Episodes: 19 (half-hour)
Seasons: One
TV show dates: September 14, 1994 — March 15, 1995
Series status: Cancelled/ended
Performers include: Margaret Cho, Amy Hill, Jodi Long, Clyde Kusatsu, Maddie Corman, Judy Gold, J.B. Quon, B.D. Wong, Ashley Johnson, Same Seder, Andrew Lowry, and Diedrich Baker.
TV show description:
Only the second American situation comedy to center around a person of Asian descent, the series focuses on the life of a young Korean woman and her family. The central character lives a very modern life, but struggles to make that life fit in with her traditional Korean family ideas, especially those of her mother.
Margaret Kim (Cho) lives at home with her family; her disapproving mother Katherine (Jodi Long), father Benny (Clyde Kusatsu), medical student brother Stuart (B.D. Wong), younger brother Eric (J.B. Quon), and nutty, TV-obsessed grandmother Yung-hee (Amy Hill). Margaret works at the beauty counter of a department store with her friends Gloria (Judy Gold) and Ruthie (Maddie Corman). She wants to live the American life, date whoever she wants, and to pursue a career as a comedian, yet she struggles to live up to her family’s expectations.
Later, Margaret moves into in the basement of her family’s home, and later moves out entirely. The story continues with Margaret sharing a place with three male friends; insecure security guard Phil (Sam Seder), politically-correct Jimmy (Andrew Lowry), and law student Spencer (Diedrich Baker). By this time, she is working for a music magazine.
Parts of the show are loosely based on Cho’s stand-up comedy routine.
Episode 19 — Young Americans
Margaret has a promising job interview at Bleach Records and she hopes to get a phone call about the job the next day. Unfortunately, the phone’s been turned off because of non-payment as the same time as the roommates’ apartment develops a mouse problem.
Phil and Margaret try to pay the phone bill but can’t afford the extra reconnect fees. Phil makes up a story that Margaret was really sick and the phone rep (guest Vicki Lawrence) says she’ll waive the fees with a doctor’s note.
Margaret is able to get a real note while Phil makes one up. They both submit their notes and the rep gets mad. Phil ends up having to sell a pair of concert tickets and give up a date with hot bartender Jane (guest Marishka Hargitay) to get the phone turned back on in time for Margaret to get the job.
Spencer hires an exterminator, initially to Jimmy’s dismay, but he doesn’t do a very good job. After Margaret’s first day at her new job, Grandma points out that they now have ants.
An extended description of “Young Americans.”
First aired: March 15, 1995.
There hasn’t been any news of plans to revive the show.
Behind the Scenes
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| • | The series went through multiple changes throughout its run. |
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| • | By the last episode, most of the cast had been fired and Margaret had moved into an apartment with three guys with no explanation. It’s believed that this was a pilot for another series called Young Americans. |
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