I didn't know who Awkwafina was before I stumbled upon this in early 2020. A lot has changed since then globally and personally, Awkwafina herself is now in a billion massive films and I couldn't be happier because what hooked me into this was entirely her bottomless charm. Well, her and Lori Tan Chinn. Well... her and BD Wong and Lori Tan Chinn. And Bowen Yang. Oh and Stephanie Hsu. Just all of those. Nora is not a super consistent show but there's heart, laughs and some truly silly tangents which I value. I never expected it to keep going after she got gigantic - so three seasons feels like a good amount!
114 Reviews
Love Awkwafina and the grandma
stefstars5 September 2020
This is one of the shows I've binged during lockdown and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. The jokes are funny as well as Nora's antics. My favorite character is the grandma though, I enjoyed her Korean soap opera episode, that was very cute. Nora is a lot like a younger version of Natasha Lyonne's character in "Russian Doll" (raspy New York voice and all) and Lyonne even wrote one of the episodes as well as appeared in it. I can't wait for the next season. Definitely worth a watch.
Especially funny if you live in New York
imdb3-324 January 2020
After the Golden globes I decided to take a look at this show. There is occasional raunch which isn't my thing but I did have some good laughs during the rest of the show and it grew on me. Nora is a cute slacker in a world of overachievers who lives at home in her twenties and both coping with and avoiding life's challenges. She will sometimes ramble trying to rationalize, which can be very funny. You don't need to be familiar with Chinese families and New York, but if you are, you'll recognize a very clever flavor of humor. I think some might also miss that this is something of a Seinfeld for millennials.
Reading some of the reviews it appears there's some serious hating going on from people who sound pretty angry. Even if you don't like this show, a 1 is ridiculous. One person says they get that there's humor... but still votes one. Another insists none of the writing fits the characters, which is really funny if you read a little background about the show. I don't like avenue 5 either but that's because the characters are really not likeable. This show is completely innocuous. And to me, contrived reality TV is the worst scripted no effort TV. Nora is like a bicycle. Stick with it a little and it's a fun ride.
Reading some of the reviews it appears there's some serious hating going on from people who sound pretty angry. Even if you don't like this show, a 1 is ridiculous. One person says they get that there's humor... but still votes one. Another insists none of the writing fits the characters, which is really funny if you read a little background about the show. I don't like avenue 5 either but that's because the characters are really not likeable. This show is completely innocuous. And to me, contrived reality TV is the worst scripted no effort TV. Nora is like a bicycle. Stick with it a little and it's a fun ride.
Very Very Funny, A Great Show!
martimusross20 November 2021
Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens
This series really was terrific from start to finish, the script was brilliant, constantly inventive, genuinely funny, passing the bar of 5 out loud laughs and episode with ease.
The script used several comic devices, we laughed at Nora, with Nora and squirmed at the situations she found herself in. Awkwafina gave a warm, masterful yet monstrous performance.
It was great the variety of situation, we weren't limited to Queens.
In fact the whole cast was great with Edmund being a comic gem, Granny often irritated as she hardly varied but that was her role.
I would like to make a comment about the absence of femininity in Nora and that as portrayed she was an anti-role model, but the genius of the writing and acting make her character entirely intentional, so they got what they wanted. I was reminded of Brenda Morgenstern from Rhoda, and that would be the greatest of compliments.
The BBC chose a winner here, for me this is 10 outta 10 and roll on series 3.
This series really was terrific from start to finish, the script was brilliant, constantly inventive, genuinely funny, passing the bar of 5 out loud laughs and episode with ease.
The script used several comic devices, we laughed at Nora, with Nora and squirmed at the situations she found herself in. Awkwafina gave a warm, masterful yet monstrous performance.
It was great the variety of situation, we weren't limited to Queens.
In fact the whole cast was great with Edmund being a comic gem, Granny often irritated as she hardly varied but that was her role.
I would like to make a comment about the absence of femininity in Nora and that as portrayed she was an anti-role model, but the genius of the writing and acting make her character entirely intentional, so they got what they wanted. I was reminded of Brenda Morgenstern from Rhoda, and that would be the greatest of compliments.
The BBC chose a winner here, for me this is 10 outta 10 and roll on series 3.
Funny, honest, unpretentious
imdb2-523 January 2020
I caught this show by accident on cable. Talented cast. It takes a short time to appreciate the nature of Nora, a lost, self absorbed but sweet loser who has a certain unpretentious honesty. If you understand a little bit about Chinese culture it's a whole other level of hilarious. Nora is wandering her way through life, trying to find her way as an unfocused, adolescent twenty-something while other family members and friends are painful overachievers... but Nora has other friends in the same boat to help along the way. BD Wong is hilarious as her dead wood father and her nosy grandmother is very funny, reminding me of nagging mothers, sometimes providing advice we don't want to hear. I think the show is fresh and original and a nice change of pace.
Harmless fun
imdb-4525 January 2020
I saw an interview with Awkwafina after the Oceans 9 movie and thought she seemed like a genuine and gracious. Recently I happened to catch her show about life and living in Forest Hills and New York City. It took me a little time to understand that Nora wants to be confident street tough but is really a softie underneath all that bark, always one step behind life and trying to crawl her way out of the messes she creates for herself. Unlike many sitcoms, there is no mean spirited humor. Perhaps I like the show more because I think Nora as a person is so very likeable and worked hard and deserves her success. But she is very funny, even in all her interviews.
You can't help liking her
commanderbunbun-3371820 April 2020
I'm not sure why
allirenew26 February 2020
Cannot recommend enough
ericjosey16 February 2020
Not your average TV show, but good!
blmorford23 January 2020
It's not for the easily offended, but I got a good laugh and I can see myself in her shoes on different situations :) The humor is a little different, but good. It's more relatable for women than men, reminds me of Broad City.
NSFW, dripping with raunchy humor but surprisingly sweet and emotionally open
mephisto_chang22 January 2020
Look, I'll be honest. This show isn't for everyone, and there for sure will be a massive group of people who'll absolutely hate it.
Just keep in mind, if strip away the sexual innuendos, the existential crisis and wackiness in Nora's life, the show really allows its heartwarming moments shine through as long as you're not too put off by the TMI dialogues.
Just keep in mind, if strip away the sexual innuendos, the existential crisis and wackiness in Nora's life, the show really allows its heartwarming moments shine through as long as you're not too put off by the TMI dialogues.
Season Two Sucks
jnflakes11 October 2021
The first season was amazing and seem like they put a lot of effort into it. This second season... Not funny at all. I'm hoping that every new episode will be better but it hasn't yet. You can watch season one episodes over repeatedly but not this one. If season two was good I would of rated it overall much higher.
Hit or miss but mostly miss
dogskullphucker23 January 2020
Warning: Spoilers
If you are a fan of Broad City but thought it was too well written and didn't include a sterotypical Asian grandma that, for whatever reason, every Asian comedian thinks is absolutely hilarious, this show is exactly what you want. wafina has some funny lines here and there but the pilot has two huge problems: Much of the humor is very tired (Uh-oh someone's outfit accidentally caught on fire from a candle, where do they come up with this stuff?!?!? Hilarious), and none of the characters besides Nora managed to be funny. Nora's fake lawyer best friend managed to not be the straight (wo)man or funny in her own right, the dad, who thankfully wasn't another Asian stereotype, says nothing funny in all of his scenes also fails as a character, and the grandmother is perhaps funny to people who think Dat Phan is a comedic genius but will fail to impress anyone who doesn't think thick accent + abrasive personality = comedic genius. The show needs a lot of work to be decent and I doubt I will watch another episode or that it will be on the air two years from now.
Great show
hudakp-5668018 October 2021
Great show!!! Love Awkwafina!!
jodiparmley20 February 2020
Getting better
yytsewhitty-2456821 February 2020
To be honest the viewing of the first two episodes is not always a pleasant one, the humour may not be to everyone's liking. But as the character arcs build and the Asian virtues start to shine in the lines, everything comes together.
It's unpretentious and you can see the hearts and souls that have gotten into the work. The supporting characters are all distinctive but all of them have a big heart that makes you go "awwww" at some point.
This piece is an unusual piece to the American TV that everyone's used to. It's in your face and there are awkward moments but just like life itself. I would like to thank Awkwafina's bravery to present the quirkiness of life that everyone, across races, genders and generations, can relate to.
Plus, if a work is loved and hated at the same time, that means there's a point of it to exist.
Nora from the Queens is a fresh breath of air.
It's unpretentious and you can see the hearts and souls that have gotten into the work. The supporting characters are all distinctive but all of them have a big heart that makes you go "awwww" at some point.
This piece is an unusual piece to the American TV that everyone's used to. It's in your face and there are awkward moments but just like life itself. I would like to thank Awkwafina's bravery to present the quirkiness of life that everyone, across races, genders and generations, can relate to.
Plus, if a work is loved and hated at the same time, that means there's a point of it to exist.
Nora from the Queens is a fresh breath of air.
Love this show!
Sunflower00728 December 2020
Awkwafina is hilarious and in this show Nora from Queens is terrific. I swear all of the episodes that I've has always had me rolling. Nora & her family are always up to something nutty, crazy or intriguing. Also other cool or interesting characters are always guest starring. It worth watching and now I can't wait for the second season.
RAUNCHY AND FUNNY
roysan-982-37271625 January 2020
Funny
salenetran-832628 April 2020
Can't wait for season 2
slickchrissy200227 March 2020
Funny Stuff
mcleodjack31 January 2020
At First
Headturner113 March 2022
I wasn't loving it then after about 4 episodes( I think) it really grew on me. I had no idea who Awkwafina was before ( at first thought maybe she was same girl in Pens15) but she isn't. Any ways I think this came up when I was searching for something similar to Kims Convenience) because I loved that I think tho this is a different one but I started really liking it. I almost fast forwarded thru the grandma episode but I ended up really liking that one. I only have like 3 episodes left. I'm going to go try to find some more similar ones. I need funny in my life right now. Lol.
Not funny or even interesting.
patricia9224325 April 2020
I had the whole season recorded and sat down to binge watch it. Boy, was I ever disappointed. I watched three episodes. before giving up.
Several of the characters could have been funny, but they weren't. The writing is just too bad.
Several of the characters could have been funny, but they weren't. The writing is just too bad.
Not normal... it's better
beepagan30 August 2020
Crass but not too much and completely unpredictable
sidneyseavers26 January 2020
It was a simple plot line at the beginning: late 20 something feels compelled to move out of family house. Well 30 minutes later 20 different things happened. They were quite whimsical events and rather implausible but it's not real life! So I was thoroughly entertained the entire time and I am excited for the second episode to air!
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