Hulu’s “Deli Boys” Walks a Fine Line Between Accessibility and Depth

In the era of shortened attention spans, TV shows debuting in 2025 must decide whether to cater to viewers’ multiple screens or compete with them. A new approach involves embracing distraction by creating simpler plots, fewer characters, and repetitive dialogue, reminiscent of guilty pleasure reality TV.

Alternatively, creators opt for a more challenging path, leveraging sharp writing, twists, and high production value to hold audiences captive. Hulu’s new sitcom “Deli Boys” adopts this latter strategy, balancing accessibility with depth and humor.

The show follows the story of Mir Dar, a junior executive played by Asif Ali, as he prepares to take over his family’s successful Philadelphia corner store conglomerate, DarCo. Initially reminiscent of “Succession,” “Deli Boys” takes an interesting approach by contrasting Mir’s driven personality with his brother Raj’s more laid-back attitude towards life.

Source: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/03/06/arts/deli-boys-review