This is a spoiler-free review of the first two episodes of Kung Fu Season 2, “The Year of the Tiger: Part 1” and “The Year of the Tiger: Part 2,” which premiere March 9 and March 16, respectively, on The CW.
Reimagined from the 1970s martial arts series starring David Carradine, The CW’s Kung Fu is the first (and still only) drama series on a primetime network to feature a predominantly Asian cast. That, of course, comes with a lot of pressure to tell a rich and nuanced story that all its viewers – those of Asian descent and otherwise – can relate to, but luckily, Season 1 rose to the challenge, delivering a perfectly likable batch of episodes. In its first two episodes, Season 2, like the first one, packs on the charm.
Picking up a few months after the Season 1 finale’s climactic battle between Nicky (Olivia Liang) and the villainous Zhilan (Yvonne Chapman) over the mythical weapons, the first episode opens up by showing that all is well in Chinatown, San Francisco – or so it seems. Nicky has become the protector of the neighborhood, battling small-time thieves and setting troubled kids on the straight path; the overly diligent Althea (Shannon Dang) is now back in the workforce at a laid-back tech company; Ryan (Jon Prasida), now a full-fledged doctor, is interested in learning some kung-fu himself; and the once-struggling family restaurant, Harmony Dumplings, is now thriving.
But of course, there’s still trouble in paradise. After a night of partying with her siblings, Nicky is attacked by an unknown figure who is just as skilled and powerful in martial arts as her. And, like a typical CW soap opera, we learn the mysterious person is none other than Nicky’s long-lost cousin, Mia (Vanessa Yao), who is on the run from the Big Bad of the season, billionaire Russell Tan (Kee Chan). While all of this is going on, Zhilan, tormented by her past sins and the ghost of Pei-Ling (Vanessa Kai), is locked up in a remote prison in China, plotting her next steps for revenge.
If it seems like a lot, that’s because it really is. The two-episode “Year of the Tiger” premiere is certainly packed with a ton of information to take in. Although it was necessary to establish who Mia is and the threat of Russell Tan, it felt like a bit too much at times, causing them to feel like archetypes of the “lost wanderer” and the “villainous foe” rather than well fleshed-out characters. Hopefully, the series will space out their stories going forward to give them more depth. But this may prove difficult with the introduction of new characters in the Kung Fu universe who may be fighting for screen time alongside the current large roster, including Juliette Tan (Annie Q), Russell’s daughter and rival to Ludi Lin’s still-very-much-alive Kerwin, and Sebastian (JB Tadena), a new chef at Harmony Dumplings and potential love interest for Ryan.
The martial arts scenes step it up a notch, though, packing punches with swift and precise moves rather than the previous dance-like, slow-motion fighting styles of last season. Relying less on the supernatural elements, Season 2 focuses on more grounded hand-to-hand combat between Nicky and her opponent. It’s not perfect, but it’s still more action-packed and fun to watch than most other CW shows, especially as the actors seemingly become more comfortable with the stunts entering their sophomore year.
Unlike last season, which followed a criminal-of-the-week format, Season 2 seems to be focused on the bigger picture of stopping Russell Tan and whatever he has planned in San Francisco, which includes using Mia. Although the new overarching storyline does drag slightly at times, the show does still feature side stories, which gives some levity and character development to the “Scooby Gang” outside of the heroic theatrics. For example, prim and proper Althea returns to the corporate world at a cushy tech job that she despises. It doesn’t add to the main story whatsoever, but it’s nice for Althea to be able to grow beyond her trauma of Season 1.
Liang, Prasida, and Dang give solid performances, with Dang stealing every scene she’s in.
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Kung Fu’s greatest strengths in Season 1 were the relationships between the Shen family members, and this season, at least in the first two episodes, is no different. Despite the fact that Tan Kheng Hua and Tzi Ma are given minor story arcs this season, their scenes were the most memorable and filled with so much lightheartedness and sincerity. Liang, Prasida, and Dang give solid performances, with Dang stealing every scene she’s in. Even when given some of the cheesiest lines, their characters pull it off because of their innate charisma. The chemistry between the cast is undeniably strong, which helps the relationships feel believable and keeps us emotionally invested in their situations. It helps that the Shen family remains the heart of the show and, thankfully, the writers haven’t forgotten that.
