramy’s (played by Youssef) life in New Jersey as a first generation Egyptian-American Muslim. Ramy explores how his faith shapes him, while also giving the audience a glimpse of what life is like as a Muslim from many different perspectives, like being an American or having friends that are not part of the same religion. Ramy also has to deal with the drama surrounding his family and friends. Ramy season three is 10 episodes and is currently streaming on Hulu.
Ramy season three finds our title character at rock bottom. The events of season two have taken a pretty significant toll on his relationships, his professional life, his financial situation, and his situation with his faith. All of these are in shambles right now because a decision is made regarding his relationship status with Zainab (MaameYaa Boafo). Season three picks up a year after the events of season two, and boy, a lot has changed for Ramy.
Ramy has always been a complex and frustrating character. He constantly gets in his own way and strays away from all the things that are important to him. I can’t tell if I should be rooting for Ramy or shaking my head in disgust. For all his faults though, Ramy is trying his best to make the most of the situation that is in front of him. He spends the majority of the season by himself or with complete strangers. He’s alienated most of the people most important to his life, including his family. Ramy does spend the majority of the season doing some soul searching and dealing with his crisis of faith.
This questioning and flat out rejection of his faith are some of the best storylines that Ramy has to offer. Yes, I concede the majority of the series is a struggle with what Ramy believes when it comes to his Islamic upbringing. But there’s something different this season about Ramy’s internal struggle. The events of season two have damaged him in ways that previous events didn’t. This season shows him straying pretty far away from his Islamic roots. And it’s not just him. His entire family is in disarray because of the events from season two. He even has a conflict with his friend Steve (Steve Way). I really like how this story is starting to interconnect a little more, as opposed to previous seasons where the episodes were largely standalone.
The best parts of the previous two seasons of Ramy were the standalone episodes where they give the viewers a glimpse of what it’s like to be Muslim in America, specifically in a post-9/11 world. This season doesn’t have as many episodes like that; however, there are a few episodes that deal with some poignant topics. COVID-19 rears its ugly head again in this series, and the question about vaccination and whether or not it’s okay does come up. Family issues involving money and various other gender-related roles come up this season as well. They’re explored a little in season two, but this season brings the issue to the forefront. The topic that came up that definitely had some interesting things to say is when Ramy finds himself going to Israel for a business opportunity.
This is one of the more interesting episodes in Ramy’s entire series run. This deals with prejudice in a completely different way since there’s an actual war going on between Israelis and Palestinians. It sort of puts into contexts some of the issues that Ramy deals with as a Muslim in America. These issues are still hard to process, but they don’t even compare to the conflict that has been decades in process with no end in sight. Ramy does something here that has lasting consequences, something that he hasn’t necessarily had to deal with too much. It comes into play in the final two episodes, along with another issue.
The final two episodes will forever change Ramy thanks to what is revealed. It’s life-changing and hopefully the kind of wake-up call that Ramy needed. Once this is revealed, it helps him put his life on track. The episode culminates with one of the most emotional scenes in the series where he comes to terms with who he is and what he needs to do moving forward. Should Ramy get a season four (and I think it will), this will make for a really strong story. In fact, the way the final episode shakes out will also have lasting effects on his family, too. In particular, I’m curious to see where Uncle Naseem (Laith Nakli) and Dena (May Calamawy) go. Two scenes in particular that will forever stand out to me involve Ramy talking in a support group and Ramy at a gravesite. Both of those are some of the best moments in the series, and they come from the final two episodes of the season.
Ramy season three is a dark turn for the series. There are actions that will have lasting consequences for Ramy moving forward, along with reveals that will change his life in a lot of different ways. This is the type of humbling I think he needs in order to grow up a little. It’s not an easy watch, but the ending makes the struggles worth it. I was genuinely moved to tears with some of the moments from the final episodes, and I’m hoping that season four will pay off some of these great scenes. Ramy is a challenging and thought-provoking show that is a strong addition to a diverse television lineup that the medium has really needed for quite some time. This is for sure a recommendation, and one that I’ll be pondering for quite some time.
Score: 8/10
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