In Review: Kung Fu (S1 – Ep7) Guidance

Synopsis: In ‘Guidance’. After learning some devastating news about Pei-Ling, Nicky attempts to keep herself distracted by offering to help a young woman in need. Elsewhere, Zhilan confronts her past, and Mei-Lei makes a startling confession.

The Story

Picking up the story from last time. Nicky has been pretty shaken up after her fight with Zhilan. Consequently, Zhilan has managed to get away with the dagger and has gone to see her uncle. Meanwhile, Nicky is having doubts about her chosen path and Pei-Ling’s teachings after what Zhilan told her. So, when Henry has a friend in need. Nicky jumps at the chance to help and finds herself enrolling in a Shaolin Martial Arts school run by a man named Drake. As she investigates Nicky finds out that Drake is a fake and is using his school for ill-gotten gains. He is streaming footage of his students fighting each other and making money from it.

Meanwhile, back in China Zhilan pays a visit to her uncle to try and find an old scroll that explains the weapons that she is trying to collect.

Back in San Francisco. Nick finds out the truth about her path from her mother who has tried to shield her from it. We learn that Nicky is the descendent of the first female warrior and the sword that Zhilan has is actually Nicky’s birthright.

The Acting

Yvonne Chapman puts in another strong performance this week as we learn the truth about what happened between Zhilan and her older sister Pei-Ling (Vanessa Kai). The scene in which Pei-Ling tries to reconnect with Zhilan was really well acted. Granted it was in Chinese so I was relying on the subtitles to get the gist of what was happening. But the facial expressions and mannerisms that both actors showed really played up the hurt that both sisters were feeling. It also played up the tragedy of it as well. Given that Pei-Ling is being shunned by her younger sister for what amounts to an accident.

We also get treated to a scene that is just as emotive and powerful at the close of the story when Nicky learns the truth about her warrior path from her mother. Both Olivia Liang and Tan Kheng Hua do a fantastic job of selling this scene. Nicky is truly shocked that her mother would go to such lengths to hide this from her. It’s a fantastic scene to end the episode on and actually raises the stakes a little for Nicky’s journey.

Overall

A great episode that delivers us a fair bit of backstory concerning the key characters in the series. We learn that Nicky has an aunt who was also a warrior, which makes me think we may see her looking for her aunt at some point. Additionally, we get treated to a fairly decent fight scene with Nicky and Drake. But it is nowhere near as dramatic as Nicky’s last run-in with Zhilan.

Overall. A solid hour of television. More of the same, please.