Ramy

 

I found a hidden gem amongst all the trash on the streaming platforms.  I swear, Netflix is fine if you want Hindi horror, or HBO for 19-year-old snark swag.  When was the last time anyone told you to watch something on Apple? So where was this little diamond amongst the chaff?  Hulu.  I was looking at end of year "best" lists and saw Ramy.  Hulu isn't my go-to place for the arts, but I would recommend Ramy if you are like me and unaware of its existence.  It follows a mid-to-late 20-something (I sure like my hyphens) American-Egyptian who lives in New Jersey. He is a devout, or maybe wanting to be, Muslim who falls from whatever grace they have in their world.  It is not a comedy although it is hilarious.  It is a drama masquerading as comedy.  I won't try to bore you with any details but it must be savored like fine chocolate.  Small bites, although I bing watched the first two seasons.  It is comprised with 30-minute episodes so you can break away, although why you'd want to escapes me. Ramy himself is kind of a hangdog character who has a couple of friends he bats things around with.  One is Steve who has muscular dystrophy.  Kudos to the casting director for using a real guy with MS.  Steve is a hoot and the episode where his caregiver is on vacation and Steve is in pain becasue he has to masturbate had me literally laughing, something I never do.  He asks Rany to do it for him because Steve's hands don't work.  Another episode I loved was when Ramy goes home to Egypt for a business deal and is introduced to a Holocaust survivor.  He congratulates them and the disgust of his Jewish host for extending congratulations is one of the funniest scenes I've ever seen.  Ramy's extended single dialogue of trying to extricate himself from his comment is memorable.  Along with the end of this episode.

And now look.  I've bored you with details.  Go watch Ramy on Hulu.