User reviews

The show's portrayal of Indian culture feels incredibly simplistic and fails to capture the true essence of modern India. For instance, the image of Indians wearing kurtas in meetings is a glaring stereotype that does not reflect reality. This reliance on outdated representations overlooks the diversity and dynamism of contemporary Indian society.

It would have significantly improved the show if the creators had conducted even basic research into how India is. A little effort could have led to a more authentic depiction, showcasing the nuances of Indian culture rather than resorting to clichés. Authenticity matters in storytelling, as it fosters a deeper connection with the audience and offers a more accurate reflection of the society being portrayed.

Moreover, while the plot has potential, the acting and direction leave much to be desired. The performances often feel flat and lack the depth needed to bring the characters to life. Strong direction is essential for transforming a good script into a compelling narrative, yet here, it seems to be lacking. Moments that should resonate emotionally instead fall flat, which detracts from the overall viewing experience.

Ultimately, the show misses an opportunity to present a richer, more relatable narrative. By relying on stereotypes and neglecting the cultural realities of modern India, it fails to engage viewers meaningfully. A more thoughtful approach, grounded in research and authentic representation, could have made for a much more impactful experience.

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.

No laughs out loud, which is how I judge comedies. But it's an interesting idea and rather fun. Culture shock is usually great comedy.

But the biggest objection I have is that none of the Pittsburgh natives speak Pittsburgese! I caught one "yinz," but the pronunciations are all wrong. I was born Pittsburgh. So it's painfully obvious.

The acting is good, overall, and Vinod is precious. He got smiles. And Naveen Andrews is always good. As I see it, the show just needs better writing. Maybe season 2 will be better, and I do hope it gets another run. I'll try the show again.

But if it's Pittsburgh, and that's in the title, make it Pittsburgh. Don't dance around it. That could be much funnier. And p.s., it should be easy for actors to assume the dialect.

Yes, the characters are over the top. That's because this is a comedy and not a documentary. The Indian characters are stereotypical, but so are the American ones. The Mills Family are every single American stereotype wrapped into one family - it's actually impressive that the writers managed it: overly religious, petty, redneck, hunting, etc. - every American stereotype ever, wrapped up in a bushy beard and a bleach-blonde hairdo.

So two stereotypes - Indian and American - living next-door to each other: it was just funny. The youngest Pradeep was adorable, and not at all realistic for any child his age, no matter what country they came from. But it's a tv show and not reality.

It's not perfect, far off from that. But it's definitely pretty funny and good for a Sunday binge.

Feels like its Written by White People or Indians born anywhere but India who have idea what its like to be an Indian. Its completely out of touch. Could not handle the gross negligence. Even the actors don't feel like they are Indians migrating from India (because they are Americanized since many years). Such a massive insult. Stuff like arriving in a country and driving, little Indian kid using toilet paper, wearing kurtas in meetings, etc. The mother says curse words with an accent the day she arrives!! Beyond ignorant. It seems like no effort was made to understand how real Indians behave and live.

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!

This show makes a pathetic attempt at addressing immigration to the United States, relying heavily on offensive stereotypes. As an Indian-American, I can confidently say I've never encountered anyone who behaves this way. Very unfunny and it's really unfortunate that the actors decided to take these roles. I knew it would be disappointing as soon as I saw the trailer. I even showed it to my Father who is Indian and he hated it and said "none of us act like that". Very sad that this is the show that Indians have as "representation". All the jokes are incredibly outdated and the biggest problem is that millennial Asian-Americans always have to create jokes at the expense of our own race. I wish this show had been scrapped and hope it gets canceled. We've made progress with shows like Bridgerton and Never Have I Ever, and movies like Mean Girls: The Musical and this series could undo that. The last thing an Indian child in America needs is another stereotypical character like Baljeet or Ravi.

It is a fun and creative concept and loved it all the way. The family is hilarious. The premise is that immigration officers are looking into the conduct of a recent immigrant family from India who are interrogated for burning a house of their neighbours down. Then what cooks up between the neighbours and this family is what the show is all about. There are funny incidents and Pradeep's are not able to steer clear of the Mill's, their neighbours. Kinda reminded me of Schitt's Creek in some way.

Not sure about the bad reviews. First of all it's not offensive as it is called out to be. Would just like to say to loosen up and not get offended by everything.

I hope there is a season 2.

Watched episode one and was shocked by how poorly the show is written. It plays on all stereo type of Indian immigrants and at some point even insulting.

Nothing is funny about the show including the insipid acting and lame dialogues. The persons who wrote the show has no idea of comedy or timing. There is no connection or semblance to reality. It is not fit to watch by anyone with human intelligence. Wonder how they even made a show like this and released it for consumption.

Don't waste time watching... complete garbage.

Can't understand how it is on Amazon Prime. Hope they pull it out. Negative 10 stars.

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.

Funny, easy to watch series. It's a comedy series, so, spoiler alert, they've exaggerated behaviours for comedy value. It's not real life or a documentary. I enjoyed the dysfunctional family dynamics and I lived for Sudha and little Vinod's characters.

Sudha, the mum, is played by Sindhu Vee who is a hilarious stand-up comedian in the UK (if you don't know her, she's worth looking up)

It's a fun, light hearted series with a few uncomfortable scenes but easy to watch. It's reflective of the 2020s and it's nice to see a non-white family as the lead characters. I've read a few negative reviews about authenticity but I'm fairly sure the producers were trying to create a funny series, not factually accurate. Enjoy!

It's a lackluster attempt at blending culture and comedy. The characters feel one-dimensional, with cringe-worthy dialogues that fail to land. The plot drags on with predictable twists, and the humor often feels forced rather than organic. Despite a promising premise, the show suffers from weak writing and subpar performances, leaving viewers disengaged. The humor is painfully forced, relying on tired stereotypes and predictable punchlines. The pacing is uneven, dragging in places while rushing through others. Overall, it's a forgettable misfire that doesn't justify your screen time. I would definitely not recommend this show to anyone.

The obsessive control freak parents, utter disdain for any foreign culture, unbridled superiority complex, always blaming others, pent-up drive for physical intimacy from an young age fuelled by Hollywood's portrayal of America, curry rules all.... People will say stereotypes but it's true and fun. It's just brilliant how the whole incident was portrayed. Viewers might say it's cringe worthy but from the observers standpoint, it makes a lot of sense. Very well captured essence of the moment, I must say. The only blemish in the project would be the cast. Although they did good but cast with stronger connection with India would have been appreciated.

Very poorly written and directed full of over acting and stereotyping Indians. I'm really amazed at how bad Naveen and Sindhu acted. The writer Vijay Patel being an Indian (or at least of Indian origin) has build characters so badly. There are so many dialogues disrespecting and stereotyping India. Best parts of the show is covered in the trailer and you'll not find anything better or funny in any of the 8 episodes. If you watch the trailer and pass it, you won't miss anything. The direction is subpar at best trying too hard to make the audience laugh but horribly fails to do so. You guys could do a better job than this. Really disappointed with this nonsense show.

I love the Pradeeps of Pittsburgh, and I hope there will be a second season! The Pradeeps are all so unique, each absolutely loveable in their own way. The mother is sarcastic and an antagoniser. The father is the exact opposite, playing the pacifist that tries to smooth everything over. The daughter is a rebellious teenager, the son an introvert that grows with each episode. The little boy, Vinood, is a show stealer and absolute scene stealer. Their love for each other is obvious and an important part of the show.

Based on an immigrant family that moves to America, their interactions with their neighbors and schoolmates is totally entertaining. I found this show laugh out loud funny. May the Pradeeps continue to entertain us with many more seasons. I am probably going to rewatch season 1 starting today; that is how much I love the show!

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.

This series is perfectly cast with amazing actors who are really funny!! The stereotyping is what makes it priceless, which if you have to have a sense of humour you will appreciate. The writing is excellent, good story lines are just plain fun!

It is hard to find shows with good writing as the "Money" and "Politics" controls the predictably of the usual absurd/obnoxious content! Eg: people talking with their mouths full of food - not funny ever! The self absorbed obnoxiously invasive mother and or parents constantly talking, probing and never listening to the daughter/son - not funny ever! Spilling coffee on your lap, dumb! The couple who are in love, but exactly at 2/3's of the movie one of the has lunch with an ex and the chemistry is ruined - so predictable and dumb!

The list goes on and on but this show is fun!!

Racism internalized and "how"!! The writers are clearly out of touch and do not represent India the right way! They really need to educate themselves before writing these stories.

Here are a few places to start-

1. People in India are not digging food out of garbage.

2. Hindus don't need to declare their religion to avoid being attacked. If you can't understand the communal issues in India, don't misrepresent it.

3. I don't know, if someone asked me what I love about India, I won't list the top 10 things from google's "things to do" list 😂

4. Circumcision is not common in India. Get your facts right.

5. Indians (especially the men) don't wear kurtas everyday. It's not Deepavali.

Oh! And this was just the first episode. Educate yourself, writers!

Stereotypes abound, but also the ability to break through to what makes us alike. I enjoy the humor and the dichotomy of the cynical vs the optimism in many of the characters paired. Capitalism vs Altruism, pacifism vs. Survivalist. I think the writing is witty and wise, refreshing and nuanced. I also felt that both Americans and Indians are cast in stereotypes, but the relationships and feelings of struggling between fitting in and remembering where you are from resonates with all of us who have moved through generations or destinations. Teen angst, sexual discovery, innocence and sincerity are honest depictions of the human experience of maturing, no matter what culture you come from.

As an average comedy fan viewer.. stereotypical jokes doesnt work anymore right now. Atleast make the pilot interesting rather than boring... writing is lousy.. although acting is good. I would not watch if past 2 episodes. Cant be like this.

I have watched multiple comedy webseries and movies which interacts with audience and make them want to stay for few episodes..

for this one, the episodes felt too much long and such jokes doesnt land when you are showing this to indian audience. Just makes indians look fools. Series might change the facts in the end but i dont want to waste time watching this.

Entertaining well made series actors had good job. It should be appreciated it's made by indian who does not have any complex of presenting a big percentage of indian immigrants actual character don't understand why indians who are in india find this offending which I am sure indian immigrants won't display because they know that this is not kind of assumption but true and it is maturity that we learn to accept ourselves rather than denying it. This series has a child like simplicity no one is trying to do comedy the script and direction is in a way that daily day to day life of characters their conversation has comedy. No white will ever feel offended that the white characters too are on the same line as the immigrants that is called maturity.

The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh is a glaring example of how a show can misrepresent an entire culture while attempting to craft a "quirky" immigrant story. As an Indian viewer, I felt deeply insulted by how the series distorts the very essence of Indian identity and culture.

The family is portrayed as a group of exaggerated stereotypes, with the parents being overly traditional and the children constantly rebelling. This kind of shallow portrayal does nothing but reinforce outdated clichés about immigrant families and their supposed "clash" with Western values

What's particularly frustrating is the depiction of India itself. Instead of showcasing the country's rich history, diversity, and modernity, the show leans on tired tropes: India is shown as backward, chaotic, and stuck in the past. The characters' occasional nostalgia for India is portrayed as something odd and embarrassing rather than a natural part of their identity. The show fails to acknowledge the complexity of Indian society and instead presents it as a place stuck in a time warp - which couldn't be further from the truth.

This show has some of the freshest and funniest dialogue I have seen on TV in a long time. It reminds me of when comedies were funny in the day of Frasier, Golden Girls, Friends, etc. It stars comedienne Sindhu Vee whose dry comic delivery and one-liners made me laugh out loud and have to pause several times during each episode.

Naveen Andrews who viewers will recognize from Once Upon A Time in Wonderland as Jafar is the perfect casting choice to be the sweet and loving husband to Sindhu Vee and the kids.

And the kids! Each brought to their roles something fresh and interesting, and cohesive making this one of the best family comedies on TV in late 2024/early2025. From the eldest son's quirks, to the daughter's rebellion and the youngest charm they all were a cohesive family.

The haters will point out the it is stereotypical, not realistic, with bad accents or whatever else they may say. Are these the same who loved Fresh Off The Boat with it's Chinese/Taiwanese stereotypes, or better yet Everyone Loves Raymond, The Sopranos or any mafia based show with Italian stereotypes? Why are they ok with those, but not this?

Stereotypes exist because, while we are the same in the sense of our creator, we are all different, we come from different cultures. Different backgrounds. Show like this celebrate our differences. I am amazed that all the people 'offended' about the Indian family portrayed as they are, made NO mention about the white-Midwest stereotypical family portrayal--gun-toting, bleached-blond, redneck, bible-thumpers. This should tell the reader something about the author of the bad review.

My family immigrated from Southern Italy with it's own stereotypes. Did we get offended every time an Italian was portrayed on TV or in a movie as a mobster? NO. Because we were taught that not everyone is like what you see on TV/movies, because it is not real. It is just TV or a movie, and we are to value the person in front of us. Then we sat down and enjoyed The Godfather movies, The Sopranos, Everyone Loves Raymond, Donnie Brasco and other great feats of storytelling.