A Seat at the Table

A Seat at the Table
Season	6
Episode	11
Total Episode Count	112
Written By	Ria Sardana
Directed By	Anya Adams
Production Code	6AXT11
Air Date	January 17, 2020
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"If they don't want to listen, that's on them. But if I quit, that's on me. My business consultant was right all along. I have to play the long game. I have to have a seat at the table so this doesn't happen to other people in the future." — Jessica Huang to Louis Huang

"A Seat at the Table" is the eleventh episode of the sixth season of Fresh Off the Boat. It first aired on January 17, 2020.

Synopsis

With a little help from Louis' business advice, Jessica lands her dream job as a private school dean. Yet, after learning she was the token diversity hire, she quickly discovers a way to flip the script and use her title to make a difference. Meanwhile, Eddie and Emery teach Evan the hard way that it's okay for the brothers to have their own "things" at school.

Plot

"No accent, but I do like the glasses. Makes you look like you have the IQ of a brunette."

Honey is conducting a mock interview of Jessica after the latter left a demanding voicemail instructing her to do so, although Jessica spends most of it criticizing Honey and having her make tea for her. Jessica mentions that she wants her interview to be perfect as she wants to be hired for who she is rather than what she looks like. Honey tells Jessica that after the interview is over, she should give a handshake if the interviewer is a woman, but an extended hug if it is a man; Jessica then shakes hands with Honey, and hurts Honey's dominant hand. Just then, Louis walks in and asks Jessica why she would ask Honey for help and not the business consultant she lives with, but comes to the conclusion that it may be for the best as Jessica as used to him being her husband and not brutally honest and straightforward.

"Did you want me to set these up in the kitchen or up your ass?"

Louis suggests to Jessica that she network with Deidre, since Deidre sits on the board of a private school, although Jessica informs him that the 'networking' she does with Deidre is not exactly positive, recounting a time when she asked Deidre to bring over chairs to Honey's house for a surprise party, only to tell Deidre that an additional surprise was that she was not invited to the party.

Louis replies that he has a business relationship with Deidre as he buys $50 worth of hair products from her every month, and asks Jessica if he can help her get her the job of her dreams. After a moment of consideration, Jessica agrees, claiming that it couldn't hurt and that Honey was doing terrible, berating her for taking 20 minutes to make tea.

Evan tells his brothers that he would be attending high school with them

Eddie and Emery are in the living room watching television, where Emery gives his pizza crusts to Eddie, who refers to them as "Emery Sticks." Evan then walks into the room and tells them to turn on ESPN, which he refers to as "ESS-PEN," as he claims to now be a high school athlete. He informs his brothers that he would be attending their high school a few times a week as the Mathletes needed new members and thus recruited the top eighth-grader, and states that all three of them can now hang out together at school.

Deidre, Jessica and Louis go to the North Orlando Country Club to play golf

Louis invites Deidre for golf at the North Orlando Country Club, which Jessica finds bothersome, although Louis imparts that one must endure hardship and play the long game for the sake of the bigger picture. As Louis compliments Deidre's swing, he tells Jessica that she should butter her up and ease the discussion into Deidre's makeup company, only for Jessica to tell Deidre that she's looking for a job at a private school since Deidre is on the board of Smith-Moore Academy.

Jessica rudely addresses the caddies

Louis attempts to soften the situation by claiming that Jessica starts talking about private schools due to sunstroke, but Deidre points out that Jessica could not have sunstroke with the brim radius on her visor, noting that she knows Jessica wants to talk business. Deidre tells Jessica that Smith-Moore Academy is currently looking for a Dean and that she would perfect for the position, further stating that with her influence, the interview process would merely be a formality.

Jessica's "home run"

Deidre then tells them that it is their turn to golf and that she would go call the school right now. As she walks away, Louis is disappointed that it happened so fast, and Jessica tells him that he is just upset because she cut his long game short; proclaiming that she is good at everything she does, she then picks up the golf ball and throws it across the field, proclaiming it to be a "home run."

Eddie drives himself and his brothers to school

Eddie drives himself and his brothers to the high school, reminding Evan that he would have to call shotgun. Emery claims that it is tough for him to call shotgun due to his pacifist nature, but that he does so since sitting in the back makes him carsick. Eddie tells his brothers to let all of their farts out now as it was the last safe place to do so. Evan states that his dream of all three Huang brothers together at high school came a year early. He then imagines himself being adored by many girls while Trent, acting as a bouncer, allows him into the cafeteria where he regroups with his brothers.

Evan is surprised his brothers do not hang out together at school

In the van, Eddie tells Emery that he would see him after school and not to be late or else he would leave him behind. Evan asks Emery what Eddie meant, as he believed that they hung out together at school, although Emery tells him that doesn't want to cramp Eddie's style and that was just the way high school was. Emery exits the van and leaves Evan a moment to collect his thoughts; Evan ponders out the window but immediately averts his eyes, proclaiming that the tongue kissing was rampant.

Jessica realizes she has no official duties

Jessica heads to Smith-Moore Academy on her first day as Dean, having been officially hired following the formal interview process. She asks Principal Reed what she should tackle, citing college guidance, student discipline and budget slashing as suggestions, although Reed tells her that she's not here for that as he and the Headmaster have those duties covered. Jessica then asks what her job is, and Reed replies that it is whatever she makes of it before handing her a welcome packet.

Jessica is hired solely due to being Chinese

A few hours later, Jessica returns home incensed, telling Louis that the school only hired her because she was Chinese. She pulls out a brochure from the welcome packet, with her face on the front above the line "Home of Diversity." Louis replies that he should've known something was amiss when Deidre was too quick to help, and Jessica tells him that Reed couldn't name one thing in her job description and that the title of Dean did not even exist prior to her hiring.

"I finally got what I wanted, and I didn't even earn it."

Jessica states that the school is caught up in the new "diversity wave" and that they hired her just for optics, and tells Louis that even though she finally got what she wanted, she is upset as she did not earn it and does not want a handout. Louis responds that she deserves the job as she put in hard work and that the alternative would no diversity at the school at all. Jessica retorts that his statement sounds like something her husband would say and that she would like to know what her business consultant thinks instead, and Louis advises that while it may not be ideal how she got her job, she should make the most of it and play the long game by working twice as hard. Nodding in agreement, Jessica proclaims that she would work four times as hard to prove her worth, while Louis tells her that he loves it when she was mad at people that weren't him.

"I realized, why just my armpits? Where's the love for my knee-pits and elbow-pits?"

Evan heads into Eddie's room, where he witnesses his older brother applying deodorant under his knees and elbows. Brushing it aside, Evan asks Eddie why he doesn't hang out with Emery at school, and Eddie replies that it is because he finds Emery's drama friends to be weird as they are always pretending to interact with invisible props. Eddie adds that while hanging out with brothers is fine at home, it would be lame to do so in high school, and that Emery needs to figure stuff out on his own as he would be gone after another year.

Evan refuses to deodorize Eddie's back

Evan tells Eddie that he believes Emery really wants to hang out with him and that like Louis told them, "brothers are thicker than water," although Eddie replies that it is "blood." As Evan replies that immigrant parents were bad with idioms, Eddie agrees to hang out with Emery. He then asks Evan if it would be weird to ask him to apply deodorant to his back, and Evan responds that it is before leaving.

The next day, Principal Reed escorts Jessica to her office, which is just a supply closet in the basement. Jessica notices a rabbit in a cage, and Reed explains that the rabbit is known as Mr. Buns and was meant to be dissected by the tenth grade science class, although the class did not have the heart to do so. Jessica attempts to discuss her ideas for the school with Reed although Reed replies that there's no rush and that she should just relax and decorate her "office." Jessica then imagines herself lunging at him and repeatedly punching him, but is snapped out of her reverie by Reed, who asks her if she has any more questions. Jessica merely shakes her head no, and as Reed heads back upstairs, Jessica tells Mr. Buns that he reminds her of all of her exes.

Eddie tries to hang out with Emery

Eddie goes to sit with Emery and his friends at lunch but is admonished for ruining their imaginary piano. Eddie mirthlessly mutters how "fun" invisible prop time is before uttering that he would hanging out with Emery today, only for Emery to decline. Taken aback, Eddie claims that his desire to hang out with him should be perceived as a gift from God and that he should be thrilled that his older, cooler brother is hanging out with him.

Evan watches as his plan backfires

Emery informs him that while he appreciates the offer, he would rather Eddie not join him and means no offense, although Eddie takes offense. Eddie then states that it must be because Emery can't bring himself to leave his "dweeb" friends, and an insulted Emery fires back at Eddie's friends. Evan then walks into the cafeteria and notices the friction between his older brothers, which results in them yelling at each other and culminating with Eddie storming off.

"I've been trying to work four times as hard, but it is ten times as hard to work four times as hard."

Jessica returns home from work and tells Louis that she cannot continue her "job" anymore, and he advises that she should hang in there even though it is not easy. Jessica responds that they won't let her, citing that she tried to pitch in during a staff meeting, where half the staff thinks she is only there for diversity purposes and therefore do not listen to her. She recounts the staff meeting, where she suggested that they install healthy vending machines to help boost school nutrition, only for no one to acknowledge her; however, seconds later, a teacher named Jan repeated Jessica's idea as her own as the other faculty applauded and congratulated Jan.

Louis advises Jessica to establish herself

Louis considers the fact that perhaps it happened because she was new and did not establish herself yet, but Jessica also reveals when she tried to distinguish herself by being something other than 'the Asian person' by planning to drop Mr. Buns, the rabbit, in the administrative building as a distraction, a colleague asked her if she was carrying him because it was the Year of the Rabbit. Louis claims that even if it was for optics, they were still paying her and that they would want to use her something, and Jessica responds that they want her to sign off on anything "diverse" as a means to protect themselves. She sadly states that she knows Louis, as her business consultant, would want her to stick it out and play the long game, only to be surprised when Louis tells her that she should quit, and that she should look for a position at another school where her talents would be appreciated, and that he has no other answers for her.

Eddie and Emery are still mad at each other

Eddie and Emery are sitting in the living room watching television when Emery offers Eddie his pizza crusts, only to toss them into the garbage bin that he had brought over in advance. Evan then walks in apprehensively and address his brothers, and Eddie pretends to warn Evan that he is about to walk into Emery's imaginary drum kits. Emery brings up Eddie crashing his lunch table, and Eddie explains he didn't want to but only did so because he felt bad for Emery after Evan told him that Emery wanted to hang out with him. Emery responds that he never said that, to which Evan reminds him that he said he didn't hang out with Eddie at school out of fear of cramping his style. Emery iterates that he only said that because he didn't want to admit out loud that he just didn't want to hang out with Eddie at school, a sentiment Eddie says is harsh albeit agreeing with it as well.

"Peace offering? I know it's symbolic because it was in the trash, but..."

Evan tells them that he is bummed that the three of them don't hang out together at high school, especially since Eddie only has a year of high school left, and adds that brothers should hang out whenever they can. As he leaves the room, Emery tells Eddie that Evan just does not get it, and Eddie coyly responds that perhaps they should give Evan the quality brother time that he wants. Realizing that Eddie has a plan, Emery smiles and retrieves one of his pizza crusts from the trash. He holds it out for Eddie as a peace offering, stating that it is symbolic and not meant to be eaten as it was in the trash, only for Eddie to take a bite out of it anyways.

"I have to play the long game. I have to have a seat at the table so this doesn't happen to other people in the future. 'Cause chances are, they're only 1/4 as strong as me. Tops."

Jessica is in her supply closet office when Reed approaches her, needing her help to repair the school's image after the marching band saluted the veterans in the stand after throwing white sheets on top of themselves, evoking a very KKK look. Jessica later returns home and tells Louis that she is not quitting and that she needs to play the long game and gain a seat at the table to prevent her discrimination from happening to others. She then tells Louis that she called for a press conference at the school, which is slated to occur momentarily, and that she needs his help.

Eddie and Emery crash Evan's Mathletes club

Eddie and Emery dress in Mathlete uniforms and join Evan's club, much to Evan's protest. Eddie and Emery inform him that they are merely hanging out together at school like he wanted, despite Evan's assertion that the Mathletes is his thing. As a round of questions begin, Emery and Eddie give out false answers, prompting Evan to call for a time-out and take his brothers aside, telling them that he now gets what they meant.

"Even when she's sorting her bras out by their mileage?"

Eddie iterates that having brothers interfere in personal business is not fun, while Emery asks Evan if he loves their grandmother. When Evan replies that he does, Emery asks if he would like to spend all of his time with her, even when she is sorting out her bras. Evan uncomfortably replies that he would not, and that he once had to sort out her thongs, admitting he has much to learn about high school.

Jessica gives a press conference

At the press conference, Jessica apologizes on the school's behalf and asks the reporters gathered around if they wish to ask any questions, blindsiding Principal Reed. Louis, disguised as a reporter, asks Jessica what plans she has for the school following her newfound position as Dean, and Jessica responds that she would reveal her extensive list of plans that fall under her job description, which the school would be unable to repeal as she is publicly listing them. As Reed mutters that he would at least get to finally found out what exactly a Dean does, he is once again blindsided when Jessica publicly states the generous raise that the school would be offering her.

The Huang men discuss pizza and pie

Sometime later, the Huang men are on their couch eating pizza and discussing pies when Jessica walks in with Mr. Buns, informing her family that the rabbit is now her assistant and would be staying with them while Reed has a window installed in her office. Louis then tells his family that he is revealed that Mr. Buns is a rabbit after having heard so much about a Mr. Buns whom Jessica referred to as cute and whom she shared an office with.

Cast

Main Cast

• Randall Park as Louis Huang
• Constance Wu as Jessica Huang
• Hudson Yang as Eddie Huang
• Forrest Wheeler as Emery Huang
• Ian Chen as Evan Huang
• Lucille Soong as Jenny Huang (absent; credited only, as Grandma Huang)
• Chelsey Crisp as Honey Ellis
• Ray Wise as Marvin Ellis (absent; credit only)

Recurring Cast

• Rachel Cannon as Deidre Sanderson
• Trevor Larcom as Trent Masterson

Guest Cast

• Dave Foley as Principal Reed
• Jovan Armand as Georgie
• Melissa Bickerton as Eve
• Tom Clark as Mr. Davidson
• Landon Gimenez as Arthur
• Stacey Moseley as Jan
• Harrison T. Boxley as Caddy (uncredited)
• Laura Linda Bradley as Megan (uncredited)

Quotes

Jessica: Only a fool would give ideas for free. I'll answer when I'm on payroll. And why are you talking in a regionally incorrect British accent? Honey: To get into the part. Like you asked. In your detailed and demanding voicemail. Jessica: No accent, but I do like the glasses. Makes you look like you have the IQ of a brunette.

Honey: Next up – handshakes. In my experience, most interviews start and end with one... if the interviewer is a woman. A too-long hug if it's a man.

Deidre: Hey. You wanted to borrow these for Honey's surprise party? Jessica: There's a surprise for you too... You're not invited. Deidre: Did you want me to set these up in the kitchen or up your ass?

Jessica: Principal Reed couldn't name one thing in my job description. I looked it up, and the title of Dean didn't even exist until now. Louis: So, then you're the first. You like coming in first. You raced me down the aisle. Jessica: The school is obviously caught up in this new "diversity wave," but it's just for optics. I finally got what I wanted, and I didn't even earn it. Louis: No, you put in all the work. You deserve this job. Jessica: I don't want a handout. Louis: Well, the alternative is no diversity at all. Is that better?

Eddie: See, the thing is, hanging with your brothers at home is fine, but at school, it's lame. You gotta do you at school. Evan: It's technically "do oneself." Eddie: Proving my point. Look, I've already broken in the teachers and paved the way. Emery's gotta figure stuff out on his own. I'll be gone in a year. Evan: Okay, but I get the sense that Emery really wants to hang out with you. And remember what Dad always says? "Brothers are thicker than water." Eddie: I think it's "Blood is thicker than water." Evan: Immigrant parents. Great at raising kids, bad at idioms.

Eddie: Emery, my brother! Emery: Whoa! Eddie. Eddie: I know. My voice is getting deeper, and it is jarring. It's like, "Is that Batman?" No, it's me. Eddie.

Jessica: I've been trying to work four times as hard, but it is ten times as hard to work four times as hard.

Jessica: I have to play the long game. I have to have a seat at the table so this doesn't happen to other people in the future. 'Cause chances are, they're only 1/4 as strong as me. Tops. Louis: That can be a really long game. Jessica: But I've got my husband and business consultant by my side, right? Louis: Always.

Emery: You love Grandma, right? Evan: Does the horizontal asymptote of "Y equals zero" extend to infinity? It does. I love Grandma. Emery: Do you want to spend all your time with her? Even when she's sorting her bras out by their mileage? Evan: No. I once had to do the thongs.

Gallery

Behind the scenes

Behind the scenes

Episodes

Fresh Off the Boat – Season One
Episode 1 "Pilot"	Episode 2 "Home Sweet Home-School"	Episode 3 "The Shunning"	Episode 4 "Success Perm"
Episode 5 "Persistent Romeo"	Episode 6 "Fajita Man"	Episode 7 "Showdown at the Golden Saddle"	Episode 8 "Phillip Goldstein"
Episode 9 "License to Sell"	Episode 10 "Blind Spot"	Episode 11 "Very Superstitious"	Episode 12 "Dribbling Tiger, Bounce Pass Dragon"
Episode 13 So Chineez

Fresh Off the Boat – Season Two
Episode 1 "Family Business Trip"	Episode 2 "Boy II Man"	Episode 3 "Shaquille O'Neal Motors"	Episode 4 "The Fall Ball"
Episode 5 "Miracle on Dead Street"	Episode 6 "Good Morning Orlando"	Episode 7 "The Big 1-2"	Episode 8 "Huangsgiving"
Episode 9 "We Done Son"	Episode 10 "The Real Santa"	Episode 11 "Year of the Rat"	Episode 12 "Love and Loopholes"
Episode 13 "Phil's Phaves"	Episode 14 "Michael Chang Fever"	Episode 15 "Keep 'Em Separated"	Epsiode 16 "Tight Two"
Episode 17 "Doing It Right"	Episode 18 "Week in Review"	Episode 19 "Jessica Place"	Episode 20 "Hi, My Name Is..."
Episode 21 "Rent Day"	Episode 22 "Gotta Be Me"	Episode 23 "The Manchurian Dinner Date"	Episode 24 "Bring the Pain"

Fresh Off the Boat – Season Three
Episode 1 "Coming from America"	Episode 2 "Breaking Chains"	Episode 3 "Louisween"	Episode 4 "Citizen Jessica"
Episode 5 "No Thanks-giving"	Episode 6 "WWJD: What Would Jessica Do?"	Episode 7 "The Taming of the Dads"	Episode 8 "Where are the Giggles?"
Episode 9 "How to Be an American"	Episode 10 "The Best of Orlando"	Episode 11 "Clean Slate"	Episode 12 "Sisters Without Subtext"
Episode 13 "Neighbors with Attitude"	Episode 14 "The Gloves Are Off"	Episode 15 "Living While Eddie"	Episode 16 "Gabby Goose"
	]
Episode 17 "The Flush"	Episode 18 "Time to Get Ill"	Episode 19 "Driving Miss Jenny"	Episode 20 "The Masters"
Episode 21 "Pie vs. Cake"	Episode 22 "This Is Us"	Episode 23 "This Isn't Us"

Fresh Off the Boat – Season Four
Episode 1 "B as in Best Friends"	Episode 2 "First Day"	Episode 3 "Kids"	Episode 4 "It's a Plastic Pumpkin, Louis Huang"
Episode 5 "Four Funerals and a Wedding"	Episode 6 "A League of Her Own"	Episode 7 "The Day After Thanksgiving"	Episode 8 "The Vouch"
Episode 9 "Slide Effect"	Episode 10 "Do You Hear What I Hear?"	Episode 11 "Big Baby"	Episode 12 "Liar Liar"
Episode 13 "The Car Wash"	Episode 14 "A Man to Share the Night With"	Episode 15 "We Need to Talk About Evan"	Episode 16 "Ride the Tiger"
Episode 17 "Let Me Go, Bro"	Episode 18 "Measure Twice, Cut Once"	Episode 19 "King in the North"

Fresh Off the Boat – Season Five
Episode 1 "Fresh Off the RV"	Episode 2 "The Hand That Sits the Cradle"	Episode 3 "Working the 'Ween"	Episode 4 "Driver's Eddie"
Episode 5 "Mo' Chinese Mo' Problems"	Episode 6 "Sub Standard"	Episode 7 "Where Have All the Cattlemen Gone?"	Episode 8 "Cousin Eddie"
Episode 9 "Just the Two of Us"	Episode 10 "You've Got a Girlfriend"	Episode 11 "Driver's Eddie 2: Orlando Drift"	Episode 12 "Legends of the Fortieth"
Episode 13 "Grand-Mahjong"	Episode 14 "Cupid's Crossbow"	Episode 15 "Be a Man"	Episode 16 "Trentina"
Episode 17 "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"	Episode 18 "Rancho Contento"	Episode 19 "Vice Mommy"	Episode 20 "Nerd Watching"
Episode 21 "Under the Taipei Sun"	Episode 22 "No Apology Necessary"

Fresh Off the Boat – Season Six
Episode 1 "Help Unwanted?"	Episode 2 "College"	Episode 3 "Grandma's Boys"	Episode 4 "S'Mothered"
Episode 5 "Hal-Lou-Ween"	Episode 6 "Chestnut Gardens"	Episode 7 "Practicum?!"	Episode 8 "TMI: Too Much Integrity"
Episode 9 "Lou Wants to Be a Millionaire"	Episode 10 "Jessica Town"	Episode 11 "A Seat at the Table"	Episode 12 "The Magic Motor Inn"
Episode 13 "Mommy and Me"	Episode 14 "Family Van"	Episode 15 "Commencement"