Into the Badlands (TV series)
| Into the Badlands | |
|---|---|
_title.png) | |
| Genre | |
| Created by | |
| Starring |
Daniel Burford |
| Theme music composer | Mike Shinoda |
| Composer(s) | Dave Shephard |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 6 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
|
| Producer(s) |
Dee Dee Ku Dany Wolf |
| Location(s) | New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Cinematography | Shane Hurlbut |
| Editor(s) | Vikash Patel |
| Running time | 44 minutes |
| Production company(s) |
Millar Gough Ink Big Kid Pictures Diversion Pictures Double Feature Films AMC Studios |
| Release | |
| Original network | AMC |
| Original release | November 15, 2015 – present |
| External links | |
| Website | |
Into the Badlands is an American television series that premiered on AMC November 15, 2015.[1] The series features a story about a warrior and a young boy who journey through a dangerous feudal land together seeking enlightenment.[2] On March 8, 2016, AMC renewed the show for a 10-episode second season, set to premiere in 2017.[3]
Premise
Opening introduction: (narrated by Aramis Knight/M.K.):
| “ | The wars were so long ago nobody even remembers. Darkness and fear ruled until the time of the barons, seven men and women who forged order out of chaos. People flocked to them for protection. That protection became servitude. They banished guns and trained armies of lethal fighters they called Clippers. This world is built on blood. Nobody is innocent here. Welcome to the Badlands. | ” |
Cast and characters
Main
- Daniel Wu as Sunny, regent (Head Clipper) to the Badlands' most powerful Baron, Quinn. Despite being a man of conviction, he is very loyal to Quinn. Very skilled and proficient in various styles and weapons, he is considered to be one of, if not the, deadliest Clipper in the Badlands.
- Orla Brady as Lydia, Quinn's first wife who is both his fiercest critic and most devoted follower.
- Sarah Bolger as Jade, Quinn's new wife-to-be, whose beguiling demeanor hides a core of ambition and tenacity.
- Aramis Knight as M.K., a seemingly average teenage boy, M.K. is anything but. Lurking inside him is a dark energy that The Widow wants to harness into a weapon.
- Emily Beecham as Minerva, better known as The Widow, the Badlands' newest Baron: a brilliant martial artist and skilled swordswoman. She has adopted a blue-winged butterfly as her Baronial symbol, shown in yellow on a light blue banner. It represents a transformation from insignificance to beauty and power. Her territory of oil fields manufactures crude oil.
- Oliver Stark as Ryder, Quinn's only son and presumed heir.
- Madeleine Mantock as Veil, a doctor who is in a secret relationship with Sunny.
- Ally Ioannides as Tilda, The Widow's daughter and teenage assassin, who is well-trained in the martial arts.
- Marton Csokas as Quinn,[4] the Badlands' preeminent Baron and a former clipper. His Baronial symbol is an armadillo shown in white on a maroon banner. His territory produces poppy flowers, which are harvested for opium.
- Nick Frost as Bajie,[5] a schemer with questionable morals who finds himself allied with Sunny.
Recurring
- Yohance Myles as Ringo, tattoo artist of the Clippers, inking their kill marks on their bodies
- Benjamin Papac as Bale, a Colt, Clipper-in-training, a seemingly benevolent boy who befriends M.K.
- Mike Seal as Petri, one of Quinn's Clippers
- Stephen Lang as Waldo, a wheelchair-bound former Regent serving under Quinn
- Teressa Liane as Angelica, a prostitute/spy loyal to The Widow
- Ellen Hollman as Zephyr, a regent of Baron Jacobee, has a history with Sunny
- Edi Gathegi as Baron Jacobee, has an alliance with Quinn. His Baronial colors are pattern of blue and green plaid
- Lance E. Nichols as the River King, importer of goods and "cogs" or indentured servants up and down the river through the Badlands
- Lance Henriksen as Penrith, a leading priest who is Lydia's father.
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Fort" | David Dobkin | Alfred Gough & Miles Millar | November 15, 2015 | 6.39[6] |
| Regent Sunny, a highly-skilled fighter and the deadliest "Head Clipper" for Baron Quinn battles the Nomads to rescue a mysterious boy named M.K. who harbors a dark secret about his past. But when he brings him back to The Fort to train as a "Colt", a Clipper-in-training, things quickly get out of hand with another trainee. When first blood is drawn, M.K. loses control of himself as if something takes over his body, making the boy valuable to an opposing baron, The Widow. Meanwhile, Sunny discovers M.K.'s pendant has the same image as the one on his childhood compass of a place called Azra, the boy's home. In order to seek out the truth about his own past, Sunny wants to know more of this city beyond the Badlands, and must find a way out, especially now that his lover Veil is illegally pregnant with his child. | |||||
| 2 | "Fist Like a Bullet" | David Dobkin | Alfred Gough & Miles Millar | November 22, 2015 | 4.83[7] |
| After wandering into The Widow's territory, M.K. meets the Widow's daughter Matilda, who he follows for refuge in her mother's mansion. But it turns out to be a dangerous place since she wants to use his dark power to overthrow the other barons. Meanwhile, after Quinn's headaches are diagnosed by his long-time doctor as a tumor, he doesn't have long to live. He wants to keep the news a secret, so he orders Sunny to "clip" the doctor and his wife, Veil's parents, who know about their unborn baby. However, Sunny refuses and Quinn has to murder them himself, and gives him a second chance to test his loyalty. Later, when Sunny and Ryder are attacked by The Widow's nomads, M.K. saves Sunny's life and agrees to show him the way out of the Badlands. But Sunny has a condition; he will bring M.K. back to The Fort for training so he can be strong enough to smuggle Veil and the baby out. | |||||
| 3 | "White Stork Spreads Wings" | David Dobkin | Alfred Gough & Miles Millar & Justine Juel Gillmer | November 29, 2015 | 5.17[8] |
| Quinn seeks retribution against The Widow and pays the price with losing many Clippers in his surprise attack. M.K. breaks away from the Colts to steal the book about Azra in The Widow's study, where Tilda sees him. Sunny begins to train M.K., but he must first learn discipline, especially when he underestimates wheelchair-bound Waldo during their fight. As Ryder's life slowly fades, Jade desperately seeks help from Veil who reluctantly yet successfully treats him. But it results in Quinn knowing about her and Sunny's relationship. In order for Quinn to form an alliance with Jacobee, the one baron who doesn't hate him as much, Sunny must reunite with Zephyr, Jacobee's regent to arrange a meeting. M.K. brings the book to Veil to be translated, but it's in a language she doesn't recognize. As M.K. hides, Veil is interrupted by Quinn who wants her to save him from his deadly illness. | |||||
| 4 | "Two Tigers Subdue Dragons" | Guy Ferland | Alfred Gough & Miles Millar & Michael Jones-Morales | December 6, 2015 | 2.42[9] |
| Sunny has to figure out how to control M.K.'s power, especially when he gets knocked out by a single punch. Jade prepares for her wedding, and taking Lydia's advice, she stops her relationship with Ryder, who feels broken and betrayed. Sunny finds out Veil has been helping M.K. translate the Azra book and treating Quinn for his tumor. Later, Quinn sets a parlay with Baron Jacobee to help him defeat The Widow after she beheads one of his Clippers. Both barons meet in the City of the Dead at Cross Bend where problems arise. M.K. spies a disguised Tilda and gives pursuit and they fight. Tilda cuts him, unleashing his darkness that only she can stop. Ryder is enlisted by Zephyr who is secretly working for The Widow to join their cause to start a war. Waldo grants Sunny an audience with the River King, importer of goods and cogs, to reserve a passage out of the Badlands. However, the River King demands M.K.'s head as payment due to M.K. having previously killed some of his Cogs. | |||||
| 5 | "Snake Creeps Down" | Guy Ferland | Alfred Gough & Miles Millar & Justin Doble | December 13, 2015 | 2.21[10] |
| Sunny finds a direction when he uses his broken compass in the Arza book's cutout. After the poppy fields are abandoned, Quinn suffers a migraine and puts Jade in charge to train Clippers how to harvest. In order to look for "the boy at the Fort", The Widow takes in Quinn's cogs, promising them freedom in return for loyalty. Waldo tells Ryder to take M.K.'s pendant to Ryder's grandfather Penrith, a preacher, who says Arza is just a made-up story. Veil asks Quinn if he killed her parents and says it was Sunny's blade that ended their lives, not his. When Sunny brings Petri and his Colt, Bale, to track The Widow and her Butterflies, Tilda warns M.K. every time he is cut, his life force gets weaker, and gets captured. A fight ensues between her mother and Sunny, while Bale, wanting to make his first kill, fights Tilda, but meets a deadly end when M.K. cuts himself to save her. | |||||
| 6 | "Hand of Five Poisons" | Guy Ferland | Alfred Gough & Miles Millar & Michael R. Perry | December 20, 2015 | 2.16[11] |
| Sunny presents Bale's head to the River King, and passes it off as M.K.'s, in order to secure transportation out of the Badlands. Outside the Badlands, three monks learn of M.K.'s existence and set out to search for him. Jade frames Lydia for a poisoning attempt on her life, resulting in Quinn exiling Lydia. With no other choice, Lydia returns to Penrith and rejoins his congregation. Quinn suspects that Sunny is a traitor after his failure to finish off The Widow and imprisons him. Veil is kidnapped by Tilda, and is asked to help treat The Widow's wounds. Veil reluctantly does so, and as she leaves, warns Tilda that The Widow does not truly love her. She privately confides in Tilda that she left two bottles of poison in addition to the tincture, and that it is Tilda's choice whether to kill The Widow or not. Tilda confronts The Widow who insists she's trying to save M.K. and explains she was once special like him, but does not elaborate. Quinn then convinces M.K. to join his ranks in return for sparing Tilda and Sunny. M.K. agrees, and they both head to the Dollhouse to find The Widow. Sunny is freed by Waldo, who reveals himself to be the true traitor, and urges Sunny to leave the Badlands while he has the chance. Sunny instead heads off to find M.K. At the Dollhouse, Quinn is ambushed by Jacobee, Zypher, and Ryder. Quinn triggers M.K.'s abilities, and M.K. quickly defeats all of his opponents. Sunny arrives, kills Quinn, and attempts to subdue M.K. At that moment, the three monks arrive and easily defeat M.K. and Sunny, revealing they have the same abilities he does. The monks take M.K. away while Sunny is captured by the River King, who knows Sunny tried to cheat him, and intends to sell him to the highest bidder. | |||||
Production
Described as a "genre-bending martial arts series". AMC ordered 6 one-hour-long episodes of the action-drama developed by AMC Studios for a premiere in late 2015.[12] Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park composed the title theme.[13] Executive producer Stephen Fung also serves as the series' action director alongside veteran Hong Kong choreographer, Ku Huen-chiu.[14]
Broadcast
Internationally, the series premiered in Australia on November 17, 2015, on Showcase.[15] In Germany and the UK, the series is available through Amazon Prime Instant Video with each episode accessible the day after US air date.[16] BBC America began airing double episodes on August 20, 2016 at 10pm ET.[17]
Reception
Into the Badlands has received mixed reviews from critics. Rotten Tomatoes gave season 1 a rating of 51%, based on reviews from 37 critics, with an average rating of 4.6/10. The site's critical consensus states: "Into the Badlands is loaded with off-kilter potential that's left largely unfulfilled—although its well-choreographed action sequences should satisfy martial arts fans."[18] Metacritic gives the season a score of 54 out of 100, based on reviews from 29 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[19]
Tim Goodman of The Hollywood Reporter gave a generally positive review and wrote, "AMC finds a bloody, fun and entertaining non-zombie counterpart to The Walking Dead and turns Sundays into an escapist red zone."[20] Maureen Ryan of Variety wrote, "The action scenes scattered throughout Into the Badlands are not just stirringly presented, they represent a test passed with flying, and bloody, colors. This efficient AMC series is an homage to classic Samurai films and kinetic action fare churned out by Hong Kong maestros of furious fists, and if the TV drama had failed to meet the standards set by the sturdiest examples of those genres, it would have seemed superfluous at best. Fortunately, star Daniel Wu is more than up to the task of occupying the center of this streamlined story of vengeance, tyranny and roundhouse kicks."[21]
References
- ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 31, 2015). "How Martial Arts Series Into the Badlands Kicked Its Way Onto AMC; Debuts Nov. 15 – TCA". deadline.com. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
- ↑ "First Look at Daniel Wu in AMC's Into the Badlands". Comingsoon.net. March 29, 2015. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (March 8, 2016). "'Into the Badlands' Renewed By AMC For Second Season". Deadline.
- ↑ Petski, Denise (May 4, 2015). "Marton Csokas Joins 'Into The Badlands' On AMC". Deadline.com.
- ↑ ‘Into The Badlands’ Casts Nick Frost As Series Regular
- ↑ Porter, Rick (November 17, 2015). "Sunday cable ratings: 'Into the Badlands' starts well for AMC". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
- ↑ Porter, Rick (November 24, 2015). "Sunday cable ratings: 'Walking Dead' rises with Glenn's fate revealed, 'Into the Badlands' down in week 2". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
- ↑ Porter, Rick (December 2, 2015). "Sunday cable ratings: 'Into the Badlands' gets a 'Walking Dead' bump". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved December 2, 2015.
- ↑ Porter, Rick (December 9, 2015). "Sunday cable ratings: 'Leftovers' finale rises, 'Into the Badlands' takes a hit". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
- ↑ Porter, Rick (December 15, 2015). "Sunday cable ratings: 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' on top, plus 'Jill & Jessa' premiere, 'Kardashians'". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
- ↑ Porter, Rick (December 22, 2015). "Sunday cable ratings: 'Homeland' rises with finale, 'Into the Badlands' hits season low". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
- ↑ Goldberg, Lesley (July 11, 2014). "AMC Orders Martial Arts Drama 'Badlands' Straight to Series". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
- ↑ "Video – Opening Credits Featuring the Series Theme Song for Into the Badlands". AMC. October 8, 2015. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
- ↑ "There's 'Kung Fu,' and, in 'Into the Badlands,' There's Hong Kong Kung Fu". The New York Times. November 11, 2015. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
- ↑ Purcell, Charles (November 12, 2015). "New This Week (Nov 16): Into The Badlands, Jane The Virgin, Kardashians, V8s and live sports". The Green Room. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
- ↑ "Amazon snaps up AMC's genre-bending martial arts series INTO THE BADLANDS from Entertainment One, exclusively for Amazon Prime members in the UK". Retrieved November 18, 2015.
- ↑ http://www.bbcamerica.com/schedule
- ↑ "Into the Badlands". rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
- ↑ "Into the Badlands". Metacritic. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
- ↑ Tim Goodman. "'Into the Badlands': TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
- ↑ Maureen Ryan. "'Into the Badlands' Review: Daniel Wu brings charisma to action drama — Variety". Variety. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
External links
- Into the Badlands at the Internet Movie Database
- Into the Badlands at TV Guide
- Into the Badlands on TV.com
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