The Writing Team of Post-Modern Productions have been planning a revamped, Taiwanese version of the animated sitcom, The Simpsons. The Taiwanese version will center around a dysfunctional family as The Simpsons did, with the Chous’ and will also be animated.
The family will include: Justin Chou, a 41-year old father; his wife Debra, 39; their children David and Angel Chou, 13 and 12. Secondary characters include 80 year-old Grandpa and 76 year-old Grandma Chou, and their dog, Stanley.
Each character always finds him/herself in comedic situations despite itself being stuck in the exact opposite type of situation.
The show will include elements present in the Simpsons, including stereotyping and it’s humor and satire.
While The Simpsons has influenced other adult-orientated animated sitcoms, we want to produce one that would be able to reach a wider audience.
What makes it particularly Taiwanese is that it includes well-known Taiwanese foods and traditions and their own phrases, which we think viewers will find amusing. It also parodies political issues and issues that viewers find relevant and it’s Taiwanese from a Western view.
It exaggerates on typical Taiwanese day-to-day life, such as fretting about test results, homework, after-school lessons, Taiwanese media and intelligence.
Typical Taiwanese are perceived as more intelligent than the average American and therefore sometimes we think of them being extremely smart and wearing glasses, especially for boys.
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Girls today care more about their image and their social life and image is more important to them than it is to boys. Their daughter, Angel, is rebellious and wants to dye her hair and wears contact lenses. She spends a good amount of her time talking with her friends and blogging, although she is musical. The son, however, is extremely bright; however, he isn’t athletic and isn’t very good at anything other than academic subjects. He is slightly overweight because of all the time spent sitting doing extra homework and at extra lessons with unruly skin. Girls can sometimes be more prone to not caring so much about schoolwork, although grades are still extremely important to themselves and the family.
The mother is portrayed as a traditional mother, as a housewife who generally shops and complains and wears conservative clothes while the father is the person supporting the family, working as a technician and cares very much about his children’s education. He loves to work and is overweight and likes to watch sports.
The grandparents however, won’t be much different from American grandparents. The grandfather spends his time reading the news, watching TV and napping. The grandmother is an active lady who has daily walks with the other elderly early in the morning. She is still the one who does the housework, doing everything from going to the market to cleaning to still being the only one riding a scooter at her age. Both eat soft food, although the grandfather rarely has the energy to eat and the grandmother also enjoys watching soap operas as well.
Stanley, the dog, is lazy and will bark and follow you everywhere like a little puppy when he can.
The family lives in a small apartment and that is the main setting, as is the grandparents’ house, which is located near the family’s house and the nearby dumpling restaurant and the children’s school.
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The Chous’ can be promoted through comic books, advertising, chat shows, games and perhaps its own merchandise. We can promote this through what’s popular in Western and Taiwanese culture.
It’s humorous because it’s unapologetically bold and conveys the humor even with words, using sight gags and covers a variety of cultural references. Animation and a dysfunctional family together can create more humor than a live action show can.
It’s be a benefit to have this show so viewers can gain a broader understanding of Taiwanese culture and their daily habits. They can gain a new perspective on how Taiwanese people thinks and how it differs from Western people. We can learn how their habits can seem so foreign and yet so similar to ours at the same time. We can learn about the similarities and differences and why this is a good thing in linking us all together.
We think this will appeal to students and viewers particularly in the 18-49 demographics although we think there will also be a strong pull with teenage audiences.