Is the Carradine Kung Fu series any good?

[WangYu]

I keep getting drawn to it but I never watched it. I am talking about both the 70s one and the 90s one. It can’t be half bad as Carradine was a fantastic actor. I heard it was a role Bruce lee got turned down for? Is it true?

Anyway what is your opinion? 

PS I perfectly realize the fight scenes won’t be any special but that doesn’t matter much.

Edited March 5, 2022 by WangYu

[dionbrother]

It's a fun weird show.  70s series was a hippy western of sorts.  Very experimental for television at the time.  Some elements will seem silly to a new viewer that did not grow up on it.  I like the 90s sequel series, which is a reworking of creator Michael Sloan's formula for THE MASTER(the ninja series with Lee Van Cleef).  Bits and pieces of The Destroyer paperbacks as well.  It's fun.

Yep, Bruce Lee was turned down for the role long before Carradine was considered.  Supposedly it was down to Carradine and William Smith(who filmed a demo test reel I'd love to see some day). Even John Saxon was up for the Caine role at one point!

[sifu iron perm]

Then Brandon Lee ends up in the movie version. 

 

 

[bigrogie]

As a teenager it was fun to watch in the 70's during the kung fu craze. 50 years later, not sure I'd re-watch it! Much prefer the Shaws and other classics from the era.

[Killer Meteor]

It's a decent show, though Carradine is miscast.