‘Interior Chinatown’ vs the “Chinatown Episodes” of ‘NYPD Blue’ and ‘Law & Order’

November 26, 2024November 27, 2024 Dominic Mah

Part II of a three-part series looking at the Hulu series Interior Chinatown in relation to the Asian American-themed media it references, satirizes, and interpolates. The meta-comedic film-set motif of the show pointedly focuses on the “Chinatown Episode” featured in numerous crime-procedural shows, in which the protagonists investigate a murder in Chinatown, which brings them into contact with Asian exotica, typically at the rate of 1.5 murders per season.

Books, Television2 Comments

‘Interior Chinatown’ vs the Asian American Canon, Part I

November 22, 2024January 7, 2025 Dominic Mah

An Epigraph, Which May Be Innocently Mistaken For Deep Eastern Wisdom:

A “trope” isn’t a bad thing. If we (fashionably) describe a show as “trope-y” we might mean stereotype-ish. Stereotypes usually come from archetypes, and stereotypes aren’t inherently a bad thing, but they often end up being tropey… in the undesirable way. Then there’s typecasting, which on-screen Asians contend with often, and we’ll get into that, below. Fade up to:

Interview, Streaming, Television

‘Interior Chinatown’ Cast and Crew Discuss Adapting Charles Yu’s Novel

November 20, 2024November 21, 2024 Michael Lee

The streaming adaptation of Interior Chinatown leaps off the pages of Charles Yu’s award winning-novel of the same name and comes alive on Hulu. And for lead Jimmy O Yang, co-stars Chloe Bennet, Ronnie Cheing, Tzi Ma, Archie Kao, Lisa Gilroy, and Sullivan Jones, and showrunner Charles Yu and pilot episode director Taika Waititi, the series does more that subvert police procedurals, it also spotlights dreamers breaking out of being background characters and balancing humor with cultural commentary.

Reviews, Streaming

‘Interior Chinatown’ Satirizes Hollywood’s Stereotypes of Asian Americans

November 15, 2024November 19, 2024 Michael Lee

Hulu’s adaptation of Charles Yu’s Interior Chinatown is anything but conventional. The novel’s unique format allows readers to explore the world of police procedurals through the eyes of a background character while also addressing how Asian Americans have been portrayed in mainstream media.

Television, Trailers

‘Interior Chinatown’ Trailer Sees Jimmy O. Yang Thrust into the Spotlight

October 22, 2024October 22, 2024 Michael Lee

Hulu has released the first trailer for Interior Chinatown. The limited series is an adaptation of Charles Yu’s award-winning book of the same name and stars Jimmy O. Yang, a mild-mannered waiter who is tired of feeling like the background character of his own story. But his life is turned upside down when he becomes the main character after witnessing a crime that’s connected to a high-profile case.

Literature, Streaming

Hulu Offers First Look at Charles Yu’s ‘Interior Chinatown’ Adaptation

July 11, 2024July 12, 2024 Keith Chow

Generic Asian Man is finally the lead of a real television show! Today, Hulu revealed a first look at the adaptation of Charles Yu’s National Book Award-winning novel, Interior Chinatown. While the book itself was formatted like a television script, the series will not be a one-for-one adaptation but will retain the original’s satirical spirit.

Conventions, Streaming

D23Expo: ‘American Born Chinese’ Stars Ben Wang and Daniel Wu Talk Representation

September 11, 2022September 11, 2022 Michael Lee

The D23 Expo may be near its end, but that doesn’t mean the news cycle has stopped. While ot the press line, The Nerds of Color had the chance to talk to Ben Wang and Daniel Wu, the stars of the upcoming Disney+ original series, American Born Chinese.