All American Girl The Complete Series DVD with Margaret Cho, Amy Hill, Jodi Long (NR) +Movie Reviews

Like Cosby's Show for Korean

Gloryking | Seoul, Korea | 11/25/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

""All American Girl" was the first sitcomedy to focus on Asian family in USA. And it starred the funny Korean comedian Margaret Cho. The show didn't last for many seasons, but it was very funny. Especially the old-world Grandma. The show was warm and clever and presented the Asian experience in a way everyone could understand and enjoy. I'll be ordering the set so my grandchildren in USA can laugh and think about what it means to be Korean-American."

A Great Series Arrives on DVD

Dorrie Wheeler | 01/30/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Margaret Cho got her start in the late 1980's on the stand-up comedy circuit. In the early 90's she broke ground with her series All-American Girl which is now available on DVD for the first time. All-American Girl was the first prime time series about a Asian-American family. The show debuted in the fall of 1994. Cho starred in the series Margaret Kim. Margaret lives at home with her very colorful family. Margaret, the character, is a fun loving young women who enjoys life. Her mother very much wants Margaret to follow Korean customs and date Korean men. Margaret's brother Stuart (portrayed by B.D. Wong Law & Order, Oz), dates Korean women and is in medical school. Margaret finds support from her grandmother (Amy Hill), father, and younger brother Eric (J.B. Quon.) All-American Girl was a great situation comedy with potential to have a lasting run, but sadly ABC pulled the plug on the series after just one season.

All-American Girl was a really funny show. The grandmother stole every scene she was in. The character of the mother was a bit over the top with her strong believes and seemingly bad attitude, but that is the way her character was written. It was a really great ensemble cast and was just as enjoyable as an Everyone Loves Raymond or a Family Matters.

To understand All-American Girl you must check out the special feature All-American Girl: A Look Back With Margaret Cho. Margaret went through so much with the network when it came to the production of the show. She is joined in this feature with Amy Hill who starred as the grandmother in the series. This was the first time that Asian-American's were seen on prime television as a family just living their lives and there were conflicts with the casting and the show was not without controversy as some Asian-Americans complained that all of the actors in the show were not Korean. On top of that in the feature Margaret discloses many strife's that occurred with the production and even details how once world politics came into conversation when it came to the series. This feature shines so much light on the series and Amy Hill even gets back into her grandma get up at the end!

If you missed All-American Girl during it's original run, do pick it up on DVD. The complete series is available in a four disc box set. It's a really funny show and it's a shame it didn't last longer.

"

This was great ;-)

Little Miss Cutey | Melbourne, Australia | 12/27/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a fantastic series. I was so upset when they cancelled it, because I thought it was funny as anything. Margaret Cho had the best lines and the whole dysfunctional family were hillarious. This is a must see. You'll laugh until you cry. She was so snappy and quick and sarcastic, and just wait till you see the Grandma. All she cares about is her tv shows. She's hilarious.

The funniest episode is the Pulp Sitcom with Quentin Tarentino. Especially if you are a fan of Pulp Fiction you will see so many takes on it. From the clean up scene, the story of the watch, the diner and the car. It's quite cool and was probably really hip back then.

This dvd set is a must for all Margaret Cho fans and fans of the show. It was and still is quite funny."

Not All-Margaret, But Still Fun to Watch

RetroRhythms | USA | 08/05/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This short-lived sitcom was many people's introduction to comedienne Margaret Cho. Though it was supposed to be based on her stand-up act, in reality, it was about as far from her real personality as possible! Added to that, the writing of the show was often banal and inconsistent. In the DVD commentary, Margaret states that the network (ABC) was trying so hard to please different parties (i.e. Asians who thought the show wasn't "Asian enough," and non-Asians who thought it was "too Asian") that the show ultimately lost its direction. That explains some of the writing shortcomings.

But with all its flaws, "All-American Girl" is still fun to watch for several reasons. One, Amy Hill's portrayal of "Grandma Kim" is endearing and very funny. In fact, it will remind many of Margaret Cho's impersonations of her real-life mother in her more recent stand-up shows. Second, there is a quirky vibe to the show that results from its odd array of characters. They range from the talented Judy Gold playing an oddball co-worker of Margaret's at the mall department store, to an 11-year-old Ashley Johnson playing an offbeat nextdoor neighbor to the Kim's (the name of Margaret's family on the sitcom), to Jodi Long portraying Margaret's strict and traditional mother, and B.D. Wong acting as her successful, superior older brother. This variety makes for "a little something for everyone" that ultimately gives the show the ability to appeal to different ages, races, and people from different socio-economic backgrounds.

Lastly, "All-American Girl" is intriguing to watch simply because it is sooo different than the Margaret Cho many of us have come to love. Given that a good chunk of her autobiography and first stand-up flick (both titled "I'm the One That I Want") focused on the trials and tribulations that doing the sitcom brought her, AAG has taken on a second life in recent years. Now, fans can see what all the fuss was all about, see how much she's changed, and enjoy a bit of nostalgia (yes, the show did, in fact, have a notable teenage following when it originally aired!)."

Gaining a new fan

Ime Writemore | Ontario, Canada | 02/25/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've been a fan of Margaret's ever since purchasing her CD "Assassin" from iTunes. Since then, I've caught up with most of her career. And since yesterday, I've caught up with... let's say 99% of it by purchasing this DVD box set.

This show is crazy good! Man, I'm not Korean, but I could relate to a lot of the stuff from the family. I love it!

To be honest, the lack of bonus features is disappointing. But I'm not complaining. The show more than makes up for it. And besides, it's cheaper than most TV shows on DVD. At least it was for me.

So go and check this show out! You won't be disappointed. I promise."

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