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Chronology
Willis Wu, a supporting actor in the procedural crime series Black and White. Pushed into the background, Willis works his on-screen job while waiting tables and dreaming of a world beyond Chinatown. When he inadvertently witnesses a crime, Willis begins to unravel the criminal web in Chinatown and in the process discovers what it is… 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 declares that she “looks Thai,” while Fatty argues that “Dude, she’s clearly Korean.
Meet your Asians” In reality, Bennet is the child of a white mother and a Chinese father
Earlier in her acting career, she changed her last name from Wang to Bennet (her father’s first name) after being approached by casting agents who said they couldn’t cast her as an Asian or Asian-American, but her last name also prevented her from being considered for white characters. Interior Chinatown is a brilliant, if understated, reflection of the world—a mirror that exposes how society often judges people by their covers. The show captures this poignantly in a scene where Willis Wu is unable to get into a police station until he proves his worth by delivering food. It’s a powerful metaphor: sometimes, if you don’t fit the mold, you have to prove yourself in the most humiliating or unexpected ways just to get your foot in the door. The closed doors of the police station symbolize the barriers faced by those who don’t fit the “majority’s” idea of what’s acceptable or worthwhile.
It makes you ask yourself: Am I complicit in perpetuating these stereotypes?
While the show focuses on the Asian American and Pacific Islander (API) community and the stereotypical roles Hollywood has long relegated them to—background extras, kung fu fighters—it forces viewers to grapple with larger questions. Am I limiting others—or even myself—by what I assume their value is? It’s not just about API representation; it’s about how society as a whole undervalues anyone who doesn’t fit its preferred narrative. The show can seem confusing if you don’t immediately understand its satirical lens. But for me, knowing the context of Charles Yu’s original book helped it click.
But for Bennett, it was about carving out a space for herself to pursue her dreams
The production team does an incredible job of balancing satire with sincerity, blurring the line between real life and the over-the-top Hollywood “procedural” format. They cleverly use contrasting visuals and distinct camerawork to draw the viewer into different states of mind—the glamorous expectations of Hollywood versus the grimmer realities of life. The involvement of Chloe Bennett (real name Chloe Wang) connects with the show’s themes on a deeply personal level. She famously changed her last name to navigate Hollywood, caught in the impossible middle ground of not being “Asian enough” or “white enough” for casting directors. It’s a decision that’s sparked debate—was it an act of survival, assimilation, or betrayal?
Inner Chinatown doesn’t just ask us to examine the system; it forces us to examine ourselves
That theme is echoed in one of the show’s most moving scenes, in which Lana is told, “You’ll never fully understand. You’re a mix.” It’s a devastating acknowledgement of the barriers that exist, even when you try to transcend division. Lana’s story shows how identity can be both a strength and a hindrance, and that line serves as a painful reminder of the walls society creates—both externally and internally. Whether it’s Willis Wu at the police station door or Lana trying to connect with a world that sees her as neither this nor that, the series unflinchingly depicts the struggle to belong.
