Hulu cooks up a campy, charming take on Interior Chinatown

Weirdly, Charles Yu’s 2020 bestseller is tough to adapt for the screen because of its slick screenplay structure. His novel, Interior Chinatown, chronicles the identity crisis of an Asian man longing to be a Kung Fu star instead of a background actor in a cop show. Only once he’s thrust into the limelight, after losing his wife and kid over this ambition, he understands the true value of his culture and community. Through a subversive style, Yu smartly and empathetically unpacks the challenges of assimilation and skewers Hollywood stereotypes. That crackling wit isn’t fully present in his TV show, but Hulu’s take stands strong on its own merits.  

While the series’ narrative differs from the novel, Yu, Interior Chinatown‘s showrunner, translates his unique screenplay formula into something of a visual treat. Purposely whimsical and meta, the lighting, background score, and camera angles shift depending on the POV, with the Taika Waititi-directed premiere setting the tone. The immersive production design further establishes the world of Willis Wu (Jimmy O. Yang)—both the parts that shape his personality and the parts he wants to escape. Based on five of the 10 episodes watched for review, Interior Chinatown converts his struggles into a relatable sentiment: How do you become the hero of your life?  

Willis is lethargic and dejected when the show kicks off. His older brother’s disappearance has left his family broken. His grief-stricken parents (played by the underused Tzi Ma and Lily Wu) mostly ignore him while he quietly works at his uncle’s Chinese restaurant as a waiter. Willis bottles up the desire to venture out of his bubble and do something that matters. Maybe if he does, others will notice his existence. He gets his opportunity when he witnesses a potential abduction, which inspires him to dig into his sibling’s vanishing. Through this investigative arc, Willis morphs from being practically invisible to leading the charge. 

This doesn’t happen overnight. Willis is torn between sticking to a safe, mundane routine and taking risks that could blow his loved ones’ lives apart. Despite the perils, he learns to take a chance on himself and is done being a sidekick. Yang imbues Willis with naivete, cautious optimism, and determination. It’s so satisfying to watch the character (and the actor) emerge out of the shadows and into the spotlight. Known for his roles in Silicon Valley and Crazy Rich Asians, Yang takes advantage of Interior Chinatown to show much more of his range. 

In an attempt to blend into the precinct to gather evidence, Willis adopts personas like “Tech Guy” and “Delivery Guy.” Through this gimmick, the writers make a subpar effort to poke fun at genre clichés that put minorities in a box. For example, the lead police officers only notice Willis once he’s their computer whiz, not even realizing he has taken over from a different Asian guy. While it’s funny how Willis becomes an expert at “zooming in” and “enhancing” crime-scene photos as soon as he puts on glasses, that’s the extent of the satire.  

Interior Chinatown, unlike the book, doesn’t have many insightful, biting, or even detailed critiques about Asian representation in the industry. Instead, they’re painted in broad strokes. The show ends up parodying Law & Order: SVU-type dramas more because it’s concerned with building the suspense around Chinatown, which has everything from organized crime and police corruption to murders and hidden tunnels. This cop aspect feels flimsy until the series focuses on Lana Lee (Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Chloe Bennet). 

Much like Willis, Lana is an underdog. She’s a budding detective carving out her place at work, but, despite her talent, she’s overlooked by her peers and superiors. Why? Racism, duh. Lana secretly teams up with Willis to help locate his brother, although she seemingly has a hidden agenda and connection to the case. Together, Bennet and Yang make a formidable duo, with Lana as the yin to Willis’ yang. Meanwhile, comedian Ronny Chieng adds levity with his no-holds-barred performance as Willis’ best friend who goes viral for his grumpy attitude. 

There’s plenty to enjoy here even though the first five episodes are still fine-tuning the show’s voice and commentary. The heightened reality aspect is especially fun, with day changing into night rapidly, Chinatown glowing when Willis feels good about his neighborhood, and doors literally opening for him when he starts to accept himself. This distinctive storytelling style nicely suits a TV show. But perhaps Interior Chinatown’s biggest feat is that, through all of the fanciful flourishes, it becomes an authentic character study. 

Interior Chinatown premieres November 19 on Hulu