Season 4, Ep. 8: Terminal USA

Saturday School Podcast

In this week's episode of Saturday School, we're going back to 1993 to revisit Jon Moritsugu's Terminal USA, his over-the-top, grotesque, drug-filled take on a Japanese American sitcom family. Moritsugu plays dual roles: twins Katsumi, a punk drug dealer, and Marvin, the repressed model minority. Their sister Holly is not as pure as the all-American cheerleader vibe she gives off, the father has some issues with murderous rage, and the mother makes a barter to have sex with the pizza boy, under the condition that he gives her extra cheese bread. Plus, they're waiting for grandpa, who is bed-ridden, to finally kick the bucket so they get a hefty pay-out.

The hour-long film was commissioned by ITVS looking for unique stories about the American family. However, once it was finished, many PBS stations across the US refused to play it. Understandably! Though what's funnier to us, 25 years later, is that many PBS stations DID play it. Moritsugu often makes films that aren't about Asian Americans, so it's a delight to see what he accomplishes once he turned his focus on Asian American stereotypes and identity.

Mentioned in this episode:

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"Inheriting" is a show about Asian American and Pacific Islander families, which explores how one event in history can ripple through generations. In doing so, the show seeks to break apart the AAPI monolith and tell a fuller story of these communities. In each episode, NPR’s Emily Kwong sits down with one family and facilitates deeply emotional conversations between their loved ones, exploring how their most personal, private moments are an integral part of history. Through these stories, we show how the past is personal and how to live with the legacies we’re constantly inheriting. New episodes premiere every Thursday. Subscribe to “Inheriting” on your app of choice

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