Commencement was everything I wanted from the series finale of Fresh off the Boat. Heart-warming and it bowed out with the understated grace that represented most of its run.
It was more nuanced in its look at the past, not glorifying or rhapsodizing over the simpler times but finding honest stories and sharp critiques of a time period that feels like far more than a few decades ago.
Fresh Off the Boat is a watershed moment for representation and inclusive storytelling. This sparked a movement that still manages to strive ahead, as we see more Asian American faces and other representations of marginalized voices on TV and film.
Joining the ranks of other great family sitcoms in the like of The Cosby Show, The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, Family Ties, Roseanne and yes...Modern Family which also end this year! Fresh off the Boat is the best family sitcom after Modern Family to air this decade because its stories are genuine and heartfelt, something which other family sitcoms have either managed to do but have hit rock bottom (e.g. Black-ish) OR they are shows which are derivative of PAST network sitcoms (e.g. The Goldbergs, Speechless). But most of all, it was groundbreaking in terms of representation and that is what sets it apart, apart from being just a really funny sitcom!