![]() China was opening its bamboo curtain to America at the same time Kung Fu was telecast. However, the second showing was preempted by President Richard Nixon shaking hands with Chairman Mao Zedong. The pilot was such a big hit that the network decided to show it again (remember this was long before the invention of VHS – back then your only chance to see a show was to watch it when it was broadcast). When the original Kung Fu premiered in 1972, it was the right time too. It also had the largest Asian supporting cast of any show for decades to come. Even though David Carradine’s Kwai Chang Caine would be called out for whitewashing today, with its heavy reliance on Daoist philosophy, Kung Fu provided many Americans with their first taste of many aspects of Chinese culture, especially Shaolin martial arts. ![]() The show garnered critical acclaim including three Primetime Emmys and two Golden Globe nominations. Grasshopper? The original Kung Fu series was groundbreaking in its own way. Plus it’s The CW, a network that thrives on soap opera-esque dramas.ĬW’s reboot is a complete reimagining of Kung Fu, but what of the legacy of the original franchise? Will this new version bring honor to the Kwai Chang Caine a.k.a. This leaves the door wide open for Kung Fu to capture fans of Asian family dramas. Two wildly successful Asian family sitcoms just went off the air – ABC’s Fresh Off the Boat ended its six-season run in 2020 and Kim’s Convenience announced that their final episode after a five-season run will be Ap(In the wake of Kim’s Convenience, CBC is launching a spinoff series, Strays, following the character of Shannon Ross, the only white actor credited in show’s opening). What’s more, Kung Fu is promoting itself as an Asian family drama which could fill a newly opened gap. For The CW to launch a show with a Chinese leading actress and a largely Asian cast right now makes a bold statement for inclusivity that lives up to the network’s longstanding slogan “Dare to Defy.” The rise in Asian hate crimes – nearly a 150% increase in 2020 – has made #StopAsianHate a frequent trending topic on social media. ![]() ![]() Issues of diversity and representation have been at the forefront of our cultural conversations for years now. It’s been a long journey for The CW to snatch that Kung Fu pebble from the master’s (Warner Bros.) hand, but the new reboot of Kung Fu could not have come at a better time. ![]()
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