Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens
Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens (or simply Nora from Queens) is an American comedy television series starring Awkwafina that first aired on January 20, 2020 on Comedy Central. The series was renewed for a second season before the series premiere, and received generally favorable reviews from critics. The second season premiered on August 18, 2021. Premise. "Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens" follows a "20-something woman, named Nora Lin, in Queens who strives for a larger-than-life existence." Raised alongside her cousin by her dad and grandma, Nora leans on her family as she  navigates young adulthood in outer borough New York City. Production. Development. On April 17, 2018, it was announced that Comedy Central had given the production a pilot order. The episode was written by Awkwafina and Teresa Hsiao. Executive producers were set to include Awkwafina, Karey Dornetto, Peter Principato, and Itay Reiss. Dornetto was also expected to serve as showrunner and Hsiao as a co-executive producer. Production companies involved with the pilot were expected to include Principato-Young Entertainment, later rebranded as Artists First. On November 29, 2018, it was announced that Comedy Central had given the production a series  order for a first season consisting of ten episodes. Awkwafina, Hsiao, and Dornetto were set to write for the series and Lucia Aniello was expected to direct and executive produce. Ahead of the series premiere, on January 14, 2020, it was reported that Comedy Central renewed the series for a second season. Casting. Alongside the pilot order announcement, it was confirmed that Awkwafina would star in the production. Concurrent with the series order, it was announced that BD Wong and Lori Tan Chinn would star in the series. In July 2019, Chrissie Fit and Jonathan Park joined the cast in  recurring roles. On August 14, 2019, Jennifer Esposito was cast in a recurring capacity. On March 24, 2021, Alan Kim was cast in a guest starring role for the second season. Filming. Principal photography for the pilot began on July 20, 2018 in Queens, New York City, New York. In the last episode of season one, part of the story's background is set in Beijing, China, but it was actually filmed at Taoyuan International Airport and in Taipei, Taiwan. Release. The series premiered on January 22, 2020 on Comedy Central. In August 2020, it was announced that the series  would be available on HBO Max, with the second season airing on the service after its first-run broadcast on Comedy Central. The trailer for the second season was released on July 22, 2021. The second season premiered on August 18, 2021. Reception. Critical reception. On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 80% with an average rating of 6.75/10, based on 30 reviews. The site's consensus states that ""Nora From Queens" showcases Awkwafina's charming brashness and surrounds her with an equally delightful cast—especially scene stealer Lori Tan Chinn—but it could stand to walk  a less familiar comedic beat." On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 66 out of 100, based on 19 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Linda Holmes of NPR states "There's a lot of pressure on creators of color to be groundbreaking — to sell their shows as both good and somehow ethically nutritious. Awkwafina's place in that calculus is complicated by legitimate questions about her own treatment of cultural traditions she's not part of. But it's also fair to evaluate "Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens" as an entry in a line of single-camera comedy  series amplifying one distinctive sensibility ("Insecure", "Louie", "Chewing Gum", "Broad City", even "Portlandia"). And as part of that line, it holds up well." Ratings. The series premiere obtained 0.49 million viewers, making it the highest rated season one premiere for Comedy Central since 2017. According to "IMDb", "Grandma and Chill" is the highest-rated episode of season one, followed by the season finale, "China".