Coptic Characters This Ramadan

So, here’s the thing with representation in Egyptian media — sometimes, it doesn’t really happen. Or, if it does, it happens in fleeting, tiny moments that we really don’t feel too much about because the characters themselves don’t stick around on our screens for too long.

Sadly this can include a lot of Coptic Christian representation because, well, sometimes the Coptic character we see on screen doesn’t really have much going for them other than their religion. And for this, you’re about to rejoice because this Ramadan, TV show writers decided to change things up and introduced more fully-rounded Coptic characters!

Dr. Samy from Khaly Balak Min Zizi

Okay, so here’s the thing — Dr. Samy is a complicated man. He’s a dedicated therapist, yes, (and has made a whole lot of people want to get therapy too) but he’s also full of a lot of inner turmoil. He’s got his own problems, his own flaws, and yet he does his best.

Yes, so all of this is to say that Dr. Samy is a three-dimensional character…and he’s also Christian, which we see at the end of one episode when he goes to visit his son’s grave.

Adel from El-Ekhteyar 2

One of the best things about the early episodes of El-Ekhteyar 2 was the relationship between Youssef and his second father-figure, his father’s friend Adel. And you know what? Adel was just a normal man. In fact, he was so regular and run-of-the-mill, he just reminded us of a lot of our uncles and fathers.

At the end of one episode, the one where Youssef’s father (played by the late Hady El-Gayar) dies, Youssef goes to stay the night at Adel’s and there, from décor alone, we discover that Adel is Christian. A reveal that is wholly simple.

An entire family (Naguib, Sherif, Mariam, and Youssef) from Welad Nas

One of the best things about Welad Nas is that no family is perfect. Everyone has their own set of serious problems but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a whole bunch of good traits and redeeming moments. It’s that whole three-dimensional character thing again.

We get to see an entire Coptic family, with a man, his wife trying to get divorced, his father, and his son. Although this family loves each other, they’re trying to deal with an accident and a whole lot of intergenerational trauma passed down from grandfather to son to grandson…and we love it.

Matilda from El-Tawoos

If you’ve seen El-Tawoos, one thing’s for sure — you’re dying to pack up your bags and go stay at Alexandria with Aunt Matilda for a while. And you know what? We see where you’re coming from. Friendly and loving, that woman doesn’t judge and literally only tries to be the best aunt-like figure you’ll ever see, giving out advice and love.

But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have her own troubles, though. Forgotten by family and essentially living a quiet routine-like life, Matilda feels betrayed and isolated and alone. Until she gets her surrogate family, at least.

Mina and Mafaten from Elly Maloosh Kebeer

Two more Coptic characters that really stole our hearts this Ramadan are, obviously, Mina and his sister Mafaten! Even though this pair was brought on for comic relief, we still got a whole lot of character moments from them that simply made them feel a whole lot more realistic.

And you know what? We loved seeing them and their dynamics with the main characters on-screen.

Tell us, what do you think of this representation?