Fresh Off the Boat: Phillip Goldstein

March 14, 2015 6:58 AM - Season 1, Episode 8

There's a new Chinese kid at Eddie's school, and everyone is sure they'll be best friends. Despite their differences, Eddie and Phillip Goldstein find common ground.

Songs in this episode:
Beastie Boys - Root Down (from the album Ill Communication, released May 23, 1994)
Beastie Boys - Egg Man (from the album Paul's Boutique, released July 25, 1989)

posted by filthy light thief (5 comments total)

B-story: Louis is looking to replace Mitch after he went to work for Golden Saddle, and thinks he hit the jackpot with Wyatt

Well, startin' in '89, I spent two years on a cattle ranch in big sky country, gettin' to know every part of these delicious creatures. After that, I did a four-year stint maître d-in' at spay-go.

He even comes in wearing proper western garb, and has his own rope for lasso tricks! But then he starts suggesting changes to the way the restaurant is run, and Louis realizes this isn't going to work.
posted by filthy light thief at 7:04 AM on March 14, 2015

Great casting -- Albert Tsai was wonderful in "Trophy Wife" last year, as was Parker Young in "Enlisted". (Trophy Wife was a real gem of an ensemble comedy, really happy to see Tsai getting work. I'm curious to see what his trajectory will be if he keeps acting once he's out of child-actor age. Is he going to be stuck in the chubby-nerd-friend comic relief category? Or will he get Neville Longbottomed by puberty, and get onto the John Cho track?)
posted by oh yeah! at 7:28 AM on March 14, 2015 [1 favorite]

Heh, the "second Chinese kid" rang really true on a number of levels. Glad they wrote him as a total dink.

I once knew a kid who's dad was Jewish and mom was Chinese - both medical doctors - and he wasn't allowed to not succeed. Violin and piano up to the highest RCM levels by the time he was 13 or 14. Celebrated as a Chinese caligraphy prodigy. I heard from mutual acquaintances years afterward that he ended up being a rather lost soul in undergrad, but ended up with an MBA and got, essentially, a sinecure job in Hong Kong through family contacts.
posted by porpoise at 9:11 AM on March 14, 2015

I don't really get his motivation for firing the cowboy. Was it just sensitivity to the plight of Mitch? It seems out of character. It only worked because Jessica wasn't as engaged this episode and didn't see what a dumb thing (business-wise) that he was doing.
posted by tofu_crouton at 6:34 AM on March 18, 2015

Yeah that definitely felt off; the cowboy was great for business.

I guess the firing was a reference for Louis feeling ... inadequate? Jealous that one of his employees was really popular with everyone? He prefers feeling superior to Mitch in a "look, I'm more competent than this Caucasian?"
posted by porpoise at 11:56 AM on March 18, 2015