13/35
Early in the series, Willis (Jimmy O
Story
While working on a television show, extra Willis Wu witnesses a crime in Chinatown. His investigation leads him to uncover a criminal web and experience the life in the spotlight he’d always dreamed of. Yang), Fatty (Ronny Chieng), and Carl (Chau Long) watch Detective Lana Lee (Chloe Bennet) on TV and discuss her possible ethnicity: Carl declares, “She looks Thai,” while Fatty argues, “Dude, she’s definitely Korean. Know your Asians.” In fact, Bennet is the child 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 in Asian or Asian-American roles, but her name wouldn’t work for white roles either. I usually know after one episode if I’m staying with a show.
“Interior Chinatown” is different
After watching 2 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 can we help others, and how do we discover the meaning and potential of our lives? This highly stylized show is a mix of fantasy, satirical comics, and snazzy Hollywood backdrops. The combination will work for some viewers. For others, it will be sensory overload.
Judge for yourself
Does this show go overboard to impress and seduce the viewer? First, some positives: Excellent set design and lighting. The quirky, effective music sets the tone. Overall, the cast is apt, but some characterizations fall flat, which is mostly due to the direction. My favorite characters are Jimmy O. Yang as Willis (the lead), his sidekick Fatty (Ronny Chieng), and Jimmy’s dad (Tzi Ma).
That’ll put my mind at ease!
One big downside for me: The script is inconsistent. There are some really funny moments, but some scenes go overboard with the physical gags. One example is when Willis tries to enter a building… it drags on for far too long. A few smaller elements are off-putting: The amount of stuff crammed into the dark homes of several Chinese characters is ridiculous. So they look like hoarders just because they live in an older, cramped building in a seedy part of town?
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Next: The lead investigator’s (played by Lisa Gilroy) heavy makeup is too perfectly applied, exaggerating the stereotype of typically attractive women in crime shows. A new season of Silo is one of this month’s biggest TV and streaming premieres.