‘Fresh Off the Boat’s Randall Park Says the Lack of Asian Representation on TV Is “Unfortunate”

For the past few years, family comedies have started to look more inclusive. ABC’s Speechless, Fresh Off the Boat, black-ish, and Netflix’s One Day at a Time all showcase loving and funny families that differ from the typically white and able-bodied portrayals we see on television. But according to Fresh Off the Boat star Randall Park, this rise in diversity may have more have to do with how many shows there are and less about shifting attitudes around representation. At the Television Critics Association‘s 2018 summer tour Park spoke to Decider about what it’s like being part of this beloved comedy and how he sees the TV landscape changing.

“I had done a ton of pilots before this pilot and none of them got picked up, so I kind of assumed that shows just didn’t get picked up. It was like winning the lottery if your show got picked up,” Park said. Since that pickup Fresh Off the Boat has aired four seasons and is scheduled to return this October for Season 5. “Because of the nature of our show, because we’re this family you rarely see the likes of on TV, it makes it even more special.”

When asked if whether or not he’s noticed a trend of TV family comedies becoming more inclusive, Park was unsure. “There are also a lot more TV shows,” he said. “So I think in the grand scheme of things, it’s great, but I don’t know how much of it really points to a sea change, you know?”

But Park does think it’s possible for that to change. “I do think though that the general consciousness of the country and the world is opening up, and I think that the shows are starting to reflect that a little bit. Hopefully there will be more shows like ours and like [black-ish, Speechless, and One Day at a Time] because the Asian-American experience can’t be represented in just one show,” he said.

When Fresh Off the Boat first premiered in February of 2015, it was the first Asian-American family comedy to be on television in two decades. “For the past five seasons there have been other Asian families on TV, but right now we might be the only one, at least on network TV, which is unfortunate. But hopefully things will change,” Park said.

As for what’s in store for the Huang’s latest season, there are several big life changes in store. In addition to a new addition to their extended family, Louis (Park) and Jessica (Constance Wu) will have to deal with their children and Grandma Jenny Huang’s (Lucille Soong) growing independence.

Fresh Off the Boast Season 5 premieres on ABC on October 5 at 8/7c. 

Where to stream Fresh Off the Boat