Gravy
Bronze Squire
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The kid that plays Manny on MF is a horrible actor, imo. He's gotten slightly better over time, but I still don't care for him.
Fresh Off the Boat
- Thread starter Harfle
- Start date
Pretty funny. Accents are a little over the top though. Never met a Chinese American person that sounds that stereotypically Chinese American. Even recent immigrants aren't that bad. I personally like the grandma.
Hoss
Make America's Team Great Again
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Since it's called "Fresh off the boat", doesn't that mean they are recent immigrants? I'm guessing FOB only applies to mom and dad in this case. But your comment made it sound like you didn't catch that.
Anyway, the accents don't seem over the top to me. If anything they are understated because I can understand everything they're saying. I remember having a hell of time understanding chinese friends in school. Heck, I have a hell of a time understanding chinese colleagues I work with right now.
Anyway, the accents don't seem over the top to me. If anything they are understated because I can understand everything they're saying. I remember having a hell of time understanding chinese friends in school. Heck, I have a hell of a time understanding chinese colleagues I work with right now.
Actually just the female lead's accent. The husband's is more natural. I know she's doing it for comedic value, but it's a bit ridiculous at times. Basically like that sushi chef(Hanzo) in Kill Bill when he's speaking English. Nothing to do with comprehension. Doesn't take away too much really, just kinda annoying. For me anyway.
Lanx
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There is an accent coach for FOTB, the father was against it, the mother viewed it as part of acting. The mother also went to see the real mother to get to know/study her also.
Their accent is white washed, i mean it's made for an american tv show, so that's how it is.
I've spoken to hundreds of different asians, accents and all, the tv show to me is pretty bad, why? cuz it sounds like a bad white persons impression of an asian accent, but like chop suey, general tso and fortune cookies america's gotta have something familiar.
here's a clip from 2010 w/ his mom(real) stars at 2:00min, hear her talk, that's a real FOB accent
Lanx
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"eddie i could get by with only 2 sons, think about that"
and that's the only good part of this episode.
i really want to like this series, maybe thats my own issue.
Again it's all about the mom.
the brothers are worthless, and theres even an emphasis on the white kids... these have to be the worst budget child actors in history, omg, lunch time with these idiots makes the brothers tolerable.
and that's the only good part of this episode.
i really want to like this series, maybe thats my own issue.
Again it's all about the mom.
the brothers are worthless, and theres even an emphasis on the white kids... these have to be the worst budget child actors in history, omg, lunch time with these idiots makes the brothers tolerable.
Lanx
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Haven't watched this show, but I thought I'd weigh in considering I'm a 1st generation asian american married to another 1st gen asian american here (so our parents are FOBs).
The first time I saw the trailer, I immediately identified with the main kid: growing up in the 90s, wearing gold chains, baggy clothes, and listening to rap. I got kinda excited and showed the trailer to my wife and she was horrified and thought it was super offensive. Like, so offended that she doesn't want me giving them any ratings boost by watching it on Hulu without her in the room.
Skimming through this thread, it doesn't look like I'm missing much.
The first time I saw the trailer, I immediately identified with the main kid: growing up in the 90s, wearing gold chains, baggy clothes, and listening to rap. I got kinda excited and showed the trailer to my wife and she was horrified and thought it was super offensive. Like, so offended that she doesn't want me giving them any ratings boost by watching it on Hulu without her in the room.
Skimming through this thread, it doesn't look like I'm missing much.
Lanx
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I truthfully would like know what parts, the family, the school, the restaurant? the situations? or it's just funny in general?
we're the same and i can't stand 90% of it, and i'm sure i know more about the show than 99.99999% of everyone.
i've watched all of eddie's episodes on vice, i've seen a lot of his interviews, his TED, even seen his mom and brothers speak. (his younger brother is a waif, wtf) The podcast he and randal did with joe rogan... i even watched "the fucking interview" to see randall park.
My wife watched the first eps and just didn't care for it, and if it wasn't for the moms i'd given up a while ago.
I don't understand how this show gets 8.3
is there an ABC(americanbornchinese) or yellowfellow forum out there with an agenda to pump up the imdb ratings?
Void
Experiencer
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I'm not much of a deep thinker when watching a half-hour comedy show, but since you asked, I'll try to answer.
Obviously I find the mom to be completely awesome, but everyone seems to agree on that.
The dad is pretty solid in my mind too, although not to her level. I find him humorous and fun to watch, and perhaps it is The Interview that makes me like him more than I should, I can't say. I like him though. This last episode, for example, where he kept telling the exaggerated accounts of his father, was pretty decent for me.
I don't mind the main child actor, and my capacity (not to mention desire) to determine acting ability is obviously far below most other people's. It takes an exceptionally bad performance (Kristen Stewart in Twilight, for example) to make me even think about someone being a terrible actor. Otherwise I might just dislike the character more than anything. And I don't have a problem with the kid. He's a chubby little asian kid trying his hardest to be a stone-cold pimp in junior high (or whatever). And failing miserably. Like pretty much every kid that ever existed. Granted, I think the majority of the other school stuff is stupid as fuck, particularly this last episode. However, if it provides the impetus for the rest of the episode (getting money for Shaq-Fu, finding a porno tape), I can put up with a minute or two of it.
The two younger brothers don't bother me either, actually. Every once in awhile one of them makes me laugh. And the one with the constant girlfriends actually is a decent running joke for me at least.
Grandma is lame, but I get her purpose. Neighbors and restaurant employees and fellow students are all similar, where they need to be there so you aren't just seeing the family in a bubble. And sometimes they provide a good laugh, or a good place to bounce a joke off of. Most of the time they kind of suck, but like I said, you have to have them. If they were better it would be great, but they aren't ruining the show for me either.
Often I guess I would have to say that it is the mom, the dad, and the situations/stories that they sometimes find themselves in. Hell, the part where he was trying to get a hug from the hot neighbor was funny enough for me, even though that's nothing special.
Is it high quality entertainment? No. I'd rather watch Brooklyn 99, Archer, Broad City, Silicon Valley, Workaholics, You're the Worst, and probably a few others I'm forgetting. I wouldn't give it an 8.3 if that's what you are saying it has. But I don't feel like I wasted my time after watching it either. I'm easily amused though, so perhaps I'm just not discerning enough compared to everyone else.
Obviously I find the mom to be completely awesome, but everyone seems to agree on that.
The dad is pretty solid in my mind too, although not to her level. I find him humorous and fun to watch, and perhaps it is The Interview that makes me like him more than I should, I can't say. I like him though. This last episode, for example, where he kept telling the exaggerated accounts of his father, was pretty decent for me.
I don't mind the main child actor, and my capacity (not to mention desire) to determine acting ability is obviously far below most other people's. It takes an exceptionally bad performance (Kristen Stewart in Twilight, for example) to make me even think about someone being a terrible actor. Otherwise I might just dislike the character more than anything. And I don't have a problem with the kid. He's a chubby little asian kid trying his hardest to be a stone-cold pimp in junior high (or whatever). And failing miserably. Like pretty much every kid that ever existed. Granted, I think the majority of the other school stuff is stupid as fuck, particularly this last episode. However, if it provides the impetus for the rest of the episode (getting money for Shaq-Fu, finding a porno tape), I can put up with a minute or two of it.
The two younger brothers don't bother me either, actually. Every once in awhile one of them makes me laugh. And the one with the constant girlfriends actually is a decent running joke for me at least.
Grandma is lame, but I get her purpose. Neighbors and restaurant employees and fellow students are all similar, where they need to be there so you aren't just seeing the family in a bubble. And sometimes they provide a good laugh, or a good place to bounce a joke off of. Most of the time they kind of suck, but like I said, you have to have them. If they were better it would be great, but they aren't ruining the show for me either.
Often I guess I would have to say that it is the mom, the dad, and the situations/stories that they sometimes find themselves in. Hell, the part where he was trying to get a hug from the hot neighbor was funny enough for me, even though that's nothing special.
Is it high quality entertainment? No. I'd rather watch Brooklyn 99, Archer, Broad City, Silicon Valley, Workaholics, You're the Worst, and probably a few others I'm forgetting. I wouldn't give it an 8.3 if that's what you are saying it has. But I don't feel like I wasted my time after watching it either. I'm easily amused though, so perhaps I'm just not discerning enough compared to everyone else.
Anecdotal of course, but I have a few asian friends on FB definitely trying to rep this show up, I think mostly just for representations sake (Modern Family, Black-ish, etc, glad to see more asian faces on TV).
In the larger articles on NPR and NYT leading up to the show's release, I definitely saw both sides commenting: representation focused asians vs offended asians. I'd assume the representation camp is out in droves repping this show up.
I mean, I get it. More asian people on TV is a 'good thing'. But I wonder if this is the show we need.
In the larger articles on NPR and NYT leading up to the show's release, I definitely saw both sides commenting: representation focused asians vs offended asians. I'd assume the representation camp is out in droves repping this show up.
I mean, I get it. More asian people on TV is a 'good thing'. But I wonder if this is the show we need.
McCheese
SW: Sean, CW: Crone, GW: Wizardhawk
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Other than you not minding the main kid, you pretty much echoed how I feel about this show.
Is it grade A comedy? Of course not. But it's entertaining and I get at least a few chuckles out of each episode, which is the entire point of this kind of show to me. Honestly though, I think this forum population is too serious, negative, and critical of TV/movies. Judging by how most people here talk about them, it has always seemed to me that the vast majority of this community is unable to turn their minds off and just enjoy some silly, mediocre entertainment.
PatrickStar
Trakanon Raider
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This show slays me. I should also say that I am an immigrant Chinese from that grew up in the 80-90s. This shit hits home. I can laugh at it because I see so many truths and similarities.
I don't care about the "more Asians on TV thing". I just see a time portal into my childhood. To all the Asians that hate this show - you can laugh at yourself and our "race's" oddities without shame. It's ok. Get over it.
I don't care about the "more Asians on TV thing". I just see a time portal into my childhood. To all the Asians that hate this show - you can laugh at yourself and our "race's" oddities without shame. It's ok. Get over it.
Lanx
<Prior Amod>
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That's cool, i again have to self analyze myself and realize i've long since lost the ability to comment on this show just based on enjoyment, i want it to be better, but you just can't control it, just like how many ppl want obama to just pimp slap congress.
yea on imdb it's an 8.3
as a point of reference modern family is 8.6
and archer is 8.9
and while yes, ratings are meaningless, they do give some representation of how a medium is being viewed as, i couldn't ever give FOTB any higher than a 7, and that is b/c the mom is carrying the whole thing on her shoulders.
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I'm also in the "I don't put a high bar on 30 minute sitcoms" crowd. And most people here are nailing the review of it.
Mom is a damn riot.
Main kid is relatable, and carries his load.
I like Grandma more earlier when she was more crazy, now she's being the "voice of history" and not as funny IMHO.
Youngest brother makes me laugh, middle brother seems to be trying to be the Asian version of Manny from Modern Family.
It's one of a whole class of comedies which are "Trope/Nostalgia-coms". Goldbergs, This, Black-ish (modern era, but black stereotypes and nostalgic for the "old struggle"). Strangely one in this group that got cancelled (Surviving Frank) was actually, IMO the funniest of them. The one that hits closest to home for me is Goldbergs though as the main character is within 2 years of my age (i.e. we were almost the same age in the 80s).
File these shows like "popcorn films", don't think about it too much, and enjoy. It's not like there's so much great TV happening these days that mediocre shows have to get crowded out, right?
Mom is a damn riot.
Main kid is relatable, and carries his load.
I like Grandma more earlier when she was more crazy, now she's being the "voice of history" and not as funny IMHO.
Youngest brother makes me laugh, middle brother seems to be trying to be the Asian version of Manny from Modern Family.
It's one of a whole class of comedies which are "Trope/Nostalgia-coms". Goldbergs, This, Black-ish (modern era, but black stereotypes and nostalgic for the "old struggle"). Strangely one in this group that got cancelled (Surviving Frank) was actually, IMO the funniest of them. The one that hits closest to home for me is Goldbergs though as the main character is within 2 years of my age (i.e. we were almost the same age in the 80s).
File these shows like "popcorn films", don't think about it too much, and enjoy. It's not like there's so much great TV happening these days that mediocre shows have to get crowded out, right?
Hoss
Make America's Team Great Again
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Never even heard of surviving frank. That may be why it failed. Goldbergs is the one that hits closest to home for me too. I like FOB, but I'm expecting it to get better. The main kid actually kind of reminds me of a pakistani kid I went to school with.