Hey, remember when we said the off-Ramadan TV shows were doing a great job in terms of giving us more stories to watch throughout the year?
Yeah, well, here’s the thing. Some of these stories should have NOT been made. No, seriously. Sometimes, having less options makes you subjected to horrible TV because there’s no other option.
If it’s not obvious, yes, we’re talking about Lo2lo2 — an Egyptian TV show that’s everywhere for ALL the wrong reasons. Let’s share some of them.
The premise rips off El-Azhar El-Hazeena
An orphan girl, who’s tough as nails as well as loyal and street-smart, tries to get by doing crafty work. She meets a rich guy and he falls in love with her, despite the class difference. Is this Songรผl’s storyline in El-Azhar El-Hazeena or the entire plot of Lo2lo2?
Sure, you might say the shows are completely different in nature but people have already spotted the plot similarities and even some expressions. It’s either that or Mai Omar simply follows the Mai Ezz El-Din school of acting.
The struggle…isn’t there
Okay, here’s the thing. Usually in rags-to-riches stories that star orphans, you have to see them struggle or at least wait a bit before the tide turns.
In Lo2lo2’s case, though, this doesn’t happen. Like two days after she’s released from the orphanage, she escapes a shawerma vendor (long story) and hides in a rich’s man car and he falls in love with her automatically.
And not only that. On a date, she just happens to sing karaoke and that immediately makes a music producer give her a contract. See, life is easy.
Lo2lo2 isn’t even a good person
Remember how we said Lo2lo2 hid in a rich man’s car after escaping? Yeah, so she insults the car’s owner barely five seconds later. She also insults his girlfriend and finds it odd that anyone would think her behavior is grating.
It’s not a one-time thing either. Lo2lo2 marries Tarek and finds out he was still married to his first wife. She sympathizes with her…right until that wife confronts her. When that happens, Lo2lo2 beats the wife with a shoe because she’s insulted. Like the woman who found out her husband took a second wife wasn’t?
Overly vindictive and really not a fan of people succeeding when they aren’t her (or are her friends), Lo2lo2 isn’t exactly an angel but is portrayed like one.
The music
We have a lot to say about the music here. Namely, why? Why couldn’t Lo2lo2’s dream be acting? Or Producing? Or owning a business or whatever else she could have done?
Seriously. The music industry has suffered enough without the inclusion of “ana Lo2lo2 shams mesha2sha2a“. Not even Teyoor El-Ganna would have made that a hit.
The Tomorrowland-like photoshop
Here’s a photo from one of Amr Diab’s concerts. You know, the ones that immediately sell out:
And here’s another from a Tamer Hosny concert, easily the second biggest Egyptian popstar:
And here’s what Lo2lo2’s concert looks like:
Does this make sense to you? Just tell us. Even the Live Aid and the Monsters of Rock concert crowds weren’t this big. And Lo2lo2’s are.
Her outfits are directly lifted from Jennifer Lopez
There’s only so much inspiration one could take before it turns absolutely derivative. And this happened here. Sure, you can be inspired by J-Lo’s stage outfits and everything, but at some point you’ll have to be original.
The love story is…well
Maybe the chemistry isn’t there. Maybe — no, certainly, the dialogue doesn’t help. The love story between Lo2lo2 and Boda (yes, that’s his name) is nothing short of cringe-inducing horror.
You know how seventh-graders acted like when they were in love in, like, 2013? Yeah, it’s like that.
