'Sunnyside': Kal Penn's presence as Garrett Modi works wonders for the immigrant comedy series
The new NBC comedy series is all set to roll out and fans have more than one reason to be excited about it. Centered around Garrett Modi, the youngest New York City Councilman, it revolves around the struggle of immigrants amidst the power and glamour of politics and stars Kal Penn in the lead.
It seems like the actor's presence works wonders for the series as no sooner was the teaser released, fans couldn't stop talking about the show on Twitter.
"One significance about #Sunnyside is that Kal Penn is the lead. Typically, on network TV shows w/multicultural casts, the main lead or co-leads are white and the PoC are supporting. Here's to more shows that feature PoC leads & diverse ensembles that resemble many of our lives!" sociologist and pop culture expert Nancy Wang Yuen wrote on Twitter.
Another one posted, "Staying on NBC, Kal Penn is the lead on a new sitcom — 'Sunnyside', which coincidentally, is where my parents and brother first lived when they moved to the US in the early 70s."
Not only does Penn star in the show, but he also wrote the pilot and executive produced it along with writer-producer Matt Murray, Michael Schur, David Miner, and Dan Spilo. The "patriotic comedy" is majorly Penn's brainchild as even the lead character's name is etched after Penn's birth name Kalpen Suresh Modi.
Pondering over the names of the characters in the show, one user wrote, "Kal Penn's #Sunnyside character is named Garrett after Mrs. Garrett and his character's sister is named Mallory after Mallory Keaton. Their parents should be #TCA19 members."
Another Twitter user posted: "Kal Penn's Sunnyside maybe NBC's best hope for fall 2019." One user posted, "I've seen more than a few on-air commercials for 'Sunnyside', but they all just say 'from the creators of 'Brooklyn 99' and 'The Good Place' or 'starring Kal Penn' which, frankly, was enough to make me plan to check out the first episode at least."
However, not everyone is looking at the show in a positive light. "Sunnyside on NBC 9/17. It will be an anti-Republican program. Kal Penn is big-time NeverTrumper. I won’t be watching," one tweet read.
As the comedy series rolls out on September 26 every Thursday at 9.30 pm on NBC, it will be interesting to see how Kal Penn's character Garrett Modi is rounded out during the course of the show and whether he gets back his place in the political scenario or not.