A few episodes into season one. So far a pretty fun series, lots of hand to hand fighting, some interesting characters, good costuming.

I'm not sure how much is actually "based on the writings of Bruce Lee" but none the less, if you have the service and are in need of a TV-MA show, it could be worth it to try out.

Excellent series. I just have the last episode to watch.

Cinemax ended all original programming, hoping HBO picks it up for a next season.

Started it last night. I like it. Good fight scenes.

Finished up the other day. I love the fight scenes, costumes, scenery and sets

It's a little corny but fun

I'm a little mixed after several episodes. Decent action scenes. But none of the characters are really likeable. The main character is rather smug and somewhat of an ass. His behavior is inconsistent.

I'm still watching but I'm more take or leave it. I'm not drawn into the storyline.

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Originally posted by jjkroll32:
I'm not sure how much is actually "based on the writings of Bruce Lee"

It was an original story/idea that Bruce came up with and offered to studios back in his heyday. The original intention was for him to star as the main Character. None of the studios felt that the American audience was ready to accept a Chinese main character in a TV series and declined his offer. For some reason, a bit later, someone came up with the idea of Kung Fu with David Carradine playing a half-Chinese character

Lee's daughter has been pushing the making of the series as a tribute to her father

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Originally posted by konata88:
I'm a little mixed after several episodes. Decent action scenes. But none of the characters are really likeable.

That is the original intent. It is based on the reality of the time and place.

You don't like Ah Toy? She's my favorite

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The main character is rather smug and somewhat of an ass. His behavior is inconsistent.

It is based on how the believe Bruce Lee would have acted...and fairly accurately portrays Lee

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I'm still watching but I'm more take or leave it. I'm not drawn into the storyline.

I'm really enjoying it as it brings to life some parts of my history that isn't usually spoken of. An amusing part of trying to figure out how that came up with the translation of some of the Chinese slang.

What is fascinating is how they switch between languages between characters and how characters will have or not have accents depending on their surroundings...never seen that on a show before

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 9mmepiphany,

I catch some of the slang and cursing but it’s not translated correctly in my mind. Not sure why or if intentional. Also not sure which dialect. Toisan? It’s not Cantonese as I know it. But maybe because the actors largely don’t sound like native speakers.

Maybe because I’m not familiar with the history it’s difficult for me to get immersed in the story. In the absence of a likable character, I’m finding nothing to relate to.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
I catch some of the slang and cursing but it’s not translated correctly in my mind. Not sure why or if intentional. Also not sure which dialect. Toisan? It’s not Cantonese as I know it. But maybe because the actors largely don’t sound like native speakers.

Maybe because I’m not familiar with the history it’s difficult for me to get immersed in the story. In the absence of a likable character, I’m finding nothing to relate to.

The language is Cantonese as I learned it as a child...I was afraid is was going to be Toisan (which would have been period correct). The lead's Cantonese is actually pretty good for for someone who isn't Chinese. He's Japanese and it threw me at first...but I can see that he was cast for his presence and acting ability.

What is sort of different about the show is that many show of the period focus on the oppression of the minority community...this show doesn't; which is a bit amazing as the period of the show was just before the Chinese Exclusion Act. They lead parallel lives within their own culture, which I find gives me more a a "feel" for the time and characters

quote:

Originally posted by 9mmepiphany:

What is fascinating is how they switch between languages between characters and how characters with have or not have accents depending on their surroundings...never seen that on a show before

This has been one of my favorite subtleties of the show so far.


Thank you for your commentary 9mmepiphany

Watched a few more episodes. I'm surprised that HBO and studios support this. I looked up the Exclusion Act.

This doesn't paint a nice picture of SF or the demoncratic party that overwhelmingly passed the act.

We treat it like a story. (do we? or something more? to me, it's just story so far but interesting ties to history i didn't know about). But wonder what point the studios are trying to make with this. They might as well make a series about how the democratic party formed the KKK as well.

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Originally posted by konata88:
I'm surprised that HBO and studios support this. I looked up the Exclusion Act.

But wonder what point the studios are trying to make with this.

I think you're trying to read more into it than is there.

Could it be simply a story that Bruce Lee put forth, that his daughter has been pushing for years, and that Cinamax just thought would draw interest when they decided to produce it?

The story being told is that there was an untold history of the Chinese in America other than building the railroad, opening laundries and being cooks.

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This doesn't paint a nice picture of SF or the demoncratic party that overwhelmingly passed the act.

We treat it like a story. (do we? or something more? to me, it's just story so far but interesting ties to history i didn't know about)

The history is that it lead to many Chinese who swam the Rio Grande to reach America until Lydon Johnson sign it out of law...it is one of those dark little parts of history within the Chinese community...much like the internment camps in Japanese-American history

But for what benefit? It doesn’t portray the Chinese community in a good light. Nor the democrats with the racist policies outside of the slave labor abuses.

Why would Bruce and his daughter want this to be told? Why not some history that portrays the community in a more positive light? There is no redeeming quality to any of the major players here. The only character I don’t dislike is the body guard for mai ling. And couldn’t they come up with a more original name? It’s like every Japanese character is Tanaka.

Quickly losing interest. I have the last episode of S1 to go. We’ll see if I continue after that.

This is like someone who like watching baseball in general. But doesn’t care about the teams playing and doesn’t care who wins. But the game play kind of sucks so the innings are dragging.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
But for what benefit? It doesn’t portray the Chinese community in a good light. Nor the democrats with the racist policies outside of the slave labor abuses.

Why does there need to be a benefit or positive portrayal?

Sometimes shinning light in the dark corners of history has it's own redeeming value. I wonder how many folks have looked up the Chinese Exclusion Act...which they've never heard of before

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Why would Bruce and his daughter want this to be told? Why not some history that portrays the community in a more positive light?

Because we don't hide our dirty laundry? You're assuming that there was a positive side to the Chinese community during that time.

My readings have lead me to believe that Bruce wrote the basic story for entertainment. Remember that he grew up with the movies of Run Run Shaw.
His daughter wanted the story told because it was suppressed when her father was alive and she thought it would add to her father's legacy.

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There is no redeeming quality to any of the major players here. The only character I don’t dislike is the body guard for mai ling.

You didn't like Ah Toy...the covet hero of her people who fought to right the wrongs done to her community. The one who understood lasting value and how to work the system to acquire it.

Li Yong is the most conflicted character, torn between loyalty and ethics

Doesn't need to be a positive portrayal. And it could just be highlighting a bad point in history. But then it's not really entertaining, more educational. And it's not really keeping my interest. YMMV. But accept that if the intent is to just highlight the Exclusion Act, then that's fine, even if no parties have any redeeming qualities.

I haven't thought much about Ah Toy. Madam who plays vigilante at night. And who is violently vengeful. Do I begrudge her actions? Not really, especially as entertainment. But I wouldn't say she's a hero or a role model, at least not to this point in S1.

For me, the series made me aware of the Exclusion Act. That's meaningful. Outside of that, it just another story about groups of people striving for more power and more money, none of whom are particularly worthy.

Frankly, tired of stories where people are just driven to money and power where the ends justify the means. It's why I've turned largely to Korean shows where the stories and characters are light hearted, with a degree of innocence and naivete. I'm tired of greed and power being the end all of everything in life.

So, Warrior may have had a meaningful result - it made me aware of the Exclusion Act. But as entertainment, it's not for me.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
I haven't thought much about Ah Toy. Madam who plays vigilante at night. And who is violently vengeful. Do I begrudge her actions? Not really, especially as entertainment. But I wouldn't say she's a hero or a role model, at least not to this point in S1.

Her character is along the lines of Batgirl (CW series)...maybe a little more violent, but that reflected the times. Not too different than the characters in HBO's Deadwood

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Frankly, tired of stories where people are just driven to money and power where the ends justify the means. It's why I've turned largely to Korean shows where the stories and characters are light hearted, with a degree of innocence and naivete. I'm tired of greed and power being the end all of everything in life.

Did you enjoy Crazy Rich Asians?

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But as entertainment, it's not for me.

It isn't for everyone and certainly many folks just don't care about the Chinese...that was the justification that studios used for not picking it up

Wonder how much of Ah Toy's character is made up vs real. Real life - sounds like she ended up pretty rich.

Didn’t watch CRA. Wasn’t even remotely interested. No clue what the story is but the title turns me off. Sounds like a ‘look at how bling I am” kind of story.

It’s not that the story is around Chinese. It’s gangsters and corrupt LE and corrupt barrons and corrupt politicians. They all suck. It’s like watching Jack the Ripper fight the zodiac killer. The only happy ending is if they both die. The one honest character is the cop from GA but he’s minor.

A documentary I would watch. This show isn’t doing anything for me. But that’s just me - not my cuppa.

But mai ling’s body guard is impressive. He’s the one to watch.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
Didn’t watch CRA. Wasn’t even remotely interested. No clue what the story is but the title turns me off. Sounds like a ‘look at how bling I am” kind of story.

It isn't. It is very much what you described that you're drawn to in dramas.

It has highly developed characters which are highly relatable...plus it's really funny

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:

But mai ling’s body guard is impressive. He’s the one to watch.

I only have watched the first episode but you are right he is very good.!

Just informed by a coworker that it's been renewed for another season.