Watch This: Into The Badlands

This new AMC series Into the Badlands is unlike anything else on TV right now and I am completely hooked. Let me break down the awesome for you.

It’s steampunk dystopia.

The pilot episode opens with this monologue:

“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.”

So far we have been introduced to three Barons.

Quinn

Quinn’s territory produces poppy flowers harvested for opium. His territory is a patriarchy, built on the backs of the subservient class called Cogs. He also controls the warrior class, Clippers, and their trainees, Colts. Quinn is polygamous and has been married twice and is engaged to a third woman … more on that later. His emblem is a white armadillo on a red background.

Minerva

Minerva is also known as “The Widow.” She rules over an oil producing territory with her “daughters,” also known as Butterflies, by her side. The character is simply a grade A badass female. Her emblem is a yellow butterfly on a turquoise background.

Jacobee

This character has only been briefly introduced and mostly via the words of his second-in-command, Zypher. They wear a dark blue/hunter green tartan.

It’s a character driven drama.

The first half of the pilot episode gave off a very Game of Thrones vibe. The characters seemed somewhat two-dimensional in their motivations while plot devices and action sequences took up the majority of screen time. Pretty quickly, though, everything slowed down and I realized there is more than meets the eye with this group. Sunny, one of the lead protagonists, is torn between filial duty to his Baron and the love of his life, Vail, a Cog doctor. As a Clipper, Sunny is not allowed to marry or have children, leaving the relationship doomed from the start.

Speaking of doomed relationships … how about the one between Ryder, Quinn’s only son and heir, and Jade, Quinn’s fiancé. At first I thought Ryder was just a pervert and Jade was power hungry, but then the backstory revealed they have been in love since they were kids. Ryder befriended Jade when she was a part of the Cog class, bringing her into the Baron’s home to protect her from back breaking work in the poppy fields. Ryder is probably too twisted by his father’s manipulations to be a proper antihero, but I could see him sacrificing for Jade at some point during the series.

Orla, Quinn’s first wife, is well aware of the relationship between Jade and her son. She has neither discouraged or encouraged the relationship, but warned them both separately to be very careful. I have a feeling this woman is holding a very powerful play up her sleeve. She sees everything and has a strong hold on Quinn’s heart despite his philandering.

The fight scenes are fantastic.

Warning: The clip below is super gory.

This show is all about the Kung Fu. Somehow the Widow manages to kick ass in six-inch heels and I just want more of her on my screen.

There’s a supernatural element.

Finally, there’s the character M.K. He’s the “golden egg” of the series so to speak. He starts out a helpless teenage boy discovered by Sunny on a scouting mission, but after he gets accidentally cut becomes something else entirely. His eyes turn black and he goes full Phoenix when threatened, then very bad things happen. His backstory is also tied up with what was once presumed a “fairy tale” of a better world outside the Badlands. He’s been there and thinks he can find his way back. Because of that knowledge and his supernatural ability, everybody wants to own this kid.

My Verdict:

The best way I can describe this show is Game of Thrones meets Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon meets Kill Bill meets The X-Men. It’s fantasy, so you have to suspend disbelief and just enjoy the wild ride. The cast is diverse and the female protagonists are tough AF.

The entire season pass is available on iTunes for the bargain price of $14.99. Binge watch it over the holidays, you won’t be sorry.

Anybody else loving this series? Give me a shout in the comments!