Perhaps it’s Medical School life finally catching up with me and keeping me out of many loops but there’s something I don’t get – why is everyone fascinated by someone/something called Ruby?
A few days ago, I was home while my mom and a few of her friends were having coffee. I was unconsciously listening in on the conversation when they started to discuss a woman named Ruby and how “not good” she was. I suppose using the word they used would be inappropriate here. But you get the drift.
I figured Ruby must be someone from my hometown. That’s enough to get me not interested. I’m not big on gossiping especially when it’s about people I don’t know as is the case with almost everyone in Ebrine.
Then I went to Beirut to visit some people who had nothing to do with my hometown. They were also talking about Ruby, using the exact same terminology I had heard before. It couldn’t be a coincidence. No – I refused to be ignorant anymore.
So I did some asking.
It turns out Ruby is a TV show. Yes, a TV show that people are obsessing about en masse. I decided to shrug it off as another Lebanese “it” thing that will soon wear off. How bad could Ruby-mania be? Then I found out my brother, who never – ever – watches such things, is actually tuning in every day to watch Ruby. Perhaps it’s because a good friend of his, Cynthia Khalife, has a role in the series as the Lebanese sister of a Syrian doctor. It could also be that my brother is tuning in to stare at Cyrine Abdel Nour. Who wouldn’t?
When it comes to me, I think the biggest problem Lebanese TV shows and series have is their script and to a lesser extent the acting with the former influencing the latter greatly. In Ruby’s case, the script has been imported from Mexico and translated into a Lebanese-Egyptian-Syrian version.
Is the series any good? Perhaps so. But have we gotten so unoriginal that we can’t come up with our own ideas? What’s next? Will they import Desperate Housewives now that it ended? How about we start our own medical drama à la Grey’s Anatomy while we’re at it?
Either way, I got a glimpse of Cyrine Abdel Nour’s – umm – behind? in Ruby today…. I now understand what the fuss is about.
A Separate State of Mind | A Blog by Elie Fares 
Actually there’s a Turkish series like desperate housewives, same thing, she kills herslef at the beginning and the show starts. It’s called نساء حاءرات ً you can google it.
I think Ruby is a good show, I watched first 2 episodes online and yes she’s a B.
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We are not Turkey so it doesn’t apply :p
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My mom and sister watch it too. I have no idea what it’s about 🙂
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Must research that 😛
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There was an egyptian attempt at a Grey’s Anatomy, I’m not sure if it failed miserably or not. Other imports include shallow hal, a turkish desperate housewives (mind you, the american version is also a mexican/spanish telenovella import) and Abwab Al Khawf which stars amr waked is a knock off the ghost whisperer. The only Arabic shows/soap operas I believe were worth watching included the Egyptian take on the MB in Al Jama3a ( a couple years ago)some mbc4 productions, and/or the occasional Ramadan series and or historic syrian tv series. Otherwise.. originality is lost amongst us Arabs!!!
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its all about taboos… sex and fanatasies, affairs, love and hate… thats what people like here..no judgements though,,, its manipulation as well you can say, its education, culture…and impact of media, drama, and tv… you get what you seed, otherwise, you want something else.. y want another taste, u need another audience, how to get it, gradually, you show smthg diff..but hell no, this is the market, this the age, and it pays welll!
So what is it about? all of the above, do people hate Ruby, yes of course, those who say so are the LIARS, the HYPOCRITES of our society!
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Or it could be that people are entertained. I can’t judge since I don’t watch it but from what I’ve heard, the character is fairly unlikeable.
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I think it’s a fun show. But the concept of seasons needs to be instilled in Lebanese TV mentalities. They could have easily made 4 seasons out of this instead of making it a daily thing.
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Yeah the idea of seasons needs to be introduced.
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They did import desperate housewives and the commercial even says “based on the American series Desperate Housewives.” Its a Turkish series though, and has been dubbed in Arabic.
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Yeah but Turkish series don’t count 😛
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imitation is one type of creation.
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