Finally decided to start "Into The Badlands". A show that is available in it's entirety on Amazon Prime in the UK. The first season is just six episodes, which given its campy performances and wire fu fight scenes seems about right for not outstaying it's welcome.
Set in a future where, for unexplained reasons, technology is in short supply, the only safety in this world comes from an uneasy alliance between seven regional barons, each of which gained their power through violence and maintain it through control of a needed resource. Sunny (Danie Wu) is the head assassin for one of the Baron's but who wishes to escape with his lover Veil (Madeline Mantock). He sees an opportunity when he meets MK (Aramis Knight) a young man with a medallion that links to Sunny's past but who also has a mysterious and dark power.
There is a little bit of having its cake and eating it too about "Into The Badlands", specifically its set up. Not wishing to set itself in feudal style Japan, but looking to restrict it's characters to that sort of world, most technology has gone. People fight either in hand to hand combat, or with edged weapons and to facilitate that there are no guns - but at the same time, Sunny has a motorbike and when fast travel is required, trucks are available. The fight scenes are pretty good, a lot of work has gone into the co-ordination and the wire work to make as spectacular as you'll see on TV.
The acting in fairly standard, utilising a reliable range of British and Irish performers like Orla Brady, Sarah Bolger and Emily Beecham. Daniel Wu is an engaging lead, the pairing of Stephen Lang and Lance Henrikson begin to take things a little more over the top, but chewing the most scenery with his wildly accented, alluring and menacing turn is Marton Csokas, as the current Baron and Sunny's Boss, Quinn. Mostly the story revolves around alliances being created and destroyed surrounding Quinn's home base, and his poppy fields that supply the worlds opium.
It was entertaining enough stuff, if a little lightweight and campy - I'm prepared to stick with it but I know that the number of episode per season is going to increase and that concerns me a little.