Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Awkwafina, Lori Tan Chinn, BD Wong, Bowen Yang, Jennifer Esposito, Chrissie Fit, Jon Park, Gabo Augustine, Chris Gethard, Jaboukie Yoing-White, John Sanders, Jamie Chung.

The unexpected should not be classed as unlovable, the temptation to judge before we have allowed ourselves the dignity of understanding is far too often an easier route to walk down, after all, there is only a modicum of shame to be registered when you refuse to see the world through the eyes of another culture or generation, a modicum of shame, but a whole heap of pity and embarrassment to your own self-image.

For many, there will be a reason why American comedy programmes such as Friends, Two And A Half Men and Seinfeld constantly have great ratings, even years after they finished airing any original episodes, that reason, coupled with the beauty of the creativity of the time, makes Generation X’s television habits one of dichotomy, of misunderstood division in which now has Generation Y picking over the bones of scenes for moments in which to highlight offensive thought, language, even deed, and perhaps rightly so, but to whom the culture age war, especially in the world of online dominance, is in danger of spilling out into the battlefield occupied by the Boomer and Millennial eras.

Generation X, long so labelled nihilistic, but to whom believe they were and remain the most radical and anarchic of all who stepped out of the tyrannous shadow of post Victorian era doctrine, is in danger of not appreciating change, of following the same path as the so called Boomer generation, of decrying anything that is different, even rebellious in its own way, but which grapples with modern themes and issues in a way that anybody over the age of 35 would not recognise or even understand.

Such a train of unsubtle thought underlines the tremendous American comedy Nora From Queens. Starring Awkwafina, B D Wong, and the sublime Lori Tan Chinn, Nora From Queens seeks to be different, and succeeds, without disturbing the engrained sensibilities of those to whom would never have thought of choosing to watch a comedy serial which has at its lead, a family of Korean/Chinese to whom is not the butt of the joke but which is an intelligent, well-written and at times precise perspective of how the generations are more alike than they care to admit.

Comedy is always subjective, everyone has their biases and their expectations, and for a lot of people over a certain age, the accusation of not understanding, of not willing to embrace a message from another time, is undoubtedly on the money. It is not to be shamed, but to be pitied, as with everything in life, we cannot condemn what is not relevant, but we must urge each other to understand.

With an outstanding performance by Lori Tan Chinn as Nora’s Grandma, sublime passion by Awkwafina, and each episode capturing a slice of life to which each generation can welcome, Nora From Queens is a quality comedy from a new generation of writers, but one that can unify a family completely. A view of life from a world not really touched upon in western television, and well worth a visit to the New York suburb.

Ian D. Hall