The 2020s were the best for Asian-made movies and series that explore the Asian-American experience in unique and engaging ways. Sean Wang’s Myspace-era drama feature “Dìdi” and Disney’s modern adaptation of “American Born Chinese” highlighted the relatable identity struggles that many underrepresented groups in America feel to get their share of the spotlight. Showrunner/creator Charles Yu’s adaptation of his award-winning novel, “Interior Chinatown,” examines this motif through the eyes of a grown man who faces an Existential Crisis in a “Truman Show”-like scenario However, unlike Truman, our hero, Willis Wu (Jimmy O. Yang), is far from the protagonist.

In the 1990s, when everyone relies on pagers and Walkmen, Willis, a waiter at a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown, aspires to find meaning in his stifled existence. He lives a routine lifestyle, from working at his restaurant to getting drunk with his friends. But his longing for action grows even more on the 12th anniversary of the disappearance of his kung-fu prodigy older brother (Chris Pang). Willis complains to his best friend/coworker, Faty (an always hilarious Ronny Chieng), that he feels trapped as a background character in someone else’s story. Unbeknownst to him, he is. Willis is just a background character in a police procedural drama series called “Black & White: Impossible Crimes Unit.” Like “Free Guy” centered on a video game NPC, “Interior Chinatown” is the television show’s equivalent.

Soon after, Willis finds his chance to be in the spotlight when he becomes a key witness to a murder in Chinatown. Enter Detective Lana Lee (Chloe Bennet), “Black & White’s” newest recurring/detective character: She’s called “The Chinatown Expert” by her colleagues, co-leads Sarah Green (Lisa Gilroy) and Miles Turner ( Sullivan Jones). ), despite never having been to Chinatown. Lee informs Willis that there is a criminal hiding in the middle of Chinatown, and his brother, who used to work for the police force as their “Kung Fu Guy”, is involved. Because she doesn’t know Chinatown as much as he does, because he never left it, she hires him for his expertise. He is so relegated to the background that the hands of fate prevent him from approaching the action when it is most needed.

With the first five episodes available for review, “Interior Chinatown” proves to be a sharp and stylish commentary on the lack of Asian representation in media in the 90s. Where the source novel was formulated as a feature film script, Yu and his writing team bring those elements to vivid life on screen.

Some of the book’s storylines and character descriptions contained much of its humor, and the series uses unique visual cues to express them. When the “Black and White” protagonists are in Willis’ vicinity, the lighting instantly switches from natural to blue, the aspect ratio goes from full-screen to widescreen, and the dialogue has the familiar feel of the network’s police procedural drama . More remarkably, the main leads consider Willis invisible, even when he’s in the frame and trying to get their attention.

The built-in environment of “Interior Chinatown” feels concrete because it maintains the illusion that these characters are unaware that they are in a show or playing a part. Even when the background of the procedural show interferes, those outside the scene simply describe it as strange. The metaphysical realm beyond them is contextualized only by a 1990s TV that pops up from time to time between episodes. However, Willis’ film noir-like narrative shows slight traces of Charlie Kaufman-esque existentialism. You want him to realize the truth, but you also root for him to realize his role in this world.

Finally, Yang finally gets the spotlight she deserves after years of supporting roles and shines. He offers a charming and triumphant portrayal of self-realization, rooted in the discontent of Asian underrepresentation and textured with passion.

Bennet is also great as Lana, a character on the opposite end of the same coin as Willis. In the show-within-a-show, Lana serves as a token Asian person, hired because of her “Chinatown expertise” and is often stereotyped on screen. She exhibits strong and intuitive qualities when out in the natural world with Willis; on screen, she is presented as an amateur. Bennet does an impressive job of switching between these modes in mere seconds, and the two have delightful chemistry.

“Interior Chinatown” is a visceral and biting satire of the miniscule and stereotypical roles that Asian Americans have played on American television in a riveting neo-noir comedy. The bold liberties it takes suiting the medium of television pack a punch and only prove Charles Yu’s versatility as a creator. One of the best new shows of 2024.

Five episodes were provided for review. Streaming on Hulu.