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Review by Lineage
BlockedParent2019-04-21T15:43:11Z— updated 2020-12-24T19:34:57Z

I feel like Ah Sahm's storyline got too much of a head start in the premiere. It's coming in contact with obstacles and is hardly progressing as much as the others are. For example, the subplots are being gradually developed, and they're progressing, too. But it's happening slowly. It's a good thing that the writers aren't rushing things; well, except immediately revealing how Ah Sahm knows English and having him meet his sister, the very reason why he came to America, and rushing into everything else, all in the premiere. But, other than that, I feel like everything else is a bit too slow. This is the third episode, though. I think the pacing will begin to pick up in the next episode.

Furthermore, there was something about these first three episodes. The premiere was fast-paced and really got into the thick of everything very fast. And the second episode focused more on what the premiere failed to do, and that's building up the subplots, setting up and developing the characters, and that made it slower-paced than the premiere was.

This episode seemed more stagnant than the previous episode, pacing-wise. But it took the time to add more development to the characters and adding more depth and substance to the dynamics and relationships between some of them; and other subplots as well, just like with the previous episode. But I feel like these first three episodes weren't as firmly intertwined as you'd think, and as much as they should've been. Don't get me wrong, they were all super entertaining to watch, but it was as if something was missing. I don't know how to explain it.

The fight sequence in the jail cell was exceptional. The choreography was pretty good, and so was the case with Li Yong's minor fight sequence. There was something about his fight sequence that emanated an impression different from all the other fight sequences that have been shown. It's probably the fact that Joe Taslim is an actual martial artist, while Andrew Koji, Jason Tobin, and Rich Ting aren't.

Presumably, the reason why Ah Toy killed Morgan and Davis, those two men near The Banshee, is that she isn't content with the way things are for the Chinese like a lot of them are and that she wants to start a revolution and fight back. If that's true, I don't think that's all it was. There must be something else to it. I'm having the scene with Mayor Blake going to her brothel in mind. She could've killed Morgan and Davis because he told her to do it as well, on top of wanting to fight back and start a revolution. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the women in her brothel are being trained by her to fight as well. It seems likely to me.

Alright, a little suspension of disbelief seems to be in order. There's no way Ah Sahm would've been able to follow Jacob all that way, through the American neighborhoods, without being spotted. And to the Mayor's house of all places, no less. Given the level of discrimination against the Chinese and the fact that he's apart of the Hop Wei, there would've been plenty of commotion. He wouldn't have been able to get there as easily and without any issues. But, to be fair, it seemed to be implied that it was at night, and most of the people who'd be outside were likely already inside. Even then, I think there's still a little suspension of your disbelief to be done regarding that.

In the premiere, Mai Ling seemed to hold resentment towards Ah Sahm; now, two episodes later, she went out of her way to help him be released from jail. Furthermore, he has been properly initiated into the Hop Wei; that was never done until now, apparently. And he seems to be more at ease in their presence and company, which wasn't necessarily the case in the previous two episodes. I feel like those aspects mean that, starting with the next episode, this first season "truly" begins. I'm looking forward to it.

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