Ep 22. Gotta Be Me

After the completion of season 1 of the Fresh Off the Boat, the show came back with its second season with even more hilarious adventures. One such episode is episode 22 named Gotta Be Me.

The episode starts with Eddie ready for his first school dance, and Jessica attempting to impose her ideas regarding his looks and behavior. She doesn't want him to make the same mistakes as her in her first school dance when she wore a "Chinese dress" that made her look like 'a slutty maid.' Eddie wants to wear his red track jacket, which represents his identity and tastes.

On the other hand, Emery is having difficulty with his appearance as it is more feminine compared to his peers. Louis and his father try to help the situation by teaching Emery to dance with them. Eddie joins them, and they are soon joined by Evan and his tiny suit and dance moves.

Jessica, on the other hand, is attempting to fit in with Honey's group by bringing matcha lattes and avocado toast. When the ladies insult her culture by telling her that "exotic" food isn't suitable for brunch in Orlando, Jessica is left embarrassed and angry at herself.

The storyline moves to a fantastic subplot that takes into account the challenges immigrants have to face adjusting to American culture. Lao Ban Santa has got his food truck, and he's got an exclusive evening event coming up. Due to his attempts to fit in, Louis convinces Lao Ban Santa to create a "fusion dish" and end up with a combination of "fried rice cottage cheese ball." The results of fusion were delicious, and customers swarmed the truck. Nonetheless, all the PR is gone, and Lao Ban Santa's special fundraiser event is in peril.

In a desperate attempt to recuperate, Louis endeavors to get the respect of old-school, traditional food critics by catering to their tastes. This brings him into conflict with Jessica, who believes he is forfeiting his identity and culture to conform, which he denied.

Eddie attempts to balance his identity and the prospect of being acknowledged by his peers and a girl he likes. He finds a win-win situation by wearing his track jacket and dancing like himself, which instantly made him the center of attraction and garnered the attention of the girl he liked.

Emery finds recourse to his situation by speaking up for himself. He confesses that being in touch with his femininity has always been apart of himself, and he accepts it. Jessica was proud that her son accepted, and they went on to take loads of pictures in the dress Emery had picked out. Emery's dad, Louis, insinuated he might wear his clothes too, and they went on to dance together.

Throughout the episode, the viewers witness the witty dynamic of Eddie, Louis, and the entire family as they navigate their way through the challenges of assimilation and parenthood. The show raises questions about cultural identity, the ongoing themes of the series and integrates significant issues like immigrant life in America.