Kung Fu: The Legend Continues is an action/crime drama series and sequel to the original 1972–1975 television series Kung Fu. While the original Kung Fu series was set in the American old west, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues was set in modern times. It starred David Carradine and Chris Potter as a father and son trained in kung fu – Carradine playing a Shaolin monk, Potter a police detective. The series aired in syndication for four seasons from January 27, 1993, to January 1, 1997, and was broadcast in over 70 countries. Filming took place in Toronto, Ontario. Reruns of the show have been aired on TNT.
The show was canceled when its producer, Prime Time Entertainment Network (also known as PTEN), ceased operations and no other producer opted to continue the series.
Plot
Like his grandfather and namesake from the original series, Kwai Chang Caine (David Carradine) is a Shaolin priest who walked out of the past. Caine was the head of a temple in Northern California, where his son Peter (Chris Potter) also lived and studied, until the temple was destroyed in a fire caused by a renegade priest who believed the priests should serve as mercenaries. Each believed the other had perished in the fire and went on their separate ways; Caine wandered and traveled, much as his grandfather had, while Peter became a foster child and eventually a police officer. The series begins 15 years after the destruction of the temple, when Caine reunites with Peter after entering the Chinatown district of the city where he works.
Main cast
David Carradine as Kwai Chang Caine, Matthew Caine
Chris Potter as Det. Peter Caine
Kim Chan as Lo Si (The Ancient) / Ping Hai
Robert Lansing as Capt. Paul Blaisdell (Season 1 and 2) Kate Trotter as Capt. Karen Simms (Season 3 and 4) Scott Wentworth as Det. Kermit Griffin (Season 2–4) Nathaniel Moreau as Young Peter Caine (in flashbacks, Season 1–3) Robert Bednarski as Younger Peter Caine (in flashbacks, Season 4) Belinda Metz as Det. Jody Powell, Det. Kira Blakemore Richard Anderson as Narrator (uncredited) Rob Moses as Master Khan Sandey Grinn as Thomas Jefferson "T.J." Kincaid (Season 3 and 4) William Dunlop as Chief of Detectives Frank Strenlich
Production
In 1992, the series was sold to television stations as a first-run syndicated series, alongside Time Trax. The series was originally sold as Kung Fu: The Next Generation.
Episodes
Home media
On May 27, 2014, Warner Bros. released the complete first season on DVD in Region 1 in the USA only not Canada, via their Warner Archive Collection. Season 2 was released on August 18, 2015.
The first season was released in Germany on DVD in 2009.