While it shouldn’t matter, I would like to confess that the first ever Martial Arts Television Series I have watched was ‘Into the Badlands’. And that was in October 2020. After finishing the first season, I immediately fell in love with the show. I quickly moved on to the second and third season and was expecting the fourth. But unfortunately, I discovered that AMC has canceled the show. That was when I started searching for other Martial Arts Television Series and so far came up with these six.
The 6 Best Martial Arts Television Series Right Now
- Into the Badlands
- Marvel: Iron Fist
- Cobra Kai
- Warrior
- Wu Assassins
- The Legend of Bruce Lee
1. Into the Badlands (2015 – 2019)
- Number of seasons: 3
- First episode date: 15 November 2015
- Final episode date: 6 May 2019
- Available on: Amazon Prime Video
AMC’s goal for “Into the Badlands” was twofold: produce a compelling character drama, and introduce the highest caliber of martial arts filmmaking. However, AMC canceled the show on February 9, 201 9 after three seasons. The Martial arts scenes in this show are great. Daniel Wu (Sunny)’s serious skills first fight is still the best IMHO, Nick Frost (Bajie) who I love in everything is amazing as a UK “Beverley Hills Ninja Chris Farley”. However, Babou Ceesay (Pilgrim) was my favorite character until he went from innocent idealist to being totally consumed by the dark power. Other four characters whose fighting skills I love in the show include: Emily Beechman (The widow or Minerva), Ally Loannides (Tilda), Lewis Tan (Gaius Chau), and Chipo Chung (The master).
2. Marvel: Iron Fist (2017 – 2018)
- Number of seasons: 2
- First episode date: 17 March 2017
- Final episode date: 7 September 2018
- Available on: Netflix
Story line: Danny Rand (Finn Jones) was 10-years old when he survived a mysterious plane crash that claimed the lives of his extremely wealthy parents. He was later rescued by warrior monks and was raised up in the of city of K’un-Lun, where he faced harsh conditions, but also trained to be a fierce warrior. Danny returns home to New York a year later and wants to reconnect with his past and take his rightful place at his family’s company, which is being run by his father’s former business partner. Danny battled to restore his family’s business by defeating the people who threaten it.
3. Cobra Kai (2018)
- Number of seasons: 3
- First episode date: 2 May 2018
- Available on: Netflix
This show is a masterpiece, my third favorite TV show of all time. Cobra Kai isn’t your typical TV show, it has swarms of different genres throughout it including but not limited to drama, comedy and action. The series launched on YouTube Red in 2018, and the season 2 premiered in 2019. YouTube decided to cancel the series after production of season three was completed. Netflix later picked up the series in June 2020 and released the third season on January 1, 2021, although it had been renewed for a fourth season ahead of the third-season premiere. As of February 2021 and the time of this writing, Cobra Kai has been watched by 73 million Netflix member households between the three seasons.
4. Warrior (2019 – 2020)
Number of seasons: 2
First episode date: 5 April 2019
Final episode date: 4 December 2020
Network: Cinemax
Story line: In San Francisco, California, Ah Sahm, a martial arts prodigy from China, leads a colorful life as he becomes a hatchet man for a powerful tong. This is a must watch TV show for martial-arts fans. The fight sequences and choreography are unmatched. Shannon Lee executive-produced the series which is based on an original concept and treatment by her late father Bruce Lee. The show premiered on April 5, 2019, on Cinemax and was renewed for second season which premiered on October 2, 2020.
5. Wu Assassins (2019)
- Number of season: 1
- First episode date: 8 August 2019
- Network: Netflix
Story line: An unassuming San Francisco chef becomes the latest in a line of assassins chosen to protect the mystical Wu powers from the wrong hands.Wu Assassins is a wonderful series which has garnered quite the fanbase since its debut on Netflix in August 2019. This is absolutely just another martial arts meets fantasy series on Netflix, starring two of my favorites martial acts actors Lewis Tan and Iko Uwais. All these years, Uwais has proven to be one of the best martial artists on the planet. The series which stars other actors including Byron Mann, Lawrence Kao, Celia Au, Li Jun Li, Tommy Flanagan and Canadian actress Katheryn Winnick, premiered on Netflix on August 8, 2019. The first season so far, has received positive reviews, with critics praising the fight choreography. Wu Assassins has reportedly been picked up for a second season by Netflix.
6. The Legend of Bruce Lee (2008)
- Number of season: 1
- Language: Mandarin
- Available on: Netflix
The Legend of Bruce Lee is a Chinese biographical martial arts TV series which depicts the life story of late martial artist and actor Bruce Lee. The 50-episode series which is based on the life story of Bruce Lee is divided into seven parts:
- Part One: High School Years in Hong Kong
- Part Two: Late Adolescence in America
- Part Three: College Years and Opening a Kung Fu School
- Part Four: Oakland
- Part Five: Hollywood
- Part Six: Rise to Fame in Hong Kong
- Part Seven: International Fame and Death
Bruce Lee’s daughter, Shannon Lee, has been credited as an executive producer of the series. Other famous martial arts American and British actors including Mark Dacascos, Ray Park, Gary Daniels, Ernest Miller, and Michael Jai White are also featured in the series, playing the roles of martial artists prominent throughout Bruce Lee’s life and career.
Source: Maggrand.com
