A hit Filipino comedy series that embodies the highs and lows of the Filipino immigrant experience through a humorous lens is set to premiere its second season on Sunday.
ABROAD is a satirical sketch comedy show by Filipina-Canadian, actor, comedian and writer Isabel Kanaan. She has garnered rave reviews for her film performances, including Ponytail during the Reel Asian International Film Festival and for her stage presence in Factory Theatre’s Prairie Nurse. In addition, she has written and starred in multiple award-winning TV shows, such as Air Farce, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, and Tallboyz.
In anticipation of season two, Now Toronto sat down with the star to learn more about her history and the inspirations behind the show.
“I was born in the Philippines and I moved to Canada when I was 16 years old, and culture shock! I guess, through that journey, I saw a lot of laughter and don’t get me wrong, there were sad parts but I think I cope through laughter and comedy,” Kanaan said.
She says she discovered acting in the Philippines but got into comedy acting, specifically, in Canada. During her studies at Seneca College, one of her professors in her Acting for Camera and Voice program gave her a compliment that deeply resonated with her.
“They told me, ‘you can find the comedy in anything.’ And I was like, OK, I’ll take that to heart. And so, I did. And so, I started writing and producing and acting in comedy and I think my experience as an immigrant coping through comedy really helped with that,” she explained.
Kanaan says she enjoys performing sketch comedy because it allows her to explore her creativity to the fullest and be her most authentic self.
“In a sketch comedy, you get like eight or ten sketches in one episode, so you get to meet so many different characters, so many different journeys, all in that one episode,” she said.
As a result, Kanaan co-created ABROAD based around her Filipino immigrant experience. The show made its debut last year in July 2022. The first season included familiar trials and tribulations amongst those in the Filipino immigrant community, such as dating as a Filipina, running on “Filipino time” and the power of the ‘tsinelas’ referring to slippers some parents would threaten to use on their children.
For season two, the actor/comedian says the show has leveled up in its content by tackling ongoing present issues which continue to trouble Filipino-Canadians today, some of which are not commonly addressed.
“That’s pretty much the difference between season one and season two. Season one, jokes and stories that we’ve heard and we loved. Season two makes you think more,” Kanaan emphasized.
She goes on to explain the overarching cultural themes which can be found in season two.
“For season two, we talk about the shadism that happens in the Filipino community. We talk about toxic culture in general, like body shaming. There’s also the double standards between men and women, really going deep,” she said.
“And this season makes you really think of those issues because they are so ingrained in our culture that we don’t see that we have to make a difference. But we do, we can always do better even if it’s in the culture. You know, we can keep the culture that is good and you know, shake away the negative ones and start anew,” she added.
FILIPINO HERITAGE MONTH
The release of ABROAD’s second season also aligns with Filipino Heritage Month in Canada. This month, the country is celebrating Filipino culture, traditions, languages and the many contributions the community has made. The federal government says the Filipino community is one of the largest and fastest-growing diasporas in Canada.
As a Filipina-Canadian, Kanaan is making major moves in the entertainment industry and has established a special space for people like herself and others who relate to her story. She shared the significant impact this privilege has meant to her.
“One thing that I don’t want to happen is for new immigrants to think that they can’t be themselves and so, it means the world that I am giving back in this way of showing immigrants, ‘hey, you’re fine, you’re OK!’ My stories are your stories as well and it’s totally fine. You can laugh at it. You can cry about it. We’re all in this together. I got you,” she said.
Season two of ABROAD is slated to air on OMNI Television on June 11 at 8:30 p.m. ET. The show is a Canadian Screen Award nominated series with eight, 30-minute episodes in English and Tagalog.
Since the show’s premiere in 2022, ABROAD sketches have become a viral sensation worldwide with over 10 million views online.
