On the surface, the CW’s Kung Fu is one of the latest entries into the martial arts genre. It has mystical elements, ancient artifacts and a fighting heroine descended from an ancient warrior bloodline who was trained at a Shaolin temple. Season 1 revolves around a race to find powerful metaphysical weapons, and the main character, Nicky Shen, seeking justice for her murdered shifu (teacher). The show gave fans action packed fight scenes, intrigue and an epic showdown, with Season 2 primed to offer more of the same. Yet, Kung Fu is much more than its action sequences.
At its heart, it is not about kicks and punches or ancient weapons -- it’s about family. In Season 1, Nicky fled from her family to a Shaolin temple, not comfortable with the path her parents laid out and lacking the courage to confront them; a fairly relatable dilemma. In the temple, she found another family, and a surrogate mother-figure -- until that was destroyed. Having no choice, Nicky returned to her birth family in San Francisco, but not without consequences.
Here, we start to see the family dynamics come into play and the interweaving of character interaction slowly building the underlying narrative. Each family member reacts differently to Nicky's return: her father is happy to have her back; her mother is still angry; her sister, Althea, is glad to see her, but preoccupied by her wedding; and her brother, Ryan, is resentful that she left at all. Nicky is still out of place in her family, but now for different reasons. Her character evolves from these family problems and trials, far more than through external influences.
Strained as they are, though, the family ties remain strong, and soon, as troubles unfold, the family pulls together. First, Nicky and her siblings, and then as long-held secrets spill out, the whole family melds into a powerful unit, each one contributing a unique talent to the fight. The Shen family are each other’s support system, reinforcing everyone. As a whole, the Shens balance and complement individual strengths and weaknesses, unlike the other family dynamics at play in the show.
In sharp contrast to the Shen family, the show gives us the broken sisterly bond of Pei-Ling and Zhilan, one that ends in tragedy, and the highly dysfunctional family of Russel Tan. Toxic relationships drive these characters, each working for their own separate endgames, and they are catalysts drawing Nicky into conflict. The dynamics between the sisters, and between Russel Tan and his son Kerwin, starkly demonstrate the damage that resentment, fury and controlling obsession can do to family. The interplay with these characters involves backstabbing, betrayal and violence; love and support have long since been forgotten. Zhilan and the Tans are the mirror opposite to the Shens, but each family situation brings depth and complexity to the unfolding storylines.
These emotional ties give Kung Fu a fresh perspective, and it weaves its family drama into an interesting juxtaposition between ancient cultural beliefs and modern-day Chinese-American society. Tradition and family have not been lost or abandoned, only adapted to bring a dramatic depth to the show, elevating it beyond its martial arts roots.
Season 2 episodes of Kung Fu air Wednesdays at 9pm ET/PT on The CW.