‘Interior Chinatown’ Struggles to Turn an Allegorical Novel Into a Show: TV Review
variety.comAlison Herman TV Critic The novel “Interior Chinatown” is formatted like a script, taking its title from the screenwriting convention of beginning scenes by indicating whether they take place indoors or out.
Its author, Charles Yu, frequently works in television, with credits on shows like “Westworld” and “Legion.” (Yu’s brother, Kelvin, created the Disney+ series “American Born Chinese.”) And the book is principally a commentary on film and TV tropes as they relate to Asian-American stereotypes, a project that could well be furthered by a jump to the screen.
But despite a background so seemingly suited for adaptation, “Interior Chinatown” struggles as an actual show. Yu himself created the 10-episode Hulu series, partnering with executive producer and pilot director Taika Waititi to bring the novel’s surreal, allegorical world to life.
Compared to a book’s hermetically sealed environment, television requires a multiplicity of perspectives and the forward momentum of plot, especially when stretched — as Yu has opted to — into 45-minute installments.
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