TMI: Too Much Integrity

TMI: Too Much Integrity
Season	6
Episode	8
Total Episode Count	109
Written By	Samantha Riley
Directed By	Jay Chandrasekhar
Production Code	6AXT08
Air Date	November 22, 2019
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"The problem with Honey is she has TMI... Too Much Integrity." — Jessica Huang to Louis Huang

"TMI: Too Much Integrity" is the eighth episode of the sixth season of Fresh Off the Boat. It first aired on November 22, 2019.

Synopsis

The Huang parents are out to make big changes in the lives of their friends and family: Jessica scheduling mandatory family time with Eddie, Emery and Evan; and Louis dead set on taking Honey's blog to the next level, landing her a spot on "Good Morning Orlando". However, they may be in for a surprise when the boys and Honey let them know how it feels to be on the other side of their good intentions.

Plot

"Say buon giorno... to Piazza del Eastview. And it's more than just a traffic diversion. It is neutral territory for community bonding."

During an HOA meeting, Carol-Joan suggests installing a piazza as a median for traffic diversion and that it could be a neutral territory for community bonding. Jessica proceeds to shoo her off the stage so that Evan can move on to Louis, who is the next speaker. Louis introduces himself pitches his new business consultant services, only for Deidre, Carol-Joan and Jamie to ask about his profit margins, clientele, and profit projections. When Louis responds that it would be zero as he has just started, Deidre scoffs that it isn't an actual business if he has no clients, and he is ushered off.

"When I need a break and they refuse to nap, I just shut off the baby monitor for a few minutes. Oh, God. Sorry. TMI."

Louis heads to Honey's house, bringing her lunch from Louis Huang's Cattleman's Ranch Steakhouse as he knows it is hard for her to go out and get food with two young children. Louis mentions how Deidre crushed his dreams, and how she said he had no company due to having no clients or money, while also adding he has yet to come up with a company name. Honey suggests tuning Deidre out, informing Louis that when she needs a break and they refuse to nap, she just shuts off the baby monitor for a few minutes.

Louis and Jessica in the 1980s

Seeing Louis' reaction, she apologizes for the TMI only for Louis to say that he and Jessica did the same thing, albeit without a baby monitor; they simply increased the volume on the television, and became hooked onto Mork & Mindy as a result. Honey is happy to hear that she is not the only one going through parenting issues and expresses her wish that more parents would share their experiences. Louis then suggests that she start a website, and Honey agrees, deciding to call it TMI: True Mommy Insights, with Louis offering his help.

Evan, Eddie and Emery return home in high spirits after witnessing a turkey fight at the grocery store

At home, Jessica listens to Jenny discussing hard and soft tacos when Eddie, Emery and Evan enter through the front door laughing. When Jessica asks them why they are laughing, they tell her that they had gone to the grocery store to watch people fight over Thanksgiving turkeys, with Evan recalling Tie-Dye Tim using a lasso. This upsets Jessica, as "Turkey Tango" was an annual shopping fight she had attended with her sons, and that they had gone without her. Jenny explains that her sons at the age where she is no longer interesting to them and that she herself is at the age, but Jessica dismisses her, claiming that it was because she was too busy with her studying and job applications. She resolves to show her boys she can be the life of the party, only for Jenny to remark that Jessica does not even know what a party is.

TMI receives 100 page views

Honey finishes writing and publishing her first post on the site, about how children don't need to be well-cleaned so long as the food on them is removed. After publishing it, they are ecstatic at the view counter that keeps increasing as they refresh the page, only to realize the views are their own. They decide to take a break, with Louis listing off various names for his consulting service, which bores Honey. Eventually, she decides to return to her computer and check the view count, and see that the post has received 100 views. Honey is glad that Louis convinced her to do this and that there are people listening to her maternal problems, and in gratitude goes through Louis' list of company names.

"Is that just a chore wheel but with "dusting" crossed out and "roast Grandma" written in?"

As Eddie, Emery and Evan put on their shoes to head out to the newly built piazza, Jessica interrupts them, wanting them to spend one hour of concentrated family fun time with a chore wheel, where she observes the boys doing chores. The boys refuse, informing Jessica that they wish to attend the piazza's ribbon-cutting ceremony with Evan adding that Marvin would be teaching them bocce since Carol-Joan is diving into the Italian theme, and they leave the house.

Louis hires himself as Honey's business consultant and incorporates her blog

Louis is at home talking with tech support regarding the various pop-ups on his computer and asking about the $100 the pop-ups claims he won when Honey enters, notifying him that TMI has hit 1,000 page views. Louis then tells Honey that he incorporated her blog as a business and made her his client so that they could both be legitimate businesses. Honey tries to voice her opposition, but Louis construes it as her discussing payment and he tells her that he would not be charging her a cent. He then throws away the champagne she brought over to celebrate the 1,000 page views and reveals that he has booked her a promotional opportunity on Good Morning Orlando. Honey is shocked and claims that she is not TV ready, but relents when Louis mentions that he's finally feeling good about his business now that he has his first client.

"Why are you all dressed like European hobos?"

Jessica discovers that a grocery store in Sanford has just received turkeys and tries to invite her sons to go witness a 'turkey tango' only to see that the three boys are dressed in European garb, with Eddie sporting a toga. With Emery and Evan stating that they've gotten the bocce bug, Jessica wonders how spending time at the piazza is more fun than spending time with their mother. Evan then notices that Carol-Joan is scooping gelato and the three try to leave when Jessica intercepts them, claiming that the piazza is racist towards them as they are Asians and suddenly the neighborhood needs a median to solve driving issues. Eddie points out that they moved to Florida six years ago while Emery reminds her that the Huang family have had their fair share of driving incidents.

The friendly neighborhood piazza

Noticing their neighbors enjoying their day on the piazza, Evan points out that Jamie is singing "Ave Maria" and tells Jessica "Ciao bella, mamma mia," which Eddie proclaims is racist as he and his brothers head to the piazza. Jenny then tells a disappointed Jessica that if she wants to spend time with her sons she should go to the piazza as well, but Jessica refuses, wanting to spend quality time with her sons and not with the others, such as Carol-Joan. Jenny tells Jessica that she tries too hard and it is no wonder the boys prefer the median, only for Jessica to state that she must destroy the median.

Honey and Louis on Good Morning Orlando

Honey goes on Good Morning Orlando, where hosts Gus and Mey-Mey ask her about her blog. Honey tells them that she did with the help of Louis and that he was backstage, only for Gus and Mey-Mey to point out that Louis was at the side with a microphone, and watch as Louis enters and joins the interview. Mey-Mey tells Honey that as a mother she enjoyed Honey's blog, and that she often ignored her child for days on end. This surprises Gus, who asks her about the child he never knew she had, and asks her how old the child is. When Mey-Mey replies that her son is twelve, Gus recalls that they slept together on a cruise twelve years and nine months ago and that when they returned, she swore off sushi and took a sabbatical from work. Mey-Mey then calls for a commercial break, with Gus exclaiming that he wants to know about his son and what his name is. Louis then gives Honey a sign with her web address on it and tells her to flash the goods on camera, clarifying that he meant her teeth.

"You are a fool to invoke the mob."

Jenny is watching the interview and declares that according to maritime law, the baby would belong to no one. Jessica tells her to pipe down so she could work on her op-ed, a report she is anonymously sending to the local newspaper to get the city to tear down the median, citing that they should "leave bocce to the Mafia." As Jenny tells Jessica that she is a fool to invoke the mob, Jessica asks her to turn the television down, only for Jenny to retort that she got there first. This sparks Jessica to get to the median first and she thanks Jenny for the idea, telling her that she is one in a thousand for good ideas, amending it to two when Jenny mentions that she attached the vacuum cleaner to her wheelchair.

"They want me to say "scrumdeeleeumpcious?" I would rather scrumdeelee-stick my head in the oven."

Honey finishes writing another post about a 55-second rule for floor food when Louis enters and tells her that advertising opportunities have started pouring in since Good Morning Orlando and that she is being paid to write a baby food review, where she must use the word "scrumdeeleeumpcious" and use the promotional bullet points the company has sent. However, Honey refuses, telling Louis that she wants to write what she wants to write.

Jessica hogs the piazza

Meanwhile, Eddie, Emery and Evan head out the piazza only to find Jessica there in a lounge chair. They ask her if she could move so that they could play bocce but she refuses, telling them that she had gotten there first.

Honey realizes Louis went behind her back

Honey hears a knock on her front door and opens it to find multiple boxes of baby food, with a note by the company thanking her for her review. Angrily, she storms into Louis' house, where he is once again on the phone with tech support, arguing about how his computer was frozen after he attempted to redeem the free trip to Cozumel that he had 'won'.

"I never hired you. You hired you. But now I'm firing you."

Honey berates him for publishing the review behind her back, and when he replies with "you're welcome" for making her a business a success, citing it as the reason she hired him, she reminds him that he hired himself and that she was now firing him. Louis asks why he is being fired, and Honey explains that it was because he published the review even though he knew she didn't want it posted. Honey states that TMI is her blog and not his, and when Louis claims that it was all to help her, Honey retorts that everything she did was to try and help him since he was desperate for a client, but refers to doing so as a big mistake.

The neighborhood tries to get Jessica to move over so that they can finish their bocce finals

The neighborhood gathers around the piazza, with Deidre asking Jessica to move so that they could continue with their bocce finals, although Jessica remains put. Marvin then announces that the finals have been postponed and that they should refer to Jamie for a refund on any bets they placed. As the crowd disperses, Jessica tells her sons that they now have the piazza to themselves and can have family fun time, only for them to respond that they were already having fun before she showed up and ruined it.

Jessica and Louis discuss their problems with each other to find a solution

Jessica is joined by Louis, who brings a can of baby food. Louis cannot comprehend why Honey would fire him after he helped her turn TMI into a business, and Jessica tells him Honey has TMI – too much integrity – and is not in it for the money. She then tells him how their sons also have TMI – too many interests – and that none of them are her, complaining about how they'd rather play bocce on the piazza than spend time with her. Louis, eating the baby food, then tells her that if she wishes to spend time with them, she should do what interests them, even if it is something she has taken an arbitrary stance against.

Eddie invites Jessica to play bocce with them

Eddie, Emery and Evan enter the latter two's bedroom where Eddie mentions how bocce is just adult marbles. Just then, Jessica walks in with an apology lasagna for ruining their "dumb bowling" although Eddie points out that the lasagna is still frozen. Jessica responds that it would've taken an hour to make and that she didn't need that much time to reflect, and tells them that with her studying and job hunting, she just missed them and wanted them all to herself, but that she would be happy if they were just all together. Evan then tells her that she would like bocce, while Eddie adds that it would be perfect for her as it involved precision, competition and violence; Eddie then asks her if she would like to play with them, and Jessica replies that she does like violence.

"I've got so many ideas. The other day, I wore a diaper, and it was magical."

Louis heads to Honey's house and asks if he could use her computer, and she refuses as she does not want it to be infected with a virus. He tells her that he wants to show her the latest TMI post, revealing to her that he published her '55-Second Rule' post. He apologizes for selling out her blog, citing that it wasn't her and that he got so caught up in trying to be successful that he forgot that the job entailed supporting someone else and their dreams. Honey tells him that he will make a small business owner happy some day and he replies that she should continue blogging as she has a relatable voice, and she informs him that she would not be stopping as she has so many ideas, disclosing that she even wore a diaper the other day. While discussing company names, Honey suggests that he keep it simple with 'Louis Huang Consulting', a suggestion which Louis likes.

Jessica wins the bocce finals

Out on the piazza, Jessica wins the bocce finals. Just then, the police show up to destroy the median, as it has been constructed without a permit. When Deidre asked who snitched, Corporal Bryson responds that he was alerted to the matter through an anonymous op-ed in the paper, and Jessica publicly announces that she suspects Carol-Joan to be the culprit. Emery and Evan lament how bocce was fun while it lasted, and Jessica replies that they can continue this in their backyard. As the crowd cheers, Jessica clarifies that she meant the Huang family only. The people then leave in disappointment, and Jessica tells Bryson to bring in the bulldozers, and he relays the same command to a fellow officer.

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 (credited as Grandma Huang)
• Chelsey Crisp as Honey Ellis
• Ray Wise as Marvin Ellis

Recurring Cast

• Rachel Cannon as Deidre Sanderson
• Stacey Scowley as Carol-Joan
• Alex Quijano as George Bryson (credited as Corporal Bryson)
• Kathleen Rose Perkins as Mey-Mey
• Ken Marino as Gus
• Zabeth Russell as Jamie (credited as Jamie aka Meatball)

Errors/Inconsistencies

• Eddie states that the Huangs have resided in the neighborhood for six years. However, they have only been there for four.
• Jessica quotes Maximum from Gladiator when she says "Are you not entertained?" to the bocce spectators. However, Gladiator came out in 2000; this episode is set in 1999.

Quotes

Louis: Uh, after weeks of soul searching, I found my purpose... Helping others realize their small-business dreams. And I'm relying on referrals from people like you... Deidre: Well, what kind of profit margins are we talking about here? Louis: Um, I'm just starting, so it must be somewhere around zero. Deidre: Oof. Carol-Joan: What have you done to promote your business? Louis: Uh, well, there's this. Uh, and an e-commerce conference coming up. Oh! My mother's Mahjong tournament. Different ballrooms, same Radisson. Jamie: I am so excited for this new chapter of your life, Louis. What are your Q3 profit projections? You tied up in assets, or are you free to move? How robust is your client portfolio? Louis: Uh... Um, w... Uh... S... I-I-I-I don't know yet, but, um... Deidre: Well, if you don't have any clients, you're not a real business, Louis.

Eddie: The holiday season begins when folks come together and fight to the death over big, frozen birds. Evan: It was one of the best years yet. Tie-Dye Tim brought a lasso. A lasso! Jessica: I can't believe this. Jenny: Me, neither. Tie-Dye Tim told me he wasn't into rope stuff.

Jessica: It is one of my favorite shopping fights of the year. It's like Thunderdome without the dome. And with an aisle. Thunderaisle. Why wouldn't they invite me? Jenny: They are at that age where you are not interesting to them anymore. I am also at that age. Jessica: No, that's not it. I've just been so busy lately with studying and job applications. They need a reminder that I can be the life of the party. Jenny: I don't think you know what a party is.

Eddie: Apparently, "piazza" is not "pizza" in Italian, so I still have to learn how to say "pizza" in Italian.

Honey: Okay, there's no harm in trying. Louis: Uh, there is with crystal meth.

Jessica: Why are you all dressed like European hobos? Evan: We're headed out to the piazza. Emery: We all caught the bocce bug. Eddie: And I caught the toga bug. I'm one safety pin away from nudity, and I love the thrill.

Jessica: No, wait. You can't go. Emery: Why? Jessica: Because... it's racist. Evan: Against Italians? I guess it's a little on the nose. Jessica: No, against us. An Asian family moves onto the block, and suddenly, we need a median to solve our "driving issues"? Wake up. Eddie: Suddenly? We moved here six years ago. Emery: And to be fair, we've had our share of driving incidents. Eddie: Feels like a reach. You dilute the movement with stuff like that, Ma. Evan: Oh, my God. Meatball's playing "Ave Maria." That's my jam. Ciao bella, mamma mia. Eddie: Now that’s racist.

Jenny: You're trying too hard. No wonder they prefer the median. It smells like grass, not desperation. Jessica: You're right. I must destroy the median. Jenny: You always take the wrong lesson.

Gus: Uh, how old is this kid that I've never heard of? Mey-Mey: Uh, 12. Gus: 12. Mey-Mey: Now, Honey, back to your blog. Gus: No, back to the kid. You and I took a cruise 12 years and 9 months ago, and then when we got back, you swore off sushi and took a sabbatical. Mey-Mey: We're talking about a blog. Gus: No, we're talking about my son!

Jenny: According to maritime law, that baby belongs to no one. Jessica: Hey, can you pipe down? I'm working on an op-ed for the newspaper. How's this for a finish? "In summary, leave bocce to the Mafia. Take down that median." Jenny: You are a fool to invoke the mob. Jessica: Can't you watch that in your room? Jenny: I was here first. I'm not moving. Looks like you're stuck with me. Jessica: Get there first! Jenny, you're one for 1,000 on good ideas. Jenny: What about the time I attached the vacuum to my wheelchair? Jessica: Two for 1,000.

Jessica: Now that we have the place to ourselves, maybe we can have family fun time out here! Emery: We were already having fun. Eddie: Until you showed up and ruined it.

Eddie: You know, when you think about it, bocce is just adult marbles.

Gallery

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"