Into the Badlands

:

Season 1
  • Network: AMC
  • Series Premiere Date: Nov 15, 2015
Season #: 3, 2, 1
User Score
8.2

Universal acclaim- based on 220 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 182 out of 220
  2. Mixed: 23 out of 220
  3. Negative: 15 out of 220
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User Reviews

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  1. WJS
    Nov 16, 2015
    6
    This show has great production values, fantastic martial arts set pieces and beautiful cinematography. Unfortunately it gets bogged down in a strained narrative and only adequate acting. It has great potential but I'm not sure if I'm up to watching it through its growth period.
  2. stevRaJah
    Nov 23, 2015
    6
    Totally silly, but succesfully audacious; Into The Badlands has loads of full of fun little tv cliches sandwiched within some questionable performances and dumb dialouge. Nonetheless, if you don't come for the action then don't come at all because Badlands is focused on production costs, well choreographed fight scenes, comic book calibur melodrama, and then characters in that order. NotTotally silly, but succesfully audacious; Into The Badlands has loads of full of fun little tv cliches sandwiched within some questionable performances and dumb dialouge. Nonetheless, if you don't come for the action then don't come at all because Badlands is focused on production costs, well choreographed fight scenes, comic book calibur melodrama, and then characters in that order. Not to say the acting is bad; its mostly just servicable with a select few standouts. The main baron Quinn comes off as the most natural; a sort of psycho power hungry Game of Thrones style king (lot of the pieces being set down in these first couple of episodes are totally Game of Thrones esque) who genrally just steals scenes and acts super evil just because. Which is the same thing one can say of the world building, its just there like it or not, logic be damned.… Expand
  3. xJLxMCHammer
    Nov 25, 2015
    4
    I try not to review shows, but I was flipping the channels with the family after Walking Dead and stumbled back on this show. What can I say? It has potential, but it will never reach it. The martial arts or the choreography is pretty bad. This is the kind of stuff people like in the 1980's where the main hero kills 4 people in one small sweep of his blade. It tends to be fine is certainI try not to review shows, but I was flipping the channels with the family after Walking Dead and stumbled back on this show. What can I say? It has potential, but it will never reach it. The martial arts or the choreography is pretty bad. This is the kind of stuff people like in the 1980's where the main hero kills 4 people in one small sweep of his blade. It tends to be fine is certain shows where there are powers or various superhuman strength, in this show, it just does not work. It tries to be too impressive, too good at the start that it also puts itself in this situation where they have to one up it every time. By the second episode, the main hero is not against 30+ raiders. I'm going to make an assumption here that by the season finale, the main character will be fighting an entire baron's army.

    The plot from the 1st and 2nd episode is just so bland. The actors don't seem to be invested in it to make you feel the immersion. The plot has potential as it is set in a vast world, but it seems the budget wont let it reach that potential. This is a classic problem that shows from ABC, CW11..etc have. They get a small budget and it will only increase if they start pulling in viewers.

    I rate this show 4/10. I can't in good heart give it anything more; i don't think it will get better, especially considering that episode 2 was even worse. My recommendation is to skip it.    … Expand
  4. Nihil84
    Dec 29, 2015
    5
    The show had exactly what I was worried about, overly dramatic oriental style fight scenes. The main protagonist guy? yeah he can fight about 50 guys by himself. Ive only watched a few episodes but I would say its a decent watch but the fighting scenes just kill it for me. The story and acting isn't too bad, the dialogue is ok at best. Honestly surprised so many good reviews from the usersThe show had exactly what I was worried about, overly dramatic oriental style fight scenes. The main protagonist guy? yeah he can fight about 50 guys by himself. Ive only watched a few episodes but I would say its a decent watch but the fighting scenes just kill it for me. The story and acting isn't too bad, the dialogue is ok at best. Honestly surprised so many good reviews from the users on this show.… Expand
  5. Grandbazaar
    Apr 18, 2016
    4
    I'm a huge fan of martial arts and on that level this show delivers in spades. Unfortunately what started as an interesting story ends up into one hot mess of cliches and whatnot. So much potential wasted here. Will not be back for season 2
  6. JackTheRippest
    Mar 26, 2017
    6
    Into the Badlands is perfectly enjoyable television for genre fans and anyone looking for a new show with a large amount of potential that, the show itself, is only starting to grow into.

    Having said that, I do anticipate Into The Badlands to catch on similarly to how The Walking Dead did. That may be a bold prediction, but for anyone who recalls watching the first (six episode, like    Into the Badlands is perfectly enjoyable television for genre fans and anyone looking for a new show with a large amount of potential that, the show itself, is only starting to grow into.

    Having said that, I do anticipate Into The Badlands to catch on similarly to how The Walking Dead did. That may be a bold prediction, but for anyone who recalls watching the first (six episode, like ITB) season, The Walking Dead was in many ways awkward, corny, and without a strong, developed identity. It was the television show equivalent of going through puberty. Into the Badlands suffers from the same shortcomings in it's maiden voyage, I have no delusions about that, but beneath all of it I can really see the potential for something great and I'm looking forward to watching it grow into itself. In the meantime, it's still a very enjoyable ride.

    If I had to relate this show to other shows/movies, I would probably say Into the Badlands is a combination of Game of Thrones with it's fatal politics and uber violence, and The Warriors (1979), a decidedly less complex story, and it's simple "faction" system, i.e. a strong use of color and uniformity between members making clans easily distinguishable.

    "Into the badlands, come out to PlaaAAA-AAAAYYYYY!" *clanks coke bottles together*    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

31
#31 Most Discussed TV Season of 2015
19
#19 Most Shared TV Season of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
54

Mixed or average reviews - based on 29 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 29
  3. Negative: 1 out of 29
  1. TV Guide Magazine
    Reviewed by: Matt Roush
    Nov 19, 2015
    40
    For all of the impressive whirling, gouging and slashing acrobatics on display in Badlands, the action often feels strangely inert. Whether badass male or kickass female, these combatants tend to be joyless, expressionless ciphers. [23 Nov - 6 Dec 2015, p.14]
  2. Philadelphia Inquirer
    Reviewed by: Tirdad Derakhshani
    Nov 16, 2015
    70
    Yes, it's riddled with comic-book clichés. True, the dialogue is out of a Cracker Jack box, and most of its characters have less dimension than cardboard cutouts. But I'm a sucker for well-choreographed kung fu films. And Badlands--a Mad Max-ian postapocalyptic kung fu western that costars Emily Beecham as a killer beauty--has some wonderfully wigged-out fight scenes.
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  3. New York Magazine (Vulture)
    Reviewed by: Matt Zoller Seitz
    Nov 16, 2015
    40
    The problem is that at no point during the first couple of episodes does the show truly come alive as a drama about actual people inhabiting a convincing fictional space. It doesn't pulse with life, as any series defined mainly through its actions ought to. And when action does happen, it's disappointingly personality-free.
    Read full review
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