Ramadan is finally here, and with it, comes the biggest television season of the year for the Arab world. Here are the Ramadan series you won’t want to miss for 2022–and where to watch and stream them.
1. Suits Arabia
Starring: Asser Yassin, Ahmed Dawoud, Tara Emad, Saba Mubarak
Where to watch: OSN+
Suits is one of the most popular shows of the 2010s—a wonderfully crafted dramedy that shows the adventures of two lawyers, one genius with no credentials and one set on keeping his secret as they navigate the tricky world of the law—and the Arabic-language remake seems poised to be popular for years to come. The first two seasons will air, starring Asser Yassin and Ahmed Dawoud as the lead duo.
2. Faten Amal Harby
Starring: Nelly Karim, Fadia Adel Ghany, Mohamed Al-Tagy
Where to watch: MBC Shahid
Ramadan TV series are all about stars, stars, stars—did we mention stars?—and this year’s biggest star-led series comes from Nelly Karim, the beloved Egyptian actress who has dominated many a Ramadan season. This one follows her as a divorced mother stuck in conflict with her former mother-in-law as she battles for custody of her two daughters as she attempts to remarry.
3.Shu Bihib El Orf: Lahme w Bas
Starring: Mohammad Orfali
Where to watch: Discovery+, available through Starzplay and Zawwy TV starting April 9
We’re big fans of the Orfali Bros here at Esquire Middle East—how could we not? Now, one of the beloved restaurant’s chefs, Mohammad Orfali himself, will be creating a cooking every Saturday night during Ramadan, built to show you how to make week’s Iftars and Suhoors as amazing as they possibly can be. How could you say no?
4. Al-Asouf 3
Starring: Nasser Al-Qasabi, Abdullah Al-Sinani, Habib Al-Habib, Reem Abdullah
Where to watch: MBC Shahid
Saudi’s most popular drama is back for a third season on MBC, this time tackling the 1990s. The first series captured the massive changes of Saudi’s 70s, the second showed us Saudi Arabia in the 1980s, and this time around we show how Riyadh transformed in the 1990s—and laid the groundwork for the city and country we know so well today.
5. El Meshwar
Starring: Mohamed Ramadan, Dina El-Sherbiny, Ahmed Magdy
Where to watch: MBC Shahid
Last year saw superstar actor Mohamed Ramadan flex his historical and comedic chops in Mousa—this year it’s pure drama, and even a little bit of horror. The show follows a husband and wife who has been cursed, from massively-acclaimed writer Mariam Naoum.
6. Sanawat Al-Jarish
Starring: Hayat Al-Fahad, Hamad Al-Omani, Laila Al-Samman
Where: Dubai TV or Awaan
If Hayat Al-Fahad is starring in a Ramadan drama, rest assured—the Arab world is going to be talking about it. 2020’s Umm Haroun was the most hotly-debated series of that year, and the latest series from the 73-year-old dame of modern Arab television again dives into history—this time showing what happened to the Gulf during World War II.
7. Bab Al-Hara
Starring: Najah Safkouni, Jalal Shamout, Salma Al-Masri
Where to watch: Starzplay
Bab Al-Hara is one of the longest-running shows in Arab television history—returning now for its 12th season—and for good reason. Audiences can’t get enough of the tale following a family in the Al-Dabe’ neighbourhood of Damascus, Syria, and while it may have dwindled in viewership from its 50-million-an-ep days back in 2006, it still remains popular.
8. Al Ikhtiyar 3
Starring: Ahmed Al-sakka, Ahmed Ezz and Karim Abdulaziz
Where to watch: MBC Shahid
The third season of Al Ekhteyar is set to to highlight modern Egypt and the struggles Egyptians faced while the Muslim Brotherhood had control of power.
9. Skyscraper (Natihat Sehab)
Starring: Suaad Abdullah, Shaima Ali, Noor, Huda Hamdan, Joud Aziz, Hussein Mahdy, Abdulaziz Safar, Talal Basem, Yaqoub Abdullah, Fahad Abdulmohsin
Where to watch: MBC Shahid
The details of the show have yet to be released and the crew is trying their best to keep it a secret until it’s release. Regardless, we’re excited to see what Suaad Abdullah brings us this year.
10. Ahlam Saeeda
Starring: Yusra, Ghada Adel, May Kassab, Nour Mahmoud, Nabil Nouraldin
Where to watch: MBC Shahid
Ahlam Saeeda is set to focus on struggles women face in our society nowadays, with a mad-cap comedic style. Yusra is the queen of Ramadan TV comedies, so this is definitely a must-watch for many.
11. Rageen Ya Hawa
Starring: Khaled Al-Nabawi, Hana Shiha, Nour, Anushka, Wafaa Amer, Islam Jamal, Salma Abu Deif
Where to watch: MBC Shahid
This Ramadan TV show is based on a radio series by the late scriptwriter Osama Anwar Okasha. The main character Baleegh Abu Alhana returns to Egypt looking for his inheritance after his business in Europe failed, but he finds himself responsible for another task; to reunite his family.
12. Shoghl Ali
Starring: Shereen Reda, Fifi Abdou, Enjy Kiwan
Where to watch: MBC Shahid
This drama and comedy will see Egyptian belly dancer Fifi Abdou and star Shereen Reda act alongside together, although not much has been leaked about the plot of the show, it deffo looks like a worthwhile Ramadan TV show comedy to us.
13. Jameel Jeddan
Starring: Sarah Taibah, Saad Aziz, Ismail Alhassan
Where to watch: MBC Shahid
Created by Saudi writer and filmmaker Sarah Taibah, Jameel Jeddan follows the story of a young girl who wakes up after five years in a coma discovering that everything about her life has changed, but she’s still got to return to school and finish her last year.
14. Dayman Amer
Starring: Mostafa Shaban, Cynthia Khalifeh
Where to watch: MBC Shahid
Information about the plot has yet to be released for this Ramadan TV show, but it’s promised to be a ‘social comedy blend’.
15. Rania wu Sakeena
Starring: Ruby and Mai Omar
Where to watch: MBC Shahid
This story talks about the story of a rich girl, played by Mai, that loses her father and inherits a huge amount of money. She has to now live through the struggles of what comes with money– fake friends and people who only want one thing from you.
Ramadan Kareem everyone!