ABOUT THE SHOW


JUST ANOTHER IMMIGRANT is a comedic docuseries that follows Romesh Ranganathan, one of the most popular stand-ups in the UK, as he uproots his entire family – his supportive wife, their three kids, his Sri Lankan mother and his eccentric uncle – and immigrates to the U.S. Displaced in Los Angeles, Ranganathan attempts to find success and happiness, while rebuilding a life from scratch. In addition to his efforts to adapt, he has committed himself to booking a U.S. gig – the 6,000-seat Greek Theater – with only three months to sell it out. The series chronicles the true-life adventures of this modern immigrant family and the obstacles of making it in today’s America.

Ranganathan debuted on the British comedy circuit in 2010 and was nominated for Best Newcomer at the 2013 Edinburgh Comedy Awards. Since then Ranganathan has appeared on multiple television shows and is well known for his performances on Live At The Apollo, Mock The Week, The Royal Variety Show and A League Of Their Own, among others. Ranganathan’s hit series Asian Provocateur followed his escapades after being sent by his mother to his parents’ homeland of Sri Lanka in an attempt to connect him with his roots. The series earned the comedian his first BAFTA nomination. In 2016, Ranganathan embarked on his solo tour ‘Irrational’ and was awarded Ents24 Hardest Working Comedian of the Year.

JUST ANOTHER IMMIGRANT is a co-production of Rangabee Productions, JSA Olive Oil and Renegade. Eric Pankowski (Carpool Karaoke), Benjamin Green (Asian Provocateur) and Ranganathan are executive producers, with Green directing. David Garfinkle and Jay Renfroe (Naked and Afraid) also serve as executive producers.

 

Episode Descriptions

 

Episode 1: The Arrival

            -In the series premiere, Romesh arrives in America and immediately gets to work on the daunting task of selling out the six thousand seat Greek Theater while having no profile or connections in America.  Romesh also takes the first steps in laying down his roots in Los Angeles when he finds friendship in an unlikely place.

Episode 2: The Uncle

-Romesh welcomes his Uncle Ragu from Australia who, while having no experience, is determined to help Rom make it in Hollywood.  Uncle Rags has a plan for Romesh that causes a scene captured on national television.

Episode 3: The Family

            -Romesh’s wife, Leesa and their three kids arrive in America.   Leesa wants to help Romesh live a healthier lifestyle and goes to some extreme measures to achieve this, while Uncle Rags causes another major problem for Rom.

 

Episode 4: The TV Debut

            -Romesh reaches out to some comedy managers to help him get his first television spot in America.  Meanwhile, he has to prove to Leesa he has found a solution in Los Angeles for the education of their kids.

Episode 5: The Mom

            -Shanthi, Romesh’s Sri Lankan mother, arrives in America and Romesh struggles with finding the time that his mom, wife, children and Uncle all demand while still focusing on his career. 

Episode 6: The Money Issue

            -The financial reality of supporting his entire family in Los Angeles whilst earning nothing hits home, when Romesh needs to come up with money for a PR campaign.  Romesh goes to some extreme measures to raise money in a short time to fund an ad campaign for his impending comedy show at The Greek Theater.

Episode 7: The Focus Group

            When footage from the first few episodes is shown to a focus group, the feedback is difficult for Romesh to swallow. Despite claiming it has had no impact Romesh starts treating his family very differently.

Episode 8: The Corden Favor

            -Romesh tries to convince Leesa and the kids not to go back to the UK by enlisting her help with his career.  Leesa pushes Romesh to reach out to his friend and host of The Late Late Show, James Corden, to help Rom get his big TV break.

Episode 9: The Final Push

-With the Greek show just two weeks away and ticket sales still woefully lagging, Romesh is open to any and all ideas that could help sell out the Greek--even his uncle and mother’s bizarre publicity stunts.

Episode 10: The Greek

            -The show at the Greek is one week away and Romesh is absolutely desperate.  Attempting to drum up major publicity to drive ticket sales, Romesh takes his mom and Uncle to the Mexican border to build (and knock down) President Trump’s wall in an elaborate protest stunt.   In this season, finale, Rom finally makes it to the Greek, but how many people will be there to see him?  Season 1 of Romesh’s American journey comes to a surprising conclusion.