Mail Order Family

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Mail Order Family
GenreComedy
Written byJackie Clarke
Directed byRuben Fleischer
Original languageUnited States
Production
Production companyUniversal Television
Release
Original networkNBC
Original releaseN/A

Mail Order Family was a television comedy television series by writer-producer Jackie Clarke, director-executive producer Ruben Fleischer and executive producer David Bernad, that was cancelled without an episode being made. The show was pitched to NBC and revolved around "a widowed single father who orders a mail-order bride from the Philippines to help raise his two preteen daughters."[1]

The story, based on Clarke's real life experiences with her step-mother, was previously an online web animated series, and covered in a segment on the radio show This American Life.[2]

Reception[]

The announcement resulted in criticism from Asian American community bloggers and commentators about the show making light of human trafficking and sexual exploitation.[3][4] A Change.org petition protesting the project produced nearly 10,000 signatures.[5]

On September 30, 2016, NBC announced, “We purchased the pitch with the understanding that it would tell the creator’s real-life experience of being raised by a strong Filipina stepmother after the loss of her own mother... The writer and producers have taken the sensitivity to the initial concept to heart and have chosen not to move forward with the project at this time."[6][7][8]

Dr. E.J.R. David and Dr. Alicia del Prado, co-chairs of the Asian American Psychological Association's Division on Filipino Americans, wrote a column in Psychology Today[9] about what lessons could be learned from the handling of the show. They mentioned how future efforts should collaborate from people from the related community and not "trivialize, make light of, or laugh at serious real-life issues," such as human trafficking or buying human beings.

References[]

  1. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (2016-09-28). "NBC Buys 'Mail Order Family' Comedy From 'Superstore' Trio". Retrieved 2016-09-30.
  2. ^ "Switcheroo". This American Life. June 29, 2012. Retrieved 2016-10-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ Rodriguez, Mathew (September 29, 2016). "NBC's upcoming 'Mail Order Family' is about a man who orders a Filipina mail-order bride". Mic. Retrieved 2016-09-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ Saxena, Jaya (2016-09-30). "Filipino Organization Petitions NBC to Cancel New Show About a Mail-Order Bride". The Daily Dot. Retrieved 2021-04-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ Robinson, Will (September 30, 2016). "NBC scraps 'Mail Order Family' comedy after backlash". EW.com. Retrieved 2021-04-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (2016-09-30). "NBC's 'Mail Order Family' Comedy Scrapped Amid Protest". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2021-04-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ "'Mail Order Family' Comedy Pitch Prompts Backlash, Project Will Not Move Forward". Retrieved 2016-10-01.
  8. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (2016-10-01). "'Mail Order Family' Comedy Not Going Forward At NBC After Objections". Retrieved 2016-10-01.
  9. ^ "Five Lessons We Learned from the "Mail Order Family" Fiasco". Psychology Today. Retrieved 2021-04-02.
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