In Fresh Off the Boat “How to be an American” Jessica finally gets naturalized, the three boys plan a Ferris Bueller day off and Louis learns a lot about Jessica he never knew. Most importantly he learns why she made him ask for her hand in marriage five times.
At the start of the episode Louis has to take Jessica down to the office of immigration for an interview in order to get her papers in order. Once there, the two take a trip down memory lane. Which includes the way they first met after getting food poisoning from the octopus they both ate at the same restaurant.
Doug, the interviewer, reveals that, among other things, Jessica’s first job was as a teacher and that she has a criminal record. She reveals that her student visa was about to expire so she applied to be a teacher. Louis is shocked to learn his wife worked in a profession she hates.
After a long process of revelations from Jessica, she finally gets the approval she needs to become a citizen. Along the way, Louis learns that his wife did indeed fall in love with him “at first sight.”
Meanwhile, Eddie has talked Evan and Emery into taking the mini-van out for a spin. Evan tells his brothers that AAA gives its members 5 percent off entry fees and the boys run in the house to get their suits. When they return the empty van has rolled into the street and they are locked out.
AAA comes to open the van for them and the technician tells the three to set the van back the way is was before. Grandma Huang has caught the boys trying to take the van without permission and blackmailed them into helping her organize her perfumes.
Fresh Off the Boat continues to showcase its performers and allows them to make the most of the comedy on offer. Constance Wu is still the obvious hero of this show, her “audition” to Doug’s “brother” for a special ability visa was hysterically funny.
Randall Park’s reactions to the secrets revealed by Doug (played perfectly by Zachary Knighton) were spot on and once more we can see just why Park and Wu are one of the best double acts on television.
The three Huang children were all brilliant in this episode. Hudson Yang continues to make Eddie a rap-star wannabe who wants the world to belief his first words were “thug’s life.” Lee Chen and his high pitched screams were laugh out loud funny and Forrest Wheeler plays his middle child with effortless aplomb. These three are beyond perfect together.
Lucille Soong is still making Grandma Huang a comedic force to be reckoned with and the writers continue to make her a fascinating character who is slowly becoming one of the best things about the show.
Park and Wu have the perfect chemistry to make them a match made in heaven. Jessica with her determination to appear unromantic and Louis who is romantic enough for the both of them are just brilliant in this episode.
When Jessica takes her oath, all shining eyes and huge smile, the Huang family watch from the back of the room, it is a real tearful moment.
Fresh Off the Boat is in its third season and shows no sign of losing its comic touch. The series airs Tuesdays on ABC. Do not miss this one as comedy shows just don’t get much better than this.
Cast:
- Randall Park – Louis Huang
- Constance Wu – Jessica Huang
- Hudson Yang – Eddie Huang
- Forrest Wheeler – Emery Huang
- Ian Chen – Evan Huang
- Lucille Soong – Grandma Huang
- Ray Wise – Marvin
- Chelsey Crisp – Honey
- Paul Scheer – Mitch
Guest starring Zachary Knighton as Doug
