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Warrior (TV series)

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Warrior
Genre
Starring
Country of origin United States
Original languages
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes9 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Production companies
  • Tropper Ink Productions
  • Perfect Storm Entertainment
  • Bruce Lee Entertainment
Original release
NetworkCinemax
ReleaseApril 5, 2019 (2019-04-05) –
present (present)

Warrior is an American action television series created by Jonathan Tropper and Justin Lin that premiered on April 5, 2019, on Cinemax.[1][2] It is based on an original concept by Bruce Lee.[3][4][5] In April 2019, Cinemax renewed the series for a second season.[6]

Plot

Set during the Tong Wars in late 1870s San Francisco, California, the series follows Ah Sahm, a martial arts prodigy who immigrates to San Francisco from China, in search of his sister, only to be sold to the one of the most powerful tong in Chinatown.

Cast

Main

  • Andrew Koji as Ah Sahm[7], the show's main protagonist. A Chinese martial arts practitioner of partial European ancestry from his white American grandfather, Ah Sahm travels to San Francisco to find his missing sister and ends up being involved in the city's gang wars.
  • Olivia Cheng as Ah Toy[7], a bisexual Madame in charge of the Hop Wei's brothel. She takes an interest with Ah Sahm due to his connections with Mai Ling.
  • Jason Tobin as Young Jun[7], Father Jun's son and heir to the Hop Wei. He becomes fast friends with Ah Sahm.
  • Dianne Doan as Mai Ling[7], the wife of Long Zii, head of the Long Zii Tong. She is actually Ah Sahm's sister, Xiaojing, who ran away from China to the US to escape from her abusive husband Sun Yang, who forced her to marry him to prevent him from killing her brother. As Long Zii's wife, she is the de facto second in command of the Long Zii gang.
  • Kieran Bew as Officer "Big Bill" O'Hara[7], an Irish police officer promoted to lead the Chinatown squad. He is initially racist towards the Chinese, but changes his opinion after meeting Ah Sahm. He used to be friends with Dan Leary, as both men were Union soldiers during the American Civil War. Due to his gambling problem, he ends up getting in trouble with both the Chinese and Irish gangs.
  • Dean Jagger as Dylan Leary[7], an American Civil War veteran and crime lord of the Irish gang. He hates the Chinese, whom he blames for taking away jobs meant for the Irish, and will uses whatever means to ensure his goals will be met.
  • Joanna Vanderham as Penelope Blake[7], the wife of Mayor Samuel Blake. She and her husband do not get along, as she only married Samuel to gain access to his family's wealth to help her father, Industrialist Byron Mercer. She later falls in love with Ah Sahm after he saved her life.
  • Tom Weston-Jones as Richard Lee[7], a new police officer from Savannah, Georgia. Despite being from the South, Lee believes all races should be treated equally. He is disliked by his Irish colleagues, who are Union veterans, due to his family having fought with the Confederacy.
  • Hoon Lee as Wang Chao[7], a Black Market arms dealer who works with both the Hop Wei and Long Zii, along with the San Francisco Police.
  • Langley Kirkwood as Walter Buckley[7], the Deputy Mayor of San Francisco who is secretly working with Mai Ling to start a war between the Hop Wei and Long Zii.
  • Christian McKay as Mayor Samuel Blake[7], the Mayor of San Francisco and Penelope's husband.
  • Perry Yung as Father Jun[7], leader of the Hop Wei and Young Jun's father.
  • Joe Taslim as Li Yong[7], a Long Zii enforcer and secretly Mai Ling's lover.
  • Jenny Umbhau as Lai, a peasant girl sold to Ah Toy who has a special skill set
  • Dustin Nguyen[8] as Zing (season 2; recurring season 1)[9]
  • Chen Tang as Hong (season 2)[9]
  • Céline Buckens as Sophie Mercer (season 2)[9]
  • Miranda Raison as Nellie Davenport (season 2)[9]

Recurring

  • Arthur Falko as Twig[7]
  • Rich Ting as Hop Wei Tong "Bolo"[10], a former railroad worker ("coolie") turned underground fighter who was saved by Father Jun.
  • Henry Yuk as Long Zii
  • Maria Elena Laas as Rosalita Vega (season 2)[9]

Guest

  • C.S. Lee as Lu, a former coolie, who became the co-owner of the saloon Ah Sahm and Young Jun take shelter in.
  • Erica Wessels as Billie, Lu's wife and co-owner of the saloon.
  • Rachel Colwell as Wankeia, a Native-American prostitute Young Jun falls in love with.
  • Andrew Stock as Father Flynn, a priest who helps defend the saloon from bandits
  • Christiaan Schoombie as Harlan French, leader of the bandit gang

Episodes

No.Title [11][12]Directed by [11]Written by [11]Original air date [11][12]U.S. viewers
(millions)
1"The Itchy Onion"Assaf BernsteinJonathan TropperApril 5, 2019 (2019-04-05)0.157[13]
Ah Sahm, lands in 1878 San Francisco in search of his sister, Xiao Jing. Fighting with port officials, his martial arts skill impresses black marketeer Wang Chao, who steers him to Hop Wei Tong leader, Father Jun. Sahm joins Hop Wei, befriending Young Jun, son of the leader. Two Irishmen arrested for the murder of two Chinese are bailed out at the urging of Irish gang boss Dan Leary. Veteran Irish cop Bill O'Hara heads a new 'Chinatown Squad' and recruits Southerner Richard Lee as a partner. The Hop Wei bordello is run by madame Ah Toy, later revealed to be a clandestine swordswoman, who exacts revenge on the recently released Irish murderers. Young Jun, kidnapped by rival tong, Long Zii is rescued by Ah Sahm, who discovers his sister is now wife to Long Zii's leader. Accustomed to new power, status and going by a pseudonym (Mai Ling), Xiao Jing refuses to return to China with Ah Sahm. Distraught, Ah Sahm revisits madame Ah Toy and has sex with her.
2"There's No China in the Bible"Loni PeristereJonathan TropperApril 12, 2019 (2019-04-12)0.114[14]
A Long Zii gang attempts to smuggle opium behind the Hop Wei's back but are killed after bribed police officer snitches to Young Jun, Bolo, and Ah Sahm, who intercept them. Despite the attack, Long Zii wants to make peace and form an alliance with the Hop Wei to unite the Chinese Tongs before the US government pass the Chinese Exclusion Act, unaware that Mai Ling is secretly working with Deputy Mayor Walter Buckley, who wants a war between the Tongs. Meanwhile, the Mayor's wife, Penelope Blake, is attacked by two drunk Irishmen for bringing her Chinese butler Jacob with her but is saved by Ah Sahm. However, Ah Sahm is arrested by Big Bill O'Hara despite protests by Penelope and Lee who defend him. Penelope asks her husband Samuel for help but he refuses out of fear of alienating his anti-Chinese white voters and Ah Sahm being a Hop Wei enforcer. Penelope later visits Ah Sahm in jail and learns he can speak English. Despite Penelope's pleas to Ah Sahm to defend himself in court, Ah Sahm refuses, as the police are not only corrupt and racist, but also trying to pin the blame of the two Irishmen killed by Ah Toy on him as well. Elsewhere, Ah Toy cuts out the tongue of one of her prostitutes for being a Long Zii mole and Li Yong kills the police officer who snitched to the Hop Wei.
3"John Chinaman"Loni PeristereAdam TargumApril 19, 2019 (2019-04-19)0.146[15]
Leary makes a veiled threat to Industrialist Byron Mercer, Penelope's father, to hire only Irish despite his company has yet to win the cable car contract. At court, Ah Sahm is falsely charged for "an unprovoked attack" on Seamus and his son, with the Prosecutors also wanting to charge him with the murder of Leary's men. Leary sends some of his men to beat up Ah Sahm in jail only for the latter to defeat them. Ah Sahm calls out Bill for helping the Irish gang which causes Bill to change his opinion on Ah Sham. The next day, the charges against Ah Sahm are dropped after Seamus doesn't appear at court, due to the actions of Mai Ling, who threatens to kill Seamus' family if he goes to court. This causes an angry mob to formed, which Mayor Samuel Blake is able to subdue them by promising action against the Chinese gangs. Ah Sahm is able to sneak out with help from Bill and Chao, with the latter giving Ah Sahm a message from Mai Ling, who tells him to leave San Francisco. Ah Sahm returns to the Hop Wei where he is given a hero's welcome party only to be later punished by Father Jun due to his actions. Later that night, Ah Sahm visits Penelope at her home where she thanks him for saving her and an angry Leary orders Seamus and his family to leave San Francisco before his gang burns his house.
4"The White Mountain"David PetrarcaKenneth LinApril 26, 2019 (2019-04-26)0.147[16]
Bill is beaten by Pinkertons led by his old friend, Jack Damon, who were hired by the Fung Hai Tong due to his large gambling debt he owes to the gang and is warned to pay back the debt in three weeks. Ah Sahm and Penelope fall for each other and begin an affair. Lee's opinion on Bill becomes worse due to Bill constant lies and accepting a bribe from Ah Toy to not arrest her girls during a surprise police raid at her brothel. Mai Ling has a meeting with the head of the Fung Hai for an alliance, but he refuses to talk to her due to her gender so Mai Ling kills him by poison. His successor agrees to work with her. As Buckley spreads anti-Chinese propaganda to the press, Mai Ling tells Ah Sahm to go back to China as not only he is a thorn in her plans but there's gonna be war between the Tongs.
5"The Blood and the Sh*t"Kevin TancharoenKenneth LinMay 3, 2019 (2019-05-03)0.138[17]
Ah Sahm and Young Jun transports a dead Chinese body from Grass Valley, Nevada to San Francisco for a proper burial via horse carriage. Ah Sahm and the rest of the passengers stay for the night at a saloon owned by a interracial couple, a former Chinese coolie and his white american wife. During their stay, Young Jun falls in love with Wankeia, the saloon's Native American prostitute, despite the language barrier between the two. The saloon is latter robbed by a gang of cowboys led by Harlan French, but Harlan is forced to flee after Ah Sahm and Young Jun fight and kill his gang. Ah Sahm discovers that the dead body was used by Father Jun to smuggle gold and was Harlan's real target. Knowing that Harlan will want revenge after he brings the rest of his gang, Ah Sahm and Young Jun work together with the saloon owners and the surviving passengers to face them. Later that night, Harlan's gang attack the saloon only to be killed by its defenders. The next morning, Ah Sahm and Young Jun say goodbye to their comrades before returning to San Francisco by horseback.
6"Chewed Up, Spit Out, and Stepped On"David PetrarcaEvan Endicott & Josh StoddardMay 10, 2019 (2019-05-10)0.090[18]
An assassination attempt by dynamite on Father Jun during a Chinese New Year parade ends up injuring and killing many people, including a white woman. Her death is used by Senator Robert Crestwood, a Chinese Exclusion Act supporter, who hopes to become the next US President and pass harsher laws on the Chinese. Young Jun learns from Chao that the attack on his father was made by the Fung Hai and their new allies, the Long Zii. In retaliation, Young Jun, Ah Sahm and Bolo attack the Fung Hai's casino and sends a warning to the Long Zii. Later, Long Zii has a meeting with Father Jun to apologize for his subordinates actions, offers compensation and peace between their gangs. However, Father Jun will only accept peace in exchange for Long Zii's life. Meanwhile, Bill asks Leary's help in paying his debts to Damon, who agrees but upon learning Damon is working with the Fung Hai, he challenges Damon to a fist fight and brutally beats him to a bloody pulp as punishment for working with the Chinese and forces Bill to kill Damon to protect his family, which leaves Bill traumatized.
7"The Tiger and the Fox"Lin OedingBrad Caleb KaneMay 17, 2019 (2019-05-17)0.144[19]
When Byron reveals to his daughter his company will go bankrupt if he doesn't win the cable car contract, Penelope reluctantly seduces her husband to convince him. A bounty hunter from Georgia reveals to Bill that Lee is wanted for manslaughter of his two cousins in Georgia and offers to share the reward money if he helps him. Bill confronts Lee about the bounty which Lee reveals he killed his cousins after they murdered his black girlfriend, Nora, which convinces Bill to support Lee and exiles the bounty hunter from San Francisco. When Ah Sahm learns Father Jun has sent Bolo to kill Long Zii and Mai Ling, he rushes to the couple's safe house and fight Bolo which ends with Mai Ling killing Bolo. After Mai Ling tells her brother to leave before the rest of the Long Zii arrives, Mai Ling kills her husband herself but promises him revenge on those who wanted him dead. Ah Toy buys a young girl from the same village as her named Lai from human trafficker Zan and makes her a maid instead of a prostitute. But Zan backstabs her by offering to sell the girl's virginity to another customer despite her ownership, so Ah Toy has Zan tortured and kicked out of her brothel. The next morning, when news of both Bolo and Long Zii;s death reach Chinatown, both the Hop Wei and Long Zii gangs go to war to avenge their comrade/leaders deaths.
8"They Don't Pay Us Enough to Think"Lin OedingEvan Endicott & Josh StoddardMay 24, 2019 (2019-05-24)0.105[20]
The Chinatown gang war leaves many people dead and injured, forcing Mayor Blake to support Senator Crestwood anti-chinese views, much to Bill's displeasure since it means he will be used as a political pawn. Lao Ting of the Chinatown Business Association calls for a meeting between Father Jun and Mai Ling in order to end the war between their gangs with both sides agreeing to settle their difference over a duel between their best fighters which if Hop Wei wins, the status quo between them will return but if the Long Zii wins, they will be allowed to transport opium in their terrority. Ah Sahm becomes depressed after Penelope ends their relationship and being chosen by the Hop Wei as their fighter in the upcoming duel but a stern talking by Ah Toy and Mai Ling begging him to lose convinces him to sober up and start practicing. Meanwhile, real estate mogul Richard Timmons blackmails Ah Toy and her business partner Leonard Patterson over more money to buy land in Spring Valley which she at first agress but when Timmons ask Patterson to betray her and join him instead, AH Toy kills Timmons and dumps his body into the sea. Later Ah Toy learns Lai is an expert swordswoman like her as well.
9"Chinese Boxing"Loni PeristereJonathan TropperMay 31, 2019 (2019-05-31)N/A
10"If You're Going to Bow, Bow Low"UnknownUnknownJune 7, 2019 (2019-06-07)N/A

Production

In 1971, Bruce Lee had developed a concept for a television series called The Warrior, about a martial artist in the American Old West, but he was having trouble pitching it to Warner Bros. and Paramount.[21] According to Bruce Lee's widow, Linda Lee Cadwell, however, Lee's concept was retooled and renamed Kung Fu, with David Carradine cast in the lead role, but Warner Bros. gave Lee no credit.[22] Warner Bros. stated that they had for some time been developing an identical concept,[23] created by two writers and producers, Ed Spielman and Howard Friedlander. According to these sources, the reason Lee was not cast was in part because of his ethnicity, but more so because he had a thick accent.[24] In 2015, Perfect Storm Entertainment and Bruce Lee's daughter, Shannon Lee, announced that the series would be produced and would air on Cinemax, and that filmmaker Justin Lin was chosen to direct the series.[5] Production began on October 22, 2017 in Cape Town, South Africa, at Cape Town Film Studios. The first season will contain 10 episodes.[7]

On April 24, 2019, Cinemax renewed the series for a second season.[6]

Reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 72% based on 18 reviews, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Though it often buckles under the weight of its lofty ambitions and ideological pedigree, Warrior's devil may care attitude provides thrilling energy and action that will please those looking for a period drama with a little kick."[25] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 68 out of 100, based on 8 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[26]

References

  1. ^ Cecchini, Mike (August 22, 2018). "Warrior: First Teaser for Bruce Lee Inspired TV Series". Denofgeek.
  2. ^ Li, Shirley (February 8, 2019). "Justin Lin talks bringing Bruce Lee's passion project to life in Warrior first look photos". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
  3. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (June 7, 2017). "Bruce Lee-Inspired Tong Wars Drama 'Warrior' From Justin Lin & 'Banshee' Co-Creator Gets Cinemax Series Order".
  4. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (August 30, 2016). "Bruce Lee-Inspired Crime Drama 'Warrior' From Justin Lin & 'Banshee' Co-Creator Gets Cinemax Pilot Order".
  5. ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (May 21, 2015). "Cinemax Developing Bruce Lee-Inspired Crime Drama 'Warrior' From Justin Lin".
  6. ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (April 24, 2019). "'Warrior' Renewed For Season 2 By Cinemax". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Andreeva, Nellie (October 11, 2017). "'Warrior': Cinemax Sets Cast & Director For Bruce Lee-Inspired Martial Arts Series".
  8. ^ "Perry Yung on Instagram: "#dustinnguyen in da house! It's getting hot in here now. #hbo #CinemaxWarrior"". Instagram. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  9. ^ a b c d e Petski, Denise (May 9, 2019). "'Warrior' Casts Four For Season 2 Of Cinemax Drama Series; Promotes Dustin Nguyen To Regular". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  10. ^ Petski, Denise (October 26, 2017). "The Path Casts Philip Hernandez; Rich Ting Joins Warrior". Deadline Hollywood.
  11. ^ a b c d "WARRIOR Episodes – HBO & Cinemax PR – Medium". Medium. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  12. ^ a b "Shows A-Z – warrior on cinemax". The Futon Critic. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  13. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (April 8, 2019). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Friday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 4.5.2019". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  14. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (April 15, 2019). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Friday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 4.12.2019". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  15. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (April 22, 2019). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Friday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 4.19.2019". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  16. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (April 29, 2019). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Friday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 4.26.2019". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
  17. ^ Pucci, Douglas (May 11, 2019). "Live+3 Weekly Ratings: 'When Calls the Heart' on Hallmark Runner-Up in Raw Viewer Gains Among Scripted Cable Telecasts". Programming Insider. Retrieved May 11, 2019.
  18. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (May 13, 2019). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Friday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 5.10.2019". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
  19. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (May 20, 2019). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Friday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 5.17.2019". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
  20. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (May 28, 2019). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Friday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 5.24.2019". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  21. ^ "From The Pierre Berton Show December 8, 1971 (comments near end of part 2 & early in part 3)
  22. ^ Lee 1975a
  23. ^ Bleecker, Tom (1996). Unsettled Matters. The Life & Death of Bruce Lee. Gilderoy Publications
  24. ^ "From Grasshopper to Caine" on YouTube
  25. ^ "Warrior: Season 1 (2019)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  26. ^ "Warrior (2019): Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved April 8, 2019.

Bibliography

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