‘Fresh off the Boat’ Episode Review: “Four Funerals and a Wedding”

Fresh Off the Boat, Season 4, Episode 5: “Four Funerals and a Wedding”
Original airdate October 31, 2017.

Synopsis:  Louis is determined to help Jessica and her father establish a closer relationship before it’s too late.  Emery continues to deal with his bad luck.  Evan amends his will.

Rad:  There are some laugh-aloud throw-away lines here.  I thought for a moment I was watching The Simpsons instead.  The paper-thin B and C stories mean there’s really only an A story, which I insist makes for better character-driven television.  And not only do we get nice Evan, but we get Emery and Eddie at their best too.  The young actors are still finding their voices, but here is an episode that plays to their strengths, which lean in favor of sincerity and interesting relationships with each other.

Yay for a Deidre sighting.

Bummer:  It’s a little weird that Jessica’s family assembles for all these funerals (and a wedding) but Connie and her weirdo husband aren’t there for any of it.  I have to say I laughed at Eddie’s veiled masturbation joke but question its appropriateness for this show.  Subversive is subversive, yes.  But inappropriate is also inappropriate.

FOB moment:  “Who is this again?”  “It’s your mom’s great aunt’s second cousin, so very closely related.”

Soundtrack flashback:  Another episode without a soundtrack flashback, as far as I could tell.  This is a disappointing trend.

Final grade, this episode:  This is the funniest episode all season so far, plus we get another dose of nice-guy Eddie, an awkward but sincere Emery, and strange but nice Evan.  Add some funny Chinese stuff and some super cute extras at the family gatherings and you get a B+.