ABC’s Fresh Off the Boat truly gets the Asian American experience

After scrolling through my newsfeed and reading countless articles raving about the new ABC series Fresh Off the Boat, I felt it was my social obligation as an Asian American to check it out myself. But I’m ashamed to admit, it wasn’t at the top of my priorities, or even at the top of my TV show priorities. To be truthful, it was only after my roommate likened me to the chubby, preteen protagonist with a love for gangsta rap that I felt I had to watch it.

I consumed the show in a state of giddiness and suspense. I’ve watched hundreds and hundreds of movies, thousands of TV show episodes, but never had I seen my personal, racial experiences shown on screen like that. The dimly lit, chaotic Chinese food markets and the mother taking all of the free tortilla chip samples — that was my life on the screen. During the course of my childhood, words could not describe the excitement that my sister and I felt for Costco samples. Reason could not justify why my mom would get mad at me for not taking a sample if it was food I didn’t like. If it’s free food, you take it. And it’s a sentiment that’s clearly shared by other Asian-American parents.

Though this is a significant breakthrough in the TV industry, Fresh Off the Boat only marks the beginning of an era in which Asian Americans will have an increasingly resonant voice on screen; and as with all beginnings, it can often be rough and shaky. The show is only two episodes deep, but I can already gauge the caricature-like tone of the show. The blatant distinction of “you white people” and “us Asians” definitely exists, but its portrayal in the show is exaggerated and lacks nuance. Of course, this is the style of the show, and it should be taken for its value as a milestone — the long-awaited platform for Asian-Americans to vocalize and share their experiences to the American audience.

Mona Xia is a sophomore majoring in critical studies. Her column, “Footnotes,” runs Thursdays.