The Middle Geeks

In the latest episode of The Middle Geeks , we review Hulu's Ramy Season 2, dropping on Hulu this Friday! We were able to watch the season in full, and give a non-spoiler review followed by a full-length SPOILER review. We mark the timings for these discussions below, so be sure to watch the season first if you don't want spoilers! How did this season of Ramy improve from Season 1? Why was Mahersh...

The internet was abuzz a few weeks ago when the first photos for Denis Villeneuve's Dune 2020 adaptation came out, but where were all the MENA people who should have been cast in a work clearly informed by the Middle East and its people, down to blatantly using Arabic and Persian words? In our exasperation at this blatant exclusion, we have our friend and lifelong Dune fan Rocky on again to discus...

This month on The Middle Geeks , we're recording from home, per usual, but it feels different this time as we literally have no other choice of location to do so. It's Quarantine Edition! In the midst of the craziness that is COVID-19, we discuss how the entertainment industry has been affected, with various movie and tv productions have been pushed back, why some celebrities aren't taking this si...

This month on The Middle Geeks , we're joined by our friend and fellow DCTV fan Andy Behbakht to discuss why we love the character Zari Tomaz/Tarazi on DC's Legends of Tomorrow  so much. This character brings such wonderful representation, for which we're very grateful. What does Tala Ashe bring to the role in her excellent performance of the character? What do we make of Zari's story over the sea...

This month on The Middle Geeks , we discuss Waad Al-Kateab's stunning documentary  For Sama,  which provides visceral insight into the Syrian Civil War and the experiences of citizens under siege. The film has been nominated for numerous accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. In much lighter topics, we discuss the upcoming return of Zari (Tala Ashe) on  Legends of Tom...

It's the most wonderful time of the year on The Middle Geeks ! Star Wars time! But is it really though, with the latest release of The Rise of Skywalker? Swara and Mae discuss, getting into what they liked about the film, as well as the issues they had with it and the Sequel Trilogy as a whole. Note that this is a SPOILER discussion. But before that, we get into the month of Middle Eastern and Nor...

This month on The Middle Geeks , we discuss Dreamworks' 1998 masterpiece,  The Prince of Egypt. Why does this film resonate so much with people, including and besides its religious aspects? We discuss the representation aspects of the film, how it did well at depicting the ancient Middle East, and how the rich character drama and design holds it up today. We also give the deets on the delicious fo...

It's still Spooky Season here on The Middle Geeks ! In our slightly belated Halloween special, we have our first guest! Our friend Roxana joins us to discuss one of her favorite horror films, Babak Anvari 's  Under the Shadow , which is set during the Iran-Iraq war. Join us as we discuss what we enjoyed about this supernatural horror and drama film, and how Anvari masterfully uses the experience o...

In the latest episode of The Middle Geeks , we review Wajib by Palestinian director Annemarie Jacir . Mae and Swara talk about what we enjoyed about the film, and how we thought it offered a realistic portrayal of families dealing with generational oppression and how meaningful it is for Annemarie Jacir to tell an intimate story of her people. We also discuss the great news that the upcoming Obi-W...

In the latest installment of The Middle Geeks , we review Nadine Labaki's 2018 heartbreaking masterpiece,  Capernaum . Mae and Swara reflect on the state of conflict in the region, how institutions fail children, immigrants, and the most vulnerable, and how generational trauma affects us as Middle Eastern-Americans. It's a hard but necessary set of discussions to have. On much lighter topics, we d...

In the third episode of The Middle Geeks , we review Hulu's Ramy , an incisive and groundbreaking new series on the Middle Eastern-American experience. Listen to Swara and Mae as we talk about what we loved about the series, how it made us feel about our own identities, and how we think it could have done better. We also break down all the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DCTV news from San Diego Com...

In the second-ever episode of The Middle Geeks, we cover Netflix's new original series  Jinn , their first ever Arabic language series! Did we enjoy it? Did it present an authentic Middle Eastern experience? Should we be outraged by teenagers kissing as many in Jordan apparently are? Additionally, we talk about how we've been enjoying DCTV this season on the CW, what we think it could do better, a...

Welcome to The Middle Geeks! In our very first episode, Mae and Swara introduce the podcast and discuss our feelings on Middle East and North African (MENA) representation in popular media. We also review the live action remakes of Aladdin, discussing what we think it did well, how it could have done better, and how the unfortunate Orientalism of the film conveys how Disney and the rest of Hollywo...