Background
Ramadan is Egyptian television's chance to target its largest audience for the longest stretches of time -- it's prime-time television all the time, as many Egyptians are prepared to spend endless days and nights in front of the tube. And Egyptian TV is happy to deliver: during Ramadan viewers are inundated with shows, from sunset to practically just before fagr (dawn, when Muslims begin their fast). Sometimes it seems like the other 11 months of the year are spent simply in preparation for the onslaught.
Ramadan is also the time of the year when the Television Union sells the largest chunk of its products to other Arabic satellite channels. This year, the papers reported that over a thousand hours of programming have been sold so far, including 12 complete series, consisting of 238 hours of programming, sold to more than 19 Arab countries for some LE80 million.
So what's new this Ramadan? For one thing, that holy month stalwart, the Channel 1 "Ramadan Riddles" programme, has been cancelled. And just in time. The show was slowly deteriorating and seemed out of place among what was gradually becoming more sophisticated fare. The fawazir (riddles) have presumably been elbowed out by all the serials, dramas, comedies and variety shows that are taking over the Ramadan TV schedule.
In order to accomodate all the new shows, the Television Union has decided not to limit first-run serials to its flagship national channels 1 and 2. Instead, first run dramas will also appear on channels 3, 5 and 8.
Another big decision this year is not to allow any major star to appear in more than one show. The rule does not apply to second- and third-tier stars, some of whom will appear in up to half a dozen different shows.
Those who make it a point to watch TV all night long, never leaving the couch and following every one of the special Ramadan shows, will find themselves with plenty on thier hands this year.
Whether it will be a fulfilling, entertaining bonanza remains to be seen.

Continuing his search through the streets of Cairo for those with solid religious knowledge, host Gamal El-Sha'ir's popular quiz show Al-Ga'iza Al-Kobra (The Big Prize) also appears every day soon after iftar. As always, the show will culminate at the end of the month by giving away trips to Mecca for the lucky winners to perform hajj and umra.

Mona El-Husseini has made a career out of making the stars cry on Hiwar Sarih Gidan (A Very Honest Interview). Husseini does not mind prying into the darkest secrets for the pleasure of her viewers, reagrdless of how it makes her guests react. Then again, why would they agree to be on the show if they didn't know what was in store?

Comedian Ibrahim Nasr recreates his cross-dressing Zakia Zakariya character for this year's Kamera Khafiya (Candid Camera) and continues to put his unsuspecting guests into embarassing, impossible situations. As always he reveals his guise just as things start to get too steamy. Is it real? You decide. In any case, it's a laugh riot.

Starring Farouk El-Fishawi, Khayal Al-Zill (Shadow Play)is a drama about a few friends separated by a murder. One goes to jail, another goes blind, and another leaves for the United States. 20 years later, Fishawi comes back from the States. We get to find out what happened back then, and what will happen now, at the same time. Also starring Ahmed Ratib, Tayseer Fahmy, Maged El-Masri and Nadine.

The grand dame of the Arab screen, Faten Hamama is back in Wagh Al-Qamar (Face of the Moon), this year's most hyped Ramadan series. Hamama stars as a TV presenter whose husband dies. She remarries a rich man and has a child. Years later, her first (and supposedly dead) husband (played here by veteran Ahmed Ramzy) reappears, thus complicating everybody's life. Written by Magda Khairallah, and directed by Adel A'sar, the series also stars Gamil Rateb and two of today's young Faten wannabes Ghada Adel anmd Nelly Karim.

Awan Al-Ward (Flowers Bloom) is another widely-anticipated show, starring Youssra and Hisham Abdel-Hamid. Written by Wahid Hamid and directed by Samir Seif, it's the story of an investment company employee who marries a police officer who saves her from an assault. Their first child is then kidnapped by a gang who the officer had previously apprehended and brought to trial, and a whole lot of drama -- embedded with much commentary on Egyptian society -- ensues.