American Born Chinese Season One Early Review

One of the most hyped series of the year is now upon us. American Born Chinese, based on the book by Gene Luen Yang, is a thrilling genre mashup but at its core, is a strong coming-of-age story between a pair of characters from vastly different walks of life each trying to find themselves. A clashing of identities and cultures in the midst of its fantasy premise makes for an interesting contrast that isn’t as different as how it may first seem. Though tying in a narrative with themes that will surely resonate with a large portion of audiences along with its more fantastical elements is definitely overambitious, it does not always work. In spite of that, it still entertains more often than not. However, it does take time to find its footing, leaning into some predictable tropes to get there. Nevertheless, the stellar dynamic of Ben Wang and Jimmy Liu lead the way with their relatability and humanity. Meanwhile, the recent success of 2023 Best Picture Oscar winner Everything Everywhere All At Once only added to the hype as the trio of Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and Stephanie Hsu all appear in this series in significant supporting roles alongside the rest of its predominantly Asian cast.

American Born Chinese follows Jin Wang (Wang), an average high school student balancing school life and home life, living with his Chinese immigrant parents Christine (Yann Yann Yeo) and Simon (Chin Han). His life was just like any other teen’s life in that he was shy and timid and read comic books but he still got by. Rather than being himself, he was a little too preoccupied on what other people thought of him, trying to be what other people wanted to be as opposed to being himself. Jin’s perspective soon changed following the arrival of a new student named Wei-Chen (Liu) who was a little off. However, he was armed with a level of confidence that was the polar opposite of Jin’s. It was clear that he came from a different world and that was because he was. Through a roller coaster of styles and genres, Jin would learn to overcome his insecurity and find his confidence as Wei-Chin’s was on a quest of his own. As he left heaven to carve out his own path in the human world, he sought to help his father, Wukong the Monkey King (Daniel Wu), prevent a potential uprising that threatened the future of the heaven and the human world. According to Wei-Chin, Jin was the key whether he was ready to acknowledge it or not.

All things considered, Jin was still a teen and he needed to find his own way. Wei-Chin was essentially also a teen, albeit a more headstrong one. Showing his age, his confidence led to impulsive decisions and that was just in his own world. Jin’s arc saw the usual pitfalls that came with being a teen simply trying to figure out who he was. In the end, there was something about Wei-Chen that kept drawing Jin to him. Maybe it was pity at first but whatever path Wei-Chen believed was set for Jin, however ridiculous it may have been, the confidence with which he believed it was definitely convincing. In the meantime, he had a way of always showing up in his life in the most inopportune moments. The more their lives became intertwined, the tension ramped up as the series dove deeper into the lore of Wei-Chin’s world as the line between heaven and the human world blurred. Rushing through most of its world building, that mythology will probably go over the heads of some viewers. Though interesting, pulling from Chinese mythology and lore, it pretty much didn’t matter in the context of the story. Despite that, the season is still a blast to watch and if it is successful (and there’s little reason why it shouldn’t be), the story leaves the door open for another season and possibly more where it could dive deeper into that lore.

While American Born Chinese boasts plenty of style, blending action, comedy, fantasy, and drama with high production value, it also lacks in substance at times. Ultimately, it would be better served by more character development to iron down certain characters and their motivations but for what it lacks in character development, the series makes up for in fun, finding the time for levity in the middle of its overambitious story. The series works best on that grounded level. The biggest example of this was a fictional classic sitcom, starring an offensive Asian stereotype character (Ke Huy Quan) with an even more offensive catchphrase, that suddenly returned to prominence and made Jin the target of an unfortunate meme that harkened back to the sitcom. Acting like a mirror, he saw how others may have perceived him most of his life. Unconsciously or not, that awareness was very much the root of his insecurity. However, the parallels between Jin and the character (and the actor who played him), and the heavy themes which they encompass, went largely unexplored.

As mentioned, the production value certainly brings out the spectacle of the series’ wild and ambitious premise. Just scratching the surface of heaven and the various gods, deities, and other entities within it, it is an imaginative sight to behold. Inspired by Chinese lore and mythology, it is as vast as it is colorful with impressive production design to boot. The special effects are also well done as they bring to life the biggest spectacle of the series which was the physics-defying action sequences as characters flew through the air and ran across walls all while the camera kept up with them every step of the way. Admittedly taking on a lot of genres and themes, the writing, for the most part, was up to the task. While the story leans on some tropes and derivative story beats to move the story forward, it is undoubtedly fun, full of heart, and surprisingly funny as a whole. Had it explored its themes of identity and representation a little more than it did, instead of relying on spectacle, it would have given the series an even stronger emotional payoff.

Driving the heart of American Born Chinese was its performances, led by Wang and Liu. The true heart of the series, their coming-of-age stories were compelling to watch because of their likability and relatability. Though those stories may not tread new ground, that dynamic was fun to watch because of their stellar chemistry. While the main story is supposed to be Jin’s, Liu’s scene-stealing performance as Wei-Chen is likely to have some viewers thinking otherwise at times. However, that is not a knock towards Wang who delivers an equally worthy performance as a teen trying to figure himself out under the most fantastic of circumstances. The arc of their collective journeys was easily the best part of the series. Meanwhile, Yeoh brings much of the grace viewers are accustomed to in another scene-stealing performance as Guanyin, a powerful goddess and a wise and wisecracking companion to Wei-Chen. Yeo and Han as Christine and Simon imbued the immigrant experience and added it and the pain and disappointment that came with it and their love for one another to their characters, now resigned to the mundanity of their lives until they became inspired to strive for something more.

At the end of the day, American Born Chinese is an ambitious genre series that may not realize all of its ambition but nonetheless is a thrilling celebration of representation that is sure to resonate with viewers.

still courtesy of Disney

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.