Watching the Rain Fall

For those of you that haven’t seen the season finale, I apologize, read at your discretion.

On that note… The season finale of Little Mosque: The marriage proposal that we all knew was coming came. Just not how we’d first think. The episode starts with Yasir returning from Dubai. When he gets to the Mosque/Contractor Office he pulls JJ aside to ask how things are between him and Rayyan (Things had been a little dicey right before his departure for Dubai), JJ informs him that things are going VERY well and that he would “like to ask for her hand”. Yasir, of course, gives his blessing but JJ asks if Yasir can fake not knowing so JJ’s dad, Karim, who we find out is very traditional, can contact Yasir about the marriage. Yasir is over joyed and rushes to tell Sarah, who at first is over joyed, then realizes Rayyan is yet to be asked. Sarah isn’t so thrilled about the idea of her daughters future being decided by a few men. Sarah is completely incapable of keeping anything private, especially when she’s peeved, and pretty soon Rayyan knows what is to come. Sarah asks her if she is outraged, being a feminist and all. Rayyan points out that it is still her choice to say yes or no. They all knew this was not just for fun, that if it was going well it would lead to a proposal. So as long as she has the final word, she’ll be happy. Meanwhile Amaar is getting more and more jealous of JJ. And going even crazier (though nothing quite tops the safe bit during the previous episode) During a conversation with Reverend Duncan Magee (I can’t remember when in the episode this is, after this scene or that, so don’t freak out if it’s in the wrong spot, pretty sure it is) he asks him if he’d ever realized he wanted something only after seeing someone else had it. Duncan either out of sheer ignorance or an attempt to escape yet another conversation on this matter, asks him if he was talking about a CD. During another later scene Amaar asks Duncan about the success of marriages. Duncan offhandedly mentions that if a couple fails his marriage quiz they are doomed. Armed with a copy of this marriage quiz Amaar invites JJ and Rayyan to Fatima’s. He comes off as completely insane as he tries to slyly (tries being the operative word) administer the quiz. Rayyan sees through it in about two seconds and leaves, taking JJ with her. Yasir eventually gets the call and the OK from Karim. Everything is on for the proposal. Meanwhile Amaar is at the chiropractor with Baber (secondary storyline). Amaar, feeling guilty for his treatment of Rayyan and JJ, tells Baber that he has been a failure as a friend and as an Imam. While admitting that Amaar has multiple failings as an Imam (in his conservative view), he says that he’s been a good friend. When Amaar points out that he’s been trying to get in the way of a friends happiness when he should be supporting it, Baber tells Amaar to just tell Rayyan how he feels. Amaar is shocked to find out that Baber knows about his feelings for Rayyan. Baber says, “A blind man could see how you feel for that girl. But Rayyan is not a blind man.” Amaar rushes back to the Mosque in an attempt to find Rayyan, who is conveniently just leaving. He apologizes for his behavior, there is a bit of fun banter. Then Amaar gets serious, and begins to tell Rayyan how he feels. Rayyan obviously has some idea of what is to come, and stops him. She then informs him that JJ has proposed. He asks her what she has said. She takes a breath, her head tilted downward, eyes looking up in that apologetic mannerism of hers…. And the credits roll. So we have to wait until fall to find out what she said. Do I want to drive to Canada and kidnap one of the writers? Yep.

Anyone up for a spring break road trip?

Last night the final episode of season 2 of Little Mosque on the Prairie aired in it’s home country of Canada. Oh Canada! How we thank you for good television… and no writer’s strike.

For those of you that have never watched Little Mosque, it is about a small community of Muslims that live in a small Saskatchewan town called Mercy. Amaar is the young imam from Toronto, he used to be a lawyer, but decided to leave daddy’s law firm for Allah. Baber is the conservative divorced Pakistani immigrant. His outspoken daughter Leyla refuses to wear hijab, and frequently argues with her father about his attitudes. Fatima owns the cafe that serves same purpose as the coffee shop in Fraiser. She’s originally from Nigeria and often acts as a peace keeper during times of conflict. Then there are the Hamoudi Family. The bulk of the show revolves around this family. Yasir is the Lebonese immigrant father, he is for the most part secular and runs his contracting company out of the back of the local Anglican Church/Mosque… I’ll come back to that… Most devotion to his religion is due to one of two things, his fear of losing the free office space, or his daughter and wife. Sarah is the blonde, Canadian convert. She married Yasir a good 25-30 years ago (although I figure she had to be about 15 at the time… the actress is too young) and converted then but still knows surprisingly little about Islam & Islamic culture. She works for the Mayor, one of our reoccurring members of the non-Muslim community. Rayyan is probably my favorite character. Just a year or two out of medical school she still lives at home, and works at a local clinic. She’s devout, covers her hair, prays, and still believe that women are men’s equals, and is witty.There is definitely chemistry between her and Amaar.

It’s this chemistry that has brought about the conflict we have here at the end of the season. Two seasons in the chemistry between Amaar and Rayyan has brought nothing more than some brilliant banter, and a good friendship. But it’s been clear for a while (since Rayyan went on one date wit a local firefighter season 1) that Amaar feels more than friendship for Rayyan. Rayyan’s feelings for him are debatable. Enter JJ. Yasir needed a Civil Engineer (Yay Civils!) for a project and hires his old business partner’s son. Last time Rayyan saw JJ he was an awkward tween, thick glasses, bad hair, & bad clothes. She was ten, she pushed him out of a tree, he broke his arm. Of course she found it funny. But JJ is definitely not that kid anymore (HOT!). Yasir gives the couple a more than gentle shove together. This is awfully close to an arranged marriage as far as Rayyan is concerned and she runs to Amaar for advice. Obviously, she finds it impossible to talk to Amaar about this (one for she feels more than friendship), instead she goes to Reverend Magee. After a brief conversation with him, she decides that she really does want to give JJ a chance. The couple begins a series of chaperoned, Islamically ok, dates. And we get to watch Amaar unravel. Reverend Magee is probably Amaar’s closest friend, and can obviously see that Amaar is upset about Rayyan’s obvious attraction to JJ, and that blooming relationship. It has been way too fun to watch Amaar fall to pieces. It gets even worse when Fatima asks Amaar’s advice for some couple, failing to disclose this couple is Rayyan and JJ. Amaar is less than thrilled when he realizes his advice helps the couple get through a conflict.

And now the season finale. I am sitting on the edge of my seat. JJ is proposing. I read stuff… Will Rayyan agree, or will she realize at last that she has feelings for Amaar? If she does agree will this push Amaar over the edge? I am far too excited.