Fresh Off the Boat featured the lives of an Asian American family as they moved from the country’s capital to Orlando, Florida, in the mid-1990s. It’s loosely based on the autobiography of renowned chef Eddie Huang, as he was only a boy when his family decided to make a sudden change in their lives. The TV show started off great, and as expected, its detractors were furious with the way some cultures were depicted. Its first seasons were very successful as the sitcom format seemed to fit perfectly with the show’s mocking depiction of ’90s culture.
However, years later, there wasn’t much happiness in the Huang household. Not because the series had lost its quirkiness, but because there was something else going on. Something that would come to light eventually and which the show’s star Constance Wu would be very vocal about. Sexual assault allegations were what finally made everything come to an end.
Then again, it seems it wasn’t only her. Supposedly people weren’t comfortable with some depictions in the show, and even Huang, the inspiration behind the show wasn’t very happy with how things turned out. This seems weird, as Season 1 was a great window into what the show became: a follow-up to the idea of cultures clashing together in a world that seems too good to be true. But it was Orlando in the mid-90s. How else could you depict it?
As we wait a couple of years until a rewatch is necessary, let’s take a look at the characters of Fresh Off the Boat and the people that portrayed them.
Louis Huang (Randall Park)
Comedian Randall Park plays Louis Huang with the authenticity the character needs. He’s a goofball that’s always at the service of his family and his own ideals which involve playing around with his boys and trying to satisfy his bossy wife. Louis is a great sitcom dad and one neighbor we all wish we had. No one but Park could have done this and made it all seem funny.
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