Though hailed as a ground-breaking martial arts show that brought something new and unique to the genre, Into the Badlands actually embraced kung fu movie stereotypes, and this is part of what made the show so popular with audiences. Stereotypes became popular for a reason, but Into the Badlands showed just how Hollywood could handle that in the best ways.
As a martial arts series set in a post-apocalyptic world, it’s hard to compare Into the Badlands to any other show on TV. The AMC series told the story of Sunny (Daniel Wu), a highly trained killer set in a world where nothing was in black and white. The setting of the show was a place called the Badlands, a region ruled by several Barons fighting for control of the land. Sunny became entangled in a conflict that involved feuding Barons, a mysterious power, a secret city connected to Sunny’s past, monks, and more. The series lasted for three seasons.
Into the Badlands combined elements from different genres, but at its heart, it was a martial arts show. While it could have avoided indulging in kung fu movie tropes to make it more unique, Into the Badlands didn’t shy away from incorporating storylines and concepts that felt like they were borrowed from classic Hong Kong kung fu movies from the 1970s and 1980s. For instance, season 2 and 3 gave Sunny a rival in the form of Nathaniel Moon (Sherman Augustus), who devoted his life to being the best swordsman in the Badlands. Being defeated by Sunny in season 2 caused Moon to focus all of his time and energy on beating Sunny in a rematch to restore his honor.
This is a story that’s been repeated many times in the kung fu movie genre. An untold number of martial arts protagonists have been plagued by villains who only care about being the best. Sunny’s rivalry follows this stereotype. Other examples of this include Nick Frost’s Bajie, who serves as Into the Badlands’ version of the drunken, irresponsible ne’er-do-well who always turns out to be a secret kung fu master. How fight scenes are framed also resemble classic kung fu movies, such as when characters are fighting back-to-back against a circle of enemies or when someone uses an over-the-top move which wouldn’t work in real life.
People who watch martial arts movies have seen all of these things before. However, Into the Badlands’ use of kung fu stereotypes isn’t a problem. In fact, it’s welcomed by fans of the series. These are the stories that viewers are looking for when they watch Into the Badlands.
More: Into The Badlands: Why Baron Quinn Was Killed Off In Season 2
