The third season of Ramy Youssef's acclaimed Hulu comedy-drama, Ramy, has just been released in the Middle East. The show follows the trials and tribulations of a first-generation Egyptian-American and his family, as they attempt to navigate the complexities of a diverse and politically divided New Jersey neighbourhood.
After more than a two-year wait, Ramy returns with a fresh perspective, placing tumultuous multigenerational and multicultural relationships under the microscope, to both emotional and comedic effect.
Warning: spoilers for the first two seasons of Ramy lie ahead.
What is Ramy about?
The show centres on Ramy Hassan (Youssef), who finds himself torn between the spiritual path of his Muslim community and the material concerns of his modern-day millennial life in New York City. At the end of season two, the protagonist gets married, but confesses his infidelity on his wedding night and ends up alone.
The events of season three are set a year later, with Youssef in a precarious position, hoping to branch out from his uncle's jewellery business, while owing $100,000 for breaching his marriage commitments. To make matters worse, having blown a small fortune on a dubious real estate deal in Egypt, his parents are at risk of losing their home.
In a previous interview with The National, Youssef said: “We’re going to see a different side of Ramy and the family that we’ve never seen before."
He added: “The next year of Ramy and his family’s life is going to have its own kind of feeling. In the first two seasons, we’ve seen a lot of characters in their private moments. We’d like to see more of the family together and more of the characters together. We’re really leaning into our ensemble but also seeing them in different ways.”
Who stars in the show?
Ramy stars Egyptian-American actor and comedian Ramy Youssef — who also serves as the show's co-creator, co-writer, show runner, executive producer and occasional director.
Youssef is also co-creator of Netflix's Mo, starring Mo Amer as the first Palestinian lead on American television. Amer also appears in Ramy, as the titular character's cousin.
Ramy also features Amr Waked, of Syriana and Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, as Ramy's father, Farouk, Hiam Abass (Blade Runner 2049) as his chain-smoking mother Maysa and May Calamawy (Moon Knight) as law student sister, Dena. This season, Bella Hadid notably makes her acting debut as Lena, the girlfriend of Ramy's best friend, Steve (Steve Way).
What are people saying about it?
Writing for The National, Gregory Wakeman said Ramy hit its stride with the third season: "Sure, Youssef has always had an unerring talent for making Ramy a universal story that’s also authentic to his experiences. But there’s an artistry, emotion and confidence to its return that feels different to the show’s previous outings."
The New York Times said season three was "somehow deeper, more fraught and more beautiful than the previous two".
Meanwhile, reserving particular praise for Bella Hadid's performance, Vanity Fair said: "These are, without question, very dark times for the Hassan family, but that makes their moments of clarity all the more beautiful."
Where can I watch it in the Middle East?
Middle East audiences can watch all three seasons of Ramy on OSN+. The first two seasons are also available for streaming on StarzPlay.
Scroll through images of Netflix's Mo, which Youssef co-created, below.
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Palestinian-American comedian Mo Amer stars in 'Mo', now available on Netflix. All photos: Netflix -
Mo Amer plays Mo, a Palestinian-American who is fired from his job at a tech shop because his boss worried that the business will be the target of immigration authorities. -
Mo, a charismatic and charming guy, decides to sell counterfeit products from the boot of his car in order to provide for his family. -
From left, Mo's mother Yusra, played by Farah Bsieso, Mo's elder brother Sameer played by Omar Elba, and Mo Amer who stars as Mo. -
The Najir family in 'Mo' were forced to flee Palestine in the 1940s and were displaced again in the 1990s during the Gulf War and left Kuwait for Houston, where they have lived awaiting for their asylum claim to be heard in court for 22 years. -
Mo's older brother Sameer, played by Omar Elba, is on the autism spectrum. -
Mo and his Catholic Mexican girlfriend Maria, played by Teresa Ruiz. -
Maria is an intricate part of Mo's support system. She's a capable business owner who suffers from her own family trauma and is eager to impress Mo's mother who would prefer that Mo date a Muslim woman. -
Intergenerational and cross-cultural humour are woven into the serious themes of displacement and identity that Mo grapples with in his day-to-day life. -
Mo bonds with Mexican workers in an olive grove in Houston, Texas, another place he attempts to work in without legal documentation. -
Mo tells a saleswoman selling chocolate hummus to taste olive oil from Palestine. -
Palestine and politics are debated in shisha-smoking cafes over a game of backgammon or cards, in 'Mo'.
