The network has pulled the plug on Into The Badlands and The Son. 

Into The Badlands is ending after three seasons, and still has some episodes left to air before it comes to a close for good. 

The cabler has announced the final eight episodes will premiere March 24. 

As for what the final installments will be about, then look below. 

"As we enter the final chapter of Into the Badlands, an imprisoned Bajie warns Sunny that Pilgrim can’t be trusted," reads the official logline. 

"But with his son’s life on the line, Sunny struggles with his decision to help Pilgrim unlock the Meridian Chamber."

"Meanwhile, M.K., still reeling from the revelation that Sunny killed his mother, is hell-bent on revenge. Kidnapped by The Master, the Widow is forced to confront her past."

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"Moon meanwhile races to save Lydia from impending death after she risked her life for his on the battlefield."

"As the last episodes unfold, long buried secrets will be revealed, new alliances will be forged, and the saga will climax in an epic battle to end all battles."

The cancellation of the martial arts drama is not a big surprise, especially when you consider the ratings. 

The series premiere snagged a healthy 3.2 demo rating on AMC when it launched in November 2015. 

It essentially dropped every episode since, with the most recent pulling in a meager 0.3 rating.

Related: The Son Renewed at AMC

As for The Son, it will end after its upcoming second season. It is slated to launch on-air on April 24.  

The Son is a multi-generational epic telling of the story of America's birth as a superpower through the bloody rise and fall of one Texas oil empire.

It boasted a cast that was led by Pierce Brosnan, but it failed to strike a chord with both critics and audiences. 

It averaged a 0.2 rating in the demo for its first season, so this cancellation is also not that surprising. 

What are your thoughts on the news, TV Fanatics?

Hit the comments below. 

Remember you can watch Into The Badlands online right here via TV Fanatic. 

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The post Into The Badlands, The Son Canceled at AMC appeared first on TV Fanatic.

On Into the Badlands Season 2 Episode 10, we get emotionally whipsawed back and forth, going from one pulse-pounding action sequence after another, to an out of the blue, gut-wrenching death.

Add to that a surreal, WTF ending, and you have one of the best season finales of ANY show in years.

The major development was, of course, the tragic, heartbreaking sacrifice Veil made to save Henry and Sunny. 

I have to say I NEVER saw Veil's death coming. I haven't been shocked by a TV death in years, but this one got to me.

Poor Veil, tortured and terrorized by that crazy bastard Quinn, gave her life to save Henry. I know life isn't fair, but after two seasons of unrequited love, I really was pulling for those two kids to have a happy life.

Veil [to Sunny]: Teach him to be good.

_{🔗 permalink: Teach him to be good.}

This is the new normal in Peak TV: NO ONE is safe. Back in the day, putting the leads in danger was the SOP, only to have them saved at the end. 

Now, with the sheer number of quality shows available everywhere, writers and producers have upped the stakes. 

Death has become the "coin of the realm" these days on Peak TV. It has reached ridiculous extremes at times, with some shows like The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones using character deaths as the primary way to advance the plot.

There are SO many deaths on The Walking Dead now we have come to both expect them, and become so desensitized to them, that it sucks all the intended impact out of the deaths.

Sunny [to Quinn]: Give me back my son.

_{🔗 permalink: Give me back my son.}

Make no mistake: there is A LOT of death here, but it's more like video game death. The action sequences are immaculately choreographed, with very imaginative setups and locations. 

I marvel at the execution of these fights, especially with the time and budget constraints of a TV series. 

Paco Cabezas Directed this one, and the beauty of the finished product is amazing: Sunny riding his motorcycle in the woods, with the shafts of sunlight framing his ride, his battle with Quinn in the rubble of the bunker with the snow coming down. Gorgeous.

Given the fact there is so much carnage, it's very difficult to give one death that much impact.

The shocking death of the angelic, beautiful Veil, who did so much to protect her son, had a significant impact because we CARED so much about her and Sunny.

I predicted in my review of Into the Badlands Season 2 Episode 9 that Lydia would be the most likely to die. I thought the writers would do the obligatory season finale character death without touching the core of the show, but she escaped the reaper. Boy, was I wrong!

For that, they should be commended. I have no idea how this will effect Sunny's journey going forward, and that's a good thing.

We should be challenged by TV, not comforted and coddled. I like not being able to predict the outcomes of shows after watching the first 5 minutes. Sadly, that's usually pretty easy to do.

I've spoken about this with LaToya Morgan, one of the show's fantastic writers, and she told me about all the hard work that goes into creating a captivating, imaginative story. 

The b — side was all about the Bajie/Widow/M.K. drama.

Tilda is still alive, as expected, and she is in The Widow's dungeon, as expected.

The Widow talks a good game, but all she really wants is to rule ALL the territories. 

Waldo: Where’s Tilda?

The Widow: We parted ways.

Waldo: Just tell me she’s still alive.

The Widow: God, what kind of a mother do you think I am?

Waldo: I don’t know what I think you are anymore. First you betray Veil, then Sunny, now you own regent? You and Quinn deserve each other. I’m done.

_{🔗 permalink: I don’t know what I think you are anymore. First you betray Veil, then Sunny, now you own…}

Her endgame is using the book to get her "gift" back, as well as M.K.'s. 

Why she wants M.K. to have his gift back is still a mystery, considering that's the LAST thing M.K. wants.

M.K.: Do you really think I don’t see through your bullshit? I know what you are.

The Widow: Alright. No more games. The truth is, you’re never going to leave this place until I get what I want.

M.K.: Yeah, and if I do get my gift back, first thing I’m going to do is use it to kill you.

The Widow: Well, that’s a risk I’m willing to take, because I’m willing to die for what I believe. So, if you think that you can kill me, then try. But if I win, then you’re mine. Do we have a deal?

_{🔗 permalink: Well, that’s a risk I’m willing to take, because I’m willing to die for what I believe. So,…}

Which brings us to Bajie.

Bajie is getting more and more mysterious, and his journey looks now to be the key going into Into the Badlands Season 3.

He's still comedy gold, but his darker side is coming to the forefront more and more. 

Despite his protests, did he always know about Azra and how to read the book? It sure seems like it.

The Widow: You got what you wanted. Now you’re going to translate it for me. If this book holds all the gift’s secrets, one of them must tell you how to get it back.

Bajie: There’s no hope for you. I know that now.

The Widow: What about M.K.?

Bajie: What about M.K.?

The Widow: Does the book say how to unlock his gift?

Bajie: I don’t know-how would I know that?

The Widow: You’re going to find out, or die trying.

_{🔗 permalink: You’re going to find out, or die trying.}

The end scene was both mind blowing and deliciously tantalizing. 

The mysterious tower, with decades-old satellite dishes and radio antennas all around, was another thing I never expected to see. 

The inside immediately reminded me of the hatch in Lost, so much so I was totally expecting to see John Locke punching the numbers 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42 into the console! Maybe the Smoke Monster is responsible for "the gift!"

Now we know about the significance of the book, at least relating to the compass. 

Bajie turned dials, in order, on the control panel, matching the symbols the compass pointed to in the book.

This turned the whole facility on. It looked like there was sonar and other monitoring devices on the panel: maybe an old military station? A scientific facility? 

Was the purpose of the tower to monitor, or to SEND out signals? Is it possible the gift is the result of some sort of signal being sent out, like an EMP or something? Or will this facility help Bajie find Azra? 

Bajie: Azra. Azra.

_{🔗 permalink: Azra. Azra.}

This blows up the status quo for the series going forward. 

Is Bajie the big boss man now? Will The Widow find him and get the book back? Or will turning on the tower give everyone their gift back, Bajie included?

If The Widow and M.K. align, can anyone stop her from ruling the Badlands?

I assume Tilda and Odessa will continue their relationship, and eventually come gunning for The Widow. M.K. would seem to be the key to that conflict. Will he help Tilda? My guess would be yes. 

With Quinn now dead, Baron Chau might be the only Baron left to challenge The Widow. Waldo is aligned with Tilda as well since he helped her escape, so he might be a valuable part of the resistance. 

The future of Sunny is wide open. He will clearly be devastated by Veil's death for a long time. I wonder if they will have a time jump, considering Henry is a newborn.

Somehow, I can't imagine Sunny having to take out 15 bad guys who interrupt him changing Henry's diaper, but you never know, right? How cool a fight scene would THAT be? Ha!

I can't tell you how much I loved this finale: it was an adrenaline fueled, surprising, and incredibly sad ride.

With Bajie now at the tower, who knows where this is headed? It's gonna be a long wait for Season 3 (sigh). 

Tell me about your reactions, as well as your theories about what you think will happen now, in the comments section.

And if you want to relive the amazing season, then watch Into the Badlands online, right here on TV Fanatic!

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The post Into the Badlands Season 2 Episode 10 Review: Wolf’s Breath, Dragon Fire appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Waldo show his disgust at The Widow's past actions, telling her he's done with her.

The Widow offers Waldo a barony, as long as he answers to her.

Quinn gives his clippers a speech before their battle wit  Sunny.

Lydia tries to tell the clippers the truth, but Quinn takes her into custody, vowing to kill her.

The Widow tells MK that Bajie only cares about getting possession of the book.

The Widow demands that Bajie translate the book, or die trying.

Sunny save Lydia from death at the hands of Quinn's clippers.

Bajie talks to Tilda about The Widow while both are in captivity.

Odessa rescues Tilda and Bajie.

The Widow makes a deal with MK. If he gets his gift back and fails to kill her, then he belongs to her.

Odessa, Bajie, and Tilda escape, with Waldo's help.

Sunny arrives at Quinn's bunker, and takes on wave after wave of Quinn's clippers.

Quinn fires a flaming arrow into a wall of explosives, burying Sunny in rubble.

Bajie arrives, and rescues Sunny.

Bajie and Sunny fight more clippers in an insane battle, but they kill them all.

Sunny finally finds Veil, and they have an intense, romantic kiss.

Sunny takes on Quinn in a life and death battle.

It appears Sunny has killed Quinn, but he rises up sudden;y, and hold a knife to Veil.

Veil grabs the knife and stabs herself all the way through her body into Quinn, killing him

Sunny shares one last kiss with Veil as she dies.

Sunny buries Veil, and leaves with Henry.

Bajie rides Sunny's motorcycle to a mysterious tower.

Inside the tower, he uses the book and the compass to activate a console. The compass points to a yellow pattern, which Bajie activates on the control panel. Then red, then blue. The console springs to life, lighting up.
Bajie collapses, and says, "Azra. Azra."

A signal seems to be being sent out from the tower at the end.

The post Into the Badlands Season 2 Episode 10 Recap: Wolf’s Breath, Dragon Fire appeared first on TV Fanatic.

On Into the Badlands Season 2 Episode 9, we got confirmation on what was telegraphed for awhile: The Widow and Flea are one in the same.

I give major kudos to the casting people: the girl they chose to play Flea was a perfect look a like. She was totally adorable!

She also seemed to have powers almost equal to The Master. Scary stuff.

Bajie used some of his best abbot fu to get her in line, but he was clearly impressed with the young girl's powers.

We also discovered the mysterious book has been in her family for decades. 

Bajie: Where did you get this book? You can trust me.

Flea: My father. He gave it to me before he disappeared.

Bajie: Can you read it?

Flea: Father only taught me one word: Azra.

Bajie: Azra. Well, that’s a good start. This book. This stays between us, OK? I’m Bajie. What’s your name?

Flea: Minerva.

Bajie: Well Minerva, it seems that dear mother Fate has brought us together for a reason.

_{🔗 permalink: Well Minerva, it seems that dear mother Fate has brought us together for a reason.}

This brings a tantalizing twist: is her Dad still alive? My guess is yes. Is he someone we know? Maybe. 

Could her dad be Waldo? Stranger things have happened, right? That could explain his allegiance to her.

I want a Waldo back story. I need to know how he ended up in the wheelchair, and is he Flea's poppa? We want to know! 

The whole Azra deal got more credence as well. M.K. showing the old magazine cover to Tilda seemed to win her over.

This begs the following question: are the people with "the gift" from Azra? It's definitely possible.

We know this is some sort of post apocalyptic Earth. Was there some type of holocaust. nuclear or otherwise, that decimated the planet?

And did this cause some sort of mutation in certain people, causing "the gift?" 

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It reminded me of one of the old Planet of the Apes movies back in the day, where a group of radiation scarred mutants had an entire religion based on worshipping an actual nuclear bomb.

The total lack of higher tech weapons used by the population could help explain this. If the world was wasted by such weapons, then it wouldn't be a surprise if those things were banned.

That's why the suicide bomb scene with Gabriel was so shocking. I believe this was the first time in the show's run we ever saw anything more advanced than a sword or a crossbow. 

Quinn is definitely going off the deep end. Using WMD on The Widow is taking the crazy up to a whole new level.

Quinn [to Gabriel]: Not with a whimper, but a bang.

_{🔗 permalink: Now with a whimper, but a bang.}

I have to give props to Director Paco Cebezas for the suicide bombing scene: it was beautifully executed in super slo mo. 

Definitely feature film quality. The level of expertise in the effects and fight scenes here cannot be undersold.

The amazing looks they pull off on a tight schedule, with a TV budget, is exemplary! 

Other than the actual explosion, the truth bombs dropped on The Widow's head were the story here.

Her karmic debt just got a lot higher, with Gabriel's message to Sunny before he went boom:

Gabriel: Veil wants to let you know that her son Henry recognizes Quinn as his true father.

Sunny: That’s not possible.

Gabriel: The Widow is not your ally. If you march with her on Quinn, with her forces beside you, you march to death.

The Widow: He’s lying. Quinn’s afraid. He’s just trying to turn you against me.

Gabriel: Says the woman who traded Veil to Quinn.

Sunny: Is that true?

_{🔗 permalink: Is that true?}

The Widow made her intentions clear, just grazing Sunny with a throwing star. So much for that alliance.

Now Sunny is on his own again. He can't count on Bajie or M.K. to help him take down Quinn. The Widow saw to that.

M.K.: I know where the book is: it’s in the conservatory. The Widow is planning to use it to get her powers back.

Bajie: Ah, same old Flea.

M.K.: Wait-The Widow is Flea?

Bajie: Yeah.

M.K.: You trained The Widow?

Bajie: Yeah. Listen, that book in her possession, no one is safe.

_{🔗 permalink: Yeah. Listen, that book in her possession, no one is safe.}

The reunion between Bajie and The Widow was actually kind of sweet, until it wasn't. 

M.K. wants no part of his gift, but The Widow wants her gift back big time.

I can't help but think M.K. is key to her strategy: The Master was intimidated by M.K.'s powers, much like Bajie was by Flea.

M.K.: Haven’t you been listening to Sunny? My gift, it’s gone.

The Widow: What if I told you there are ways to reactivate your power?

_{🔗 permalink: What if I told you there are ways to reactivate your power?}

Bajie told The Widow back in the day he would help her decipher the book, but can he? He's such a con artist, who knows if he really can do it? 

Bajie is getting more mysterious by the minute. Does he want his gift back? Maybe.

Does he just want to find his way to Azra? Or does he want both? We have one episode to find out.

Bajie: We’re not leaving without the book, Minerva.

The Widow: Come and get it.

_{🔗 permalink: Come and get it.}

My guess is The Widow will end up at Quinn's bunker with M.K. and Bajie next week. Is Quinn really crazy enough to blow up the joint to keep Sunny from taking Veil and Henry from him?

Sunny will need all the help he can get. Bajie may broker a deal: if she helps Sunny free Veil and Henry, then he would help her with the Azra book. 

The other major plot twist pitted Tilda against The Widow.

Tilda's discontent has been brewing for awhile, but the M.K. situation put her over the edge.

Even though she told him about her new boo Odessa, I think she's still holding a candle for M.K..

Otherwise, why would she endanger her life?

Tilda: Where’s M.K.? He wasn’t in his room, so what have you done with him?

The Widow: He’s safe.

Tilda: Don’t lie to me.

The Widow: Do you really think I’d hurt him? I’m trying to protect him. What kind of person do you think I am?

Tilda: I don’t know anymore. Power’s changed you. Now you’re willing to sacrifice innocent lives for your own interest.

The Widow: I’d choose your next words very carefully.

Tilda: You’re no better than any other Baron. Swindling people with declarations of good will, only to stab them in the back.

The Widow: What did I do to earn such contempt? I gave you the world.

Tilda: Bullshit! You’ve got everyone fooled, Minerva. Everyone but me. Maybe Veil was right: I should have poisoned you when I had the chance.

_{🔗 permalink: I should have poisoned you when I had the chance.}

The Widow was totally blindsided by this: her tearful reaction was heartbreaking.

We've seen this before. Quinn had to deal with his thankless charge Ryder, and we all know how that turned out.

The difference? Quinn is batsh*t crazy. The Widow is far from it.

The Widow really didn't want to hurt Tilda: that was obvious, but Tilda wouldn't let up. What followed was a brutal ballet of violence, with neither side giving in.

Dropping a chandelier on Tilda's head was nice touch, but even that didn't put out her fire.

Tilda[to The Widow]: Don’t start what you can’t finish. Kill Me!

_{🔗 permalink: Don’t start what you can’t finish. Kill Me!}

A nice roundhouse kick to the coconut knocked poor Tilda out cold, but who knows what will happen between them now? Is their bond totally broken? 

Tilda could be a formidable enemy, or she may try to escape with M.K. to find Azra.

There are so many possibilities in play for the finale, it makes your head spin.

Will Sunny rescue Veil and Henry? My gut says yes.

Will Quinn die? My guess is that snake will find a way to slither out of danger again. Lydia, on the other hand, is the most likely finale death IMO. 

Will West Avalon get blown up real good? I think so. Who doesn't love a good explosion, right?

Will The Widow, M.K., or Bajie get their gift back? If I had to wager, I'd say The Widow is most likely, followed by M.K. and Bajie.

I have a feeling next season might focus on the journey to find Azra, but will our gang be together for the trip? 

I hope so: I like the chemistry they have. 

That's my take: give me yours. Fire away with all your theories in the comments section.

And if you want to binge watch before the finale, then watch Into the Badlands online, right here on TV Fanatic!

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He takes the mysterious book from her satchel, and she tells him about the city of Azra.

Bajie vows to keep the book as a secret between them.

Sunny, now at The Widow's camp, discusses their next move against Quinn.

Bajie, who followed Sunny and MK to The Widow's camp, scams his way in with a story about being a runaway cog seeking sanctuary.

MK has a heart to heart with Tilda, asking her to join him on his journey to Azra. Tilda declines, telling him about her new relationship with Odessa. MK wishes them well.

Odessa tries to warn Tilda about MK. She tells her about how MK killed an entire group of cogs on a ship.

Tilda tells her MK doesn't have the power anymore, but Odessa doesn't believe her.

Quinn sends Gabriel, armed with explosives, on a mission to The Widow's camp.

Sunny and Waldo discuss the plan to kill Quinn.

Lydia and Quinn discuss his plan.

Mk and The Widow talk about his the book might be able to restore the gift in both of them. MK is not interested.

Gabriel makes his way into The Widow's camp, wearing a bomb vest. He tells Sunny that The Widow traded Veil to Quinn, then blows himself up.

Sunny escapes The Widow's camp, aided by Bajie. Sunny wants Bajie to get M.K. out, but they are stopped by The Widow.

Bajie finds M.K. and tells him about how The Widow is Flea. He also says they need to get the book away from her.

Lydia sees Quinn's cogs rigging the walls with explosives, and tells Veil that they all must escape before Quinn blows the place up.

Tilda defies The Widow about Veil and M.K.. They have a spirited fight.

Tilda begs The widow to kill her, but she only knocks her unconscious. 

The post Into the Badlands Season 2 Episode 9 Recap: Nightingale Sings No More appeared first on TV Fanatic.

On the rather subdued Into the Badlands Season 2 Episode 8, Sunny takes a major gamble in his quest to reunite with his boo Veil and finds out he does indeed have a son. Good times!

Bajie's deal with the smugglers blew up in their faces, but we kinda expected that, right? 

NOTHING is ever easy in the badlands. The scene where Baron Chau's clippers unloaded on the bus with arrows reminded me of the old Clint Eastwood movie The Gauntlet with similar results.

It was kind of silly, the overkill of arrows, with no one inside getting hurt. That was one action sequence that fizzled, which is very rare: I'm not gonna lie, the lack of a payoff was a little disappointing. 

One action scene that did NOT fizzle was the opener, with The Widow attacking Baron Hassan's camp.

The dreamy fight that took place in, out, and around a bunch of hanging sheets brought back memories of the kinetic confrontation between Jennifer Garner and the great Will Yun Lee in the movie Elektra.

Yeah, the movie wasn't great, but the fight sequences were top notch, particularly the one I mentioned. If you haven't seen it, by all means, check it out.

And not for nothing, but I'd LOVE to see Will Yun Lee do a spot on Badlands: he'd be perfect!

Baron Hassan: Please, I’ll support you.

The Widow: I could have used your support at the conclave. Now I only need one thing from you, Hassan. It’s your head.

_{🔗 permalink: I could have used your support at the conclave. Now I only need one thing from you, Hassan….}

The Widow does NOT play, as Hassan found out.

It sucks to get your arm lopped off, but at least he wasn't in pain for long, considering he lost his head seconds later. OUCH!

As I've said many times before, The Widow is by far my favorite character. 

She at least has a humanitarian agenda: rather than plunder, pillage, and oppress everyone, she has a soft spot for all the cogs, and wants them to be free to live their own lives. 

I don't like her throwing Veil and Henry under the bus, but I get why she did it: greater good and all.

This still puts her at odds with Tilda, but it seems she's all in, despite Veil trying again to turn her against The Widow.

Sunny's plot worked like a charm, and the fight to dispatch Baron Chau's clippers was fun to watch.

The looks between Sunny and The Widow were delicious: they are both stone cold killers, and their glances spoke more about their common mindset than a million words.

The Widow: Sunny, if you kill me, you will never find your family. I know where Veil is, and your boy, Henry.

Sunny: Tell me where.

The Widow: I’ll tell you everything that Chau can’t, but not if I’m dead.

_{🔗 permalink: I’ll tell you everything that Chau can’t, but not if I’m dead.}

Bajie watched the fight go down, but Sunny and M.K. don't know he's still with them.

It should be very interesting when they all finally link up again. The prevailing theory about The Widow being Flea is certainly plausible.

If she is in fact Flea, the reunion with Bajie could be very explosive. 

The falling out between Sunny and Bajie was, thankfully, short-lived, but it brought up the problematic dynamic between them. 

Bajie: Can you count? There are too many of them, you can’t kill them all.

Sunny: I don’t plan on killing anybody. All I need to do is talk.

Bajie: Hey, I’m the king of bullshit, and even I couldn’t talk my way out of this.

Sunny: Your bullshit’s what got us here in the first place, remember?

_{🔗 permalink: Your bullshit’s what got us here in the first place, remember?}

Yes, that was played for laughs, but a deeper sense of betrayal happened later.

Before Bajie discovered that Sunny gave him a get out of jail free card, he was rightfully pissed off, and he hit Sunny right where it hurts.

Bajie: I saved your life, and so did that kid.

Sunny: I have to get Veil and the baby back.

Bajie: And what kind of man will you be when you do, huh? What will there be left? You’ll have Veil, but I was right about you. You’ll always be a killer. Go on, clipper, run along. You’re Baron’s calling you.

_{🔗 permalink: And what kind of man will you be when you do, huh? What will there be left? You’ll have Veil,…}

This has been examined many times in the series: Sunny's shame about his murderous past, and his abject fear of passing his deadly legacy to his son Henry.

He can never seem to escape it, but his ability to kill keeps himself and those in his orbit out of trouble, so it seems like it's a necessary evil at this point.

OK, guys, it's time to go there: Quinn and Veil. WOW.

I don't know about you, but I think Quinn is the scariest perv on TV today, hands down. That dude gives me the creeps, BIG TIME.

He's always had a very unhealthy relationship with Veil and Henry: blame it on the tumor if you want, but it doesn't make it any less gross.

The dinner scene with Quinn, Veil, and Lydia was VERY disturbing. Quinn, eating a practically mooing steak, slurping blood off his lips: damn!

His grunts were on the level of Tom Hardy, but even more cray cray. 

Then came this:

Quinn: My intention is to make Henry my rightful heir. Veil and I are to be married.

Veil: You can’t be serious.

_{🔗 permalink: You can’t be serious.}

I can't believe Veil was able to keep it together. I'd have thrown up all over Quinn's dinner plate! 

She is one cool customer.

I know she's trying to not lose her shit so she can protect Henry, but it's almost an impossible task.

But, as we saw later, her true feelings flooded out:

Veil: You don’t understand. Maybe, maybe I can make it through the ceremony, but I will not, I will not consummate this sham with the man who butchered my parents. I won’t. I can’t. I’ll kill him first.

Lydia: No, you can’t do that, that will put your life in jeopardy.

Veil: I don’t care.

_{🔗 permalink: I don’t care.}

As icky as the wedding ceremony was, the "consummation" scene was truly cringe-worthy. YUCK!

I felt so bad for Veil, with that sweaty, disgusting, crazed murderer pawing at her like a piece of meat.

Thankfully, Lydia came to rescue.

Lydia: It’s Sunny. He’s Back.

Quinn: Sunny? How can that be?

Lydia: The report. He’s joined forces with The Widow, and he’s no doubt coming to find you.

_{🔗 permalink: The report. He’s joined forces with The Widow, and he’s no doubt coming to find you.}

What I don't get was Lydia, moments before, trying to run away with Henry.

Did she really think she could get away? Was she really going to leave Veil? That's cold.

Poor Veil: everyone and their mother is screwing her over. She deserves so much better. But at least she got some good news for once.

Veil [to Lydia]: He’s alive? He’s alive!

_{🔗 permalink: He’s alive? He’s alive!}

Sunny need to rescue her STAT!

This one was a bit of a change of pace for me. The Quinn/Veil scenes were very creepy: Madeleine Mantock gave a gut-wrenching performance as Veil. Kudos to her!

Writer LaToya Morgan did a masterful job as usual, ramping up the tension between the two in the pivotal dinner scene. 

The plot was advanced as needed, and all the chess pieces are being moved into their proper spots for an explosive final two episodes, so I'm still stoked. 

I gave you my two cents: now give me yours. Are you excited about the impending Sunny/Widow/Quinn smack down? Will Sunny and Veil EVER find happiness?

And just what do they do with all the dead Baron's heads?? Hmmm.

As always, you can watch Into the Badlands online, right here on TV Fanatic!

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The post Into the Badlands Season 2 Episode 8 Review: Sting of the Scorpion’s Tail appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Sunny and his crew arrive at the wall, and make a deal to be driven underground, back into the badlands.

The bus makes it through, but they are stopped on the other side by Baron Chau's forces and captured.

The Widow brings Hassan's head to Quinn at West Avalon. Quinn reveals the heads of Baron Broadmoor and his family, which makes The Widow very angry.

Sunny, Bajie, and M.K. are imprisoned, but Sunny has a plan to escape.

Sunny negotiates with Chau, and strikes a deal. He takes M.K. with him, leaving Bajie.

Quinn has a tense dinner with Veil and Lydia. Quinn announces he will marry Veil to make Henry his heir.

Veil refuses, and Quinn threatens to kill her unless she agrees to marry him.

Bajie uses the bookmark Sunny slipped him to escape his cell, and follows Sunny and M.K. on their journey to see The Widow.

Lydia tries to talk Veil into marrying Quinn, but she adamantly refuses. Lydia talks her into going through with it, telling her she will find a way for them all to escape.

Quinn marries Veil in a blood oath ceremony.

Sunny and M.K. arrive at The Widow's camp, and a fight ensues.

Sunny fights on the side of The Widow, because she promises to lead him to Veil and Henry.

Quinn and Veil are alone, and Quinn tries to consummate the marriage, but Lydia interrupts with word of Sunny and The Widow approaching.

Quinn leaves, and Veil is stunned to learn Sunny is alive.

The post Into the Badlands Season 2 Episode 8 Recap: Sting of the Scorpion’s Tail appeared first on TV Fanatic.

On the atmospheric and creepy Into the Badlands Season 2 Episode 7, everyone involved is haunted by something from their past, and must overcome it in order to move forward.

Sunny is still unconscious, and is in a very bad way.

Still reeling from the revelation of Bajie being a former abbot on Into the Badlands Season 2 Episode 6, he is the one who susses out what's really wrong with our hero.

M.K.: I couldn’t find any wounds. There are some weird markings on his chest.

Bajie: His chest? Oh, shit.

M.K.: What?

Bajie: The bruises. Cyan must have attacked him with the 5 poisons.

M.K.: The what?

Bajie: The 5 poisons-The Hand of the 5 Poisons. That’s one of the abbot’s deadliest techniques. What are they teaching you?

M.K.: So, what can we do?

Bajie: Nothing. There’s nothing we can do. Look: this one’s already affecting his brain. Liver, kidney, lungs are next, then the heart. He’ll be lucky if he lasts the day.

_{🔗 permalink: this one’s already affecting his brain. Liver, kidney, lungs are next, then the heart. He’ll…}

If that sounds familiar, "The Hand of the 5 Poisons" was the title of last season's finale. Now we know what that means, and it isn't good. 

We know Sunny isn't going to die, despite the dire warnings from Bajie. 

So this sets up another mismatched buddy road trip, this time with Bajie and M.K.. 

I've made no secret that I hate M.K.'s character, but I have to say the actor does give a better performance here.

My guess is it's because of Nick Frost, the actor who plays Bajie.

Bringing Frost and his hilarious character into the mix was a great move.

Frost's Bajie is a revelation: funny, mysterious, wistful, and profane, sometimes all at once.

M.K.: You’re just angry because you know this is the right thing to do.

Bajie: Every time I try to do the right thing, I end up tits deep in shit. And I do NOT like having shitty tits.

_{🔗 permalink: Every time I try to do the right thing, I end up tits deep in shit. And I do NOT like having…}

Frost brings out the best in all the other actors, and that's a rare thing these days. 

This role should make him a superstar in waiting, and any praise he garners is well deserved.

He gets serious often, from his wistful memories of the novice girl Flea, to his past dealings with the mysterious Master, and it gives much needed depth to an already amazing character.

There's also a dark side, as evidenced by him stealing Sunny's compass from the monastery without telling M.K.. 

Maybe he has a plan to find Flea. It shows how good he is deep down, since he gave up his gift to save her from The Master.

But it's also a bit of a screw job to Sunny and M.K., since the compass might be a very important piece in finding their way back into the badlands.

It wouldn't surprise me if Bajie turns on Sunny and M.K., but I hope it doesn't happen: they make a great team.

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Bajie clearly has an issue with his time at the monastery.

He was lied to, just like M.K. was.

The battle with the novices, the abbots, The Master, Bajie, and M.K. was sweet.

M.K.: Any ideas?

Bajie: Cut the novices: they’ll attack the abbots.

_{🔗 permalink: they’ll attack the abbots.}

Bajie's strategy was very clever, and it shows just how resourceful he is.

He has proven to be a force to be reckoned with, and judging by the look on The Master's face, he must have been a very powerful abbot in the making.

Even though he was in a coma like state, Sunny's most pressing problems were entirely in the ol' noggin.

What started out to be a dream come true, being reunited with the love of his life Veil, and a now grown child Henry, quickly turned into a J Horror movie, complete with a creepy girl with pale white skin and stringy black hair covering her pasty face.

In Sunny's dream life, he has no tattoos from all the lives he took, and leads the quiet life of a farmer with Veil and Henry.

The creepy girl, named Artemis, worms her way into Sunny's consciousness, primarily through Henry.

Sunny hates what he was, and runs from his past in every way possible.

He can never seem to escape his former life however, and his overriding fear is he will pass this legacy of death to his son.

Artemis is his "ghost of Christmas past," a constant reminder of what he was, and what he may become again.

As hard as he tries to be a better man, bad things keep happening in this dark fantasy, and it gradually erodes his relationship with Veil.

Sunny: Where are you going?

Veil: I’m taking Henry away from here-away from you.

Sunny: What? Why?

Veil: Sunny, I don’t know what’s going on. Why would you give him that sword? The cuts on his back. The dead pigs-wolves did not line them up like that.

_{🔗 permalink: Sunny, I don’t know what’s going on. Why would you give him that sword? The cuts on his back….}

The scene with Sunny and Artemis is very effective.

The photography, with the fog and the muted colors, gives it the proper horror movie vibe, and the interactions between the two raise the stakes to an epic level.

Sunny: Where’s my son? What did you do to him?

Artemis: What did I do?

Sunny: You made him kill his mother.

Artemis: That wasn’t my fault-it’s yours. Do you know why you can never have the life you want? This dream? All this time, you’ve been so worried the threat would come from outside, but it’s been inside you all along. And now, it’s in your son.

Sunny: Where’s Henry?

Artemis: He will become you, and that will be your legacy.

_{🔗 permalink: He will become you, and that will be your legacy.}

The battle between Sunny and the ghosts from his past, all his former victims, was extremely well edited. 

The cuts between Bajie trying to save his life, and Sunny's battle with his long dead ghosts, was exhilarating.

With every sword stroke, another flaming, bloody tattoo scar appears on his back — chilling.

And the climax, which cuts from the ghosts covering Sunny's screaming body, to him holding the dead body of his love Veil, to the blood soaked face of his murderous son Henry, to the pools of blood forming clipper tattoos on the barn floor, is at the same time terrifying and heartbreaking. 

This show is, visually, probably the most stunning of any you will find on the dial.

The fight scenes are amazing, the color palettes used in the production design are eye popping, and the lush, movie like look is a hard thing to pull on a weekly TV series budget.

Damn, I almost forgot the B side, you guys.

The Widow, now fully aligned with Quinn, makes her move on Jade's compound, killing friends and influencing people right and left. 

It didn't take much effort to make Jade's cogs and clippers turn tail and run, and she had Jade in her clutches in no time.

Jade: I thought you didn’t kill women.

The Widow: You’re right: I don’t, but he might.

Quinn: Always good to see you, Jade.

_{🔗 permalink: Always good to see you, Jade.}

The talk between Quinn and Jade was dripping with venom. I loved it.

Quinn telling her they were almost exactly alike was spot on to me, but Jade disagreed and still professed her genuine love for Ryder. 

Did she really mean it? Maybe. But I think she was throwing her "genuine love" for Ryder in Quinn's face just to piss him off.

Well, mission accomplished.

Quinn [to The Widow]: An escort of my men will take her [Jade] to the border, and then she’s on her own. Let her suffer what miseries she’s given to others.

_{🔗 permalink: An escort of my men will take her [Jade] to the border, and then she’s on her own. Let her…}

Will The Widow allow Jade to, just like that, be dropped off at the border to fend for herself? I'm totally not feeling that.

But if she does end up on her own, I wouldn't be surprised to see her eventually cross paths with Sunny's crew. 

Who knows what would happen then? Would she align with them to help Sunny get Veil and Henry back from the evil Quinn?

She is a survivor above all things, so she would do whatever it takes to stay alive, and sticking it to Quinn would  be icing on the cake.

All in all, this was an exhilarating episode. The horror vibe was definitely different, and not what I expected, but it was immaculately executed.

That's my two cents. Tell me what you thought about this one in the comments section.

And unless you live under a rock, you already know you can watch Into the Badlands online right here on TV Fanatic!

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M.K. and Bajie are at a loss as to how to help him. M.K. shows Bajie the bruises on Sunny's chest, and Bajie knows he was attacked with the "Hand of the 5 Poisons" technique.

Sunny's hallucinations continue, where he talks with Henry about being a fighter. Sunny and Henry finds all the pigs, lined up dead in the barn, with cross like wounds on them.

Bajie and M.K. argue about whether or not to save Sunny.

Bajie agrees to take Sunny to the monastery to try and find a cure.

Back in Sunny's dream, he finds Henry hurt himself playing with the Silver Moon sword. Henry claims the girl named Artemis gave him the sword.

Bajie and M.K. talk about their pasts. Bajie tells M.K. about a young girl novice named Flea who went dark and killed many people, which caused him to use his gift to save her life.

The Widow and Quinn attack Jade's camp, causing all her cogs and clippers to run away or pledge allegiance to The Widow.

Sunny finds clipper tattoo like wounds on Henry. Henry tells him they were inflicted by Artemis.

Artemis attacks Sunny in his dream.

The Widow and Quinn capture Jade.

Bajie and M.K. find their way into the monastery, in search of a scroll to save Sunny's life.

Quinn and Jade discuss their issues. Quinn tells The Widow he will banish Jade to the border to fend for herself.

Bajie and M.K. find a scroll and some needles to help Sunny, but are stopped by the Master and the abbots before they can escape.

Bajie instructs M.K. to cut the novices, which will cause them to attack the abbots. It works, and they escape.

Sunny finds Veil dead, and is told by Henry that he killed his mother. Artemis confronts Sunny, telling him his legacy is death and murder, revealing that he killed her in his past.

Sunny is confronted with all the people he's killed, and engages in a battle with his demons.

Bajie stabs Sunny with needles in the 5 poison points, and saves Sunny's life.

As Sunny, Bajie, and M.K. prepare to leave, Bajie tells M.K. about his search for Flea. Once left alone, Bajie looks at Sunny's compass, which he secretly stole from the monastery without telling M.K..

The post Into the Badlands Season 2 Episode 7 Recap: Black Heart. White Mountain appeared first on TV Fanatic.

The beautifully filmed martial arts drama has just been renewed for a super-sized third season.

While Into the Badlands Season 1 consisted of six episodes and Into the Badlands Season 2 is currently at 10, Into the Badlands Season 3 will have a whopping 16 episodes for your exhaustion and enjoyment!

The series, which stars Daniel Wu, will return in 2018.

This renewal is quite a change from the second season renewal. Season 2 is currently airing.

Season 1 initially aired in 2015 and viewers had to wait until well into 2016 to get news of a renewal.

This could have something to do with the ratings. It's averaging 3.6 million total viewers and a 2.1 share of viewers 21-54 after three days of time-shifted viewing.

It's also the #4 scripted drama on cable as well as the fourth-ranked returning drama, behind only The Walking Dead, American Horror Story and Fear the Walking Dead.

“Into the Badlands looks like nothing else on television, a literal high-wire act attracting passionate and dedicated fans by the millions,” AMC president Charlie Collier said.

“Thanks to series creators and showrunners Al Gough and Miles Millar, the terrific cast, led by Daniel Wu, the amazing martial arts team guided by the incomparable Master Dee Dee and fight directors Stephen Fung and Andy Cheng, and everyone else involved who brings this thrill ride to the fans.”

"We are excited and grateful to continue our journey into the Badlands with Charlie, Joel, Susie and all of our friends at AMC,” Gough and Millar said in a joint statement.

“We also want to give a big clipper salute to our Irish and Chinese partners!"

"The thought of doing an expanded 16-episode season is both thrilling and exhausting!!”

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Fans of martial arts must love this news.

The big question now is when the series will air. Considering how other 16-episode seasons air on AMC, we should probably expect to see the full season cut into two pieces.

Will Into the Badlands be an anchor for the launch of another series, or will it air in conjunction with another series already on the air to create a powerhouse time of the year?

AMC's other series include Preacher, Better Call Saul, Humans, The Son, The Terror and The Walking Dead franchise.

If you are late to the martial arts world, watch Into the Badlands online to catch up!

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