Hey guys. :)
I just want to say that I think Miko's dad (in "The Americanization of Miko") was a TOTAL JERK!!! Remember when he first walked into Eastland and Miko ran up to hug him and he actually acted as though his daughter hugging him was a bad thing! JERK!!!!! If I were lucky enough to have a child, well one, I'd never send her thousands of miles away to a boarding school; *I* would raise her; but two, if she ran up to me to hug me, I'd hug her back so hard I'd turn her blue! LOL But really, what a jerk he was! (In my oh-so-NOT-humble opinion!!!) Most teenagers act ashamed of their parents...how many parents wouldn't be thrilled to have a teenager who ran up to them to hug them and not be embarrassed by their parents???

Although I agree with you that children need love and affection, I think Miko's father's inability to appreciate a hug from his daughter is more of a cultural thing than anything else. He was not used to such "touchy-feely" ways of showing affection. That was part of the reason he felt like his daughter was becoming "too American."

As a parent, I love getting hugs from my kids and I am grateful none of them act too ashamed or embarrassed by me (yet!) But I really don't think Miko's father was a jerk. He was just trying to maintain his own cultural expectations and beliefs and instill those same values in his daughter; and he did come around in the end (I think...it's been a long time since I've seen the episode. It's not a fave of mine.)

Anyway...that's my opinion on it. I'm sure others think differently!

Although I agree with you that children need love and affection, I think Miko's father's inability to appreciate a hug from his daughter is more of a cultural thing than anything else. He was not used to such "touchy-feely" ways of showing affection. That was part of the reason he felt like his daughter was becoming "too American" ...

He was just trying to maintain his own cultural expectations and beliefs and instill those same values in his daughter

This is pretty right-on. I studied the Japanese language and culture for years, and I don't see this as Miko's dad being a jerk. It really was (and kind of still is) a cultural thing with the Japanese and some other Asian nations. Physical embracing in public (among many other things!) is frowned upon. The Japanese, especially, value "saving face" or maintaining proper decorum in public, and having a child as old as Miko hugging their father was a faux pas.

I think he started coming around in the end of the ep, though...can't quite remember.

One thing I remember of Miko's dad was that he had a sense of humor. At one point during the episode he said that he has a lot of respect for the American people. He then went on to mention three things that he liked about Americans. I would have to see the episode again to remember the first two. However, like usual, the last one was clearly for comic relief. This was that they play the world's "second" best baseball! How cute!

I still think he was a jerk! :lol: But then again I'm a little stubborn...I am never wrong about anything I ever say. :rolleyes: :crazy: All my close Internet friends know me well enough to know that THAT statement is the biggest joke ever! :lol: :lol: :lol:

I still think he was a jerk! :lol: But then again I'm a little stubborn...I am never wrong about anything I ever say. :rolleyes: :crazy:

:lol: You're right, of course. Why did I dare to disagree with you??? ;)

Miko's father really wasn't a jerk. As quite a few other people have posted, his behavior is very much a product of his cultural upbringing.

Sorry...still think he was a jerk. (Told y'all I was stubborn. :lol: )

Miko's father really wasn't a jerk. As quite a few other people have posted, his behavior is very much a product of his cultural upbringing.
I understand that but I still think he's a jerk.

^For being brought up differently?

Anyhow, great episode!

Anyhoo--do you think Miko was intended by the producers to be a recurring character? She would be featured in Tootie's OVER DRAMATIC Jermaine Jackson's obsession episode but then after that, she disappeared.

Anyhoo--do you think Miko was intended by the producers to be a recurring character? She would be featured in Tootie's OVER DRAMATIC Jermaine Jackson's obsession episode but then after that, she disappeared.

I think she probably was supposed to be a recurring character, but she didn't quite "mesh" with the rest of the characters on the show. It hardly ever works to bring in a new character (kind of like what they tried to do with Princess Alex or that annoying Kelly from season 5.) I liked Miko okay, but she wasn't one of the gang!

Princess Alex.......what a waste.......brought during what like the last 2-3 episodes of season 4? what was the point?? :lol:

i didn't know Miko was a "regular." the only episode i saw her in was when Tootie snunk out to go to New York, where the girls and Mrs. G were. i just thought she was a friend of Tootie's who didn't go to Eastland. lol.

Princess Alex.......what a waste.......brought during what like the last 2-3 episodes of season 4? what was the point?? :lol:

the only thing Princess Alex was good for was giving our Jo a break from Roy, the delivery boy from hell :lol:

Princess Alex.......what a waste.......brought during what like the last 2-3 episodes of season 4? what was the point?? :lol:
Hey! I like Alex! :lol: Of course, you guys do have a point that it wasn't the best idea in the world to bring in characters and try to make them a part of "the gang" in just one or two episodes. We still see them as outsiders if we didn't watch them and grow with them like we did The Four Musketeers.

But you know, speaking of Princess Alex, yes she kind of is a "Blair clone" as Jo said in "A Royal Pain" but I felt so sorry for her in that episode. Yes, Tootie and Mrs. Garrett do try their best to help her and stop her from running away again, but I felt that Mrs. Garrett didn't address the root of the problem as to WHY she kept running away. Alex says that in the past whenever she's run away from a boarding school, it was always weeks before her parents even noticed she was gone. Alex was running away all the time because, like I've often felt was the case with Blair's parents, she felt her parents were merciless in showing just how little they cared about her or were concerned for her. I'm sorry but you do not bring a child into this world and have them run away from home and "not even notice" for WEEKS at a time! If I were lucky enough to have a daughter and she ran away, I'd be climbing the walls. It's pathetic how little concern Eastland parents have for their kids. (Or some of them anyway.)