Thursday, July 23, 2020

What I’m Watching: Ramy


Ramy: Season 2, Episode 9 “Uncle Naseem” (B+)

I couldn’t remember when this episode started whether Uncle Naseem had been featured so prominently before, and, looking back at my reviews, it appears that he hasn’t. I know that I had thought a few episodes back that Laith Nakli really is a great actor since Naseem is so reliably detestable, and it was very revealing to see much of his background that hadn’t yet surfaced in his limited interaction with his family members. His sexual interest in men was casually revealed when he was at the gym, and though he wasn’t quite as crass as usual, he still conveyed a relatively casual attitude towards anyone else’s feelings. He pursued Paco angrily at first and then punched him in the face when he tried to kiss him, demonstrating his desire to be in control at all times. I recognized Waleed Zuaiter, who played Yassir, from his recent role in “Baghdad Central,” and he seemed very startled by Naseem’s boldness in coming over to rekindle their relationship with his wife and daughter in such close proximity. As usual, his interactions with his family members were enlightening, particularly when Farouk indicated a guilt-driven need to start recycling that Naseem immediately tried to debunk, citing his typically ignorant conspiracy theories. The ending of the episode was really terrific, with the Arabic version of “I Will Survive” formidably scoring Naseem’s forceful devouring of the cake. Could Nakli be a surprise Emmy contender? This episode would certainly recommend his abilities and make a strong case for him getting nominated.

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