Fresh Off the Boat is one of the few American sitcoms featuring an Asian-American family. The show centers around the Huang family who have recently moved from Chinatown in Washington, DC to Orlando, Florida. It is mainly told from the point of view of the oldest son, Eddie. Eddie’s parents, though immigrants from Taiwan, exhibit few of the usual stereotypes one sees in the typical Western portrayal of Asian-Americans. Louis, Eddie’s father, owns and runs a western steakhouse while his wife Jessica simultaneously flips houses and takes care of their family. The portrayal of the Huang’s day to day life shows a different side of Asian people: grandmothers who play mahjong and begin to date again, sons who hate school and love hip hop, men who respect women and women who refuse to be submissive. The characters are initially culture shocked by the stark whiteness of Orlando compared to DC’s Chinatown. The kids experience the struggle of being the only Asian person in their class and the parents have a hard time finding similarities between them and their white neighbors. Because of the struggle, the entire family is able to form a Taiwanese-American identity that embraces both cultures.
Tuesday, April 2, 2019
Fresh Off the Boat
Fresh Off the Boat is one of the few American sitcoms featuring an Asian-American family. The show centers around the Huang family who have recently moved from Chinatown in Washington, DC to Orlando, Florida. It is mainly told from the point of view of the oldest son, Eddie. Eddie’s parents, though immigrants from Taiwan, exhibit few of the usual stereotypes one sees in the typical Western portrayal of Asian-Americans. Louis, Eddie’s father, owns and runs a western steakhouse while his wife Jessica simultaneously flips houses and takes care of their family. The portrayal of the Huang’s day to day life shows a different side of Asian people: grandmothers who play mahjong and begin to date again, sons who hate school and love hip hop, men who respect women and women who refuse to be submissive. The characters are initially culture shocked by the stark whiteness of Orlando compared to DC’s Chinatown. The kids experience the struggle of being the only Asian person in their class and the parents have a hard time finding similarities between them and their white neighbors. Because of the struggle, the entire family is able to form a Taiwanese-American identity that embraces both cultures.
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I think "Fresh off the boat" is a great example of a sitcom that strays away from the Asian stereotypes people have become all to familiar with. I like that the parallel was drawn with Edward Said's showcase of the Asian perspective and the pivotal sitcom. Personally, I believe the show holds a good balance between Asian culture and its submersion in America as it smashes the stereotypes and holds its ground. A good insight into an underrated show.
ReplyDeleteI really want to watch this show! I like that it is able to balance defying stereotypes with an immigrant/children of immigrants experience, instead of using the contrasts of stereotypes about Asians and American culture to portray their assimilation.
ReplyDelete"Fresh off the Boat" was one of the shows I binge watched for hours when I first learned about it. It’s a show that draws you in because of how authentic it is and how it lets us explore real cultures and how they exist in this world. Awesome analysis and a great source of media for us to relate to!
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