The ending of Catalog is a mix of emotions because while it is happy, it still reminds us of Amina’s absence from the family. The 8-part show tells the story of a family trying to come to terms with their grief and move on after the mom, Amina, dies from cancer. It’s a year-long journey where the dad, Youssef, learns to become a good parent and also a good partner in the process, despite having lost his wife. Of course, it’s always teamwork that makes the dream work, so it’s not just Youssef grieving and growing, but his entire family, which includes his two kids and his own brother, as well as Amina’s brother. In the final episode, we’re left with a few questions, like does Osama end up with Hala? Does Hanafi get better? And what about the kids? So let’s quickly find out what happens with the gang and jump into the ending of the show.
Spoiler Alert
Why Did Amina Want A Divorce?
Before leaving the world, Amina had decided to divorce Youssef, but not because she wasn’t in love with him anymore. Although he was an absent father and husband and loved his work more than anything in the world, Amina knew he cared deeply about his family. So, she decided that the best way to let go of them would be to set him free of the grief of losing her. The real reason Amina decided to do this was because she felt like Youssef would end up like the Captain, who lived opposite their home and had developed agoraphobia. I don’t think Amina assumed her husband would also end up with the same phobia; she worried he’d go into a shell and never be able to come out of it, because he’d have lost the person who took care of everything for him. However, in the end, Youssef learns that his wife never stopped loving him through a video she left with the Captain. She never went ahead with it anyway. It’s revealed in the final episode that Amina died during surgery, so Youssef never actually got to say goodbye to her. They all just assumed she’d come back to him.
What Happens to Youssef’s Job?
Youssef learns that Tamer and Nazly, the new shareholders in the company, have decided to make Tamer the chairman because Youssef is not up to the task anymore; he loses his mind and starts a fight. However, Nazly is almost like a mirror of Amina because she knows Youssef’s potential and wants to push him to reach it. She confesses that Tamer, Youssef’s business partner, would sink the company, so she wanted to take away something precious from Youssef, so he’d finally step up. Nazly makes an offer to Youssef, but she doesn’t understand the importance of his family in his life now. The reason Youssef chooses to leave his old company behind is that it took away precious time with his wife and children. While he can start a new company and make it successful again, he can’t do the same with his kids. They’re only young once, and he wants to be present at every step.
Youssef decides to build an app called “Catalog,” where people get to share videos beyond the grave. What this means is, just like he watched his wife’s videos after she died, this app will allow people to take videos and store them in an app until they pass away, and then the videos get to their loved ones. Now, don’t ask me about the logistics of this app, because I’m no engineer, but apparently it impresses investors, so we can imagine Youssef is going to be successful again very soon, and since this is a comedy, that happy ending is a long-lasting one. Plus, “Catalog” is named after his wife’s YouTube channel, so it’s bound to become a success.
What Happens With Hala And Osama?
In episode 7, Osama and Hala have a massive fight because he doesn’t want to compromise despite being in love with her. For the longest time, his plan was to marry a foreign girl and move abroad to “find himself.” However, Hala makes him realize that he doesn’t actually have a plan; he’s just lost. In truth, Osama simply misses his sister dearly and wishes he could have her advice. Later, the nanny, Um Hashem, explains to him that if he walks a step, Hala might even run miles to reach him. She makes him the dish Amina used to make, and he starts to cry, admitting that he just wants her advice. Um Hashem makes him realize then that Amina always wanted him to have an Egyptian girl, and he was lucky enough to find one as amazing as Hala. I suppose Hala and Osama could travel together at some point. At the moment, Hala has built a beautiful life in Egypt, so she doesn’t want to move, which is perfectly fair, but maybe Osama will find himself while he’s with her.
Do Youssef and Howayda End Up Together?
I think in the case of Howayda and Youssef, the latter might’ve been a sort of rebound. Rather than falling in love with him, Howayda found an ideal example of the kind of man she would want in her life. But because she was fresh out of a relationship where she got no freedom, no actual love, just control, she realized that there are men like Youssef, who can be kindhearted and be actual partners rather than just controlling patriarchs too. She also calls out the problematic behavior of the other guy’s mom, which is what helps her get out of those chains. But eventually, Youssef and Howayda realize they’re not meant for each other. Youssef was only considering it because he believed his wife wanted to get divorced before she died. After that misunderstanding was clarified, he also realized he needed more time. Amina (well, the show) does emphasize that you can fall in love again, so it’s not that she would’ve been against this match. But maybe they just need time. Karima also forgives her, and the trio go to see Howayda on the day of her book launch. It looks to be a massive success, and Howayda gives Youssef a copy, though he’s already read it. It has a thank you note to him for showing her the meaning of loyalty.
What Happens to Hanafi?
Mansour is likely going to become a big football star; after all, he’s now taken a picture with the captain, Bibo. Meanwhile, Karima wins an award for her acting, just as her mother predicted. They’re both going to live happily and become grown-ups that Amina would be proud of, because she prepared the handbook for Youssef, and now he can take the reins. In the final episode of the show, Youssef learns that Hanafi has cancer, and doesn’t know how to handle this news.
In Catalog’s ending, Hanafi learns that he’s finally cancer-free, so he can go on to join the major leagues as a coach. Youssef is over the moon too, because he’s finally learned how much his brother sacrificed for his sake when their parents died and is delighted to see him well. He’s definitely going to be there for him always. It’s all very sweet and sentimental. This is the most important part of Youssef’s relationship with grief. He’s reached the final stage here, and when he meets a woman who had treatment at the same time as Amina and was terrified back then, he’s grateful to see that she’s healthy and well. He’s truly a changed person, and in the best ways. He will always carry Amina in his heart, but he will also become Amina for his kids. The show has a happy ending with Hala and Osama getting engaged and everybody partying, but it definitely feels somewhat poignant because Amina’s missing in these beautiful moments. However, she’s definitely in everyone’s hearts.
