Last week, I had dinner with a new friend who recommended that I watch Ramy, the critically-acclaimed Hulu show created by comedian Ramy Youssef. Youssef won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of a twenty-something observant Muslim who lives with his immigrant parents in northern New Jersey and is struggling with identity issues and the transition to adulthood. So, I went home that night, fired up the first episode, and watched the whole first season in less than two days. I just loved it — it’s one of the truest depictions I’ve seen of that time in one’s life when getting a career off the ground, settling down with someone you love, and figuring out how to break out from your parents’ clutches all feel like overwhelming and insurmountable goals. In Ramy’s particular case, those universal themes inherent to young adulthood are further complicated by his examination of his faith, the expectations of his devout family and community, and the difficulties he faces as a Muslim man in Trump’s America. The show doesn’t shy away from the serious or sad — one very moving episode is devoted to Ramy’s mother and her realization that she has grown increasingly invisible (and lonely) with age; another is focused on a flashback to how he was treated by his middle school peers in the aftermath of 9/11 — but it is also very, very funny. It’s already been greenlit for a second season, which is going to be released in May, so give it a try if you’re hanging around the house on Monday night.
