It’s not often that you have a new TV series based on a book by an Asian American come to national television. Add to that two main Asian American characters and you get Monday Mornings which debut last week on TNT.
As Hyphen Magazine points out in its always interesting recap of Asians representing on the television scene, Monday Mornings is based on a book by CNN Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta. It also features two Asian American actors featured in starring roles in the ensemble cast. Keong Sim plays Dr. Sung Park, a hard nosed doctor with poor bedside manners and what Hyphen Magazine describes as a “horrendous accent.” Dr. Park definitely doesn’t fall into the emotionless inscrutable mold. He displays flashes of anger when someone makes a comment about his “language.” He also see his reactions after being admonished for performing a risky surgery without first considering alternatives. Lets hope this character gets developed further into a multi-dimensional character in which the role of his ethnicity and how it fits into the hospital culture plays out further.
Dr. Sydney Napur is played by Sarayu Rao. She’s just fallen out of a relationship because it seems she wanted to be married to her job more than to be married to her boyfriend. Her friends at the hospital express concern as she immerses herself more and more into her job. Is this role going to fall into the “hard working” Asian American stereotype or wills he break out and begin to show a more balanced life? And will Dr. Napur be the only Asian character on the show that’s going to have a hint of a sex life (you know that’s coming, don’t you?) We’d love to see Dr. Park attract the babes too.
Overall it was a very interesting week for Asian Americans on television. From the return of Community to American Idol, you can read all about it in Hyphen Magazine .