Monday, February 02, 2015

ABC Midseason Pilot Review: Fresh Off the Boat - Premieres Wednesday, Feb. 4; ABC Family Begins Production on Two Comedy Pilots

Fresh Off the Boat

Fresh Off the Boat - Tuesdays at 8:00PM ET/PT on ABC
Premieres on a special night Wednesday, February 4, 2015 at 8:30PM & 9:30PM ET/PT (before and after Modern Family)


by Vincent

Inspired by Eddie Huang's best-selling memoir by the same name, Fresh Off the Boat follows 11-year-old hip-hop loving Eddie Huang (Hudson Yang), who has just moved with his family from Chinatown in Washington D.C. to suburban Orlando. They quickly discover things are very different there - from the rollerblading stay-at-home moms, to the hospital-like grocery stores, to the strange, perfectly packaged school lunches. Based off of a true story, Fresh Off the Boat follows the Huang family's trials and tribulations as they attempt to fit into the world of suburban Orlando.

Cast Details:

Randall Park as Louis Huang
Constance Wu as Jessica Huang
Ian Chen as Evan Huang
Forrest Wheeler as Emory Huang
Hudson Yang as Eddie Huang
Lucille Soong as Grandma Huang

Randall Park (Louis) is an established comedy writer and actor who has appeared in several films and television shows, including Veep, New Girl, The Office, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and House. His film credits include The Five Year Engagement, Neighbors, They Came Together, and The Interview.

Constance Wu (Jessica) is an actress who has appeared in roles on series such as Law & Order: SVU, Torchwood, and Covert Affairs. She is also known for her recurring role on ABC's One Life to Live.

Ian Chen (Evan) is a young actor who has appeared in guest spots on Grey's Anatomy and Modern Family.

Forrest Wheeler (Emery) is a young actor who is new to the entertainment industry. Fresh Off the Boat will be his first major role.

Hudson Yang (Eddie) is also a new actor, and Fresh Off the Boat will be his first major role.

Lucille Soong (Grandma) is an actress whose credits include a recurring role as Yao Lin on Desperate Housewives as well as roles in shows such as Passions, Dharma and Greg, and According to Jim.

Pilot Plot:

We have watched the first two episodes for review, both of which will air Wednesday night. Here are descriptions of those episodes:

"Pilot" (Airs February 4 at 8:30PM ET)

It's 1995 and 11-year-old hip-hop loving Eddie Huang has just moved with his family from Chinatown in Washington D.C. to suburban Orlando. Orlando doesn't even have a Chinatown -- unless you count the Huang house. The pilot episode explores the Huang's difficulty adjusting to their surroundings and Eddie's realization that the culture he is leaving is very different from the one he is about to enter.

"Home Sweet Home School" (Airs February 4 at 9:30PM ET)

Louis and Jessica clash over how to raise the kids and how to run the restaurant. When the boys get straight A's in school, Jessica decides that their school must be too easy and takes it upon herself to give them more homework and tutor them after class. She takes the same strict approach at the restaurant (no extra croutons for anyone!), so it's up to Louis to get her to lighten up on everyone.

Analysis:

Fresh Off the Boat is a show that has drummed up a fair amount of controversy already. From the initial shock over the show's potentially insensitive title to the lengthy article that Eddie Huang wrote for Vulture about his difficulty getting the show to properly reflect his experiences to some misguided social media promotion, it's certainly a show that seems like it could go really badly. So it's a little bit of a shock and a huge relief when you sit down and watch Fresh Off the Boat and realize that, actually...it's really good. Its pilot had a voice and a point of view that's sorely missing in network comedies lately, not to mention no network comedy pilot made me laugh nearly as hard this season. The second episode follows a bit more of a generic sitcom structure, but it's still packed with plenty of great gags, a refreshing sense of humor and a surprising amount of depth. There's a lot to like about this pilot – the writing is sharp, funny and even a little edgy at times while still being digestible for an audience that would be watching a network family comedy (a feat that fellow ABC sitcom black-ish is also nailing right now), the actors are excellent fully committed to their roles - Randall Park and Constance Wu are seriously great here, but even the child actors are surprisingly funny (again, not unlike black-ish) and there's an honesty to the proceedings here that separates this from the typical network sitcom pack.

It may have been a difficult road to creating that honesty, but it's one that seems to be working, if the first two episodes are any indication. Nahnatchka Khan is show-running Fresh Off the Boat, who previously created and ran Don't Trust the B in Apartment 23 and also served as a writer on American Dad! for many years. The bite that she brought to those shows is very evident here and helps make the show as funny as it is, but there's still a sense that this is Huang's story, and his ownership is present throughout the series. (Huang also serves as the narrator, and for once the narration on a sitcom actually adds something instead of just feeling like an easy way to spoon-feed story beats.) All of this adds to Fresh Off the Boat feeling like a show that has a true purpose, and it's path to getting there is one filled with some exceptionally funny material and surprising emotional truth.

Conclusion:

No matter how messy the path to getting on the air may have been for this show, the final product of Fresh Off the Boat is a genuinely funny and interesting show that's worth your time. There's so much that's already working so well here, and if it's given time to find itself even further, I could easily see this rising to become one of the best comedies on TV. It has a lot of laughs, a fresh voice, a purpose, and just the right amount of heart. There's really not much else you could ask for from a great comedy series. The best new comedy of the season.

Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):

Watchability: 4.5/5
Funniness: 4.5/5
Overall: 4.5/5

Discuss the show after you watch it on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015 at 8:30PM & 9:30PM ET/PT on our message board.

Related Links:

  • ABC.com Official Site
  • TV.com
  • epguides.com
  • Internet Movie Database
  • Wikipedia
  • Fresh Off the Boat Photo Gallery

    Preview:





  • ABC Family

    ABC Family started production last week on two new comedy pilots, Kevin From Work and Tough Cookie. Both pilots are single-camera and are shooting in Los Angeles. Kevin from Work is a half-hour workplace comedy about a young man unluckily in love who professes his love to a co-worker, thinking he'll never see her again after he accepts a job offer overseas. But then that job offer is rescinded, and now they have to continue to work with each other. The comedy stars Noah Reid (Backpackers) as Kevin, Paige Spara as Audrey, Matt Murray (Rookie Blue) as Brian, Jordan Hinson (Eureka) as Roxie, Punam Patel as Patti, with guest star Amy Sedaris (Strangers with Candy) as Julia. The pilot is written, created and executive-produced by Barbie Adler (How I Met Your Mother, My Name Is Earl and Arrested Development). Aaron Kaplan at Kapital Entertainment (Chasing Life, The Mysteries of Laura, The Neighbors and Terra Nova) and McG at Wonderland Sound & Vision (Charlie's Angels, The O.C., Supernatural, Chuck and Nikita) will serve as Executive Producers. McG will also direct the pilot.

    The half-hour comedy Tough Cookie is a fresh take on the friends-and-family convention. It's centered on a young mother who isn't ready to parent and her daughter who doesn't want to be parented. As everyone knows, it takes a village to raise a child, or rather a child to raise a village. The series stars Shoshana Bush (Awkward) as Lilla, Mallory James Mahoney as Eleanor, Frankie Shaw (Mixology) as Heidi, Arturo Del Puerto (The Lottery, Chicago P.D.) as Mickey, Rick Gonzalez (Rush, Coach Carter) as Seth and Jimmy Bellinger (Liv and Maddie, Geek Charming) as Tyler. The pilot is written and created by Lauren Iungerich (Awkward), who will also serve as executive producer and direct the pilot. David Janollari (Six Feet Under) is also executive producer. As of now both comedies are just pilot orders...we will let you know if and when they are ordered to series. So stay tuned!


    Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

    Wednesday, May 28

    Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "House of Tough Decisions" (BET, 9:00PM ET/PT)
    House of Payne is the hilarious comedy about Retired fire chief Curtis Payne and his lovely wife Ella.

    Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "Parental Woes" (BET, 9:30PM ET/PT)
    Tension escalates as tempers flare between Reginald and Brandon's rocky relationship; Leah's disconnect with Sandra leaves her terribly confused.

    The Ms. Pat Show - "Pick Up Your Feelings" (BET, 10:30PM ET/PT)
    The family arrives in Atlanta to find Pat's cousin and former partner in crime, Tanya, has been released from prison, which leads to a difficult walk down memory lane.

    Complete TV Listings


    Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 26)

    Wednesday, May 28

    • Ryan Reynolds (Two Guys and a Girl) - Watch Ryan on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
    • Tiffany Haddish (The Last O.G./The Carmichael Show) - Tiffany is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
    • Leslie Bibb (Palm Royale/God's Favorite Idiot/American Housewife/The Odd Couple/About a Boy) - Leslie appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
    • Esther Povitsky (Dollface/Alone Together) and Arden Myrin (Working/Still the King) - Esther and Arden are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
    • Joe Mande (Hacks/Parks and Recreation) and Fred Armisen (Los Espookys/Forever/Final Space) - Joe and Fred are guests on Everybody's Live with John Mulaney at 10pm on Netflix.
    • Felicity Huffman (Sports Night) - Felicity talks about The 13th Wife: Escaping Polygamy on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
    • Julianne Moore (Sirens) - Julianne chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
    • Sarah Silverman (The Sarah Silverman Program) - Sarah talks about her special Sarah Silverman: PostMortem on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
    • Ashley Tisdale (Carol's Second Act/Merry Happy Whatever/Clipped/The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) - Ashley stops by the studio to talk Disney's Phineas and Ferb on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings. She also chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
    • Ming-Na Wen (The Single Guy) - NBC's Today catches up with Ming-Na in the 9am hour.
    • Ralph Macchio (Eight Is Enough) - Ralph talks about ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
    • Demi Lovato (Sonny with a Chance) - Drew is having a candid conversation with Demi about how growing up in the spotlight inspired her new documentary Child Star on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
    • Jenny McCarthy (Two and a Half Men/Jenny) - Jenny talks about Fox's The Masked Singer on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
    • Carrie Preston (Crowded/Happyish/Emeril) and Wendell Pierce (The Odd Couple/The Michael J. Fox Show/The Weber/The Brian Benben Show/The Gregory Hines Show) - Carrie and Wendell talk about CBS' Elsbeth on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


    New on DVD and Blu-ray

    The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

    01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
    02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
    03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
    04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
    05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
    06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
    06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
    07/08 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

    More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


    Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

    05/27 - Antenna TV Summer 2025 Schedule; Rewind TV Summer 2025 Schedule
    05/26 - Memorial Day 2025 TV Sitcom Marathons
    05/25 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 26, 2025)
    05/24 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Zach Braff Joins Scrubs Reboot; 7th Heaven Reboot in the Works
    05/23 - Discovery Channel's Shark Week with Tom Bergeron; Apple TV+ Season 2 of Hit Series
    05/22 - TV Legend Henry Winkler's New HISTORY Series; The CW Renews Family Law
    05/21 - Remembering George Wendt of Cheers; Platonic Season 2 First Look
    05/20 - The CW Renews Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble; Mike Birbiglia: The Good Life on Netflix May 26
    05/19 - North to Shore Festival Returns This June in NJ; S.W.A.T. Sets Spinoff Series
    05/18 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 19, 2025)
    05/17 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Netflix Picks Up New Dan Levy Comedy; First Look at King of the Hill Reboot Artwork
    05/16 - Michael J. Fox to Guest Star on Shrinking; The CW Picks Up Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent
    05/15 - 2025 Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront; 2025 Netflix Upfront
    05/14 - Chad Powers Premieres September 30 on Hulu; Upfront Premiere Dates for FX on Hulu
    05/13 - ABC Upfront 2025-26: Fall 2025 Schedule; Ted: The Animated Series Coming to Peacock
    05/12 - NBC Upfront 2025-26: Fall 2025 Schedule; Fox Upfront 2025-26: Fall 2025 Schedule
    05/11 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 12, 2025)
    05/10 - SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Cancels Night Court and Lopez vs. Lopez; ABC Renews Duo of Game Shows
    05/09 - Peacock Orders Dig from Amy Poehler; Apple TV+ Comedy Stick Premieres June 4; Remembering Ruth Buzzi
    05/08 - CBS 2025-26 Schedule; Animal Control and Going Dutch Renewed by Fox
    05/07 - Netflix's A Man on the Inside Bulks Up Cast for Season 2; The Studio Renewed by Apple TV+
    05/06 - Netflix's Long Story Short Announces Cast; NBC Renews All Chicago Series for 2025-26
    05/05 - Antenna TV's The Partridge Family Mother's Day Marathon; Rewind TV's 227 40th Anniversary Marathon
    05/04 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 5, 2025)
    05/03 - SitcomsOnline Digest: CBS Cancels The Equalizer; Wisteria Lane Offshoot of Desperate Housewives in the Works
    05/02 - USA and SYFY Announce Summer Premieres; CBC in Canada Renews 5 Series, Including Wild Cards
    05/01 - ABC Summer 2025 Schedule; Audible Scripted Comedy Podcasts for Summer
    04/30 - The Carol Burnett Show Mother of All Marathons; Netflix Renews North of North
    04/29 - Lifetime Adds New Ripped from the Headlines Movie; BET+ Orders Season 2 of Series
    04/28 - Fox Summer 2025 Schedule; Final Guest Hosts for Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Season
    04/27 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 28, 2025)