We Are Lady Parts (Season 2)

Available on Channel 4

The first season of Nida Manzoor’s subversive comedy about an aspiring punk band consisting of Muslim women was an endearing reminder that there are few better means of dismantling unwelcome stereotypes than through comedy. It was an easily digestible cocktail of effective storytelling, note-perfect performances, and catchy tunes that announced the anointing of an essential new voice among the British comedy scene.  

Thankfully, there’s not a whiff of ‘difficult second album syndrome’ to be found in this follow-up series, which features cameos from Malala Yousafzai and Meera Syal and maintains the cheerful disposition of its predecessor while still exploring some of the quandaries that contemporary Muslims face on a daily basis. Once again, Anjana Vasan steals the show as the band’s folk-loving lead guitarist Amina, with fellow bandmates Sarah Kameela Impey, Juliette Motamed, Faith Omole, and Lucie Shorthouse also in good form.

Like many comedy series, there are aspects of We Are Lady Part’s narrative that are not entirely plausible, while other viewers might grow frustrated by its character’s lack of genuine development. However, these are minor quibbles that do not diminish the real USP of the series, which is its ability to showcase Muslim women in a celebratory way that is completely at odds with the unflattering portrayal that has long been pedalled by mainstream media.