Two Guys Travel the World Learning Different Martial Arts Tv Show
When Black Belt asked me to describe upwards this listing, I decided to do information technology right. I immediately composed a checklist of the qualities on which the TV series would be judged: creative fight choreography, stunt work and how well the two complemented each other.
To even be considered, a testify needed at least one main grapheme who regularly performed martial arts. Furthermore, information technology must take appeared on nationwide television and have been significant in the martial arts customs when it aired.
The 12 finalists, presented here in chronological order, don't necessarily incorporate the best fights in TV history; it's their overall contribution to the martial arts subculture that matters.
The Avengers
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Run: 1961-1969
Premise: This spy-fi British series begins with John Steed (Patrick MacNee) serving as the assistant to British amanuensis Dr. David Keel, but Steed eventually becomes the head spy. His most best-known assistants include the stylish Cathy Gale (played past real-life judo black-belt Honour Blackman), Emma Peel (Dianna Rigg) and Tara King (Linda Thorson).
Analysis: The Avengers was the start English-language TV show to feature femme fatales boot the butts of brutes and bums. Blackman'due south fights included judo flips, throws and armbars galore. Rigg, sporting a tight leather jumpsuit, attracted the attention of adolescents fifty-fifty though her fights were more about strange body postures than they were about pugilism. Thorson'south action was the almost athletic and energetic — she'd run effectually the sets with dramatized movements, crash through windows and wooden doors, and drop bad guys with neck chops and finger thrusts.
Trivia: The Avengers didn't utilise a fight choreographer, and the series used a stunt coordinator but for a short fourth dimension.
The Wild Wild Westward
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Run: 1965-1969
Premise: Secret Service agents James T. West (Robert Conrad) and Artemus Gordon (Ross Martin) battle psychotic criminals who are planning to accept over America — and sometimes the world.
Analysis: In one episode, Conrad would do stylized kung fu combat, and in the next, he'd practice karate. After that, he might utilise savate, judo or boxing. In between, he could be seen wielding Hawaiian, Chinese, Japanese and medieval European weapons. His opponents spanned the spectrum, from a 400-pound gorilla and a behemothic pneumatic puppet to a killer with prosthetic appendages and an invisible man. Zilch was out of premises. And if the hero had to fight iv or five adversaries, the baddies attacked together, not one at a fourth dimension like they do in about movies and TV shows.
The Wild Wild West was filmed during a time when about stars refused to have a punch or fall — that's why they had doubles. Yet Conrad, who was non a trained stuntman, insisted on doing everything himself, as did his fight crew: Whitey Hughes (stunt coordinator), Jimmy George, Jerry Laveroni and Dick Cangey.
Trivia: The stunts and fight scenes were generally shot in one unedited wide-angle take. That permitted viewers to see everything and to know it was Conrad doing it all.
The Green Hornet
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Run: 1966-1967
Premise: Six years before Bruce Lee would become the biggest name in martial arts, he wows audiences as Kato, a kung fu skillful who fights crime aslope Britt Reid, aka the Green Hornet (Van Williams).
Analysis: The simple fact that the series co-starred Lee makes information technology worthy of inclusion here. Unfortunately, America wasn't quite prepare for an Asian lead — or at to the lowest degree Hollywood didn't think and then.
The Greenish Hornet gave audiences an actor who could expertly deliver punches and kicks with superhuman speed, and it all happened without fancy editing, stunt doubles or special furnishings. Lee delivered extended uncut fight sequences that were enhanced by adlibbed moves. At the finish of a combination, he'd often result a signature strike — usually a leaping elbow driblet.
Trivia: Not just was Lee the first Asian-American to hold an American TV show together just he was also the first Asian-American role player to make the embrace of TV Guide. It was the October 29 to Nov iv, 1966 issue.
Kung Fu
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Run: 1972-1975
Premise: In the 1870s, a half-Chinese/half-American Shaolin priest named Kwai Chang Caine (David Carradine) wanders the American W while fleeing agents of the Chinese emperor, who believes he'due south responsible for a murder. While on the lam, Caine searches for his one-half blood brother as he combats racists, compensation hunters and assassins.
Assay: Although at times the actors looked awkward while executing their techniques, the series set new standards in fight choreography by using creative camera angles, unique audio furnishings and, prudently, dull motility. Flashbacks to Caine'due south childhood, in which he was learning kung fu at Shaolin Temple, proved a novel storytelling device.
On a philosophical level, Caine epitomized Shaolin philosophy, possibly more then than any other character in the history of entertainment. Just equally a last resort would he use his fighting skills, and fifty-fifty and then it was to defend the downtrodden or himself. Considering he wasn't near killing, audiences learned that kung fu focused on training not to fight, on healing rather than hurting.
Trivia: Kung Fu had as guest stars many actors who were or would become famous. They included Harrison Ford; William Shatner; Jodie Foster; Don Johnson; Sondra Locke; Leslie Nielsen; and John, Keith and Robert Carradine.
The Master
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Run: 1984
Premise: It's Kung Fu … ninja manner! Subsequently becoming the commencement Occidental ninja master ever, Korean War vet John McAllister (Lee Van Cleef) breaks ninja law and returns to America to observe his lost daughter (Demi Moore). That causes a fellow ninja (Sho Kosugi) to vow to kill McAllister for having abased the sect.
Analysis: Tapping into the 1980s ninja craze, the serial featured Kosugi, who is nonetheless the most recognized name in ninja filmdom. It also took full advantage of the well-nigh familiar ninja weapons. Although most of the sword fights involved way also much flailing — similar kids playing with sticks — the utilize of audio effects and rapid technique exchanges created the illusion of pace and power.
Trivia: The Primary was the first ninja-based Boob tube series in America.
Highlander: The Series
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Run: 1992-1998
Premise: Four-hundred-year-old Duncan MacLeod (Adrian Paul) of the Clan MacLeod lives in modern order, but he uses an ancient katana to slice, dice and decollate ne'er-do-well immortals out to go "the one."
Assay: Six years afterwards the success of the pic Highlander, this series ran for 119 episodes. It was most notable for its sword fights, which are always challenging to choreograph because of the dangers of swinging steel, the inherently short production schedules of television and the limited talent pool from which producers can draw. Yet sword master Bob Anderson did a marvelous job of keeping the blade battles interesting and fresh.
Although much of the talent relied on low-level sword skills — at least, on camera — and deadening movements, the smoothness of the techniques, the continuity of the activity, the clanging of the weapons and the spray of sparks that ensued whenever steel met steel served to enthrall audiences.
Trivia: Christopher Lambert, who headlined the 1986 feature pic, appeared in the pilot for the Highlander series.
Walker, Texas Ranger
Chuck Norris In 'Walker, Texas Ranger'
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Run: 1993-2001
Premise: A foot-slinging Texas Ranger named Cordell Walker (Chuck Norris) battles crime in the Southern Usa.
Assay: Inspired by the movie Lone Wolf McQuade (1983), Walker wound up being the most baffling Television serial in U.South. history. It lasted longer than any other martial arts-based show — 196 episodes. It was panned by critics, who took potshots at Norris' acting ability. Although information technology featured fights that some martial arts film pundits deemed slow and repetitive, audiences loved it, as did CBS.
Week in and week out, Norris executed spinning backfists, elbow strikes, hooks, crescent kicks and dorsum kicks. The magic didn't revolve effectually multifariousness; it was nigh creating the next John Wayne, a tough-guy lawman who kicks from the hip.
Trivia: The fight scenes looked the style they did because they were shot one or two techniques at a time, so edited in quick succession with a sprinkling of audio effects to give the illusion of speed.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
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Run: 1993-1996
Premise: Six teenagers are recruited by the conflicting Zordon to fight monsters sent to conquer Earth. Zordon transforms the teenagers into infinite-suited warriors called Power Rangers, who can conjure up huge, metallic, modify-ego animal/dinosaurs known as zords. If the zords fail to accomplish their mission, the Rangers can unite to form a giant humanoid robot called Megazord.
Assay: Although various seasons of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers had scenes with English-speaking actors, it got its source material, condom-costumed monsters, props and nigh martial arts footage from three Japanese Television set serial. The Japanese fights scenes were influenced past Hong Kong'due south high-flying "fant-Asia" activeness, as well as Jackie Chan's choreography from Police Story. It was an instant hit in America, where it ran for 155 episodes.
Trivia: The serial launched the career of Jason David Frank, who appeared on the cover of the September 2004 consequence of Black Chugalug and later became an MMA fighter.
Xena: Warrior Princess
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Run: 1995-2001
Premise: Fix in mythological Greece, the series follows Xena (Lucy Lawless) equally she searches for her father. Using steel-slashing bewitchment and memories of her sinful past, she battles the dregs of the world to free the innocent from the claws of injustice and tyranny.
Assay: This Hercules: The Legendary Journeys spinoff lasted 134 episodes. It borrowed elements from the fant-Asia genre, as well as Hong Kong horror flicks, and combined them with mind-numbing, centre-popping martial arts fights. Specific influences accept been traced to the movies In one case Upon a Time in China, Swordsman Ii andBride With White Hair.
Trivia: None of Xena's stars, including Lawless, good the martial arts outside of what was required for the fight scenes. Stunt coordinator Peter Bell was likewise a nonpractitioner.
Spy Game
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Run: 1997
Premise: A hush-hush agent named Lorne Cash (Linden Ashby) tries to thwart post-Cold War evildoers.
Analysis: The creators of Xena and Hercules injected their make of fight choreography into this contemporary series past tapping into the spirit of old secret-agent shows similar The Avengers, I-Spy and Mission: Incommunicable. In fact, the pilot featured cameos with stars from each of those series. Spy Game's style of combat was influenced by Jackie Chan, who'southward renowned for creating fights in which seemingly innocuous objects tin become weapons. The stylized class of fighting seen in Spy Game has been aped by other martial arts-inspired programs, including Anarchy (2000), Bionic Woman (2007) and Chuck (2007-2012).
Trivia: Spy Game served equally the springboard for some of today'southward top talent, including Mike Gunther, who works as a stunt coordinator, writer and producer; and Chad Stahelski, who taught jeet kune do at the Inosanto Academy before becoming a stuntman, thespian and director.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
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Run: 1997-2003
Premise: Exemplifying girl power, Buffy Summers (Sara Michelle Geller) takes on a multifariousness of supernatural opponents in a high-school setting.
Assay: Based on the horror film Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992), the series took a comedic turn and banked on the rising popularity of fant-Asia films and Jackie Chan'southward new fighting style as exemplified in Rumble in the Bronx. The series' 144 episodes intelligently combined the fight sensibilities of these two Hong Kong genres, and in large part information technology worked considering of Buffy's stunt double, action-film veteran Sophia Crawford. Crawford's derring-do made Geller's character a crowd-pleaser, even in groups fights.
Trivia: The combative side of Buffy's character was inspired by the essence of Hong Kong's top female film fighters, including Michelle Khan, Cynthia Khan, Moon Lee and Oshima Yukari.
Photograph Courtesy of CBS
Martial Police
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Run: 1998-2000
Premise: Sammo Law (Sammo Hung), a top Shanghai cop, relocates to Los Angeles to search for a female person surreptitious officer who'due south gone missing. He gets assist — and comedic relief — from a partner played by Arsenio Hall.
Analysis: Executive-produced past Stanley Tong, Martial Police force featured Andy Cheng (Jackie Chan'due south former stunt double) and showcased the fight-directing talents of Yuen Tak, Yuen Bun and Dion Lam, which pretty much says it all. It had over-the-height Hong Kong action to the max. Meridian-rated martial arts actors and stunt performers in Hollywood clamored to get a risk to work with Hung considering they knew it was winning the ratings state of war for its time slot, at least during season one.
Trivia: Martial Law lasted just 44 episodes — apparently, the star and the second-season producers didn't see middle to eye. Many regard the series as the last American TV show to capture the essence of martial arts choreography.
The Ultimate Guide to Martial Arts Movies
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The Ultimate Guide to Martial Arts MoviesDynamic and entertaining, this moving picture guide brings depth to the martial arts films of the 1970s, with more than 2,000 titles from 14 countries broken downwardly into lively reviews, detailed discussions, and meticulous references. With an engaging introduction to kung-fu picture palace, this examination then launches into a collectioSource: https://blackbeltmag.com/martial-arts-tv-shows
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