Kung Fu - The Complete Third Season (1972)

A Classic

The first season was good, the second was great, and the third and final season made the show a legend.

If you start at the beginning of this season, and I know you will, you'll be disappointed for a few episodes. They had to get their groove back or something. And then, with no gradual transition whatsoever, the writing will leap into the stratosphere and remind you why you love this show. It is simply awesome, and it isn't dated.

One thing they did at the start of this season was try to raise the level of menace on the martial arts, but it was already there.

At times, the verbal sparring was even better than the kung fu, and you know how great that was.

I've written before that you should use superlatives sparingly, and one memorable essay mentioned car horns in China. I could have instead mentioned Kwai Chang Caine's gold silks. When he puts those on, it's clobberin time!

In my review of the second season, I realized that I'd never seen Caine eat with chopsticks. And just to remain so petty, he does it here, and he eats just fine. Hey, I lived in China for 6 years. I notice these things.

When I ordered these DVDs, I envisioned using them in my class, encouraging my students to point out the inaccuracies because they'd be hyper-motivated to do so. In English, which is what I was teaching. But the timing was a little off, as I quit teaching that class a few weeks before I got these DVDs.

Oh well. Looking over it myself, the inaccuracies are minor. Master Kan should in fact be called Master Chen, for example. But the big details, which are why we love this show and why it's timeless, are absolutely spot on. KUNG FU remains a rare classic that, to the best of my knowledge, American TV hasn't equaled and probably never will.

June 30, 2008

Fine

It got here quickly and in great condition. I am happy. Personally I think the second season was not as good as the first, and the third season not as good as the second. But if you like Kung Fu, you'll still be happy. April 15, 2008

Try it you'll liiike it...!

If your a fan, you get more back stories and plot resolution. What more could you want? Also, it's easy to see why David C. left after this season. But still worth the money. February 19, 2008

Kung Fu Season 3

Price and service from Amazon was excellent,though the packaging of the DVD's inside the case could be better as the small clips that hold them break easily. December 29, 2007

Uniting The Mystical And The Mundane

`Kung Fu - The Complete Third Season' brought an end to the saga of Kwai Chang Caine, Shoalin priest and accused murder escaped to the American west of the 1800's. While not quite as good as the first two seasons it still had a lot to offer.

Postives: I loved the infusion of mysticism and occultism that was absent from the previous two seasons. Episodes like `The Demon God' and `Blood of the Dragon' were among my favorite.

Negatives: The emphasis on his impending meeting with his half-brother Danny was too drawn out and ultimately unsatisfying.

All in all, a good end to a great iconic series. Enjoy! December 28, 2007

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