8 Things We Liked and Disliked About Fresh Off The Boat

Hey guys, what's going on? Welcome to Off the Gray Wall. It's Dan. It's Michael. Ha, Michael. Mike. Well, so formal. Wow. Anyway, so a lot of you have seen this new show that's been around. It's been making a big stir, especially in the Asian community around the world because it is one of the first, probably is the first show featuring the Asian family. Chinese. Asian. Or Taiwanese-American in this case. Oh, sorry. Taiwanese-American family. Right. This is on primetime on a major network. Major network. And they just moved it to the 8 o'clock Tuesday time slot. Is that good? That's very good. Well, it's been getting really good reviews. Yeah. So Rotten Tomato, I took a look. It was like 90 something percent people liked it or something crazy good. So it's been really positive. And we've been hearing about the show for a long time, even before, I think a year ago, we've been hearing about the show. There's a lot of buildup. Right. And we talk a lot about the lack of Asian presence in Hollywood, in movies, in television. So this is like a game changer, sort of. Definitely. It opens a lot of new doors for Asian-American actors. There are most of the Asian actors right now, they're Korean, who make a splash in Western movies, television shows. Even like K-Drama's been making a splash in a Western society on K-Pop. Okay. Yes. Exactly. Right. But there's a very few Chinese-Americans. Right. Especially, there's some Taiwanese-Americans. Right. There are virtually none or very few mainland Chinese-Americans. Right. Like us. Right. So today, we want to share with you guys what we liked or disliked about this new show. One of the things that I disliked is that for the first few episodes, they were relying a lot on stereotypical jokes. Well, that was expected. That was expected. Right. So, okay. I knew that was going to happen, but it's kind of like, I don't laugh at them because I don't think they're that funny. I mean, some of them are true, but I just feel like they're too forced. Okay. And they concentrated less on the plot. It's so obvious. And actually, a lot of Twitter reactions was like, people who, a lot of people were like, this is kind of racist. For me, it's not racist. Okay. It's not racist. But a lot of people were like, dang. I mean, in the beginning, not only just like Asian, but you have the African-American kid in the lunchroom, and he's like, you're at the bottom now. I mean, that's saying that he was at the bottom, but then now the Asian kid comes in, you're at the bottom. It's like, I'm like, whoo-hoo-hoo. One thing I disliked about the show was how similar I thought it was to a show called Buddy Hates Chris, which was created by Chris Rock. I haven't watched that show. Yeah. So, it's kind of like, you know, it's about Chris Rock growing up in Brooklyn, and he's facing all these people who kind of dislike him. He's kind of like the odd man out. It kind of reminded me of that, so it was kind of like, all right, so you kind of took the format for Great Buddy Love, where everybody hates Chris, and made it after, sorry, Fresh Off the Boat. Fresh Off the Boat. After Great Boat. Yeah. So, I didn't really like that about it, so I didn't think it was completely original. You're saying that the main character, the young kid, the 11-year-old, reminds you of It reminded me of that. Exactly. It was kind of like watching that show, except for you replaced a black family with an Asian family. All right, so what about one thing that you liked about the show? All right, one thing I liked about the show are the parents. Did I think they were completely realistic Asian parents that a lot of us can relate to? I think the mom is, but I think the dad is not, but I like them because from a general comedy standpoint, I think they're funny. The mom is over-extreme tiger mom with a soft side. The dad is basically a white dad trapped in an Asian body, but he's funny. He's funny. That's exactly what it is. It's not completely relatable, but he's funny. And the mom, obviously the accent, sorry, it was a horrendous accent. Yeah. That's not how a Taiwanese person would sound living in the US. The accent was horrible, but I liked the mom. The acting was good. And also, Constance Wu. Constance Wu. Beautiful. Did you know she's only 26? That was one of my likes too, the mother and father. I think overall, mostly, honestly, the mother and father I think are really carrying the show right now. Okay. Just in the first four episodes. I understand they try to make the kid the one that carries it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Azar is not the kid that carries it. Okay. I have to disagree with that. The mom and the dad, they're really good actors. The dad, I like more than the mom. So when he's playing the dad, you hit it right on the head. He's a white dude, white dad, trapped in an Asian dude's body. Right. Azar, Asian dads are not like that. They're not like that. If Asian dads were like that, we wouldn't be that messed up. Seriously, dude. Seriously. Are you kidding me? I would hug my dad if that was my dad. Are you kidding me? I hope my dad's not watching this. Oh, dude. But this guy, obviously, he's trying to build a connection with his kids. And obviously, he has a connection with his kids. He has a connection with his kids. Which is also rare in an Asian family because usually the parents don't have that soft connection with the kids, right? So one of the dislikes actually comes from the title of the show. Yes. I actually don't like the title Fresh Off the Boat. Why? Not because Fresh Off the Boat has a derogatory connotation. Right. But it just doesn't fit the show. Okay. At all. I agree with you. And of course, we know why they named it that. Because they needed a good title. They needed something sensationalized. Sensational. Right. Able to be marketed. Right. But come on. This is not a Fresh Off the Boat family. Right. Okay. First of all, if they're tight like that, they're tight. Yeah. They're not Fresh Off the Boat. Right. They are very, they are 100% westernized. Yeah. They've been here a long time. Dude, the fact that the kids can openly talk to their parents. Right. Openly defy their parents. Right. The fact that the grandmother helps the main character with like his, you know, folk dance. Hip hop thing, whatever. Yeah. They're not Fresh Off the Boat. You're completely assimilated to western culture. And this is something. Alright. When I heard the title. Yeah. I thought the show was going to be. I thought the show was going to be a family. That was literally. Because. You thought that? Right. I thought that. No. Because why would you call it Fresh Off the Boat if it wasn't about a family who literally just arrived and the whole family has problems assimilating. But look. This family has no problems assimilating. No. Alright. All the kids, they know all the culture. Right. The younger brother, you know, gets like a white and a black girlfriend in the first week of school. No. Right. You're not just coming here. You've been here a long time. You basically grew up in this environment. Right. So you shouldn't be. It isn't really FOB. All Asians use this term at some point to describe, you know, unless you're literally Fresh Off the Boat, you don't know this term. But like those who know this term, like we use it a lot. We're like, okay, that person is such a ****. Like, oh, this is so funny. Right. And what do you mean when you say that? When we say that, it means uneducated. Yeah. We mean, okay, this person has no manners. No manners. Inconsiderate. Uncivilized. That's kind of like what we're saying. Right. And I would add to that is they also have no interest or intention to become assimilated or not assimilated, but to learn the culture. Yeah. Usually they come here. They stay in Chinatown. Also, one thing I didn't like about the show, like you mentioned before, I did not like the main kid. Oh, yeah. Definitely. All right. The main kid, honestly, never made me laugh. Right. I'm just going to be honest here. This show didn't really make me laugh too much in general. But this kid, I don't like the kid. Yeah. Like, it's just, from the first moment, I'm just like, I just can't connect with this kid. I mean, the first scene is him trying out clothes in, you know, but like in a very hip hop-y kind of fashion. Right, right, right. Where he's like, I'm like, you open, like, okay, imagine you're waiting a year to see the show. And I'm just like, that's kind of weird. That's kind of weird. Yeah. And the kid, honestly, there's lack of, like, connection with him. Right. Lack of, I think, humor. Yeah. I think that the kids, I don't know whether it's the writing or the acting or whatever. It's the writing. And hustling. I mean, I met the kid. Yeah. Nice kid. Right. Not hating on the kid, but I'm just saying the character, it's just not funny. All I've seen from the main character, the writing of the character is selfish. He just wants to go outside and play. He defies his parents, which is, like, growing up, yeah, we did that. But, like, come on, show, it's a family show. You want to root for the kid. But I find myself rooting for the mom and dad, but not for the main character. Yeah, I'm not really liking the kid much. I mean, that can change, right? A lot of times, the writing changes all the time, mid-season, whatever. So, I definitely found more negative things than positive things. Okay. But, I mean, I don't want to just, like, bash the show, obviously. So, one of the positive things was that, I think you touched on it before, I really like how this show got, quote-unquote, green-lit. In other words, this show made it to air. It not only made it to air, but ABC seems like right now it's heavily promoting. It's doing pretty well. And standing behind the show. Now, they have, I'm sure they have other reasons, right? Advertisers who wants to reach an Asian market. But what it does is, eventually, it does open the door for a lot more Chinese and Taiwanese Americans. Yeah. And Korean, Japanese. But mostly, let's be serious here. There's a serious lack of representation among mainland Chinese and Taiwanese Americans. Sure. In American movies and films. Yes. In American romantic comedies, especially. Yeah. You've never seen an Asian guy. Oh, come on. Never. Romantic comedies? Name American romantic comedy with an Asian guy as the main character. Think about that. It doesn't exist. You know why? Because a lot of times, their survey says, and I'm just saying social survey in general, I think there was something done where Asian men are some of the least desirable in terms of whatever. You know what? Whatever. They're a niche. We are lovable. Right. And maybe this can break through that barrier that we've been facing. One of the other things I dislike is, it's just not, the show itself, I feel like there's just, it's trying too hard to not focus on just being a good show. But it's relying, it has an identity crisis right now. So I hope that they can figure out. What I mean by identity crisis is, all right, right now, it's trying to do too much. It's trying to do social commentary, which is like, this is how Asian people have to deal with. But it's like, people know that. All right? Let's be serious. Asian Americans don't have it as hard as other ethnicities, I feel, personally. And me and you have gone through a lot of racism. And also, at the same time, it's trying to be funny. At the same time, it's trying to find things that are heartwarming and touching. Right. Let me piggyback off your trying too hard comments. I felt, I noticed certain parts, it was trying too hard to get the laugh and try to fit things in. One of which was, there was a potluck for the ladies. And everyone brought whatever. And then the Asian mom brings stinky tofu. Right. Like, in what world would the Asian parents be like, Asian mom be like, you know what? I'm going to a potluck in a little cramped living room. And I'm going to bring stinky tofu. Which is a food that even Asians debate on whether we want to have it in the house or not. So that's just, I know what it is. It was one of those moments where, hey, let's fit this in. Let's fit this in. Because this is a stereotype. Modern family is a perfect example. At the end, everything becomes positive. And the human nature, you know, you see like good human nature. This show tried to do that. It tried to do that, but again, I feel like that's unrealistic. I'm trying to go for a mix of stereotypes, maybe some realistic Asian facts. Some sensationalization. And also some parts to, I guess, to appease the general population. At the principal's office, for example, where the kid got in trouble. Like in typical Asian family, you get the snot beat out of you if you get in trouble at school. It doesn't matter if you did what you, oh, I stood up. No, none of that matters. You go home, you get the snot beat out of you. Asians will never like, you know, Asian parents will never like, oh, hey. We're going to come into your principal's office and defend you and sue the school. That's not going to happen. At the end of the episodes, I think it tries to take on too much of the full house effect, I call it. Where the sentimental music plays. Life lesson comes about. There's rarely, rarely life lessons in Asian discipline. It's just usually like the life lesson is like a smack on the bum. But overall, as a show on television, it's got to be enjoyable almost all the way through. It's gotten really positive reviews from almost everybody. But I do think a little bit, at least a little bit, is clouded by the fact that we're all like, oh, we're happy this is on. Exactly. We're happy to see our culture being represented, which is not a bad thing. But just from a laughability factor for the show, it's all right. It's all right. It's watchable. It's just not something that, you know, I want to, I'm really on the floor laughing out loud. Not at all. They're trying to make it look like they're the normal Asian family. They should call it modern Chinese family. Yeah, whatever. Like, I mean, look, you're not a normal Asian family and people actually like that. Probably already shot the entire first season. Of course they did. So really, like the changes can only be made second season. Exactly. Whether it gets picked up, which I think it will. I think it'll definitely get picked up. So, you know, we wish the show continued success because this can do nothing but really good things for the Asian community. And anyways, these are just our feelings about it. You can agree or disagree. Right. But let us know your thoughts about this show in the comments below. All right, guys. Thanks for watching. See you. Later.