The CW’s new reboot of TV series, Kung Fu, has arrived and introduces a new butt-kicking female lead. The series has reportedly been in the works since 2017 and was originally meant to be a Fox production. However, by 2019, it was determined that Kung Fu would make its home at CW and just last year, the program got its series order.
The original Kung Fu series, which ran from 1972-1975, is widely known for several reasons. One reason is that it was based around the use of a martial art that was rapidly gaining mainstream appeal in cinema at the time. This was due in large part to the success of Bruce Lee’s rise as an actor in a variety of kung fu based films. In fact, it’s long been mistakenly believed that Lee helped to create Kung Fu, only to have his lead role unceremoniously recast with David Carradine. The truth of the matter is that Kung Fu was originally going to be a film with Lee as its star. However, when the project failed to gain significant interest from studios, it was re-envisioned as a TV series, for which Carradine was ultimately cast.
Now, nearly forty-five years after Kung Fu ended its run, the series is being rebooted by the CW with female lead, Olivia Liang. The new series takes place in the present, unlike its predecessor, which was set in the rough and rugged days of the American frontier. After some much needed time at a Shaolin monastery in China, Nicky Chen (Liang) returns home, quits her studies as a lawyer and focuses on using her impressive kung fu skills to fight crime and bring the killer of her mentor to justice. The first trailer has arrived courtesy of The CW Network’s YouTube channel, and so far it looks like the perfect show for martial arts lovers:
Aside from having taken place in the Wild West, the original Kung Fu series also followed a somewhat simpler plot line. This involved Carradine’s Caine character having fled to America after killing the Chinese emperor’s nephew. He searches the American west for his brother, finding along the way that his kung fu skills come in handy while wandering the often hostile western landscape. While the late Carradine gained considerable attention for his role as Caine, it also helped to establish him as a martial arts star, ultimately leading to him being chosen for the role of Bill in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill series. It might be a little too early to ruminate on the possibility of the reboot pushing Liang’s career to similar new heights, but the new series certainly holds plenty of appeal and possibility.
Naturally, there’s bound to be those who grew up with the original Kung Fu series and can’t stand the idea of the late Carradine being replaced by anyone. But the fact remains that the original series ran a long time ago and a new generation is no less entitled to the concept than audiences in the 1970s were. Whether or not audiences take to the reboot remains to be seen, but for what it’s worth, this latest glimpse at kung fu feels fresh and fun.
Source: The CW Network