Fresh Off the Boat, Season 5, Episode 3: “Workin’ the ‘Ween”
Original airdate October 20, 2018.
It’s the heart afraid of breaking
Marvin and Honey ask Louis and Jessica to be their baby’s godparents. Jessica eagerly agrees, mostly so Marvin and Honey can have a date night, leaving the Huangs to babysit on Halloween night, and shutting down Louis’s efforts to persuade Jessica to dress in a couples costume with him.
Jessica and Louis are alarmed to discover that they aren’t the naturally talented parents they thought. Their claim that Eddie was weaned from the pacifier with no problems is a deception by Louis; their claim that Emery’s weaning was even easier is a deception by Jessica.
Eddie gets a job selling mattresses (his boss is played by George Wendt) and works Halloween night to prove he has what it takes. Trent comes by to help, but he’s much more of a hindrance.
Evan and Emery, dressed as Dana Scully and Fox Mulder, get to hand out candy at the front door, where they have a problem with a girl who shows up repeatedly, each time in a different costume.
That never learns to dance
Another silly but mildly entertaining Halloween episode. The costumes are great, and it’s nice to see the continued development of Eddie’s character (in two separate plots!). There’s a moment at the end of the teaser where Louis gives his dejected face. That face is some excellent Randall Park acting. My favorite costume in the episode is Grandma as Freddy Krueger.
Despite this being a really meh episode, the tag at the end is completely unexpected, perfectly in character (which is a brilliant paradox), terrific character development for Eddie, and genuinely sweet. Sweet Eddie is the best! Eddie made Evan!
Lines I enjoyed: “Alf was a puppet?” (Jessica). “You love black dresses and putting words into my mouth” (Louis). “Not being wise is being dumb. You make me dumb” (Jessica). “Damn you, perfect Evan!” (Louis).
It’s the dream afraid of waking
Trevor Larcom as Trent was, last season, regularly the best actor among the young men who play Eddie’s friends. He has an off episode here, and it may not be his fault. Trent’s part in this episode is idiotic. Hudson Yang as Eddie feels pretty off as well, although he has a few good moments in the mattress store. All three plots feel like something out of the sitcom plot handbook.
FOB moment: “A Japanese man saved my father’s life once, so you’re hired.”
Soundtrack flashback: “The Rose” by Bette Midler (1979) and the theme from The X-Files by Mark Snow.
That never takes a chance: The wonderful final few seconds of the episode give it a boost, but not much of a boost. B-.
