Fresh Off the Boat S1E8 - "Phillip Goldstein" Recap

Eddie wants to go to a Beastie Boys concert but his mother won't let him. At school, he makes friends with the new student, Phillip Goldstein, whom the principal tasked him with showing around since they're both Chinese. However, Phillip was adopted by Jewish parents and has basically nothing in common with Eddie. The teachers at school repeatedly pair them together and he even tells the principal that it's racist. But the principal simply responds by creating a Pacific Rim Club for them to have a safe haven. Except that this just continues the time they must spend together when they don't even like each other. When Jessica sees Phillip, she is thrilled and gives him a ride home with Eddie. She is delighted that there's another Chinese boy and that he is more like how she wants Eddie to be since he is studios and plays classical cello. Eddie uses this opportunity to try to manoeuvre getting to go to the Beastie Boys concert by claiming that Phillip has gotten permission to go but then Jessica says that they can talk about it that night when they have dinner with the Goldsteins.

Louis must hire a new host and is thrilled when a man named Wyatt comes to interview as his look and experience all make him seem like the ideal candidate. He's highly Western and has even spent time on a ranch. Louis begins to feel insecure since Wyatt repeatedly seems to outshine Louis at charming customers and making improvements for the restaurant. Mitch stops by and Louis notes that it's been almost too-perfect since Mitch left. Louis says that he'll fire Wyatt when Mitch says he wants his job back at the restaurant but then Louis backs out of firing Wyatt. Louis even tries to get Jessica to fire him but she refuses since she's tired of Louis always wanting to be the "good cop," referring to the earlier fight where she said no to Eddie going to the Beastie Boys concert but Louis was ready to let him.

The dinner between the Huangs and the Goldstein goes well and then Jessica lets it slip, claiming that Eddie and Philip will be going to the Beastie Boys concert together. Much to Eddie's surprise, Phillip goes along with the lie. Later in private, Phillip says that he will go to the Beastie Boys concert with Eddie on the condition that he also take Phillip to a matinee showing of Les Miserables earlier that day. Phillip can't do it himself because of the rules of Shabbat. Eddie agrees.

Louis tries to practice firing using his younger songs but can't even do so then. Jessica drops Phillip and Eddie off for Les Miserables and the plan is that they'll walk to the venue for the Beastie Boys afterwards since it's just 3 blocks away. Eddie goes to the bathroom and when he comes back to the lobby, Phillip is nowhere to be found. Jessica is very disappointed in Eddie for losing Phillip but when they return to the Goldsteins, they find that Phillip bought his own merchandise and left Eddie since he didn't want to go to the Beastie Boys. Jessica tells Phillip off for being selfish and says that Eddie missed the concert he loved to look for him instead and that Eddie is the one who is the good Chinese boy. Jessica also takes Eddie to see the Beastie Boys in concert the next night in Tampa.

When Mitch returns to the restaurant, Louis tries to get him to be the one to fire Wyatt. Mitch isn't pleased but agrees to do so. Louis doesn't even want to be present for the firing. In the end, Mitch isn't able to fire Wyatt until Louis tells him that they'll have to split a salary.

Surprisingly enough, Eddie ends up hitting it off with the African-American student at school with whom he had fought with earlier (I don't remember if they've said this student's name yet on the show) because they are both wearing Beastie Boys shirts and together, they discuss the highlights of the concert.

Fresh Off the Boat airs on Tuesdays on ABC at 8PM.