BuzzFeed asked 11 first-generation kids how they felt about the “Parents” episode of Aziz Ansari’s new Netflix series, which gets real about the immigrant story.
K.C. Bailey / Netflix
In the second episode of Master of None, viewers meet the parents of Dev Shah (Aziz Ansari) and Brian Cheng (Kelvin Yu). At first, the two friends complain about the fact that their immigrant parents are always asking them for favors — like Dev's dad who asks him to fix his iPad — and how Asian parents never show affection. But eventually, Dev and Brian realize they know very little about their parents' pasts and set out to find out more at a family dinner.
It's an episode that's as hilarious as it is poignant, and it's especially relatable to kids who grew up with immigrant parents in America. We asked 11 first-generation kids how they felt about the "Parents" episode, and while their stories in no way reflect everyone's immigrant story, their narratives were just as moving as Dev's.
Netflix
"This episode amplified both my appreciation for who my parents have become and the guilt I've felt for being 'too busy' for them on many occasions. Seeing Dev and Brian interact with their parents almost felt like I was watching a home movie of sorts. There was a shared understanding between the episode, my own upbringing, and the immigration story my parents often don't share. I immediately called my parents afterwards just to catch up. A call doesn't seem like much, but for them, it's enough. They just like to know that I'm still thinking of them, and this episode helped me do just that." —Pablo Valdivia, 23
Courtesy Pablo Valdivia
