Hulu’s <em>Deli Boys</em> is back for a much shorter season 2, and this crime comedy uses every hilarious second to the fullest. The last time we saw Raj and Mir Dar (played by Saagar Shaikh and Asif Ali, respectively) in 2025’s debut season, the bumbling brothers somehow managed to pull their cocaine empire together well enough to pay off their late father’s debts. They did this with the help of their trusty Lucky Auntie (Poorna Jagannathan), and all despite the secret sabotage of Baba Dar’s murderer, Ahmad.

Now, heading into Deli Boys season 2, the Dar Boys are continuing to rake in the cash. Despite all odds (and Mir and Raj’s shortcomings), business is booming. The only problem is that they can’t spend their fortune without a way to wash it clean. The dirty money is stashed in every possible nook within the Dars’ ABC Deli, so Mir, Raj, and Lucky begin searching for a business to launder their income. This is where millionaire casino-owner Max Sugar (Fred Armisen) comes in. Max goes into business with the Dars and begins a steamy love affair with Lucky.

Of course, the big question—as it so often is in crime shows—is whether Mir, Raj, and Lucky can trust their unhinged new ally. After the chaos of season 1, it seems only a matter of time before Deli Boys season 2 hits us with another disaster, and this is where the Hulu series finds the heart of its comedy and action. Now that the Dar Boys at least kind of know what they are doing, excitement and satisfaction serve as our own ample reward. Deli Boys offers twists and turns, dark humor through a cultural lens, and complete and total unseriousness, all in just six short episodes.

Deli Boys Season 2 Masters Crime Comedy With A Tight Narrative

Deli Boys season 2 is made up of six, approximately 25-minute-long episodes, so it’s an easy binge. Watching from start to finish feels more like sitting down for a feature film—think The Hangover. Everyone heads in different directions, and the comedy is completely over the top, yet the narrative remains extremely concise. No minute goes wasted, nothing is rushed, and every second plays perfectly into the next.

This is a unique approach to crime comedy in general. These projects tend to lean on the everything-goes-wrong trope, leading the characters through chaotic loops, turns, and side quests. Whenever ordinary people get roped into the world of crime, everything tends to revolve around their moral decline. Deli Boys season 1 stuck with that angle, for the most part, and my concern was that season 2 would be more of the same. Crime comedy shows are a dime a dozen, and the formula can very quickly get old. Thankfully, creator Abdullah Saeed has kept things fresh.

While there is plenty of conflict, these episodes of Deli Boys feature a distinct rise and fall full of satisfying and hilarious victories. Given just how out of their depth Raj and Mir are, it’s great to see them celebrate a couple of big wins. Morally, these characters aren’t exactly sound. However, the story is no longer about their personal battles with their inner compasses. The Dar Boys are ridiculous but sure, and that’s a deeply refreshing take on the crime-comedy genre.

Asif Ali & Saagar Shaikh Make Room For An Excellent Guest Cast In Deli Boys Season 2

The fact that Deli Boys season 2 achieves what it does in such a short amount of time is a testament to great writing, but the true crowning glory of this series is its cast. Ali and Shaikh are better than ever in this installment. The pair have always been believable as brothers, but their chemistry and inherent loyalty have very evidently grown as they continue to work together. Ali and Shaikh seem to take up more space in Deli Boys season 2, and it works fantastically with their characters’ developing confidence.

Then there is Jagannathan’s Lucky Auntie, who remains a crowd-pleaser in this batch of episodes. She’s the hardened criminal who keeps Deli Boys more grounded in traditional crime-comedy tropes, but we get some fun lightness and vulnerability from Lucky in season 2. This relates significantly to Jagannathan’s familial chemistry with Ali and Shaikh, but it also has a lot to do with the arrival of Armisen’s Max and the introduction of their exciting new romance.

Deli Boys‘ regular cast may take up a lot of space, but they didn’t let that get in the way of season 2’s guest stars. Armisen is obviously an exciting addition, and he’s the perfect actor to pull off the bizarre contrast between Max Sugar’s seemingly kind nature and his violent criminal behavior. Armisen is even better paired with Jagannathan and fellow guest star Kumail Nanjiani​​​, who plays defense attorney Danyal, an old flame of Lucky’s. The resulting love triangle didn’t take up too much of Deli Boys‘ limited runtime, so it really hit the spot.

Deli Boys Season 2 Could Have Done With Several More Episodes

It really is remarkable what Deli Boys achieved in such a short amount of time. Even as the story inched toward its conclusion, I never got the sense that things were being rushed. There’s no “how on earth could they possibly wrap this up?” or moment of frustration when things come to a sudden close. It’s clear that Deli Boys intends for each season to be a relatively self-contained story—almost like a crime procedural in reverse—and it absolutely works. Still, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed when my Deli Boys season 2 journey ended so shortly after it began.

Deli Boys season 1 consisted of 10 episodes, so the runtime is nearly two hours longer than what we got for season 2. This seems to continue a current TV trend since shorter seasons come with less risk in the world of streaming. For some projects, this approach is the right way to go. However, given how truly excellent Deli Boys continues to be, it’s a shame not to be given more.

Two more episodes and an additional hour of content might have been the happy medium here. This would have maintained the tight narrative but would have provided more time to absorb all those laughs and celebrate the Dar Boys’ chaotic victories. Hopefully, as Deli Boys is surely greenlit for season 3, Hulu will give us just a little bit more of a good thing.

All episodes of Deli Boys season 2 are available to watch on Hulu beginning Thursday, May 28, 2026.