What I’m Watching: Ramy

Ramy: Season 1, Episode 6 “Refugees” (B+)

There wasn’t any indication that this show would suddenly be shifting to an episode devoted entirely to Dena, but I’m so glad it happened. We’ve seen the world through Ramy’s perspective thus far and how people treat him as a Muslim and an Egyptian-American, and it’s so fascinating to see the difference in how his sister is viewed by her family and others. Opening with a childhood speech from her father about how sex before marriage is the worst thing ever and that, on a variation from the typical crumpled flower metaphor, the Coke wouldn’t be good anymore the next day. Getting rushed by Ramy and her mom while she was in the shower trying to masturbate was one thing, and her hallucinated sex interruption experience was simultaneously hilarious and horrifying. I was pleased to see Jake Lacy, a familiar face from “Girls,” “The Office,” and “Obvious Child,” as the barista Kyle who seemed very into her. He was so much sweeter in person with his homemade hummus than in her dream where he read her virginity after she stumbled following his position question, but then it got really weird when he wanted her to treat him like a white infidel. Lamenting being a boring white guy was hardly a sell, and she was right to get out of there. I like that Ramy told her that she just shouldn’t listen to her parents, though she did take it a bit far by chewing Nissim out for commenting on her appearance. I hope we see more of her in the future – this has been enormously enlightening and worthwhile.