Check Out ‘Trading Spouses’

I caught the encore presentation of the first episode of Fox’s new show ‘Trading Spouses‘ last night and I’m hooked. Here’s a little bit about the first ‘trade’ (via Culture Critic Seeks Home)

As a budding anthropologist, I could not help but read this as an unabashed look at race and class in America. A synopsis: working class African-American mommy (Mela) is switched with upper-class white American mommy (Tammy). Mela gets new, rich Japanese American cosmetic surgeon as her partner (and it’s a two-fer because his mother, Nana, does *all* the housework and cooking – we later learn that Nana sets the coffee pot at night so that Tammy does not have to do it herself AND so that she can have a sleep-in…) [read the rest]

I couldn’t agree more that this show is fascinating as a study on race and class. There were so many instances of culture clash/shock in the first show. One of the worst was when Mela started questioning Yuki about Asians. I was flabbergasted that she didn’t know that Korea, Vietnam and Japan were separate countries with their own languages. WTF!?! But there were so many other classic moments, like the look on Tammy’s face as she realized she’d be living in the hood, etc. Things stayed mostly pleasant & polite during the first episode but they’re gonna get a bit more real tonight as they wrap up the first swap. If the other swaps are anything like this one Fox has a big hit on their hands.