After six seasons, ABC’sFresh Off the Boatis coming to an end, according toThe Hollywood Reporter. A two-part series finale is planned for early 2020, episodes 14 and 15 of the season.
The decision to end theRandall Park/Constance Wu-starring comedy about a Taiwanese family finding its way in 1990s America, was apparently a creative one, according to the report. The show’s producers are allowing the writers time to pen an appropriate finale and end things the way they see fit.
The show, based on chefEddie Huang’s memoir of the same name, which debuted in 2015, was actually not the first network comedy featuring an Asian-American family as the focal point.Mr. T and Tina, a 1976 ABC sitcom starringPat Morita, is the answer to that trivia question, though it only aired five of the nine episodes it shot. Following that wasMargaret Cho’s short-livedAll American Girlin 1994. That ran for only one season.Fresh Off the Boat’s longevity looks like an eternity compared to those two.
Said ABC Entertainment presidentKarey Burke:
“We couldn’t be prouder of this game-changing show and the impact it has had on our cultural landscape. The success of Fresh Off the Boat has helped pave the way for inclusion throughout the industry. [Series creator] Nahnatchka Khan and her brilliant creative team have created an unforgettable series with an Asian-American family front and center, something that hadn’t been done in two decades. The cast, led by Randall Park and Constance Wu, is one of the finest and funniest on television. We’ll miss the Huang family, and are eternally grateful for the incredibly heartfelt stories they have told these past six seasons.”
This final season has foundHudson David Yang’s Eddie—the eldest son—carefully examining his future prospects as he nears his high school graduation. Fans will be left to imagine where his life takes him beyond that.
It’s been a little bit of a tumultuous conclusion for the show. Khan stepped down as showrunner earlier in 2019 after taking a sizable overall deal at Universal. And Wu, who plays Jessica Huang—the series’ female lead—tweeted her extreme displeasure when the show was renewed for its sixth season. She later deleted the tweet and explained the show’s renewal had caused her to turn down another project. Her castmates were quite forgiving, however.
Creator Khan has publicly voiced her gratitude to ABC and 20th Century Fox Television for keeping the show going as long as it has, and she believes much has been accomplished over that time.
In addition toFresh Off the Boat, ABC will see the end of three other series this season:Modern Family,Agents of SHIELD, andHow to Get Away With Murder.
