KUNG FU Kicks Butt

 Article first published as KUNG FU TV Review on Seat42F.

The CW’s newest action drama is KUNG FU. A remake of the 70s show of the same name (and 90s continuation), this series is set in the present day. A young woman bristles against the path her mother has set for her life, and instead spends three years in China learning Kung Fu. But you can’t run away from your family or your problems, so eventually the young woman goes home and finds even more trouble. Has fate set her up to save everyone? Or is she just in the right place at the right time with the right skills?

My first thought, even before I looked up the producers, which include Greg Berlanti, is that KUNG FU could easily be a spin-off of former CW series Arrow. Arrow had lots of Asian symbology to it, and of course so does KUNG FU. The formula is very similar, as well, with a hero estranged from her family for years, only to return and try to play savior in the place she grew up, as well as getting drawn into larger battles. The plot is divided between a superhero (which the protagonist definitely is) going through family and romance drama, and fights against those who would hurt people, often on a large scale.

This Arrow comparison isn’t a complaint; I liked that show quite a bit, and now that it has come to an end, there is definitely room for another show of its type on the network. KUNG FU also feels timely and important to have such an Asian-heavy cast and team in a show like this right now, especially given the racism and violence that has been exacerbated recently against Asian Americans. Familiarity breeds acceptance and diversity, so it’s vital to have representation. The fact that this is a good series relatable to anyone who grew up with or has a family may help it temper some resentments. But that aside, it’s just a good, entertaining series.

Kung Fu “Pilot” Pictured (L-R): Olivia Liang as Nicky Shen and Jon Prasida as Ryan Photo: Kailey Schwerman The CW

Olivia Liang (Legacies) stars in KUNG FU as Nikky Shen, the hero referenced above. Unlike in Arrow, Nikky’s team is made up of her biological family, with her techy sister, Althea (Shannon Dang, Sorry for Your Loss), and pre-med brother, Ryan (Jon Prasida, Tomorrow, When the War Began), assisting her almost right off the bat. She is also joined by new love interest who can handle himself in a combat situation, Henry (Eddie Liu, Silicon Valley), and former boyfriend, Assistant District Attorney Evan (Gavin Stenhouse, Allegiance), as needed.

But the best parts of the pilot, in my opinion, involve Nikky’s interactions with her parents, Mei-Li (Kheng Hau Tan, Crazy Rich Asians) and Jin (Tzi Ma, 24, Mulan). Their relationship is complicated, to be sure. But true to TV tropes, love conquers any issues. Mei-Li may be hurt by Nikky disappearing for a while, but there’s no doubt they can heal their relationship and move forward. It may be a cliché at this point to inform a parent-child relationship by the parent’s bond with their own progenitors, but it works well as a motivation explainer, and it’s effective.

I enjoyed the KUNG FU pilot quite a bit. There is a lot that is covering well-worn ground, but there’s also enough of a difference here, especially in the culture that informs, that it still feels fresh enough. It builds upon what has come before it, but it’s also the next natural evolution of some of those characteristics, in a good way. I think it’s on the right network and coming at the right time to do well. It’s been a while since I added a non-DC CW show to my TiVo season passes, but I think this one is going to make the cut, at least until I see how it develops from here.

KUNG FU premieres Wednesday, April 7th at 8PM ET on the CW.

I Pledge ALLEGIANCE (Well, Sort Of)

Article first published as ALLEGIANCE Review on Seat42F.

As NBC’s new ALLEGIANCE begins, it’s easy to draw comparisons to FX’s The Americans. ALLEGIANCE also involves Russian spies living among us whose children the Russian government would like to recruit. However, as the first hour plays out, comparisons fall away because of a different setting, time period, and vastly different story, and by the end of the pilot, I found myself quite engaged.

At the center of ALLEGIANCE is the O’Connor family. Mother Katya (Hope Davis, The Newsroom) once upon a time fell in love with an American, father Mark (Scott Cohen, Necessary Roughness). She was allowed to marry him and move to the United States in exchange for the two of them offering up intel to the KGB. Eventually, their daughter, Natalie (Margarita Levieva, Revenge), became part of the deal.

But as Allegiance begins, it’s been years since the O’Connors heard from Katya’s former home country, and they are not sorry to be done with Katya’s former government. Now, though, the SVR, successor to the KGB, wants their son, Alex (Gavin Stenhouse, Iconicles), a new analyst at the CIA, as an asset. Katya is horrified, happy to be living as an American, and wants nothing to do with this. But she may not have a choice.

The pilot of ALLEGIANCE barely gets started in the cat-and-mouse game that will surely unfold. There are plenty of twists, keeping viewers guessing at how much will be revealed how early to each person (though, of course, secrets will come out). Warring motivations of not just the groups involved, but also the individuals, make the match up complex, rather than predictable. Unexpected connections pop up from time to time, further deepening the web.

The cast also includes, besides the four mentioned above, a younger O’Connor daughter still at home, Sarah (Alexandra Peters, Saige Paints the Sky), a Russian handler, Victor (Morgan Spector, Boardwalk Empire), and Alex’s boss, Sam (Kenneth Choi, Sons of Anarchy). This isn’t a large enough group to keep the story going strong for too long, but it’s a fine starting core, giving us one representative of each organization, as well as the all-important family unit.

ALLEGIANCE isn’t wholly original. Certainly, there are many elements, from the sleeper cell to the parents keeping secrets from their children to spy games, that feel quite familiar. With The Americans still successfully airing, it also feels too soon for another show like it on television. However, it’s several steps better in quality than last year’s The Asset. As long as it sticks to its initial serial nature, rather than being forced into a procedural box, as has happened with NBC’s Grimm, this show could say something worth listening to.

The performances are fine, though a little soapier than I’d like. Tonally, I seem similarities to ABC’s Revenge, though thankfully ALLEGIANCE doesn’t push the bounds of reality nearly as much. I think it’s acceptable to have a little melodrama. I just hope it’s reigned in enough to not distract from the parts of the story that really matter, and that the plot focuses more on political machinations than romantic relationships, which are OK if done right and not just hooking up every male character with every female one over time, but tend to be overused to shows’ detriment.

Overall, I’m pleasantly surprised by ALLEGIANCE. Offerings from the Big Four have been pretty disappointing lately, so I admit to going into this one with considerably lowered expectations. The fact that the pilot intrigues me and makes me wonder what’ll happen next is a good thing, even if the characters aren’t ones easy to instantly connect to. The hour takes its time getting started, but once it does, it’s clear that the writers have a plan in place and the story is going somewhere. I’m not fully committed to watching the rest of the season, but it has at least earned a second and third viewing.

ALLEGIANCE premieres this Thursday at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.