Episode 1 of "Interior Chinatown" kicks off with Willis, a waiter at Uncle Wong's restaurant, venting his frustrations to his buddy Fatty about the dreary predictability of their Chinatown existence, where each day seems to mirror the last. Willis harbors dreams of becoming a celebrity detective akin to Officers Green and Turner, who frequently grace the news as the stars of their precinct. However, just as it feels like this mundane routine will stretch on endlessly, Willis catches a shocking glimpse of a woman being abducted across the street.
As days blend into a humdrum rhythm at the restaurant, Willis's brother's birthday arrives, a somber reminder of the years his sibling has been missing. On this day, his mother, after years of yearning for her lost son, resolves to embark on a new chapter, pursuing a real estate certification. Reflecting on the past, Willis contrasts his own ordinary life with his brother's, who was the epitome of perfection—the "kung fu" prodigy capable of anything.
While toiling away at the restaurant, Willis and Fatty encounter Lana Lee, a fresh-faced Asian-American detective introduced as the Chinatown specialist aiding the precinct with an investigation into presumed gang wars tied to the abduction. Willis is astounded when Lana strolls into the restaurant and enlists his help in lifting the fingerprints of a suspected syndicate member who uses the establishment as a cover. Moments after her departure, Detectives Green and Turner, AKA the "Glam Squad," arrive on the scene. The buyer in question is unveiled as an undercover cop who had planted a tracker in the buyer's briefcase.
As the narrative unfolds, Willis covertly hands over the fingerprint-laden cup to Lana. After the police exit, a gang war suddenly erupts within the Golden Palace restaurant. Driven by an urge to showcase his kung fu prowess, Willis leaps into the fray, but is swiftly knocked unconscious. Disheartened by his failure, Willis faces further disillusionment from his father, Joe, who dismisses his efforts by saying he's not there to win but to make his opponent shine.
The following morning, the restaurant is restored to its former glory as if the violent chaos had never occurred. News bulletins announce the grim discovery of the abducted woman's lifeless body, with the police scapegoating gang wars and Chinatown's criminal underbelly. Later, Lana reaches out to Willis, and they arrange a meeting. She unveils her investigation into his brother's disappearance and its ties to a gang known as the Painted Faces. She also reveals that his brother had been part of a special task force for the precinct, which was disbanded after his disappearance. The scene shifts to an advertisement for the club where Lana and Willis had been clandestinely meeting, setting the stage for further revelations.
Later, Willis confides in Fatty, convinced that this is the long-awaited opportunity he has been pining for—only to have his heart sink when he catches sight of the deceased woman looming outside the restaurant. The scene culminates in Willis, acutely aware of the camera's gaze, reluctantly stepping away from the restaurant's threshold.
