The Best TV Series to Watch During AAPI Heritage Month (2024)

Prime Video’s provides a fresh take on the 2005 spy comedy. In this version, Maya Erskine (you’ll see her pop up on this list again) and Donald Glover star as John and Jane Smith, two strangers who are assigned to pose as a married couple. Working as secret agents is hard enough, but their job grows more complicated when...they...fall for each other. Season 1 is a fantastic revival of the espionage romance. Fans loved it so much that Amazon just greenlit another round of mayhem.

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A group of women living in Hong Kong see their lives converge over a horrific event. Nicole Kidman stars as Margaret alongside Ji-young Soo as Mercy and Sarayu Blue as Hilary. When Margaret’s son, Gus, goes missing, all three women find themselves deeply affected by the tragedy. Expats, based on Janice Y.K. Lee’s novel The Expatriates, is a case study on motherhood, friendship, and human nature—peeling back everything you thought you knew about humanity to reveal something new.

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On The Sympathizer, Hoa Xuande stars as “the Captain,” a half-Vietnamese, half-French communist spy. After working for the Vietcong during the Vietnam War, he flees to America and settles down in Los Angeles. There he bonds with a group of Vietnamese refugees—but he can’t leave his old life behind him. When the Captain is pulled back into the world of espionage, he’s forced to question his morals and his loyalties. This riveting tale offers a fresh look at the Vietnam War as told by a man torn between two sides.

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This limited FX series exploded on the scene this spring. Shōgun is an epic drama set during feudal Japan—and somehow, despite all the complicated historical context and cultural circ*mstances of the time period—it became 2024’s biggest show to date. Anchored by heavy-hitting performances by Hiroyuki Sanada (who is also a producer on the series) and Anna Sawai, who flexes her bilingual talents, Shōgun was a weekly must-watch. The show centers on the intense political battle among powerful samurais for control of Japan. Intense, spectacularly shot, and emotionally powerful, it made such a big impression that it landed itself a two-season renewal.

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Airbender fans, gather around! The beloved animated series finally got a live-action adaptation that fans felt was worth the wait. Avatar: The Last Airbender hit streaming on Netflix with an iconic cast including Daniel Dae Kim, Dallas Liu, and Ken Leung. The series has been celebrated for its diverse casting and its fun and colorful spin on the original series. And it’s been renewed for two more seasons, so binge now in preparation for more adventures with Aang and Appa.

Netflix

An absurdist original comedy from the minds of Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle, Pen15 hit millennials right in the gut. The Hulu series is a time capsule of the early aughts—with a soundtrack packed full of Mandy Moore and NSYNC, outfits straight out of a Delia’s catalog, and AIM as the main form of communication. If a Y2K revival is the hottest trend nowadays, then all the cringe of that era has been flawlessly restored by Pen15. It touches on the pain of growing up while facing identity crises, racial discrimination, and first crushes.

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Have you ever wondered how Awkwafina became Awkwafina? Well, you can watch her semi-autobiographical comedy series to find out. Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens is loosely based on the comedian’s life and upbringing in New York City. The cast is stacked with veteran Asian American actors, among them Lori Tan Chinn, BD Wong, and Bowen Yang. The guest stars are just as stellar—Stephanie Hsu, Jamie Chung, and Ken Jeong, anyone?

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The Mindy Project stars Mindy Kaling as a successful ob-gyn with a messy personal life. As she struggles to truly enter adulthood, she discovers that the rest of her coworkers could use some help, too. During the comedy’s six seasons, she finds herself in several romantic entanglements, too. If you’re looking for a lighthearted show to binge, this is the perfect pick.

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The popular Netflix dramedy has been lauded by critics as groundbreaking in its fight against Asian stereotypes. Protagonist Devi Vishwakumar is a fifteen-year-old Indian American Tamil girl who—along with facing all the typical stresses of being a teenager—is grieving the sudden death of her father. Devi feels estranged from her mother, confused about her identity, indecisive about her love interests, and unsure of her social standing at school. Equally fun, effervescent and painfully earnest, it’ll make you nostalgic about your high school years.

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Based on chef Eddie Huang’s memoir of the same name, Fresh Off the Boat follows an eleven-year-old hip-hop aficionado, Eddie, and his immigrant family, who move to suburban Orlando. As he and his brothers start a new school, the family is tasked with acclimating to their new surroundings. Hilarious shenanigans ensue. The show has been mired in controversies, including Constance Wu’s allegations that she was sexually harassed on set and Huang’s public disapproval of the sitcom’s direction. That said, he does credit the show’s legacy with bringing Asian representation to mainstream audiences who may not have typically had exposure to Asian culture.

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Inspired by Min Jin Lee’s acclaimed novel, Apple TV’s Pachinko chronicles generations of a South Korean immigrant family, from their grandmother’s young adulthood in Japanese-occupied South Korea to her Asian American grandson, who is trying to make his way in western society. The show explores all of the nuances involved in being an Asian American immigrant, as well as the lasting traumas that South Koreans who experienced Japanese occupation have suffered. A beautifully shot and acted drama, Pachinko features a talented cast composed of Lee Min-ho, Kim Min-ha, and Academy Award winner Youn Yuh-jung.

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Another classic from Mindy Kaling, this hilarious series features four college freshmen placed together randomly as roommates. As they get acclimated to living without adult supervision, the girls lean on each other to tackle adulthood. Throughout the past two seasons, the show has dealt with issues of class, misogyny, and sexuality. The Sex Lives of College Girls bravely depicts the choices made by these young women, who are trying to live lives that they can be proud of—and discovering what that means to them, despite society’s expectations.

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Aziz Ansari's critically acclaimed Netflix series had a grip on culture when it hit the streaming platform, with its refreshingly honest and witty portrayal of dating as an adult in a big city. It also takes the time to dive into deeper topics such as the the sacrifices immigrant parents make for their children, racial discrimination in the acting industry, and the sexual harassment women experience in their daily lives. Many of the episodes have inspired larger conversations about representation. It’s the moving, culturally stimulating show we always needed.

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This short but mighty Netflix series drew unanimous praise when it debuted. BEEF, created by Lee Sung Jin, stars Steven Yeun and Ali Wong. The two have an electric onscreen energy, and their hysterically quick insults made the show a hit. BEEF examines the intersection of race and class divisions, as well as our cultural conflict with expressing rage in a healthy way. Even more, it challenges us with its philosophical questions and portrayal of the consequences of generational trauma.

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Bridgerton became a viral streaming sensation after Netflix premiered its first season in 2020. Season 2 focuses on two sisters from India, Kate and Edwina Sharma. The younger one, Edwina, is set to debut in London society and find a good husband, which—unbeknownst to her—will allow her relatives access to the family fortune that is being withheld from them. They face many obstacles on the way to finding true love, but the romantic chemistry that erupts between Kate and Anthony Bridgerton will have you searching for a fainting couch.

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