The classic martial arts television series Kung Fu gets updated for a new generation on The CW, with an appealing young cast reimagining the premise from a wandering period piece western to a present-day family drama with mystical undertones. And while the main cast and fight sequences are certainly engaging and genuinely thrilling, the series premiere comes off as a bit uneven and clumsy at times as it introduces its premise and interpersonal dynamics. Still, there is enough promise in this pilot episode hopefully carries over as the series eventually finds its own voice and pace.

The Kung Fu reboot follows a young woman named Nicky Shen who sequesters herself for three years in a Shaolin monastery in a remote part of China to avoid her overbearing mother's wishes and train in martial arts. After her training is abruptly cut short, Nicky returns to her family in San Francisco's Chinatown to discover that her hometown has become overrun by organized crime and needs a hero to protect and inspire the general public to stand up for themselves. And as Nicky finds herself putting her fighting skills to good use in the neighborhood, she must play catch up with her family and friends that had moved on with their lives in the three years that she was away.

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Right from the outset, this show has all the familiar hallmarks of a show on The CW: The percussive-driven pop soundtrack, slow-motion flourishes during action beats and a predominantly young cast. These elements can be a little obtrusive at times, but the added emphasis on Chinese culture is welcome -- and these days, deeply appreciated -- part of the show that helps it stand out from the rest of the network's programming line-up. The most awkward element in the series premiere is the sheer amount of introductory exposition, often delivered without any subtlety at all. The nuances of each character relationship are explicitly laid out in conversation rather than hinted at or more organically woven into the show as if the characters aren't aware of their own backstories.

What does work about the show is much of its cast working this clumsy dialogue, including series lead Olivia Liang and the reliably good Tzi Ma. Nicky's family is rounded out by actors Kheng Hua Tan, Jon Prasida and Shannon Dang, who are each given a bit of a familial archetype, from strict mother to resentful sibling, but the cast elevates the material they're given. And with a show like Kung Fu, one would hope that the fight sequences are stellar; fortunately, they live up to expectations, even if they're a bit too overly reliant on slow-motion.

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There is plenty to like in the new Kung Fu and hopefully, its issues in the series premiere will be ironed as the show overcomes its bad habits. The cast gels well together and updating the series to the present-day is a welcome change to the overall premise. From thrilling fight sequences to bringing Chinese cultural elements to the forefront without feeling misappropriated or forced, Kung Fu could become an action-packed addition to The CW's programming line-up.

Executive produced by Christina M. Kim, Martin Gero, Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Warner Bros. TV, Kung Fu stars Olivia Liang, Tzi Ma, Kheng Hua Tan, Tony Chung, Jon Prasida, Shannon Dang, Eddie Liu and Vanessa Kai. The series premieres Wednesday, April 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW.

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