I enjoy this series. I like that they deliver a story and build a world with a minimum of exposition. I always felt in some ways that having to pause and expound on elements of the story within the story in such an artificial way detracted from the story and reflected bad story writing (obviously this isn\’t always the case, and I make excuses for Star Trek, but it does slow the narrative roll.
Season 2 introduces Nick Frost as Bajie, and it is taking me a little out of the story every time that he speaks. Into The Badlands is obviously at some point in the future where America collapsed, and here is an English dude wandering around? Does this mean the collapse wasn\’t that long ago? That doesn\’t seem right, because Quinn talks about being raised in the baronial system that is in place. Perhaps it is intended that I ignore it. You have to ignore the fact that every single person these days is well-versed in martial arts, and no one really just fist fights any more.
This really is a great demonstration of establishing characters as fairly well rounded from the outset, while still allowing room for hidden depths, and the pacing of the story barely lets up.
Nick Frost is really always Nick Frost, and past a certain point it stops ringing like a dull note. The acting from the other actors who play Quinn, Sunny, Veil, The Widow, etc, is all pretty good, and the fight scenes are well choreographed. i hope that we get more when season 3 arrives, and it unpacks and delivers more of the world, which is seeming to me a little reminiscent of Antony Johnson\’s A-rre-yass-i.