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Thread: Kung Fu TV show CW REMAKE

  1. #31
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    Continued from previous post

    As it turns out, the film’s resonance with the present moment is something of a coincidence: Tran conceived the story a decade ago, drawing on his experiences growing up in a multicultural martial arts community in Seattle. He never imagined it would be released during a pandemic, much less at a time of surging racist violence.

    “Obviously, there’s a different subtext now that kind of lingers in the air,” he told me. Still, with its subtle allusions to race and cultural appropriation, the film hits upon facets of the Asian American experience that feel just as relevant now as they did several decades ago. Importantly, it’s also an Asian American film that exists on its own terms. Though it centers non-white experience, it doesn’t announce itself as such—not to the point of color-blindness, but in a way where cultural difference feels normal, and honored.

    It’s nice to see martial arts, and kung fu especially, treated with reverence and respect. Although kung fu and martial arts movies have been a part of Hollywood’s diet since the 70s, the form has too often been relegated to an unintentional sub-genre of comedy—one replete with its fair share of racist stereotypes. As the report notes, a large component of the anti-Asian racism perpetuated in pop culture is the representation of Asian men as weak and effeminate compared to their Western counterparts—an emasculation that continues to be expressed by Hollywood through the physical domination of Asian characters by predominantly white leading characters.

    One of the most notorious examples is Quentin Tarantino’s characterization of Lee, the most beloved and celebrated martial artist of all time. In Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the Lee character—caricatured as a toxically masculine showboat—challenges Brad Pitt’s stuntman character Cliff Booth to a three-round fight. It technically results in a draw, but Lee walks away humiliated after Booth handily throws him into a car.

    Yuen described the scene as exemplifying American pop culture’s impulse “to take a strong Asian man down a notch.”

    “They get these really amazing Asian actors who are at the top of their martial arts game, and then they have the white lead beat them up in order to show his prowess and maintain a kind of racial hierarchy,” she said.

    Not surprisingly, over the past year, there have been disturbing reflections of that dynamic in real life. After a man of Chinese descent was assaulted in an unprovoked attack outside New York City’s Penn Station in March, his attacker reportedly assumed a mocking kung fu stance before fleeing the scene.

    “It makes them feel better about themselves to beat up an Asian whom they feel is the enemy, because Hollywood has historically represented Asians as enemies,” said Yuen. Trump’s “kung flu” rhetoric from last year, part of his campaign to scapegoat Asians as foreign vectors of disease, certainly hasn’t helped.

    Warrior, a Cinemax original series with an Asian-dominant cast that premiered in 2019, is yet another martial arts-related project that attempts to examine and subvert this sort of racist scapegoating. With a premise conceived by the late Bruce Lee himself, the show is set during the Tong Wars of San Francisco in the 1870s—a period in American history that arguably gave birth to some of the most enduring and damaging Asian American stereotypes, from that of the disease-carrying foreigner to the Chinatown gangster and the brothel worker. The series follows Ah Sahm (played by Andrew Koji), a kung fu prodigy who becomes a hatchet man for a powerful tong, or criminal brotherhood, as it vies with rivals in Chinatown for control over resources. Notably, it’s set on the eve of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which effectively banned all immigration from China until 1943, in addition to prohibiting Chinese immigrants from becoming American citizens.

    “[In the show], we are dealing with the introduction of the Chinese mythology and propaganda machine,” said Olivia Cheng, who plays Ah Toy, a fictionalized version of the eponymous Chinatown madame known as the first recorded Chinese prostitute in America. In an interview with VICE, Cheng said that she was challenged with not only honoring the real Ah Toy’s life but also playing against the traps of one of Hollywood’s favorite and most harmful tropes about Asian women: the “dragon lady,” an Asian femme fatale who wields power through sex.

    I began the show a month after the Atlanta shootings, shortly after it was announced that the series would be renewed for a third season, on HBO Max. Given the heartbreak and impotence I felt, I wasn’t surprised to find myself drawn to Ah Toy, an Asian female character who seems fully possessed of her power as she navigates gender dynamics and a racist criminal justice system—power structures that are not only designed to oppress her but that render women like her entirely disposable. In the first season, when the police raid Ah Toy’s brothel as a means of signalling to its white citizens that it’s “cracking down” on Chinatown crime, she bribes the sergeant with a few calm words and a small red envelope. “A gift for Chinese New Year,” she says, meeting his gaze with an unflinching stare.

    Cheng told me that other Asian women have expressed being triggered by her character’s profession, which she understands. She said she had to overcome her own reticence about Ah Toy, but ultimately decided to lead with her character’s humanity. “I definitely feel a responsibility,” she said. “I think you’d have to be incredibly vacuous to be in my position and not.”

    Every character in Warrior contends with different articulations of power, said Shannon Lee, executive producer of the show and Bruce Lee’s daughter. “We’re presenting power when it gets out of control and the people who have to participate in that culture, who are the victims of that culture but who don’t think of themselves as victims,” she said. “They think of themselves as humans. They want what every human wants, and are fighting for it.”

    As violent as Warrior can be (and disquietingly close to our current reality), I have been enjoying getting to know these kaleidoscopic characters—people who reveal new sides of themselves with every power play. Even as I tense at the scenes of racist confrontation (in the opening two minutes of the series, a white immigration officer singles out a man disembarking from the boat, calls him “Ching Chong,” and knocks him to the ground), I can take cover in characters with the agency to defend themselves. I can see them fight, and I can see them win.

    “Catharsis is something that people need right now,” said Hoon Lee, who plays Wang Chao, a quick-witted black market arms dealer. “In the context of a show, you can experience—and, hopefully, exorcise—some of that rage that you might not know what to do with otherwise. That’s a primary function of storytelling.”

    Martial arts might be a safe bet for a Hollywood looking for low-hanging fruit when it comes Asian representation, but in this new slate of film and television shows, it’s also the Trojan Horse: a vehicle for Asian characters whose identities are as layered and complex as people are in real life. And while, yes, these bodies encounter brutal violence, they survive to experience what lies beyond it—joy, grief, rage, and humor together. In devastating times like these, we need storytelling that shows us that access to the full spectrum of human experience is possible—not just suffering.

    threads
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    Kung Fu
    Once-Upon-a-Time-in-Hollywood
    Mortal-Kombat-2021-reboot
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  2. #32
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    Anyone watching?

    I've seen every ep but the finale, which I plan to watch soon. That's not bragging. I'm not sure what that is.

    But this is sweet.
    Watch injury turn into a surprise engagement for stunt doubles on set of Kung Fu
    By Rachel Yang July 22, 2021 at 09:06 PM EDT

    The cast of Kung Fu pulled off an epic stunt recently, and it had nothing to do with martial arts.

    The stunt doubles for stars Olivia Liang and Eddie Liu got engaged on the set of the CW action drama while filming the season 1 finale.

    Liang shared a video on Thursday of the epic moment, which happened after Ken Do (who does stunts for Liu's character Henry Yan) tripped and landed on the ground. Megan Hui, filming the scene as Liang's Nicky Shen, quickly approached him in concern.

    After some excellent acting, Do pulled out the ring and popped the question, prompting oohs and ahhs from the cast and crew.

    Hui's stunned reaction had Do double-checking: "Is that a yes?" It was of course a yes and the couple hugged and kissed, with Hui shedding some happy tears. The beautiful moment was capped off by cheers and claps from the Kung Fu team, many of whom helped make the surprise happen.

    "the best best best part of shooting the finale was planning the engagement of our superstar stunt doubles," Liang wrote on Twitter, with plenty of crying emojis. "Megan Hui and Ken Do are the kindest, most generous, and most mega talented people i've ever met. so proud to be Megan's acting double"

    Hui expressed her excitement and gratitude to her now-fiancé and everyone who helped plan the engagement "months in advance," including Liang, Liu, Jon Prasida (who plays Ryan Shen), Yvonne Chapman (Zhilan), Tony Chung (Dennis Soong), director Joe Menendez, and some of his fellow stunt performers.

    "BOY DID YOU SURPRISE ME @kendo482 ! Last shot after filming the final fight for the season finale of @cw_kungfu and I thought you broke your ankle lol," Hui said on Instagram. "I feel so fortunate to be able to call you all my friends and super blessed to now be engaged to my best one."

    Hui also included some fun photos on set, like one of her and Do with their "acting doubles" Liang and Liu in matching outfits.

    The sweet setup even got the attention of Henry Golding, who commented, "YEESSSSSS Love this guys ♥️🙌🏼 congrats."

    Hui was a stunt double in the movie Snake Eyes, which stars Golding. Hui and Do have also done stunts together for films like Deadpool 2, Skyscraper, Wu Assassins, DC's Legends of Tomorrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Arrow, and more. Hui has also appeared as the character Biyu in two episodes of Kung Fu. The series, a reboot of the 1970s show, got renewed for a second season in May, a month after it debuted.
    Gene Ching
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  3. #33
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    Finale fell by a 10th

    ‘Big Brother’ Wins Wednesday Ratings, ‘The $100,000 Pyramid’ Takes Viewers; CW’s ‘Kung Fu’ Season Finale Falls From Debut
    By Alexandra Del Rosario
    TV Reporter
    @_amvdr

    July 22, 2021 11:57am

    CBS
    Unscripted programs ruled Wednesday evening as CBS’ Big Brother and ABC’s The $100,000 Pyramid marked the evening’s highest-rated and most-watched titles, respectively.

    The latest installment of Big Brother was the most-watched program in the 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. timeslot, airing to 3.33 million viewers and gaining a 0.8 rating in the 18-49 demographic, per Nielsen Live + Same Day Day fast affiliates. Big Brother bested NBC’s Olympic Dreams Featuring Jonas Brothers special (0.3, 2.49M). ABC’s Press Your Luck was the second most-watched title of the hour (0.5, 3.29M).

    Also in the same hour was the Kung Fu season one finale. The season ender, which saw a major showdown between Olivia Liang’s Nicky Shen and Yvonne Chapman’s Zhilan, aired to approximately 832,000 viewers and drew in a 0.1 rating. The finale fell from the series’ debut in April (0.2, 1.4M) by a tenth in ratings and about 40% viewers.

    Later in the evening, The $100,000 Pyramid ruled the 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. slot taking in a 0.5 rating and 3.60 million viewers. Following behind were Chicago Fire (0.2, 1.83M) and Love Island (0.3, 1.62M). Crime Scene Kitchen closed off its first season crowning Natalie Collins-Fish and Luis Flores as the winners, but the season ender (0.3, 1.55M) failed to be the cherry on top viewers and ratings-wise.


    ABC’s Match Game closed out Primetime winning the 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. time slot (0.4, 2.80M).
    I'm astonished how much good press this show has received. I'm just going to say it - Tokenism?
    Gene Ching
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  4. #34
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    Yvonne Chapman

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    BREAKING NEWS
    ‘Kung Fu’: Yvonne Chapman Upped To Series Regular For Season 2

    By Denise Petski
    Senior Managing Editor

    August 26, 2021 2:35pm


    EXCLUSIVE: Yvonne Chapman, who heavily recurred as villain Zhilan on the first season of the CW’s Kung Fu, has been promoted to series regular for Season 2.


    Laura Baldwinson
    Chapman’s Zhilan, a hard-edged and cunning assassin, is ruthless in achieving her goals. After stealing an ancient sword from Nicky’s shifu Pei-Ling–and nearly killing Nicky in the process–Zhilan flees China and begins her pursuit of the rest of the mystical weapons. The mystery of Zhilan’s identity, and her real intentions with those weapons, will fuel Nicky’s quest for justice.

    Kung Fu follows a young Chinese American woman, Nicky Shen, played by Olivia Liang, whose quarter-life crisis causes her to drop out of college and go on a life-changing journey to an isolated monastery in China. But when she returns to San Francisco, she finds her hometown is overrun with crime and corruption and her own parents Jin (Tzi Ma) and Mei-Li (Kheng Hua Tan) are at the mercy of a powerful Triad. Nicky will rely on her tech-savvy sister Althea (Shannon Dang) and Althea’s fiancé Dennis (Tony Chung), pre-med brother Ryan (Jon Prasida), Assistant District Attorney and ex-boyfriend Evan (Gavin Stenhouse), and new love interest Henry (Eddie Liu) as well as her martial arts skills and Shaolin values to protect her community and bring criminals to justice…all while searching for the ruthless assassin who killed her Shaolin mentor Pei-Ling (Vanessa Kai) and is now targeting her.

    Christina M. Kim wrote the pilot episode and serves as executive producer/co-showrunner with Robert Berens. Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Martin Gero and David Madden also serve as executive producers. Hanelle Culpepper directed and co-executive produced the pilot episode. Kung Fu is produced by Berlanti Productions and Quinn’s House in association with Warner Bros. Television and is inspired by the original series created by Ed Spielman.

    Chapman is repped by The Characters Talent Agency and Jared Schwartz at Industry Entertainment.
    I kinda like her character but I'm a sucker for villainesses.
    Gene Ching
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  5. #35
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    Our latest sweepstakes. ENTER TO WIN!

    Enter to win Kung Fu: The Complete First Season!
    Contest ends 11/11/2021

    Gene Ching
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  6. #36
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    Season 2 premieres Mar 11, 2022

    The CW's Midseason Schedule Teams Superman & Lois With Naomi, Sets Dynasty, Charmed and Kung Fu Returns
    By Matt Webb Mitovich / November 5 2021, 10:30 AM PDT

    'Kung Fu, 'Naomi' and 'Superman & Lois' (Courtesy of The CW)

    The CW has released its midseason schedule for late December through early March, and there is a lot to process. So pull up a chair, grab and a pen and paper, and follow carefully.
    For one, we have a Season 2 premiere date for the hit freshman series Superman & Lois, which will be paired on Tuesday nights with newcomer Naomi (as in the DC superhero series exec-produced by Ava DuVernay).
    On the scripted front, there are also season premiere dates for Dynasty (which is Monday-bound, at least for a bit), Charmed and Kung Fu, plus a kickoff time for the All American: Homecoming spinoff.
    (And as detailed here, both The Flash and Riverdale are bound for a months-long hiatus after their season-opening five-episode “events,” and they will each return on brand-new nights.)
    Want scoop on any of the shows below? Email InsideLine@tvline.com and your question may be answered via Matt’s Inside Line.

    Launch List
    MONDAY, DEC. 20
    8 pm Dynasty Season 5 premiere (new night!)
    9 pm Dynasty (a second new episode)
    FRIDAY, JAN. 7, 2022
    8 pm Penn & Teller: Fool Us midseason return
    9 pm Nancy Drew midseason return
    TUESDAY, JAN. 11
    8 pm Superman & Lois Season 2 premiere
    9 pm NAOMI series premiere
    WEDNESDAY, JAN. 12
    8 pm Legends of Tomorrow midseason return
    9 pm Batwoman midseason return
    SUNDAY, JAN. 16
    8 pm Legends of the Hidden Temple
    9 pm Two Sentence Horror Stories Season 3 premiere
    9:30 pm Two Sentence Horror Stories (second new episode)
    MONDAY, JAN. 17
    9 pm 4400 midseason return
    THURSDAY, JAN. 27
    8 pm Walker midseason return
    9 pm Legacies midseason return
    MONDAY, FEB. 21
    8 pm All American midseason return
    9 pm ALL AMERICAN: HOMECOMING series premiere
    SUNDAY, MARCH 6
    8 pm Riverdale midseason return (new night!)
    WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9
    8 pm The Flash midseason return (new night!)
    9 pm Kung Fu Season 2 premiere
    FRIDAY, MARCH 11
    8 pm Charmed Season 4 premiere
    9 pm Dynasty (sorta-new… but not night)
    I know y'all been waiting...
    Gene Ching
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  7. #37
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    Our winners are announced!

    Gene Ching
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  8. #38
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    S2

    ‘Kung Fu’: CW Reboot Adds Vanessa Yao, Annie Q. & JB Tadena To Season 2 Cast
    By Denise Petski
    Senior Managing Editor

    January 6, 2022 1:30pm

    Courtesy of PR Machine/JC Chen/Joanna Degeneres
    EXCLUSIVE: The CW is expanding the cast for Season 2 of Kung Fu, its reboot of the classic series, adding Vanessa Yao, Annie Q. and JB Tadena in heavily recurring roles.

    Following the explosive Season 1 finale, Season 2 picks up with Nicky (Olivia Liang) and the Shens in a great place: Nicky’s been using her kung fu skills to keep Chinatown safe, she and Henry (Eddie Liu) are only deeper in love with each other, and unlike season one, the Shen family are all in the know about Nicky’s extracurricular activities. Jin and Mei-Li have righted the ship and Harmony Dumplings has seen an extraordinary recovery– the restaurant is doing better business than ever. Everything’s been great in Nicky’s life… that is, until the reemergence of Russell Tan, and the surprise appearance of Nicky’s cousin, Mia (Yao).

    In addition to Liang and Liu, the series regular cast includes Tzi Ma, Kheng Hua Tan, Jon Prasida, Shannon Dang, Gavin Stenhouse, Vanessa Kai, Tony Chung and Yvonne Chapman.

    Yao’s Mia, Nicky’s enigmatic cousin, is the daughter of Nicky’s deceased aunt Mei-Xue. Raised in extreme isolation with her mother, Mia ran away from home and has been living on her own for years. Mia will cross dramatically with Nicky in the season premiere, but it’s no warm and fuzzy family reunion: Mia is a natural powerhouse, armed with incredible strength and reflexes… and a deeply ingrained suspiciousness of other people. The daughter of a Guardian and a Warrior, her hybrid bloodline is a key piece of Russell Tan’s villainous plan. Mia could be a valuable ally to Nicky in her fight against Russell Tan… or a dangerous new adversary.

    Annie Q. is Juliette Tan, the clever and conniving daughter of powerful business mogul, Russell Tan. Cultured, precocious, and already well-seasoned in the world of business, Juliette offers Russell her steadfast support, eager to prove she’s ready to succeed him at the helm of the Tan empire. But as her father’s plans get darker and more supernatural, Juliette will have to decide just how far she’s willing to go to seize the brass ring and ascend to her father’s throne.

    Tadena plays Sebastian, Harmony Dumplings’ talented and charming new chef, who steps into the lurch as the restaurant’s newfound success threatens to swallow up Jin and Mei-Li. Charming, cocky, and eager to show the Shens what he’s got, Sebastian will immediately turn the newly single Ryan’s head… but, much to Ryan’s frustration, it’s unclear if the attraction is mutual. Is he Just Not That Into Ryan? Or is he merely avoiding a potentially complicated hookup with his bosses’ son? While the will-they-won’t-they suspense kills Ryan– and fuels the teasing of his watchful siblings– Sebastian will find himself a bigger and bigger part of the Shens’ lives, as his working relationship with Mei-Li blooms into an unexpected new friendship.

    Christina M. Kim wrote the pilot episode and serves as executive producer/co-showrunner with Robert Berens. Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Martin Gero and David Madden also serve as executive producers. Hanelle Culpepper directed and co-executive produced the pilot episode. Kung Fu is produced by Berlanti Productions and Quinn’s House in association with Warner Bros. Television and is inspired by the original series created by Ed Spielman.

    Yao has led four films for China Central Television, including Soul Breaker and Blackfox Ridge, and also led the films Back To Youth, and Into the Darkness for Guangzhou WeiXiao Films. She also played the lead in Huaxia Films’ award winning feature Father and Hero, which premiered at the Shanghai International Film Festival, and won the New Zealand’s Asia Pacific Film Festival Best New Actor Award for her role as Wei Wei. Yao is repped by Echelon Talent Management.

    Annie Q. is best known for her portrayal of Christine in HBO’s The Leftovers and Sophie Hicks in the Netflix comedy-drama Alex Strangelove. She also starred as Erica Yang in the “School Spirit” episode of the Hulu/Blumhouse anthology series Into The Dark. She is repped by Authentic Talent & Literary Management and A3 Artists Agency.

    Tadena was recently seen on Westworld, NCIS, SEAL Team and voiced a character on the popular Call of Duty: Vanguard video game franchise. On the film side, he has appeared in indie Pineapple. He also leads the popular new media series Naruto: Climbing Silver. Tadena is repped by Wonder Street Management.
    I did watch the whole season 1. I'll probably watch S2 as well. It was...painful.
    Gene Ching
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  9. #39
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    Kung Fu Season 2 Trailer

    Gene Ching
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  10. #40
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    1:20 / 1:34 Kung Fu | Season 2 Episode 1 | Nikki Comes Home to an Intruder Scene



    Next week...
    Gene Ching
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  11. #41
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    S2 premiere

    S2e1 had more fights than in any episode I remember from S1. Everyone seems more comfortable in their skin. But it's still so CW way and wow, the CW site inserts way more ads, more than I remember in broadcast TV. Not that I'm complaining. I get that the ads pay for it so I can watch it for free. And it does give me time to refresh my libations.
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  12. #42
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    renewed

    The CW Renews 7 Series: ‘The Flash’, ‘Kung Fu’, ‘All American’, ‘Nancy Drew’, ‘Superman & Lois’, ‘Walker’ & ‘Riverdale’
    By Peter White
    Television Editor
    @peterzwhite

    March 22, 2022 1:45pm

    The Flash
    Katie Yu/CW
    The CW has handed early renewals to a large portion of its scripted schedule including The Flash.

    The network also has renewed All American, The Flash, Kung Fu, Nancy Drew, Riverdale, Superman & Lois and Walker.

    Traditionally, the youth-skewing network hands out early renewals, sometimes as early as January, to the majority of its slate – a boon for its owners CBS and Warner Bros.

    However, this year, the broadcaster’s future is up in the air with local affiliate group Nexstar circling, and Deadline understands that a new majority owner likely would have a say in some of its renewal decisions. The network also needs to take into account elements such as streaming rights to shows and other variables that will determine a pickup.

    The renewal of flagship series The Flash for a ninth season — making it the network’s longest-running Arrowverse series, taking over that mantle from Arrow, which ended after eight seasons — was paved earlier this year with the news that star Grant Gustin was in talks for a new deal. There’s no word from The CW yet as to whether Season 9 will be The Flash’s swan song.

    Some of the other renewals were more of a given that others. All American was expected to return for Season 5, and Superman & Lois and Walker were good for their third seasons.

    Riverdale also was expected to return for its seventh season, but similarly there’s no word as to whether this will be its final season.

    Kung Fu only launched its second season earlier this month but is now coming back for a third.

    Nancy Drew, however, was thought to be slightly more on the bubble and will return for a fourth season. That comes as spinoff series Tom Swift also has yet to launch on the network.

    2022 The CW Pilots & Series Orders

    There are two other tranches of shows that the network still has to make renewal decisions on – and these are expected to come over the next month or so ahead of the upfronts in May.

    4400, which launched in October, Naomi, which premiered in January, and All American: Homecoming, which started last month, will all be hoping for second seasons.

    There also are question marks about the future of Legends of Tomorrow, which is in its seventh season; Dynasty, which is in its fifth; Charmed and Legacies, which are in their fourth seasons; and Batwoman, which is in its third.

    Stargirl’s third season and In the Dark’s fourth season have yet to premiere, while Roswell, New Mexico was picked up for a fourth season ahead of its third season.

    The scripted renewals follow a batch of unscripted renewals including Penn & Teller: Fool Us and Masters of Illusion, which are both returning for their ninth season, and World’s Funniest Animals, which is heading into Season 3.

    Mark Pedowitz, Chairman and CEO of the CW Network, said: “As we prepare for the 2022-23 season, these scripted series, along with the alternative series we renewed earlier, will serve as the start of a solid foundation utilizing some of our most-watched series for us to build on for next year and beyond. These dramas are also important to our overall digital strategy, as they are some of our most-streamed and socially engaged programming, and we look forward to adding more new and returning series to help strengthen and expand our multiplatform footprint.”
    I feel obligated to keep watching...
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  13. #43
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    Kung Fu Season 3 Teaser Promo

    Gene Ching
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  14. #44
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    Stunt Coordinator


    Kung Fu stunt coordinator and star on Nicky Shen's fighting style and new character Bo

    By Alamin Yohannes
    September 11, 2022 at 12:00 PM EDT

    Kung Fu delivers high-octane action on a weekly basis.

    At its core, Kung Fu is the story of Nicky Shen (Olivia Liang) as she comes back home to California to avenge her shifu and reunite with her family, which is the heart of Kung Fu's winning combo of action and story. "We always start with a couple of meetings that get into the tone, feel, structure of the scene and the story we are trying to tell," student coordinator Andrew Chin says of the process of designing fight scenes. From there, there are a lot of factors to take into account.

    For one, Nicky isn't a vigilante, so Liang focuses on the reason she's fighting and the emotion behind it. "It has to be rooted in some kind of reason, and not fighting for the sake of fighting," she explains.


    Olivia Liang on 'Kung Fu' | CREDIT: BETTINA STRAUSS/THE CW
    The show's different characters' fighting styles not only come from where and how they trained, but also who they are. Nicky, for example, came back home from a Shaolin Temple, so her specific Kung Fu style is one Chin describes as "regal" and she always carries the principles taught at the temple with her. Comparing her to other characters, you can see how Henry's (Eddie Liu) street smarts have translated to him having a mix of styles, and Zhilan's (Yvonne Chapman) training as an assassin results in a more lethal approach even though it's also Kung Fu. In terms of Nicky's romance with Henry, that also impacts how she fights. "[Nicky] and Henry have been training together, so she absorbs as much of that as possible, but still keeps her Shaolin principles and fights honorably," Chin says about how Nicky's style has evolved.

    The evolution of Zhilan and Nicky's relationship is a prime example of how Kung Fu tells its stories through action sequences. The series began with Nicky hunting Zhilan for killing her mentor, but in season 2, the pair found themselves fighting together on a few occasions. "Fighting as a team came naturally for them. I was given the story point that because of their guardian-warrior combo, they just naturally are supposed to be together," Chin explains about how the mythology impacts their dynamic. What doesn't come naturally to them is working together, so they bump heads when they aren't knocking people out together.

    The pair fighting big bad Russell Tan (when he was in the body of his son, played by Ludi Lin) toward the end of season 2 was a real turning point for them. In addition to fighting Russell with Zhilan, an emotional moment in that scene stands out to Liang. "Nicky finally saw a broken version of Zhilan and was able to empathize with her, so not seeing her as one-dimensional anymore adds to the storytelling of the fighting in that scene" she says about Zhilan breaking down right before they confront Russell.


    Andrew Chin and Olivia Liang working on 'Kung Fu' | CREDIT: BETTINA STRAUSS/THE CW
    From a technical standpoint, Chin explains that in coordinating the "very emotional, grand finale scene," it was important for each of the three characters to have moments to shine. For the actors, part of getting used to the filming process was understanding that these scenes are shot in pieces. Liang used to be nervous about how the quick sections they'd shoot would come together for a strong scene, but she's learned to trust the process over time. "I'm reminded of how much movie magic goes on behind the scenes that we don't get to see," she explains.

    Chin credits the actors' ability to do stunt work, especially Liang, who has trained hard since the show began. "[Olivia's] come such a long way since season 1. She's been training, so we've been able to lean on her a lot more with all of her actions. She wants to do as much as she can," he explains. Liang understands that it's powerful to see the actors doing the fighting. "For me, as Olivia, it is very empowering. When I get to do it, I get to actually feel how Nicky is feeling, it's a deeper way to connect with the character," she says. In the fight against Russell, they were able to lean on Lin, who came to the show with a strong background of martial arts movement, as well as Liang and Chapman's training. "It was pretty easy to put it all together knowing that we didn't always need to rely on stunt doubles," Chin says.

    Coming into the fray in season 3 is the mysterious Bo (played by Ben Levin) who will be introduced in a fight alongside Nicky. "For Bo, we were looking for a hard-hitting character. We wanted him to have an eclectic style because he's an unknown and we wanted him to be exciting," Chin says. "When it comes to the mix, it's a natural chemistry that they wanted to see with Nicky and Bo. They kind of take an immediate liking to each other, so we want to reflect that teamwork." That is achieved by having a handful of beats where they fight together, so we get a taste of their initial chemistry without giving away too much.


    Olivia Liang and Ben Levin on 'Kung Fu' | CREDIT: BETTINA STRAUSS/THE CW
    Kung Fu is continuing to refine and add to what it delivers through the fight scenes. "We want to focus more on quality rather than quantity," Chin says about season 3's fights. After seeing longer fights get cut down, the stunt team is honing in on the exact story they are telling in visually exciting, shorter fights. Also, they want to use weapons more even though they are a bit more difficult from a safety perspective. Chin teases a sword-wielding character whose blade work will be an exciting addition to the upcoming third season. Liang teases that she will get wired in a harness, which is something she's wanted to do since season 1.

    When looking at the new season, Liang is feeling strong and is excited to show people a different energy through the fighting. "It feels a lot more fun," she says, "Season 1 and 2 Nicky would never willingly go into a fight and we're playing into the reputation that Nicky now has around the Bay Area. She's having fun and the fights look more dynamic." Part of that evolution is because Liang is feeling stronger in her martial arts training. The biggest testament to her hard work? Showrunner Christina Kim texting he saying she mistook her for a stunt double.

    Kung Fu season 3 premieres Oct. 5 on The CW.
    Just a thought - Nicky could do Shaolin Kung Fu...
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  15. #45
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    Kung Fu | Focus Launch | Season Trailer | The CW

    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

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