The long-running sitcom, Fresh Off The Boat, is getting a spinoff. Joining the ranks of Black-ish and The Goldbergs, it is only the latest comedy to get the franchise treatment at ABC.
Debuting in 2015, Fresh Off The Boat is centered around the family of Eddie Huang as they make a life-changing shift from Washington DC to Florida in hopes of opening a cowboy-themed restaurant. Set in the mid-90’s, the show explores different struggles: the clash between diverging cultures, the hopes of achieving the American dream, and the difficulties of assimilation. The show stars Randall Park and Constance Wu who have since gone on to have breakout roles in the hit romantic comedies Always Be My Maybe and Crazy Rich Asians. Praised for placing Asian-Americans and their everyday lives at the forefront, the show has garnered attention in recent months after Wu seemed to be disappointed by the fact that she would continue in her lead role for a sixth season.
ABC doesn’t appear to share that sense of disappointment. As reported by THR, the network is in the early stages of developing a spinoff. Set to feature an entirely new cast, and a new central family, it is not yet known how the new series will be connected to the original beyond a similar premise. More details are known about the talent behind the camera; as Rachna Fruchbom, who has been involved with Fresh Off The Boat for several seasons, will write the script. Fruchbom will also serve as executive producer, along with Melvin Mar.
Vouching for the critically-acclaimed comedy and its ability to grow, ABC Entertainment president Karey Burke made references to Lost, Desperate Housewives, and Scandal. All three shows, she said, were viewed as leaders in narrative and she believed Fresh Off The Boat was in that same category. With franchises and familiarity becoming increasingly attractive to studios and executives, the trend of interconnected worlds hasn’t been limited to big screens and summer blockbusters.
While there’s no telling if Fresh Off The Boat will be able to replicate the same success in a different form, the trend has worked out well for ABC so far. Black-ish has spawned two other shows: Grown-ish, which mines laughter and lessons out of college life, and the prequel Mixed-ish which will premiere next September and is set to focus on the experiences of a mixed race family. Schooled, the spinoff of The Goldbergs, was renewed for its second season recently.
Source: THR