Into the Badlands

[Nolia]

Soooo AMC has pretty much marketed this show to death. Every commercial break this show is blasted in our faces. It arrogantly pushed itself in between the Walking Dead and Talking Dead times, and you have to watch through to the first commercial to see a clip from the next Walking Dead episode.

I REALLY want to like this show. I REALLY want to give it a chance. But does NO ONE see anything alarming about it? The patriarchy (barons can take several wives), the whole... Asians doing Kung Fu thing? I mean, I guess I should be grateful that the lead is an Asian man at all, and the storyline includes his interracial relationship... but does no one at all see anything else problematic? I know East-Asians are generally happy to finally see ourselves being represented more in media. But am I wrong for still being annoyed that our only options for Asian males is "martial arts" or "drift guy", and Asian females, even worse, "Import chicks" or "White man's prize"? There are no other Asian characters on this show either so far except minor ones that get killed in action sequence.

This is almost the exact same feeling I get from watching "Fresh off the Boat". Like, you can't legitimately hire someone with an actual Chinese accent, you had to get someone to fake it poorly? But I digress.

I feel like we're hungry for more... well, ANY representation, but it's entirely frustrating and cringe-worthy to see sometimes, exactly how much yellow-fever people actually have. It's like one step forward, two steps back. I'm just sitting here waiting for the show to explain itself...

 

[berrydiva]

I think the show is supposed to be a modern taken on old martial arts movies...it's based on Journey to the West. What's strange about it is that it clearly mixes genres/time periods so that it's unique to the show. It's supposed to be set in the 26th century and guns have been banned hence why they use swords and martial arts.

I'm not sure if I like it yet or no....only watched 2 episodes so far.

I agree with much of your sentiment and honestly would've preferred a heavily asian cast to feel more like those old martial arts movies if that's what they were aiming for with this show. People like action, so I can totally understand basing it around martial arts but feel like the cast could've been more well rounded and I'm not sure why the baronesses, who seem to be kung fu masters, are all white women. lol.

 

[katran26]

I think with the exit of Breaking Bad and Mad Men, AMC needed a solid show as a replacement.

With Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead, and now this, I'm seeing too many action-heavy shows. I'd like to see something more plot/character driven.

 

[Zuhrah]

We've only seen two Barons so far. There were supposed to be hundreds, I imagine. I hope to see an Asian Baron having all Asian clippers in the next episodes, with a Head Clipper as lethal as Sunny.

 

[poppincourt]

I'm just happy to see Daniel Wu as the leading actor in an American TV series! I'll support him just because I've been a fan of his Hong Kong movies!