11/13
Early in the series, Willis (Jimmy O
Narrative
Background actor Willis Wu witnesses a crime in Chinatown while working on a television show. As he investigates, he uncovers a criminal network and experiences the life in the spotlight he’s dreamed of. Yang), Fatty (Ronny Chieng), and Carl (Chau Long) see Detective Lana Lee (Chloe Bennet) on TV and discuss her possible ethnicity: Carl declares, “She looks Thai,” while Fatty argues, “Dude, she’s clearly Korean. You know Asian.” In fact, Bennet is the daughter of a white mother and a Chinese father. Early in her acting career, she changed her last name from Wang to Bennet (her father’s first name) after encountering casting agents who said they couldn’t cast her as Asian or Asian-American characters, but her name prevented her from being considered as white characters.
“Interior Chinatown” is different
I usually know within one episode whether I’m going to continue following a show. After watching two episodes, the jury is still out. So what is this show about? The themes (so far) seem to be: what happens when we are personally defeated, how to offer support to others, and discovering the meaning and potential of our lives. This highly stylized show is a mix of fantasy, satirical comics, and slick Hollywood productions.
Judge for yourself
The combination will work for some viewers. For others, it will be sensory overload. Does this show go overboard to impress and seduce the viewer? First, some positives: great set design and lighting. The quirky and effective music sets the tone.
My favorite characters are Jimmy O
Overall, the cast is adequate, but some characterizations disappoint, mostly due to the direction. Yang as Willis (the lead), his friend Fatty (Ronny Chieng), and Jimmy’s father (Tzi Ma). One big drawback for me: the writing is uneven. There are some genuinely funny moments, but certain scenes overdo the physical gags. One example is when Willis tries to enter a building…
it takes too long
Some smaller elements are off-putting: The amount of stuff stored in the dark houses of several Chinese characters is ridiculous. So they come across as serial hoarders just because they live in a cramped old building in a seedy part of town? Give me a break! Next: The heavy makeup on the lead detective (played by Lisa Gilroy) is too perfectly applied, exaggerating the stereotype of typically attractive women in detective shows.