Brian Tee on Clarke Finding Faith Through Grief for ‘Expats’

Losing someone can lead us to turn to the most unexpected places. Do we embrace anger and frustration, or do we find solace in knowing that a higher power has a divine plan? The road to acceptance is different for every grievance and every version of loss. For Clarke and Margaret in Lulu Wang’s lush limited series, Expats, they each take a different route on the path to healing, and Brian Tee’s character goes to unexpectedly fragile places. It’s a performance full of internal searching, and Tee’s performance bring necessary introspection in a series full of thoughtful self-reflection.

When Clarke and Margaret lose their son, they are left with more questions. Was he abducted by someone in their orbit? Was he taken for a horrific, sinister reason? Is he even alive? Those questions are unbearable to live with every day, so it’s natural to wonder if Clarke would grasp at something–like religion– even when he never considered it in any other realm in his every day life. This is an event that changes the course of their marriage forever.

At the beginning of Expats, Clarke is ready to celebrate his fiftieth birthday, and I couldn’t help but wonder what he might be looking forward to for such a landmark age. Margaret is upset with her husband when she discovers that he extended their family’s stay in Hong Kong, and it’s bittersweet to think of how their desires to stay and go flip for different reasons. The final scene between Tee and Kidman isn’t a goodbye as much as it is a promise to see each other again when they are ready to continue their journey of healing. The scene between Tee and Kidman when they venture to China is one of the season’s best, blame and responsibility becoming the tools and weapons in an evolving fight between these two.

Wang’s series never loses its majestic scope as each character continues their personal journey. Religion is an intimate element to a lot of our lives, so how does Clarke embrace that importance with his lack of faith? I ask Tee if he thinks Clarke would have admitted his visits to the church if she didn’t find out as well as where he keeps his rock. A small token like that can be an unexpected anchor as we help guide ourselves towards the light–how long will Clarke needs that as he continues on his way?

Expats is streaming now on Prime Video.