39/14
Not in question
Story
While working on a TV show, Willis Wu witnesses a crime in Chinatown. During his investigation, he uncovers a crime ring and lives the life in the spotlight he’s always dreamed of. Early in the series, Willis (Jimmy O. Yang), Fatty (Ronny Chieng), and Carl (Chau Long) see Detective Lana Lee (Chloe Bennet) on TV and discuss her possible ethnicity: Carl explains, “She looks like a Thai,” while Fatty says, “Dude, she’s definitely Korean. Know your Asians.” Bennet is actually 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 meeting with casting agents who told her they couldn’t cast her in Asian or Asian-American roles, but that her name would work in white roles as well.
Inner Chinatown is different
I usually know after one episode whether I’m going to stick with a show. 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 to discover the meaning and potential in our lives? This highly stylized show is a mix of fantasy, satirical comics, and chic Hollywood sets. The combination will work for some viewers.
Judge for yourself
For others, it will be a sensory overload. Does this show overdo it to impress and seduce the viewer? First, some positives: Excellent set design and lighting. Offbeat and effective music sets the tone. Overall, the cast is decent, but some characterizations fall flat, which is mainly due to the direction. My favorite characters are Jimmy O.
That should calm me down!
Yang as Willis (the lead), his buddy Fatty (Ronny Chieng), and Jimmy’s father (Tzi Ma). A big downside for me: The script is inconsistent. There are some genuinely funny moments, but in some scenes, the physical gags are over the top. One example is when Willis tries to break into a building… it goes on way too long. A few minor things are off-putting: The amount of stuff stuffed into the dark homes of several Chinese characters is ridiculous. So they look like collectors just because they live in a cramped old building in a seedy part of town?
Check out our November schedule for more information!
Next: The lead detective’s (Lisa Gilroy) heavy makeup is applied too perfectly, exaggerating the stereotype of women who are generally attractive in cop shows. A new season of “Silo” is one of the biggest TV and streaming premieres this month.
