Deli Boys, a crime dramedy set in Philadelphia, has been canceled after two seasons, according to Deadline.
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The Hulu series followed a pair of Pakistani American brothers, Raj and Mir (played by Saagar Shaikh and Asif Ali, respectively), as they took over their deli-magnate father’s empire — and reckoned with his secret criminal enterprises.
Created by Temple University alum and former Philadelphia Weekly journalist Abdullah Saeed and executive produced by South Philly native Michelle Nader, Deli Boys packed plenty of Philly references into its 16-episode run, from SEPTA jokes to expired Tastykakes and a Super Bowl watch party.
And the titular delicatessen, “ABC Deli,” was inspired by a real Philly institution at Third and Poplar Streets in Northern Liberties.
The show, however, was filmed in Chicago.
Deli Boys also centered on South Asian characters, with the core cast being of South Asian descent — a “rarity in Hollywood in 2026,” Deadline wrote.
“Thank you to every brown and Muslim and Pakistani and immigrant person who saw themselves in my show,” Saeed wrote on Instagram. “I created this world and these characters for YOU.”
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Saeed told the next generation in his post: “I hope I helped you see that you deserve the airwaves, no matter how hard you have to fight for your rightful place.”
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Queer Eye star Tan France, who played a British Pakistani gang leader on the show’s first season, previously told The Inquirer that the show “represents us [South Asians] so beautifully.”
France reprised his role for season two, and Saturday Night Live alum Fred Armisen also joined the cast as a Philly gambling savant.
Deli Boys “gives us a chance to be real, fully formed humans,” France said.
The show “failed to find a wide enough audience” to justify a third season, according to Variety, and sources told Deadline the show’s cancellation was due to ratings.
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Both seasons are streaming on Hulu.