Upamanyu Biswas
‘Interior Chinatown’ tells the story of a struggling Asian-American actor, Willis Wu, on the set of a classic police procedural show, where he is constantly relegated to the role of a background character. As such, one of the most intriguing aspects of the story is how it blurs the lines between performance and real-life social dynamics, creating a compelling mystery that leaves Willis and the audience second-guessing everything about the world he inhabits. When the protagonist becomes entangled in a conspiracy brewing within his Chinatown neighborhood, his life comes crumbling down even further as he starts working with a similarly ostracized detective, Lana Lee, who helps him get closer to the truth about his reality.
Interior Chinatown Unfolds on a Stage Occupied By a Police Procedural Show
Although ‘Interior Chinatown’ has all the makings of a traditional detective show, its distinguishing feature is undoubtedly the unconventional manner in which the show touches upon its central themes. The show is based on Charles Yu’s eponymous novel, primarily focusing on social dynamics faced by Asian-Americans, which are brought to the fore through its setting. This relates mainly to the Chinatown neighborhood, which Willis calls his home. However, another layer of complexity is provided by the inclusion of a police procedural show named ‘Black & White: Impossible Crimes Unit’ within the narrative. As it turns out, the protagonist’s life in Chinatown is part of a bigger reality encompassed by the fictional TV show production, which dominates everything.
Essentially, ‘Interior Chinatown’ takes several cues from other shows and movies like ‘WandaVision‘ and ‘The Truman Show‘ to present a narrative that is not clear and cut. To that end, the presence of the police procedural show blurs the boundaries between Willis’ life in his Chinatown neighborhood and the more heightened life he seeks in the police precinct of Port Harbor, which is the fictional setting of ‘Black & White.’ Often, the two realities collide in mysterious ways, causing the protagonist to wonder about the strangeness of the interactions. This can usually be seen whenever Willis tries to communicate with Detective Sarah Green and Miles Turner, the lead detectives of the show, who only notice him if he is playing a specific background role, like a delivery guy or a tech guy.
The Fake Reality Encompassing the Protagonist Gives Rise to a Meta Narrative
At the show’s start, Willis’ life takes on a meta nature when he becomes engulfed in a major conspiracy. After witnessing a crime unfold in front of his eyes, he starts working with Detective Lana Lee, who helps him access the world of the heroic police officers in his reality. It also allows him to obtain some critical information about his life, particularly the whereabouts of his missing brother. However, the more Willis digs into the mysteries surrounding him, the more conflicting and contradictory they seem, alluding to a bigger plot at work. In fact, he starts to break the mold of the obscure side character the further he progresses, allowing him even to experience a romantic plot and his shot at solving a crime like the detectives he idolizes.
Thus, the show cleverly deconstructs the dichotomy between the Asian-American experience of going unnoticed and the constricting truth of playing a role as preordained by society and familial situations. Willis’ family members continually remind him that they all must stick to their roles to survive without any significant hiccups. The protagonist rebels against this notion, which is reflected repeatedly through the different themes layered across the show’s narrative. Therefore, the confusing nature of the world inhabited by Willis somewhat reflects his own conflicted status as an individual. As he fights to live up to the idea of occupying a specific role in a cheesy police procedural show, he has to decide whether he accepts his part or becomes his own person.
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