Fresh Off The Boat - Home Sweet Home-School - Review: "The Best Comedy of the Season!"

Review: Click Here for Episode 1

The second episode of Fresh of the Boat doesn't lose steam, the show continues to excel with funny and touching moments as well as giving you a new use for the household onion.

Jessica is now singing at Cattleman's Ranch which has been open for a "month" but is still "losing money" but Louis thinks Jessica's voice can "help with business". I love how Jessica is watching Mitch as he "dissolves the croton", she continues to shine in this second episode.

So Eddie waits for his report card to be delivered by the mailman in order to doctor his results as in the past his results weren't great however this time they were and his two brothers were more than excited to show of their hard work to their mom. I was just as confused as Jessica to see all the stickers used as 'grades' on the younger brothers report cards but then again I remember those coveted 'gold stars'. "Our school doesn't give out grades it fosters unhealthy competition"

Eddie gives his mom the report card of straight A's, which is his hard earned grades due to having no "no friends" and "no distractions". Being the caring mother Jessica is she visits the principal to ask for more 'school' for Eddie as she believes it's too easy as a result of seeing his report card. Since the school is unable to provide this she seeks out a CLC, "Chinese Learning Centre".

In order to save money, Jessica becomes a little thrifty and denies a customer who bought a salad a napkin even though she had mayonnaise on her face. My dad can be thrity like that on occasion and the customers helpless face was too funny.

Since the school didn't have a CLC (Chinese Learning Centre) and Louis was realising that both the customers and employees weren't fans of Jessica's hatched a plan. Louis suggests Jessica should teach the boys, she is very "smart" after all, the old boost your confidence and subtly get rid of you trick.

Whilst Jessica stays at home teaching the kids Louis is having a fun time at the restaurant. Eddie senses something's off when his dad says he loves his family and then bolts of to work, "Love you? My dad never said that, my family loved each other we just didn't say it. We showed our love through criticism and micromanagement, so if you said love you, you were probably hiding something". Eddie follows his dad to work and finds out he was right. So Eddie decides to investigate and then inform his mom on his fathers lies. Your father is making "sacrifices for your education" is a line that is a constant in my family.

Jessica and the boys arrive at the 'fun' Cattlemans' Ranch and uses the changes as a learning opportunity. "If Mitch steals two crotons per hour from a three pound box that costs five dollars, how many days till were on the street", who knew math could sound fun. Regardless of Jessica's harsh ways she's only "looking out for her family", which reminds me a lot of my mother. This line and scene right here was a standout, only Constance Wu could make math funny and props to the writers for the ingenious one liners they write for Jessica, they are on point.

Louis naive nature, "You think people are inherently good but they are not", which bares truth as she ends up pinpointing a couple of dine and dashers. However Louis "showering of kindness" is immediately taken advantage of which isn't uncommon in our society today which is why you have to have a firm hand with some people. Jessica in this moment reminded me of my younger sister as she is a no nonsense type of person, which speaks volume for the show as every single character on this show is an accurate depiction of multicultural families today!

Jessica sets of to track down those boys who dined and dashed and by chance happens to hit 2 of them with her car or if you would, they "hit her car with their bodies". Whilst the other guy runs off, Jessica grabs an onion and like a boss strikes him down. Scene of the Week right there. Who'd a thought onions could be weapons but then again Tangled turned Frying Pans into the best weapons for Rapunzel. "Emery go get that onion, I'm going to cook diner with it tonight".

"My husband is a good man, he believes in the good of people, I don't but all his employees respect and admire him which makes you start to wonder.."
"My body feels cold" says one of he guys hit by the car, "It's shutting down" replies Jessica, this line is perfection. "My point is, I don't want my husband to lose his faith in people", Jessica is awesome, she is a wonderful mother and wife. She even got the guys to apologize and pay for the check. It's nice to see there a still people who believe in the good of others.

As we close to the end of the episode, Louis speaks to Eddie, "Well you know, most moms don't care enough about their kids to tutor them for 2 hours", "It was 3 hours". Louis reassures Eddies that all this hard work and pushing is "because she cares", something he may truly only realise when he grows up, gets a good job and is able to live a comfortable life otherwise he might end up "homeless". I think this is an important message as too often asian parents are portrayed as strict and cruel (not everyone is like this) but this isn't the only side to them, everyone is multidimensional and maybe there is a reason for the constant study because maybe all parents have their children's best interests at heart.

I didn't think animal stickers could turn into something as confusing as what Evan and Emery's teacher was explaining to Jessica, that woman was crazy and I love how Jessica spoke in Chinese (Taiwainese) and said she was crazy, the icing on the cake right there!
So I award you all a participatory virtual rainbow sticker for reading my review, please leave a comment below and tune into ABC next Tuesday on its regular day and time of 8|7c for new episode.

If you love Jessica after only the first 2 episodes, next week you are in for a treat, you will love her even more!

Best Quotes:
"Just one sprig of parsley please, it is a garnish not a salad".

"Look at that guy shaking away at our profits like he's a pepper monster"

"You love me? What are you hiding?"

"Two clouds, that seems bad"
"No, clouds are good"
"Clouds are rain what are you a farmer?"

"First an employee pops a croton, next thing you know there wheeling ovens out of the kitchen"

About the Author - Nirat Anop

Nirat watches a lot of TV Shows, some of his favorites are The 100, Orphan Black, Once Upon a Time, Outlander, Teen Wolf, Game of Thrones, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., The 100, Arrow, The Flash, Sherlock, Doctor Who and The Legend of Korra He's a University Student. He will be reviewing Fresh of the Boat this season. Feel free to follow him on Twitter, Tumblr or Google+

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