Televised melting pot

Even if the available source to watch ABC's comedy series Fresh Off the Boat is still limited in China, this American TV show that focuses on Asian American families has won generally positive reviews among Chinese viewers.

On media site douban.com, the show holds a score of 8.3/10 with 35 percent of users giving it five stars out of five and 47.4 percent giving it four stars.

Based on well-known entrepreneur Eddie Huang's book Fresh Off the Boat: A Memoir, the show depicts the story of young Eddie and his family after they move from Washington D.C. to Orlando and the cultural clashes they experience as they try to live the American Dream.

Personally, I'm glad to see a show focusing on Asian-Americans, a large group that lives in the US, especially when the characters are loveable and the punch lines are decent and not offensive. Many other Chinese viewers also expressed similar excitement upon seeing Asian characters take the lead role in a US TV series.

Of course seeing Asian entertainers in Western films and TV shows is nothing new, but this is the first time that a Chinese family are front and center on their own show.

Years ago, I never really felt happy whenever I saw Asian roles in American shows, since most of the roles were minor roles, stereotypes, unlovable or they chose an actress who, in a sense, may come across as a beauty to Westerners, but is no where near as beautiful as the stars we have here.

However this trend seems to have reversed itself. Ming-Na Wen, who appeared on NBC's ER during the 1990s, is now a main character on Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., while Maggie Q was the lead on Nikita. Their depiction of charming Asian women of great character has earned them fans in China and around the world.

But now, after different shows have depicted various minority families in the US, Fresh Off the Boat is a milestone work that brings Asian into the spotlight. More importantly, many Chinese who have experienced living in the West feel connected to the stories depicted on screen: the family run restaurant, the mother trying to make new friends with locals despite differences in culture and Eddie's attempts to fit in at school.

Some jokes come across as a bit typical, such as those that revolved around Asian parents' strict requirements when it comes to studying. Even though Eddie gets straight A's on his exams, his mother - a typical Chinese "tiger mom" - heads into the school and yells at the principle because classes aren't difficult enough.

However, although these jokes may seem to be a bit of a stereotype, they haven't come across as offensive to me. Maybe because they're all based on writer Eddie Huang's personal experiences, they come across as funny because they are true.

However, not every show focusing on oriental culture has been a success. Netflix's Marco Polo seems to have fallen into an awkward situation both in the West and the East.

With the previous success of House of Cards and a $600 million budget, Marco Polo was expected to be an "Oriental Game of Thrones." However, it only holds a rating of 4.7/10 on Rotten Tomatoes, while on Douban even the nude scenes couldn't save the show from receiving a low rating of 5.8/10.

The story comes across as more like a fantasy show than a period piece, since many of the show's details don't line up with real history. Many have also found the story less than appealing with some in China claiming "the only good thing about the show is the traditional Chinese painting-styled opening."

In the end it comes across more like a Westerner's ideas about Asian culture, and not a show for people actually from Asia.