Spoiled Children (1981)

It’s not often in America that you turn on the TV and see a show or a movie with a Muslim protagonist. While Muslims make up about 24% of the world’s population, they only make up 1.1% of characters in American films according to a USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative study. In their rare appearances, Muslim characters have historically been portrayed as foreigners, terrorists, and threats. Their religion has sadly been reduced to dangerous extremism in most movies and TV shows. 

Marvel has not helped with this stereotyping. The MCU’s first movie, Iron Man, set a precedent for negative Muslim and SWANA representation in the franchise. The villains are a group of Afghan terrorists who kidnap billionaire weapons manufacturer Tony Stark to make him build them a missile. The writing for this movie was military propaganda at its finest. 

14 years later, Ms. Marvel has hit our screens via Disney+ and it couldn’t be more different. It’s a coming-of-age story about a Pakistani American teenage girl named Kamala Khan obsessed with superheroes who discovers that she has her own superpowers. This show is changing the game when it comes to Muslim representation in mainstream American media. Ms. Marvel is quirky, cute, and hilarious. It tackles serious topics surrounding the Muslim and Pakistani communities. If you haven’t seen it already, you should be watching it because it’s one of the best shows streaming right now.

Everything about this show is charming, from the acting to the music to the visuals. Iman Vellani is the perfect casting, embodying Kamala’s geeky superhero obsession, teenage awkwardness, and relentless optimism. She’s a treat to watch onscreen. Elements like the Indian and Pakistani music; casual usage of Urdu; title cards in Urdu, Hindi, and more South Asian languages; and multiple cultural jokes make this show feel distinctly Muslim and Desi. The visuals throughout make this show look so unique. Kamala’s imaginary sequences are incorporated as animated drawings that interact with her surroundings. This show also integrates texting in the most creative way by making text conversations a part of the physical setting. The bright colors and fast-paced editing make for an engaging feast for the eyes when watching.