Just when the first season when hitting its stride, it was over. Creating a new world takes some time and exposition to flesh out, and the Badlands still need quite a bit of explaining. The first season of Into the Badlands is only six episodes long, which might be my only complaint. Emily Beecham is the next great strong female character to come along as The Widow, who arguably might be the best fighter of all the Barons, and yet retains a softness and vulnerability that reveals her as much more than she initially seems. Marton Csokas as Baron Quinn chews the scenery every time he’s on screen with an over-the-top performance that straddles the line of caricature, but is so entrancing in his performance that you won’t be able to take your eyes off of him. Punches are never thrown just for the sake of doing it.ĭaniel Wu excels as the core of this tale, making Sunny feel both lethally dangerous while remaining relateable. The balance between action and story is sound as well, as the events that unfold build up the meaning of each action scene.
Reminiscent of such martial arts epics as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero, the residents of the Badlands leap through the air while dishing out endless amounts of punishment. Battles are fought as spectacular martial arts scenes that feel beyond the scope of a television production. In this world without guns, the sword and the fist rule. The thing that stands out most about Into the Badlands is the amazing action. once they discover his power, Sunny takes the boy under his wing in the hopes that they might escape the Badlands once and for all.
While each Baron will stop at nothing to recruit M.K. Sunny soon discovers M.K., a boy who possesses supernatural abilities that are coveted by the Barons. Showrunners/executive producers/writers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar put their many years of experience on display to weave the fantastical story of Sunny, the most feared Clipper in the Badlands. The aesthetic spans multiple environments, from farmlands to towns, and touches on even more cultural influences, pulling from Southern, Asian, and Victorian, while seamlessly merging them together. While filmed in New Orleans, Into the Badlands creates an entirely new dystopian world whose origins have still not been fully explored. Both discover their true purpose and decide to explore what lies beyond the borders of the Badlands, but as their Baron Quinn continues to battle against his own family as well as his rival Baron The Widow, Sunny and M.K.’s journey to a more peaceful existence seems further out of reach. (Aramis Knight), a teenage boy who harbors a unique ability, and their growing relationship as teacher and student. Set in a world centuries from now, Into the Badlands: The Complete First Seasonfocused on the spiritual journey of Sunny (Daniel Wu) and M.K. While only six episodes long, Into the Badlands: The Complete First Season is a wonderful introduction to a fantastic new world that has many more stories to tell.