I wanted to reserve judgment for ABC’s Fresh Off the Boat until I saw it, but I admit I was excited when I first heard that there was going to be a network broadcasting a show about an Asian family. Although I haven’t read the memoir of the same name by Eddie Huang that it’s based on, I have followed his comments about the show leading to its launch. Last night, the show’s first two episodes were previewed during ABC’s Wednesday night lineup, and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I was little leery due to Huang’s criticism, which made me assume that the show wasn’t going to be good, but I found myself laughing out loud a few times.
My impression is that Fresh Off the Boat is walking a line between the stereotypical family sitcom and being revolutionary by portraying an Asian family. There’s nothing new about the format, which is meant to appeal to as many people as possible. Part of the subject matter is also meant to be universal in the sense that it’s trying to appeal to anyone who’s felt different. Showing the experience of Asian immigrants and their American-born children is what is really different about this show, making it the first of its kind on network television. Even though this aspect comes from a specific perspective, the jokes still play well, such as when Jessica, the mom on the show, is lamenting how much she misses Taiwanese markets making her feel calm, and flashes back to her shopping at the market, using vegetables as weapons to fight back the crowds.
Still, even though the show is walking this line, it’s attracted its share of allegations of racism. I’ve seen so many comments online about how the show is racist against both Asians and Caucasians, and as someone who fits into both demographics, I didn’t get that feeling. I can understand why different groups might get offended because it happens all the time. However, I think one of the best ways to combat feelings of racism is to have a sense of humor, which is why comedy is one of the greatest ways to deal with these issues. I do think it’s funny that the idea of post-racial America can be disproved by a sitcom. Whether viewers find it to be racist or not, I think it’s an important step toward normalizing the idea of Asian immigrants, portraying these characters as three-dimensional characters, rather than one-note stereotypes, and starting a conversation about race.
I am the American-born daughter of an Asian immigrant and I grew up in a small town that has very few people of color, so I can relate to some of the racial aspects of the show. For the people who cannot relate to these aspects, I hope it can create more open-mindedness about what it’s like to grow up in this type of situation, where you are immediately different based on appearances alone. The reason why I think this is so important is because it’s hard to explain what it’s like to experience racism or blatant ignorance to people who haven’t experienced it. I always find it hard to articulate because I think those experiences can be life changing and someone who hasn’t lived through it can never truly understand. I appreciate the tactic that the show uses to try and use the universal idea of feeling different as a way to help bridge this gap.
I was prepared for the show’s portrayal of race, but I was most surprised that I related most to the scenes that took place in the family’s restaurant, especially the juxtaposition between the management styles of the parents. The mom, Jessica, micromanages, and is a hard-ass boss. The dad, Louis, is nice and wants his employees and customers to be happy, believing it’s what’s best for his business. While watching the second episode, I had a moment of “Oh my God, this was my life.” I used to be a manager in food service, and every day I walked the line between being a hard-ass and trying to be nice to help motivate employees to actually do their job. This makes me feel like the show does have a chance, because I found it appealing on another level, so maybe the show will appeal to children of Asian immigrants and restaurant managers.
No matter the reasons why people tune in, this first season is a foot in the door for shows with a different perspective. Huang has been blunt in his opinion of the show, like in this piece on Vulture that criticizes changes made to make the story more commercially and universally appealing. I can understand that Huang wants to push the boundaries and he’s entitled to his opinion considering this show is based on his book. However, I think this is ultimately a good thing because while it may not be truly groundbreaking, it does help to add a new voice to network television. Hopefully the show will do well enough that it can start to push the envelope, in terms of comedy and race.