When I was young, television content was homogenous. Networks sought to appeal to the widest audience and produced shows that were the same as others. If one genre worked (e.g., Westerns), it was copied and repeated over and over. Broadcast TV (the only option) was incredibly boring.
It was thus notably rare for a TV show to break the mold. To attempt something novel or artistic. One show did this and its very production was an improbable story. The show, which began in 1971 and ran for three seasons, was "Kung Fu."
At the time nobody in America had heard the phrase kung fu before. Martial arts were not well-known. The overnight success of "Kung Fu" caused immediate and strong interest in martial arts -- and in Eastern philosophy generally.
The show affected many viewers deeply, including me. I watched every episode raptly and, at age 14, was very impressionable. I loved the profound thoughts of Master Po and exotic setting of a Shaolin temple. The hero, Kwai Chang Caine, is a half-Chinese, half-white boy who's admitted to the Chinese temple and taught both Eastern philosophy and martial arts. Later, the boy grows up, leaves the temple and wanders the American West. He travels from town to town looking for his half-brother. He meets people, works and lives a spiritual life. Caine has experiences, often with bigotry and violence. He refrains from fighting unless absolutely necessary but, in each episode, that becomes apparent. Caine then defeats opponents with startling moves and consummate skill.
Two networks passed on the show and only because the third one was desperate, the show got a one-episode trial. The pilot was an instant hit. Further episodes attracted huge audiences who loved the unusual setting and plots. The show won multiple Prime-time Emmys. Master Po's affectionate term for Kwai Chang ("Grasshopper") became a cultural meme.
Thirty years later the entire series was collected in a box set (which I own) with two special features explaining how unlikely the show's creation was. The principals also demonstrate their quest for quality and authenticity. Consultants were hired and used to make the philosophical, historical and martial arts parts of the show as accurate as possible.
Have you ever seen it? If not, I'm happy to lend you my DVDs. That's something Kwai Chang Caine would do. :)
By a related coincidence, we were watching Kill Bill recently. Which has, of course, David Carradine in.
ReplyDeleteI vaguely remember the Kung Fu series but that would've been repeats, and British TV loves to mess about with the running order.
Hopefully the series has aged well. Enjoy the rerun... Grasshopper 😉