The Challenges of Adapting 'American Born Chinese' for TV

"American Born Chinese," a new TV series adapted from the graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang, features an intriguing mix of action, coming-of-age teen dramedy, and fantasy, but never entirely gels. Despite good moments and the benefit of fortuitous timing, the fact that it takes at least three of the eight-episode first season for the plot to kick in is one of those luxuries of a streaming series that can also be a trap. The series represents a more ambitious approach to the kind of teen-oriented series that Disney Channel churns out with regularity, as well as a nuanced view of the Asian-American experience.