Kung Fu: The Complete Second Season (DVD)

A few years ago, I gave the first season a positive review, but this is light years beyond it. Caine began progressing on his path because everyone associated with the show began finding their way as well. Year One, like the beginning of Caine's journey, was random and confused. Here, there's a purpose. Talk about a productive off-season. A few mid-season slumps, but no clunkers between a strong start and a stronger finish.The immersion in the atmosphere is absolute, and it's extremely easy to forget you're watching actors on a film set. The atmosphere, the wide variety of natural beauty that the US offers (I can't believe I wrote that), the trademark use of music to maximum effect, the joy of seeing actors you know well popping up here. Much cross-pollination from the original Star Trek. Don Johnson as a teenaged Indian back when he could (believe it or not) act. Tina Louise confusing volume with emotion, which could be why they shipped her off to Gilligan's Island. Slim Pickens, of course. Boss Hogg before he wore white, back when he was just a sheriff. George Dzundza as a customer in a whorehouse. Denver Pyle (Dukes of Hazzard, Grizzly Adams) as a clean-shaven doctor, with a pre-Star Wars Harrison Ford in the same episode. But I've gotta give the award to Jack Elam as a sympathetic "good guy" character. Probably the most dialogue he's ever delivered in his career, and he's amazing.If you watch six episodes in the same day, you might notice the same extra in two consecutive shows. What, did Hollywood have a shortage of little blonde-haired boys back then? Could be nepotism. Could be nobody but me cares. I like having things like this to notice just because I'm a goofball. They take nothing away from what Kung Fu achieved.The show might drift into fortune cookie goofiness from time to time, but basically we're on a quest for wisdom here. A TV show about Chinese Buddhism, folks. And about life. Don't forget how groundbreaking it was. It ages well, too, which was the only question the first season left me with. It's pretty easy to impress a pre-teenager with sensible philosophy, but I'm older than many of the monks now, and I've also taught in China. No problem. It still moves me, with some thought-provoking bits of dialogue that make me glad I can hit "pause" in this day and age. There's not a damn thing wrong with being an unabashed morality play as long as it's not boring, and the folks behind the series knew this. It can even deliver humor that doesn't shatter everything else it is. I'd completely forgotten that.You know what I don't like? That idealists must apologize in advance for it. Kung Fu, like the aforementioned Star Trek, came from a time where such "pre-emptive strikes" weren't necessary. If Kung Fu chose to write about how things should be instead of how they are from time to time, I chose to appreciate it for that, to consider, and to learn. I've still got a bit of the old idealist in me, and if that means a journey as lonely as Kwai Chang Caine's, then that's what it means. The old redneck in me makes me stubborn.It's sufficiently well-grounded in what it is to present some silly voodoo mess on occasion and still hold your interest, never drifting into the cartoonish land of The Legend Continues. Even the minor characters get good solid memorable dialogue. It does drift into the land of the racial stereotype, but I don't think that was deliberate. I mean, you generally don't think of Caine as a stereotype, even though he's got Chinese Kung Fu superpowers. He's just this good soul who searches, and just so happens to know a bit of the old chop sockey so he doesn't get killed. If you catch it breaking with reality, which happens once in a while, you just forgive it and keep watching because it's so well-intentioned and just so damn well done. Best TV show ever? I dunno. Could be. Top Ten, definitely.Near the end of this set of DVDs, they finally decided to write about Chinese culture, and I saw things that I'd seen back in China. (I'm not saying I moved to China because of Kung Fu, but I'm not denying it either. I asked Jan about a Shaolin wedding, then changed my mind.) It occurred to me before then, however, that I never saw anyone on this show eat with chopsticks. I can give David Carradine lessons if he needs them.(None of the above comments apply to the two-part episode that ended Season Two. It sucks beyond belief and is painful to contemplate.)My original plan was to enjoy this and sell it, like I did the first year. Instead, I've enjoyed all 23 episodes and put them back on my shelf for future enjoyment. The other part of the plan, to order and watch the third and final season, remains as it was.

What can I say? AWESOME! Been a fan since I was a kid.

Ideally, an Asian or Asian American actor, instead of David Carradine, should have played the lead role of Kwai-Chang Caine in "Kung Fu." Why do I say this? Because ethnically Asian actors do not have equal opportunities to play lead roles in the U.S. entertainment industry, and the part of Caine was a rare Asian main character in Hollywood. But "Kung Fu" has so many other positive and excellent qualities that I am willing not to let the perfect become the enemy of the good.According to the first-season DVD's "making-of" documentary, the creators behind "Kung Fu" at least *considered* a number of Asian actors -- including martial-arts exemplar Bruce Lee -- for the lead role, and the character's mixed racial heritage was germane to the story. On both points, I cannot say the same for the Broadway musical "Miss Saigon" (1991-2001), another high-profile work whose Asian male lead went to a Caucasian actor. I'm willing to believe that at the time "Kung Fu" was made in the 1970s, there weren't enough Asian actors in Hollywood's talent pool to choose from. (I say this because many of the same Asian guest stars keep cropping up as different characters on the show: James Hong, Benson Fong, Richard Loo, Clyde Kusatsu, etc.) I'm confident that the situation is different today.Also, I see Carradine's wonderfully understated performance as Caine to be a transition of sorts. Prior to "Kung Fu," American audiences still saw white actors in heavy Asian make-up, and with caricatured Asian mannerisms, as acceptable. A mere decade before "Kung Fu," Mickey Rooney went uncriticized for his cringe-inducing grotesquerie of Mr. Yunioshi in "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (1962). We can breathe a sigh of relief because "Kung Fu" (1) cast a Caucasian actor whose natural appearance was believably half-Asian and did not need heavy cosmetics; (2) does not require Caine to affect an artificial "foreign" accent; (3) allows Caine to speak in complete sentences instead of the fractured pidgin gibberish common to Hollywood's Asian characters at the time. In today's entertainment industry, if casting white actors in Asian roles -- a practice dubbed "yellowface" by its critics -- isn't exactly prohibited, Hollywood has made important progress in recognizing the custom to be at least problematic.The DVD's documentary seems tacitly designed to deny the rumor that Bruce Lee initiated the concept that eventually became "Kung Fu," giving creative credit instead to New York writer Ed Spielman. But many Lee fans insist to this day that their idol came up with the idea for "Kung Fu" and was robbed of the role of Caine by the Hollywood honchos who took over his property. I'm willing to believe this version of events, but I haven't been persuaded yet. However, the very existence of this story, true or untrue, speaks volumes about the "Enter the Dragon" star's enormous iconic stature. In many situations when I bring up the TV series "Kung Fu" to others, it's not long before I hear something like, "Didn't Bruce Lee have something to do with that show?"To me, the true tragedy is *not* that Lee lost the role of Caine, but that his death at age 32 was so untimely. Had he lived, Lee's career post-"Enter the Dragon" would surely have surpassed Carradine's career post-"Kung Fu," relegating the martial artist's involvement or non-involvement in the TV show to a trivial footnote in his biography. With his ghost continuing to haunt a series that he officially had little connection to, I think that Bruce Lee is having the last laugh.(Note: I have also written reviews for the first and third seasons of "Kung Fu.")

I bought season 1&2 together, it is a shame you can't get season 3 over here yet because that would have rounded it off perfectly. I love it, and a lot of things surprise me going back to it 40 years later. There is actually remarkably little violence in it! So anyone expecting a stereotypical 'kung fu' series will be disappointed. It has more of a Taoist philosophy approach to fighting (it might be necessary sometimes but don't overdo it and avoid it if at all possible) and I have to laugh at some of the comments about Carradine's technique etc in other places. This is martial arts as it might be on the street or bar room brawl so it isn't or shouldn't exactly be 'cinematic'. And let's forget about any Bruce Lee connection. I've seen Lee's stuff and the way he plays his characters. Great martial artist or not, because this series isn't primarily about fighting he just wouldn't have fit. This is my type of series, thoughtful, provocative (how far do you actually go to preserve peace and truth?) and though I have almost finished watching both series now, I will just start watching them all over again because there is so much for the thoughtful viewer to get out of them. Oh, and if anyone thinks this is 'cheesy' philosophy, I suggest they find a copy of the Tao Te Ching!

As a youngster I enjoyed watching the Kung Fu series, but as an adult I've enjoyed it even more.The fight scenes are not up there with the modern day action movies that we are now used to (so don't bother with this if you want all action mindless drivel). The balance of wisdom, reasoning, compassion, and the occasional need for violence, is well blended and presented.Personally I feel the series was well ahead of it's time in terms of presenting it to a viewing public as entertainment. I mean, it presented an American audience with a Western that has a 'Chinaman' as the main character and hero, who speaks of Buddhist philosophies, and tries to live a non violent existences. It was never going to work... but it did, and still does.If you fancy some decent family entertainment, that will also allow you to use your mind a little and cause you to think... then I believe you'll enjoy this DVD.

I grew up watching this show as a kid, having been introduced to it by my father. Although it is a work of fiction, I find much truth and beauty in these episodes, as I have done with the first season. I have read complaints by others about the quality of the episodes but I can find nothing to complain about. The picture quality looks fine to me and the double-sided format works on my very basic DVD player. I would recommend this to anyone who has loved the show, but also to anyone looking for good quality entertainment with some beautiful uplifting messages too.

As series two followed from series one, I felt that the whole feeling of this series started to find its feet and seemed to get deeper into the philosophy. The script dealt with deeper issues of the Zen-like subject. As a Zen practitioner, I found it very interesting and inspiring to watch, as it consolidates the Zen teaching. If you like Eastern philosophy then it has a lot to offer, but don't expect a lot of high-kicking martial arts scenes. What there is though, fits in well with the story line and philosophy.

I was delighted with the box set of kung fu season 2 on dvd.the picture and sound quality was excellent.