Mae and Swara are two writers and geeks of West Asian (IE Middle Eastern) descent who discuss and review all things Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA, ie "MENA") representation each month, along with other entertainment topics. Come join us as we highlight positive depictions of SWANA people in popular media, review the latest popular releases, and just have a fun time nerding out. Follow us @TheMiddleGeeks, @MaeAbdu, @spiderswarz
Episode 78: Interview with 'Palestine 36' Director Annemarie Jacir
Palestine 36 (2025) · Mar 28, 2026
Episode 75: "Wicked: For Good" and Fighting for a Cause
Wicked: For Good (2025) · Nov 22, 2025
Episode 74: 'Palestine 36' Review and the Echoes of the Past
Palestine 36 (2025) · Sep 23, 2025
Episode 63: 'Dune: Part Two' Review
Dune: Part Two (2024) · Mar 7, 2024
Episode 61: 'The Persian Version' Review on the Eve of Yalda
The Persian Version (2023) · Dec 21, 2023
Episode 59: "The Marvels" Review
The Marvels (2023) · Nov 10, 2023
Episode 57: Maryam Keshavarz on Telling "The Persian Version"
The Persian Version (2023) · Oct 28, 2023
Episode 56: 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3' Review, Tragic News in Morocco, Libya, and Artsakh, and One Year of Iran Protests
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 (2023) · Sep 15, 2023
Episode 53: 'Polite Society' Review with Roxana Hadadi
Polite Society (2023) · May 2, 2023
Episode 50: 'Blue Caftan' Review, the Earthquake, and an Update on Palestine
The Blue Caftan (2023) · Feb 28, 2023
Episode 49: 'Farha' Review and the Resistance of Palestine
Farha (2021) · Jan 31, 2023
Episode 47: 'The Swimmers' Review with Zaina Ujayli
The Swimmers (2022) · Nov 30, 2022
Episode 45: 'Black Adam' Review with Hanna Flint
Black Adam (2022) · Oct 26, 2022
Episode 42: "Mo" Review
The Real Mo Farah (2022) · Aug 25, 2022
Episode 34: 'A Hero' Review and Reputation
A Hero (2021) · Jan 31, 2022
Episode 33: "Gaza Mon Amour" Review and Holiday Edition
Gaza Mon Amour (2021) · Dec 23, 2021
The Middle Geeks Episode 31: "Dune" Review
Dune (2021) · Oct 25, 2021
Episode 29: "Lift Like a Girl" and an MCU Assessment
Lift Like a Girl (2020) · Aug 25, 2021
Episode 28: Palestine in Pop Culture and "Loki"
Loki · Jul 19, 2021
Interview: Amin El Gamal of "Breaking Fast"
Breaking Fast (2020) · Jun 23, 2021
Episode 26: "The Present" in Palestine
The Present (2019) · May 17, 2021
Episode 22: "Breaking Fast" Review
Breaking Fast (2020) · Jan 18, 2021
Episode 21: "Wonder Woman 1984" Review and its MENA Issues
Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) · Dec 28, 2020
Episode 16: "A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night" Review and DC FanDome
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014) · Aug 28, 2020
Episode 15: "The Old Guard" Review and "Cancel Culture"
The Old Guard (2020) · Jul 25, 2020
Episode 12: The Perils and Implications of Excluding MENA People from "Dune"
Dune (2021) · Apr 27, 2020
The Middle Geeks Episode 7: The Prince of Egypt
The Prince of Egypt (1998) · Nov 30, 2019
Episode 5: "Wajib" and When We Get to Tell Our Stories
Wajib (2017) · Sep 30, 2019
Episode 4: 'Capernaum' and Facing Hard Truths
Capernaum (2018) · Aug 29, 2019