James Holcomb reviews ABC’s newest comedy series. Could ‘Fresh Off The Boat’ give us a new twist on the modern family?
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Based off restauranteur Eddie Huang’s memoir of the same name, ‘Fresh Off the Boat’ is your classic fresh-out-of-water comedy, but just so happens to feel “fresh” and at times, genuinely funny. The series opens with the Huangs: patriarch Louis (Randall Park), mom Jessica (Constance Wu), eldest son, Eddie (Hudson Yang) and his two younger and strangely, well-adjusted brothers, as they move from Washington, D.C., to Orlando, Florida, so that Louis (Randall Park) can fulfill his dream of opening a steak restaurant.
Eddie is your typical 90’s “outsider” kid trying to forge an identity from his love of rap music and the “gangsta” life. His attempts to fit in at his new school involve a series of miscues and culture clashes that are played for laughs, but most of my laughs came from memories of trying to do the same.
The restaurant scenes between Louis and his staff are funny and sometimes surreal, casting Paul Sheer as the restaurant host and “white face” as he is called, is a plus. However, the show could go over-the-top if they cut to it too much.
The real find for the show is Constance Wu. Her “fresh off the boat” story is shaping up to be just as intriguing. Her serious but loving attitude towards her children, her frustration at her husband’s decision to move the family hides her fear for her husband if he fails, all culminating with a determination to make things better for her family and for herself.
‘Fresh Off the Boat’ really worked for me, I like that the show’s creators decided to truly let the show be an ensemble piece, similar to ‘Modern Family.’ The show is funny, without being mean or slapstick, with a heart in the right place; it gets 3 stars from me.
‘Fresh Off the Boat’ is currently airing Tuesdays (8:00 p.m. ET) on ABC.