‘Fresh off the Boat’ Episode Review: “No Thanks-giving”

Fresh Off the Boat, Season 3, Episode 5: “No Thanks-giving”
Original airdate November 15, 2016.

Microsynopsis:  Claiming that the annual family get-together for Thanksgiving is a ridiculous amount of unpleasant work for a tradition that’s not hers, Jessica convinces the family that profiting from the holiday makes more sense, so Cattleman’s Ranch will open on Thanksgiving Day.  Eddie has an epiphany: as long as he’s set to graduate eighth grade, none of his grades really matter.  He announces that he will do no more homework until he’s in ninth grade, but Jessica fights back by taking away his bed, saying that beds are for boys who get good grades.  Evan and Emery, overhearing Jessica’s assertion that they (and not Eddie) might inherit the restaurant, take an interest in learning the business.

Good:  Eddie’s protest against school work is pretty funny, and he makes a strong case, soliciting testimony from Honey and Marvin in his support.  I like Eddie’s N.W.A. family tree, too.

Bad:  Jessica’s make-up speech with Louis near the end is beginning to feel a little formulaic for this show, and this one kind of comes out of nowhere.

FOB moment:  “Do you ever ask yourselves why?  Why do we put ourselves through this holiday nonsense?  Through all the headaches of visiting relatives?  Through all the squash?  All for a day that we have no cultural ties to?  Why do we do it?  Why?  Why?”

“Because that’s what we do every year.  It’s tradition.”

“It’s not our tradition.”

Soundtrack flashback:  Nothing this week, unless that vaguely G-Funk instrumental bit during the fadeout after Jessica tells Eddie that his mom is a little bit crazy is something, but it sounds like stock music.

Final grade, this episode:  Meh.  Eddie’s story is the only part of the show that has anything new or interesting, and that’s not really developed well.  C+.