Fajita Man

"Happy to see your fajita boy?"
"That's no fajita boy. That's a fajita man."
— Mitch and Louis Huang

"Fajita Man" is the sixth episode of the first season of Fresh Off the Boat. It first aired on February 24, 2015.

Synopsis[]

Eddie is so desperate for a new video game named after his idol, Shaq, he goes to work at the restaurant. He expects special treatment since he's the boss's son, but is in for a surprise when Louis is determined to make him work hard for the money. Meanwhile, Jessica decides to look for a job of her own.

Plot[]

Jessica is looking for a job after Louis admitted to not wanting her at Cattleman's Ranch. She along with the boys are hanging around the frozen food aisle at a supermarket due to Jessica not wanting to turn on the air conditioner at home. When a worker comes over and asks her to leave, Jessica tries to pretend that she is shopping and tries to bargain with him. Though when the worker mentions a loose dog in the supermarket, Emery quickly dashes to go look for it, causing a nearby stand to fall.

At Abraham Lincoln Middle School, Eddie and his friends were excited about a new video game that is coming out called "Shaq-Fu". The boys discuss how they can get the money to buy the game. Doug plans to take his sister's tooth fairy money, Trent has been doing extra mowing at a neighbor's house without them knowing, Brian is going to use his lunch money and not eat at all. However, Dave claims his mother will drive him to Miami since the game will be released earlier by 2 days. Eddie figures he can ask his mom for the money.

Back at the house, Jessica is not so impressed with Eddie wanting the video game, but Eddie still tries to pry her to open her purse for some money. Though she has no energy due to the immense heat in their house, with Jessica refusing to turn it on the air conditioner until she gets a job. (And because it's expensive). Louis immediately comes in with a some exciting news. He figured that he can start selling fajitas as it is a huge craze in restaurants at that time and people can't get enough of it. But Jessica rejects this idea and believes it won't work. Hearing the good news, Eddie tries to pry his dad for some money for the video game. However, Louis has other ideas and decides to make Eddie work at Cattleman's Ranch since he wants Eddie to learn how to earn things by working for it. Even Louis' dad did the same to him.

On Eddie's first day, Louis sets him up at the bar. But Eddie wanted a depressed man to pay him some tips when he tried to tell him his story. So Louis decided to change his position and instead, made him go around dress up in a traditional Mexican style outfit, and sell fajitas around the restaurant. Though his mustache fell off from the heat...After his shift, Eddie was unhappy about his job and asks his dad to fork over the money early. But Louis still wants him to learn the definition of being a hard worker, and even told him about how his father's first job was selling hot bread that caused him to lose his fingerprints. He even mentions that the only time his father got anything without working for was a single egg.

Meanwhile, Jessica along with Emery and Evan, went to a place called Furniture Cottage so Jessica can apply for a job there. She quickly introduces herself to the owner of the place and tells him her skills in management and wants to work on certain days. But even when the owner tells her they're not hiring, she still tries to convince her to hire her anyway and that he needs her. Meanwhile, the two boys are trying to beat the heat with their AC.

Back at Eddie's school, the boys meet up again to talk about their progress with the money. Doug has gotten the money he needed, Trent did triple work on his neighbor's hedges, and Brian is still holding up on that lunch money. Dave however, did not get the game he was hoping for. He instead got a game called "Nine to Five", based off a Dolly Parton comedy.

Back in the neighborhood, Jessica tries to simultaneously cool down her boys with a hose and look for a job in the newspaper. Deidre and Carol-Joan comes over and proceed to tease Jessica, but then talks about a house that's being sold down the block, and this gives Jessica an opportunity to relax and give her kids free AC while she is searching for a job. They arrive at the place, and the three can finally relax. However, they were interrupted by a realtor named Ashley Alexander, who mistakes them for wanting to buy the house. She offers the three of them a tour around the place, but Jessica tells her that she needs a minute.

Back at Cattleman's Ranch, Eddie was prepared for work, he wanted to prove to his father that he got his head in the game, and show off his fajita delivering skills. This greatly impressed Louis as he was able to deliver all the fajitas, give out some tortillas, add freshly cut limes, and even add more sizzle for the customers. On their way back home, Louis gives him his paycheck. Eddie is happy that he was able to earn his way to get ShaqFu, but when he opened up the envelope. He found out he got paid $18. This was because Louis had to dock him for the times he made mistakes and tells him that he needs to learn that work also requires you to do a good job. He assures him in a few weeks, he will earn enough money to buy the game. But Eddie was not impressed.

The next day at school, the boys decide to ride their bikes to the mall to get Shaq-Fu. Eddie let's them know he can't go since he doesn't have enough money still. He isn't alone though, Dave admits he was having a lot of fun playing Nine-to-Five and was playing it all night. As the guys take their leave, Eddie thought to himself about working at the restaurant again, and he makes the decision to skip work for today. Louis notices he isn't here, and decides to have Mitch deliver the fajitas. But he immediately squirts lime into his eyes.

Meanwhile, Jessica, Evan and Emery are at another house. As Jessica is calling and talking to employers for a job, another realtor asks her if she's interested in the house. She claims she is but once he leaves, she goes back to searching. As customers look around the house, she comments the bad things about the neighborhood that makes the customers less interested. The realtor finally realizes Jessica is here for the AC and tells her to go. She does and tells Evan and Emery to come out of the pool. She also proceeds to take a couple (who Jessica mistakes them as two best friends) over to another house.

Louis arrives back at the house and tells his mother about Eddie skipping work, and he decided to push him harder by making him work everyday until he knows how to be a hard worker. Jenny disagreed with this idea, she claims that while his father was a hard worker, he was also a very harsh man. He never had a great relationship with him, and Grandpa Huang was barely ever happy, except on the day he received his egg. This causes Louis to realize that you don't have to be a hard man to be a hard worker, and obviously he doesn't want Eddie to have the same relationship like he did with his father. So, he ends up giving him the rest of the money, so Eddie can buy the video game.

Jessica decides to take the couple to the Miller's house, and show them the place. The couple is happy with the house, but Jessica gets interrupted by Ashley and let's her know the AC is only for people buying the house. Jessica claims he is indeed showing the house and that their interested, Ashley gives them the flyer on how much the place cost. But Jessica grabs it and tells the couple to come with her, so they can get a prostitute downtown so Ashley can...well...we can't say it, but it's bad.

Even though Eddie received the money he needed for the video game, he felt like it wasn't right to buy it without truly earning it. He bought the game, but decides to get back in the game and work at the restaurant again. He told his dad to keep the game safe and to dock him for being late.

Later that night, Jessica celebrates by doing Eddie's pimp walk because she was able to sell a house no problem and is now a realtor. Louis let's her know that even though she sold a house, she needs a license to do so. But Jessica brushes it off and continues to celebrate and even allows the family to turn on the AC to low. The family proceeds to celebrate with the scene showing an up close shot of the picture of Grandpa Huang and then a picture of Eddie and Louis at the restaurant.

The episode ends with Eddie asking Trent, Doug, and Brian if Shaq-Fu was any good, but they all admitted it wasn't as good as they thought it was. Eddie wonders what Dave's opinion on the game his mom got him. We then see Dave playing the rest of his video game, and is happy when he finally completes the game.

Cast[]

Main Cast[]

Recurring Cast[]

Paul Scheer as Mitch
Lucille Soong as Jenny Huang (credited as Grandma Huang)
Jillian Armenante as Nancy
Noel Gugliemi as Hector Martinez (credited as Noel G.)
Eddie Huang as Narrator (voice)

Guest Cast[]

Rachel Cannon as Deidre Sanderson
Ian Reed Kesler as Randy
Arden Myrin as Ashley Alexander
Ben Belack as Andy
Armando Molina as Raul Ruiz
Stacey Scowley as Carol-Joan
Joel Spence as Patrick
David Theune as Rick
Evan Hannemann as Dave Selby (credited as Barefoot Dave)
Trevor Larcom as Trent Masterson
Connor Rosen as Doug (credited as Bed-Wetter Doug)
Dash Williams as Brian Pew
Tim Banning as Diner #1
Jeff Grace as Diner #2
Mara Klein as Diner #3
Carrie Armstrong as Diner #4
Exie Booker as Man
Shaun Brown as Grocery Clerk
Jeff Holman as Hungry Guy
Kelly Lynn Warren as Woman
Samantha Gangal as Student (uncredited)
Masha Malinina as School Girl (uncredited)
Tyler Mazzel as School Boy (uncredited)
Jake Shaw as School Boy (uncredited)

Trivia[]

This episode was originally going to be titled "Shaq Fu".
This is the first episode we see Chad the bartender who goes on to appear in every season at Cattleman's Ranch Steakhouse.

Gallery[]

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"