In the new Hulu comedy Quiz Lady, Awkwafina and Sandra Oh visit Philly and learn of its history and its obsessive history buffs. If those happen to be your interests too, you’re in luck. The film starts streaming on Nov. 3.
Quiz Lady follows sisters Anne (Awkwafina) and Jenny (Oh), as they travel across the country with hopes of landing on a TV game show. On their journey, they run into the characters and sports fans many of us Philadelphians have grown to love.
“There’s a lot of affection of the teasing of Philadelphia and the sports culture, so we tried to build the identity of the city through both those touches and the dialogue,” the film’s director, Jessica Yu, said.
From brash Philly accents to the city’s uncontrollable sports fandom — and the kindness underscoring it all — Yu said she and writer Jen D’Angelo wanted to capture the authentic qualities of the city and its people.
“It was very easy for me to think, ‘Oh yes, cheesesteaks, the Rocky steps, and all the obvious corny stuff,’ ” Yu said. “And [D’Angelo] is the one with the history in Philadelphia, so she liked the idea of toying with that. It was a fun kind of energy to bring to the humor.”
The game show in question is a lot like Jeopardy!, but hosted by comedy legend Will Ferrell. Awkwafina and Oh’s characters drive to Philly for auditions, hoping to win, and pay off their family’s debts.
When the two sisters enter their Philly hotel, the Franklin Inn & Spa, they are greeted with a “Good morrow, ladies” from a Ben Franklin impersonator, played by Tony Hale. They then check in to the Betsy Ross suite, adorned with American flag-covered pillows, along with paintings of Ross and the real Franklin.
As most history lovers know, Benedict Arnold was an American-born military leader who defected to Britain in 1780 after the American Revolutionary War. So, of course, Anne points out how eggs Benedict is an ironic buffet option in the good city of Philly. After all, Arnold’s wife, Peggy, a prominent Philadelphian, encouraged Arnold to betray his country. Awkwafina’s character even suggests that the fake Franklin make a pros and cons list, which the real Franklin wrote out to make decisions in his day.
The film is replete with footage of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, LOVE Park, City Hall, a whiz-covered cheesesteak, and even a video with the words: “Come to Philly. We’re better than New York.” During their stay, the sisters drop by a local sports bar during a Phillies game. They are greeted with “The Phills are on, shut your mouth,” when Jenny blocks one of the TV screens.
As do some fun nights in Philly, the sisters’ night ends with a hospital visit, with Jenny nursing a hurt wrist after a fall from the bar’s counter. Despite the injury, and the litany of loudmouthed Philly sports fans the sisters meet at the bar, they realize how nice Philadelphians are at their core. “Sometimes stereotypes are wrong,” Jenny says.
Later in the film, there is even an ode to Pittsburgh, with Jenny wearing a “World’s Most Livable City” shirt. After their stop in Philly, the girls go to Burbank, Calif., to indulge in some more trivia fun, but nothing as exhilarating and history-filled as their time in the City of Brotherly Love.
“Quiz Lady” premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. It streams on Hulu starting Nov. 3.
