# Hulu's "Ramy". For a curious look inside a Muslim-American family

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hulus-ramy-for-a-curious-look-inside-a-muslim-american-family/832934>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, disney-hulu\
**Created:** [April 23, 2019, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hulus-ramy-for-a-curious-look-inside-a-muslim-american-family/832934 "2019-04-23T13:04:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2019, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hulus-ramy-for-a-curious-look-inside-a-muslim-american-family/832934/1 "2019-04-23T13:04:57Z")

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If you like learning about other cultures, this show is pure gold. It currently has 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.

It’s a Dramedy that focuses on the life of a 30-something\* year old still living with his parents. It covers the span of dating, family relationships, and his struggles with his faith.

I liked this show so much, I binged the entire season in two days. I like that not every episode focuses on the main protagonist. Sometimes the focus is his mother or sister, or his younger self.

Ep 4, is by far the best. It covers a 12yo Ramy and what he went through during the 911 attack.

Anyway, if you haven’t watched yet, I hope you give this show a shot. I am confident you won’t regret it.  
\*In the show, he looks and acts more like a 20-something. But after watching ep 4, the youngest he could possibly be is 30.

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**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2019, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hulus-ramy-for-a-curious-look-inside-a-muslim-american-family/832934/2 "2019-04-23T13:21:42Z")

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Watched it up through 4 so far. I have some quibbles with it, but it is very good. Even though the Muslim-American details are very specific, the overall generational immigrant story is very universal. I really like how most all of the characters feel like real specific people, and not one dimensional characters. I also really appreciate the inclusion of Steve Way (who is apparently real life friends with the actor Ramy). He is just another interesting character, whose presence illuminates aspects of Ramy’s character, without making a BOLD STATEMENT about him being disabled.

Quibbles? As the OP points out, Ramy should be about 32, yet he’s played as such an innocent naif in many ways that I had a little furrowed brow over that aspect. Sure, he’s from a traditional immigrant background, but he’s not a child. Also, the focus on sex and the ease of his access to it took me out of the story somewhat, but that’s just me. I hope the rest of the series isn’t going to give me repeats of this average doofus with the backward ball cap fending off thirsty dates.

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**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2019, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hulus-ramy-for-a-curious-look-inside-a-muslim-american-family/832934/3 "2019-04-23T21:45:43Z")

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Yeah, those characters defiantly seems like real to life people. I can’t imagine they were made up from whole cloth. Adds a nice dimension to the show.

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**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2019, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hulus-ramy-for-a-curious-look-inside-a-muslim-american-family/832934/4 "2019-04-23T22:36:52Z")

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Does it still have that cliche every single comedy about a Muslim-American family has where the first episode is all about people SHOCKED that Muslims can love America?

Also every single stand-up special featuring a Muslim comedian from 2001 on.

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**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2019, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hulus-ramy-for-a-curious-look-inside-a-muslim-american-family/832934/5 "2019-04-23T22:43:40Z")

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> [@Asuka](#):
>
> Does it still have that cliche every single comedy about a Muslim-American family has where the first episode is all about people SHOCKED that Muslims can love America?
> 
> Also every single stand-up special featuring a Muslim comedian from 2001 on.

Which US comedy shows are you thinking of? I don’t recall  
there being that many, let alone enough of them to establish a tired cliche.

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**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2019, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hulus-ramy-for-a-curious-look-inside-a-muslim-american-family/832934/6 "2019-04-23T22:57:59Z")

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> [@Asuka](#):
>
> Does it still have that cliche every single comedy about a Muslim-American family has where the first episode is all about people SHOCKED that Muslims can love America?
> 
> Also every single stand-up special featuring a Muslim comedian from 2001 on.

Not sure what you’re referring to but no, I detected no “we love America” vibe going on. They seemed rather indifferent in that regard.

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**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\
**Post date:** [April 23, 2019, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hulus-ramy-for-a-curious-look-inside-a-muslim-american-family/832934/7 "2019-04-23T23:13:42Z")

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> [@Asuka](#):
>
> Does it still have that cliche every single comedy about a Muslim-American family has where the first episode is all about people SHOCKED that Muslims can love America?

…how many comedies featuring Muslim-American families at its centre does it take to become “cliche?” Can you name some of them for us?
