The chaos of Deli Boys is also its charm

Hulu’s partnership with Onyx Collective, a brand created to champion BIPOC-focused narratives, has had an interesting run so far. It’s launched noteworthy scripted projects with talents like Kerry Washington and Natasha Rothwell, among others. Yet both actors’ respective (and good) TV comedies, Unprisoned and How To Die Alone, were canceled despite critical acclaim. This puts extra pressure on Onyx’s next endeavor, Deli Boys. Like any good sitcom, it needs some room to grow, although it has solid bones from the get-go. 

The instant hook is that, a few minutes into the premiere, two Pakistani-American brothers witness their dad die in a freak accident. They inherit his successful convenience-store chain only to learn he was using it as a front to smuggle drugs. Raj (Ms. Marvel’s Saagar Shaikh) and Mir (WandaVision’s Asif Ali) Dar are unexpectedly thrust into the dangerous mafia underworld. Usually, Muslim characters are relegated to one-dimensional villains or side players in these types of capers. Here, with South Asians behind and in front of the camera (including series creator/co-writer Abdullah Saeed), there are no stereotypes about accents, clothes, or traditions to adhere to. The 10-episode first season is full of hijinks and heart, centering on fully realized, flawed South Asian protagonists whose culture is seamlessly integrated into the mix. 

Raj and Mir have polar-opposite approaches to life as sons in a wealthy immigrant family. Raj is the lackadaisical pothead older brother, the kind to sport lots of bling, do nothing, and enjoy the fruits of everyone else’s labor—a position he thinks is rare for a brown person to be in. Meanwhile, Mir is the efficient younger child who can’t stop boasting about his Drexel degree and hopes to take over the company soon. He carries, as his brother puts it, “survivor’s guilt” about their parents’ sacrifice of moving to another country and try for the American dream. By presenting two sides of the same coin, Deli Boys offers a fascinating look at an experience many immigrant kids have. Raj and Mir are different and prone to quarrels, but this is no Kendall/Roman situation because they’ve always got each other’s backs.  

It’s a good thing they do because once the Dar brothers realize just how deeply Baba (Iqbal Theba) was involved in illegal activities, they’re forced to deal with the fallout in his absence. They’re absolutely unequipped to handle anything in this criminal world, whether it’s an FBI raid, rival mobs attacking them, or Baba’s inner circle fighting each other to become the new numero uno. But if the Dars want to maintain a life of luxury and avoid prison, they have no choice but to dump a few bodies and transport cocaine to an Indian restaurant. Thankfully, they’ve also got the coolest, chicest, baddest auntie to guide them through it.