Deli Boys

Anchored by a riotously badass performance and fantastic jokes, Deli Boys emerges as a highlight of this young year, layering an engaging criminal caper on top of a comedy about the Pakistani immigrant experience.

The dynamics of Deli Boys have changed as DarCo’s business has grown, but there are still enough funny moments to make the second season fun to watch.

Though its narrative is hampered by a shorter run (season two only has six episodes versus season one’s 10) and a surprisingly sanitized Fred Armisen as a crime boss, the series is funnier than ever.

With all the silly puns, comical plot twists, and unexpected Tarantino-esque violence, every prediction I had made about how this show would unfold was proven wrong — to my surprise and delight.

It’s smartly written, festooned with quirky business, farcical situations, droll asides. Above all, it’s built on great performances, even in the smallest roles, that ground the wackiness and so make things only funnier.

“Deli Boys” is not too dark, too violent, or too explicit to immediately watch all the way through. It’s bizarre and hilarious and fun enough to keep a viewer hooked, and hopefully to merit a second season

It’s a bit of a letdown to realize that what could have been a sharp and unique take on the gangster subgenre has no apparent interest in taking on that challenge. It seems content, instead, to kick back on the couch and quote The Godfather all day.

The Pakastani immigrant who runs a chain of successful convenience stores suddenly dies, leaving his two spoiled, hapless sons to run the business. Pretty quickly, they discover that the delis are a front for organized crime. This is one of the most enjoyable comedies out right now. As the brothers, Asif Ali and Saagar Shaikh capture the chemistry, confusion and comic core of the series. Poorna Jagannathan is equally enjoyable as their no-nonsense aunt, while Tim Baltz as the FBI Director and Jake Prizant as the emotional assistant provide two quirky additions. Showrunner Michelle Nader (best known for “Two Broke Girls”) shows appreciation for the culture, while keeping the energy lively and providing a solid base of foolish and funny. It’s not a typically hilarious sitcom, but a smart and sweet crime comedy. (Ten 30-minute eps)

I couldn’t even finish first episode. Maybe not reflective of first season but contrived, regurgitated humour that been done so much better before imo.