S01.E08: Phillip Goldstein

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Eddie tries to befriend the only other Chinese kid in school, but he's in for a letdown after he finds out that they have nothing in common; Louis feels betrayed when Mitch accepts a job at the rival Golden Saddle.

[pookat]

I am so stoked to see Albert Tsai guest star next week. I loved him as Bert on the dearly departed Trophy Wife. I can hope that he'll bring some of this to FOTB:

http://abc.go.com/shows/trophy-wife/video/PL55301877/VDKA0_nbhzxpgj

[biakbiak]

I was just going to come and post that! I love Albert so very, very much and he is in at least a two eps of this show. Plus, even though I realize it's not I am going to take his name as a shoutout to Trophy Wife and Bert using Yidddish.

[barbedwire]

Me three!  Albert was soooooooooooooooo good as Bert.  Glad to see him back in action.  Looking forward to this episode.

[Ms Blue Jay]

Count me in.  Bert was just the CuuuuuuuUUUUUUUtest on Trophy Wife.   Evan is cuter, but still.

 

The father laughing jovially and blithely saying he didn't want to know about the 2 boys scheming is so, so, so my father.  

I love this show so much.  After every episode, I have a huge grin on my face and I'm thinking, "I'm never deleting this......."  

 

I'm a huge nerd.

Edited March 11, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[peeayebee]

I didn't know Albert Tsai was going to be on the show. Or maybe I heard about it way back, but I didn't know he was on tonight's ep. It was nice seeing him again, as well as Parker Young from too-soon-cancelled Enlisted. He was also just about the best thing in Suburgatory.

 

However, I wasn't really into this ep. I don't know why. 

 

The one thing I did like was Eddie finally making friends with the black kid. I think it was clearly being set up, what with him always being alone and Eddie ignoring him.

[memememe76]

This was easily my favourite episode. I totally get being grouped with another kid because they were Asian too. Also, a great relationship builder for the mom and son. 

 

The actor who played the cowboy was on Suburgatory. He's quite funny and good looking--I hope he's getting better work than this guest spot. 

[DB in CMH]

Wow. Has a network TV show ever so subtly yet effectively addressed multiple issues of race in just one half hour? I need to re watch that and write an article about it!

[Ms Blue Jay]

I have a few friends who were the only 1 of 2 people of their race in their entire high school.  It means that most of the students saw the 2 minority students as interchangeable and called them by each others' names.  Honestly it sounds awful and those people always have my sympathy.  I think it's too sad to even address on a sitcom, so this episode did a good job.  

Edited March 11, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[pookat]

I totally get being grouped with another kid because they were Asian too.

This show is so authentic. Much like the lunch scene in the pilot, I have lived this experience. The ethnic pairing was usually facilitated by well meaning, but slightly clueless (usually white) adults on MULTIPLE occassions. Sometimes, there wasn't even any subtlety. At least the principal tried to avoid making the obvious comparison. Then again, my experiences were from the 80's, so less cultural awareness.

I also noticed this phenomenon when students were asked to pair off boy-girl for the dancing unit during PE. Non-white students were expected to pair up with each other because there were usually only a couple of us and apparently intermingling for reasons other than same gender friendships was not done. I noticed this consistently from first grade through sixth. I never enjoyed those "mandatory" dancing units for other reasons, but thinking back now, it just makes me sad that even kids absorb same vs. not the same messages so early, especially when friendships didn't seem to have those same boundaries in my experience. I was literally in my last year of middle school the first time I saw that tradition break.

It was nice seeing [Albert Tsai] again, as well as Parker Young from too-soon-cancelled Enlisted. He was also just about the best thing in Suburgatory.

The one thing I did like was Eddie finally making friends with the black kid. I think it was clearly being set up, what with him always being alone and Eddie ignoring him.

I knew Parker Young looked familiar, but I couldn't place him. Thank you, PAB. I miss Enlisted!

I am, however, glad that Mitch didn't leave for real. I love Paul Scheer. I haven't mentioned him thus far because there has been so much else to comment on and celebrate about this show, but he is adorable in the most awkwardly hilarious way and I love his relationship with Eddie's dad. Also, great acting on his part during the CLC episode when the very mention of Jessica sent him into a panic. Just don't eat the croutons, dude!

I also hoped that the show would build up to a friendship between Eddie and Walter. Probably more meaningful this way, having found common ground after an initial dislike of each other and coming together on their own terms rather than just by default of being the only minority kids in the school.

Edited March 11, 2015 by pookat

[Ms Blue Jay]

I have made so many friends by simply being a fellow minority though!   A lot of times it is in reaction to such strange scenarios as portrayed on this show's school.

 

Your experiences are so interesting, and quite shocking honestly.  It probably explains why you prefer more 'organic' reasons for building friendships!

Edited March 14, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[Rae Spellman]

 

The ethnic pairing was usually facilitated by well meaning, but slightly clueless (usually white) adults on MULTIPLE occasions. Sometimes, there wasn't even any subtlety. At least the principal tried to avoid making the obvious comparison. Then again, my experiences were from the 80's, so less cultural awareness.

 

This was a supposedly research supported practice in the SF Bay Area school district where I taught. It was still happening when I left the profession two years ago.  I can remember one case where two Indian boys who disliked each other were placed in the same class year after year so that they wouldn't be "alone."

[Constantinople]

Does this mean the Pacific Rim Club at Abraham Lincoln Middle School is now defunct?

 

This was probably Eddie's best episode, but I was only so-so about it because Evan & Emery were Barely There Bears.

 

I also thought the parallel between Eddie/Louis and Phillip/Wyatt was a little much, but I was amused that Louis wanted Jessica to fire Wyatt because she's so much better at being confrontational.

 

At least the school principal now has a photo to show his ex/estranged wife how tolerant he is

 

I was a little uneasy about Phillip's portrayal given that he was the first Jewish character in the show.  Perhaps because they made him so sneaky and manipulative, and someone who was more interested in following the letter than the spirit of Shabbat.

 

I also didn't understand why there wasn't a Sunday matinee for Les Mis.  Perhaps Saturday was the last day, but I thought plays/musicals usually played the entire weekend and usually had a Sunday matinee.

[DrSparkles]

The actor who played the cowboy was on Suburgatory. He's quite funny and good looking--I hope he's getting better work than this guest spot. 

I spent several minutes on google & IMDB trying to figure out who was playing Wyatt. Who was he on Suburgatory?

[Raja]

Emery "you just made a powerful enemy"

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I spent several minutes on google & IMDB trying to figure out who was playing Wyatt. Who was he on Suburgatory?

He played Ryan Shay, Tessa's football player boyfriend and Lisa's brother.

I also didn't understand why there wasn't a Sunday matinee for Les Mis. Perhaps Saturday was the last day, but I thought plays/musicals usually played the entire weekend and usually had a Sunday matinee.

Maybe the Saturday matinee had a better cast? Ha, it's funny to think that now you can just go online to see who will play the matinee vs evening shows but that wasn't really an option in 1995. I guess you could call the theater to ask!

How could Eddie resist Mr. Hedgehog? That's cold!

Edited March 11, 2015 by ElectricBoogaloo

[fishcakes]

Astronaut pen! I had one of those. It wrote upside down.

 

I loved Louis trying to fire Evan and Emery. "You're too cute to fire." Evan makes mean face. "Now you're even cuter!"

[Ms Blue Jay]

The Astronaut Pen was the basis of an entire Seinfeld episode back in 1991!

 

I only know about them from that one episode, I didn't realize it was a widespread trend :)

Edited March 11, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[Rockstar99435]

I loved Louis trying to fire Evan and Emery. "You're too cute to fire." Evan makes mean face. "Now you're even cuter!"

 

I wouldn't be able to fire him either. That kid is adorable. I loved how Louis was trying to get everyone else to fire Wyatt. 

 

Jessica is always my favorite and this episode is no different. It's great how even though she pushes Eddie to be better, she always has his back. She stood up for him with the principal when the one kid called him a racial slur and she stood up for him with the new kid. And I adored her bored and miserable expression at the Beastie Boys concert. It was so great that even though she didn't like the group or the music, she wasn't going to let Eddie miss out just because he did the right thing and went looking for the new kid.

[barbedwire]

I also thought it was great how at the end of this episode mom had Eddie's back.  

[DrSparkles]

He played Ryan Shay, Tessa's football player boyfriend and Lisa's brother.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, thank you so much!!!

[Camera One]

I didn't find this one as funny, though the message at the end with Eddy and the Mom was nice.  The not-firing of the Cowboy dragged on too long.  I'm not sure why Jessica would let him re-hire that incompetent.  They could always hire the Cowboy as weekly entertainment to draw in the crowds.  

 

Now he's bringing Stinky Tofu to school as lunch?  Enough already...

Edited March 11, 2015 by Camera One

[Unraveled]

I honestly did recognize the actors who played Wyatt and Phillip even though I have seen both shows. Phillip seemed shorter and smaller here. Did the actor lose weight?

 

I love the gag with the breakfast in bed: pop tarts, bananas, cereal, and the last one was a dozen raw eggs and a package of bacon.

 

There was only one other Asian kid in my classes in high school (and probably another 5 total in the entire school including my younger brother). We avoided each other like the plague.

 

I also didn't understand why there wasn't a Sunday matinee for Les Mis.  Perhaps Saturday was the last day, but I thought plays/musicals usually played the entire weekend and usually had a Sunday matinee.

Well it wasn't Broadway in NYC. Either it was a touring or a local production. They have different rules, and I doubt all places do the standard 8 shows a week.

[theatremouse]

I was a little uneasy about Phillip's portrayal given that he was the first Jewish character in the show.  Perhaps because they made him so sneaky and manipulative, and someone who was more interested in following the letter than the spirit of Shabbat.

My kneejerk at first was the same thing, but the more it went on, the more it really read as much "smart obnoxious 11 year old who seems too perfect to adults" as it did potentially sketchy portrayal of Jews.

It actually made me a little more uneasy that they kept consistently referring to Phillip as a "Chinese kid" rather than Jewish kid. I mean, not that he needs to completely shed his identity as Chinese person since he seemed to be well aware of where he was adopted from. But he seemed to more self identify as a devout Jew. I mean, I get that with the principal it was intended to shed light on his racism, but other characters used that phrase as well and still rubbed me the wrong way. Which I guess it was supposed to.

[Raja]

My kneejerk at first was the same thing, but the more it went on, the more it really read as much "smart obnoxious 11 year old who seems too perfect to adults" as it did potentially sketchy portrayal of Jews.

It actually made me a little more uneasy that they kept consistently referring to Phillip as a "Chinese kid" rather than Jewish kid. I mean, not that he needs to completely shed his identity as Chinese person since he seemed to be well aware of where he was adopted from. But he seemed to more self identify as a devout Jew. I mean, I get that with the principal it was intended to shed light on his racism, but other characters used that phrase as well and still rubbed me the wrong way. Which I guess it was supposed to.

Well it is America where race is the first social identifier among the people. if it were Northern Ireland, Palestine or the Balkans then religion would be how we first describe each other.

[tennisgurl]

Who wouldn't vote for Mr. Hedgehog? Hes so cute, he has to be legit! 

 

Parker Young! And Bert from Trophy Wife! This episode was like a visit from the Ghosts of Good Sitcoms Past. 

[Dagny]

It actually made me a little more uneasy that they kept consistently referring to Phillip as a "Chinese kid" rather than Jewish kid.

 

I'd think in the school, that would be the first thing they would focus on. For the mom, she'd rather claim he was perfect because he was Chinese. Notice how she mentioned he wasn't a good Chinese boy when he ditched Eddie.

[arc]

Philip wasn't just selfish but also strategically dumb. Blowing off Eddie's concert may have maximized his happiness that one day, but keeping on Eddie's good side could have meant having a useful non-Jew friend around for future Sabbath excursions.

(Would such an observant person really take a car ride to Les Mis, though? I think it's next to impossible it was walking distance...)

What little we got of Evan and Emery was great.

I think the Mitch/Louis plot was pretty weak.

Finally, it's 1995. No mention of crossover hit Will Smith? He was on a hit show and his albums were popular at the time and even parent approved.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

No mention of crossover hit Will Smith? He was on a hit show and his albums were popular at the time and even parent approved.

My guess is that Will Smith was too squeaky clean for Eddie's taste and the parental approval didn't help matters!

[SmithW6079]

I loved how Louis was trying to get everyone else to fire Wyatt.

 

I hated it. Man up, Louis, and manage your own restaurant. This, plus re-hiring an incompetent because you're intimidated that one of your employees is actually good at his job just reinforces that Louis is a bad businessman and poor manager. Plus, I'd much rather watch Parker Young than Paul Scheer.

 

Wyatt was wrong about the re-placement of the specials to the left side. Granted people read left to right, but if you open a magazine or a menu, your eye will see the right-hand side first. The specials should have stayed on the right.

[arc]

My guess is that Will Smith was too squeaky clean for Eddie's taste and the parental approval didn't help matters!

Fair points, it's more that rap is treated in this show like it's the late 80s rather than mid-90s.

 

I hated it. Man up, Louis, and manage your own restaurant. This, plus re-hiring an incompetent because you're intimidated that one of your employees is actually good at his job just reinforces that Louis is a bad businessman and poor manager. Plus, I'd much rather watch Parker Young than Paul Scheer.

 

Wyatt was wrong about the re-placement of the specials to the left side. Granted people read left to right, but if you open a magazine or a menu, your eye will see the right-hand side first. The specials should have stayed on the right.

Aw, I love Paul Scheer.  But yeah, Louis is crazy dumb to hire Mitch back when Wyatt was clearly good for the restaurant.

 

You're right about where the specials should be; since I don't think they ever dealt with it before, it would have been better if Louis put them on the left and Wyatt moved them to the right.

[PRgal]

On Will Smith:  It might have made sense in 1992, but 1995 was the final season of the show.  I'm not even sure I watched much of Fresh Prince by then.

[Camera One]

(Would such an observant person really take a car ride to Les Mis, though? I think it's next to impossible it was walking distance...)

 

He said he took the bus home, I think.

[arc]

He said he took the bus home, I think.

I assumed Jessica drove the boys to Les Mis.

 

His bus ride home would still have been prohibited, but like purchasing the T-shirt, it also occurred after sundown so both were fine.

[Camera One]

I assumed Jessica drove the boys to Les Mis.

 

His bus ride home would still have been prohibited, but like purchasing the T-shirt, it also occurred after sundown so both were fine.

 

Yeah, she did.  I wonder if he already planned on doing this all along? 

[arc]

I'd take him at face value on it.  He was left alone by Eddie in line, he noticed it was after sundown, so he decided he might as well pay for the shirt himself and ditch Eddie. Crime of opportunity. Given his complete lack of shame about it, I feel like he would have confessed to planning it ahead of time if he had.

[Ottis]

I hated it. Man up, Louis, and manage your own restaurant.

 

 

This was the first episode of this show I have watched, and I really didn't get Louis. He is a crappy restaurant manager, and I'm not sure why he has such a themed restaurant (one that seems to doom it to failure). His poor work ethic doesn't seem to go with the rest of the show, which exploits stereotypes and the way people interact because of them.

 

Much of the "pairing minorities with minorities" humor escapes me. Yeah, (usually) well-meaning white adults did that. No, it doesn't always work out. And so ... what?

 

I'll try again because the commercials were funny, but I'm not sure I like it.

Edited March 13, 2015 by Ottis

[Perfect Xero]

Am I misremembering or did Walter not say that he didn't like rap in the first episode along with his best friend being 40?

[Kromm]

I did think the scene with the principal and Eddie catching him out on the new kid being Chinese was genius.  Great comic beats on that scene.

 

Speaking of great comic beats, Jessica continues to be the funniest thing on this show (as well as the most MILFy).

[Ms Blue Jay]

Much of the "pairing minorities with minorities" humor escapes me. Yeah, (usually) well-meaning white adults did that. No, it doesn't always work out. And so ... what?

 

Are you being serious?  The story is about people not wanting to be treated like interchangeable personality-less Raced Robots who should only march around with others who look like them and not bother interacting with others.  People want to be seen and treated as humans in their own right.  Not as collector's items based on skin colour.

Edited March 14, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[Zalyn]

This was the first episode of this show I have watched, and I really didn't get Louis. He is a crappy restaurant manager, and I'm not sure why he has such a themed restaurant (one that seems to doom it to failure). His poor work ethic doesn't seem to go with the rest of the show, which exploits stereotypes and the way people interact because of them.

 

Much of the "pairing minorities with minorities" humor escapes me. Yeah, (usually) well-meaning white adults did that. No, it doesn't always work out. And so ... what?

 

I'll try again because the commercials were funny, but I'm not sure I like it.

Welcome to the show!  I'd recommend starting with the first eps as a way to get to know the characters and context better.  I do agree, however, that Louis seemed a little OOC this ep.  Maybe it's to show that we all have our weak spots where we'll indulge selfishness or feelings of inadequacy rather than do what is objectively better? 

 

I was totally expecting to see Jessica lampshade some version of "Oh, it's so nice to see you have a Chinese friend!" since I got asked several times by my parents why I didn't ever bring an Asian friend home.  The "Chinese boy adopted by Jewish parents" was a great provocative twist to think through though. 

Edited March 21, 2015 by Zalyn

[theatremouse]

Well it is America where race is the first social identifier among the people. if it were Northern Ireland, Palestine or the Balkans then religion would be how we first describe each other.

Many Jews consider it not only a religion but an enthnicity, which, obviously, in the case of an adopted child wouldn't apply in the latter sense. Still that was sort of part of my point. To many Jews, it is a race.