Here’s a good rule of thumb to follow in life. Anytime you see Nida Manzoor’s name attached to, well, anything — be it a TV show or movie — your job is to dive right in. No need to research what the project is about. The cast doesn’t matter. Manzoor directed the 2023 film Polite Society in addition to creating the Peacock series We Are Lady Parts, and I can’t beat this drum enough: Her name is as close to a guaranteed mark of quality that exists in the fractured streaming era.
Season 2 of the show, about an all-female Muslim punk rock band, just debuted on Peacock and already has a perfect 100% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. The show is not only about how the ladies navigate the London music scene, but each episode also explores themes of identity, friendship, and the challenge young Muslim women face in pursuing their love of contemporary music.
When We Are Lady Parts spend time on the dynamics and interactions among the group members themselves, it’s a particular delight.
Music, no surprise, has been a super-important ingredient of the show since its debut on Britain’s Channel 4 in 2021 (and then on Peacock one month later). Standout original tracks include Bashir With The Good Beard and Voldemort Under My Head Scarf, as well as punk-ish covers of classics like 9 to 5 and We Are The Champions. A particularly epic Season 2 musical moment comes when We Are Lady Parts bring their angsty musical chops to bear for a cover of Britney Spears’ Oops I Did It Again.
In Season 2, the ladies also enter their “villain era.”
“Making season one of We Are Lady Parts was immense for me,” Manzoor said in a press note about the show. “It was a trial by fire, but I found my voice, my style and my confidence in creating this show. Most importantly, I found my tribe — from actors and crew to producers and studio execs. So, coming to season two, I was galvanized… In Season Two, we explore the interior lives of each of the women in more depth. Each of them facing new, existential challenges with all the silliness, pratfalls and banter of season one.
“The music is bigger too — more wild original tunes (penned by me and my siblings) and dare I say it, even better covers. The season overall asks the question of success. What is success? For a punk band, is fame, stadium shows and major record deals the answer? I wanted to explore the uncomfortable tension between art and commerce and ask how much compromise is too much. I’m really proud of what we achieved, and can’t wait to share it with old fans and new.”