The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh

The show felt like a guilty pleasure - entertaining but with average acting. What really disappointed me was the shallow portrayal of Indian culture, especially considering it was directed by an Indian.

I don't mind lighthearted jokes that play with stereotypes, but it missed the mark on traditions. For instance, Rakhi signifies a brother's duty to protect his sister, not the other way around, yet they got that wrong along with many other cultural elements.

On top of that, it rehashed the usual stereotypes about poverty and cleanliness in India without offering anything new or insightful. I had hoped for an accurate and authentic representation of India, but unfortunately, it turned out to be a mix of hits and misses.

Yes the Pradeeps are Indian, they speak with Indian accents, they wear Indian clothes but they are also very Americanized despite living in Pittsburgh for such a short time. There are nods to the Pradeeps' heritage but by and large this is a show for a general American audience. That audience is still not ready for a dignified romantic relationship between a brown person and a white person. What we get instead is the daugher Bhanu lusting after her neighbor Stu but told to slow down because of their religious differences. The son Kamal lusts after his neighbor Janice who is also his school teacher. Its embarassing to see this on screen in 2024 and I was mashing the fast forward ten seconds button on my remote to get through it. The neighbor Jimbo remarks that women would be interested in the father character Mahesh for his understanding of Karma, but of course we will not ever see a woman show interest towards a brown man in this program.

If you're ready and willing to fast foward through the cringe there are some enjoyable dynamics in the show. The friendship between Mahesh and Jimbo was refreshing. The rivalry between Sudha and Janice is over the top but funny at times. I like the two investigator characters who play good cop, bad cop and try to get a confession out of the Pradeeps. The youngest son Vinod is meant to be a precious kid and draws laughs. Heck I like the entire cast and I hope they all get roles after this or if there is a season 2 it simply comes out better. Other television programs like 'Fresh Off the Boat' and 'Never Have I Ever' set a standard for immigrant and South Asian stories and they make 'Pradeeps of Pittsburgh' look feeble by comparison.

This is great, happy to see this. The film Growing Up Smith (also on Prime with Jason Lee from My Name is Earl and Hilarie Burton) helped open doors for this show (and many like it). Houghton was the original creator of Growing Up Smith after living with four gents from India in a small apartment. OIt's crazy, a Growing Up Smith series was actually shopped around H-wood with Alec Baldwin, the series had even been discussed with Lorne Michaels.

But this is a fun show. Fade the haters who won't/don't get it. They'll say "stereotyping", etc. It's based on a TRUE STORY, for goodness sakes. Uh, duh. And it's a strong story about strong people.

I found the show really entertaining! Honestly, just ignore the haters-most of the negative comments seem to come from people who just don't get the humor. I'm Indian, and my girlfriend is Colombian, and we both couldn't stop laughing at the accents and the little guy who's obsessed with garbage and recycling. The show definitely has its moments, and what's funny is that I even see some similarities between the characters and my own parents. It's refreshing to see something that plays with cultural quirks. These days, people are so overly sensitive that it's hard to enjoy anything without someone getting offended. But seriously, give it a watch and decide for yourself!

I LOVED it.

Relateable on so many level's .

The determination and patience of Daddy Mahesh Pradeep.

The protectiveness and strength of mama Sudha Pradeep.

The curiosity and rebellion of sister Bhanu Pradeep.

The insecurity of brother Kamal Pradeep.

The confidence and precociousness of baby brother Vinod Pradeep. My absolute FAVORITE!

It's not a portrayal of modern India or every Indian, just a look at the different levels of frustration, challenges, excitement discrimination etc etc , All with a huge dose of humor.

I am an Indian and telling all Indians, 'come on, lighten up and learn to laugh at yourselves. Learn to distinguish humour from judgement'.

I hope there is a Season 2!