Into the Badlands Season 2 is Halfway Done, and Sunny is on an Epic Quest

Synopsis 2×01-05: Sunny has to find his way back into the Badlands after six months away. But the Badlands have changed. Will Veil still be waiting?

Into the Badlands is quickly becoming of one of my favorite shows. The characters are fun, the plot lines intense, and the fight sequences incredible. It does help that Stephen Fung, the fight director and Chinese star in his own right, is not only a director on a few episodes, but also an Executive Producer. And Daniel Wu, who plays the lead role of Sunny, is also a EP behind the scenes.

Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, co-creators of Smallville, round out the team. And those two gentlemen are woke af. Listen to Al Gough’s interview for the podcast Hard. N.O.C. Life and you’ll see what I mean. These guys take everything into consideration, and I mean everything. It’s those details that make a world of difference.

Season 2 feels like AMC’s stab at a Game of Thrones style show. There are more characters, more politics, and more backstabbing than ever before. The visuals are luscious and world-building is everything. And there’s a lot more gore. Like ending of Game of Thrones Season 4 kind of gore.

The first half of Into the Badlands Season 2 follows Sunny and his journey back to Veil and his child. He’s got Nick Frost along as a sidekick. And Nick Frost, as usual, never disappoints. Veil and her newborn Henry are trapped with Quinn. That’s right, Quinn’s back! And he’s going legit crazy bonkers. And The Widow is getting herself into deeper and deeper trouble with the remaining Barons. She’s got Waldo and Tulsa by her side, but we’ll how long it takes before the power gets to her head.

True to Game of Thrones style, the men are distracted by their petty egos and the women are leading the upcoming revolution. Jade, Lydia, and The Widow are leading a pack of badass women. Sunny is like John Snow in this narrative. Or maybe he’s Odysseus, enduring trial after trial to find his way home. Either way, the character work is getting better and better.

Only MK bothers me, but he always has. Maybe it’s his teenage angst, or maybe it’s Aramis Knight’s seriously pouty face, but MK’s storyline at the monastery I could do without. (Shout-out to Chipo Chung as the Master! Nerds might recognize her from her two turns on Doctor Who.)

If you like martial arts, fun worlds, feudalism, or sexy people doing damn good work, watch Into the Badlands. We’re halfway through Season 2 and it’s yet to disappoint.

Into The Badlands airs Sundays at 10/9c on AMC