Series Profile: WARRIOR (2019–2023)
| Attribute | Details |
| Title | Warrior |
| Original Run | April 5, 2019 – August 17, 2023 (3 Seasons, 30 Episodes) |
| Creator / Showrunner | Jonathan Tropper (Banshee) |
| Concept & Writings | Based on an original concept and eight-page treatment by Bruce Lee |
| Executive Producers | Shannon Lee, Justin Lin, Jonathan Tropper |
| Genre | Action & Adventure , Crime , Drama |
| Original Networks | Cinemax (Seasons 1–2) • Max (Season 3) |
| Lead Cast |
• Andrew Koji (Ah Sahm) • Olivia Cheng (Ah Toy) • Jason Tobin (Young Jun) • Dianne Doan (Mai Ling) • Kieran Bew (Officer Bill O’Hara) • Dean Jagger (Dylan Leary) • Hoon Lee (Wang Chao) • Joe Taslim (Li Yong) • Dustin Nguyen (Zing) |
Plot Overview
Set during the violent Tong Wars in late 1870s San Francisco, Ah Sahm (Andrew Koji), a martial arts prodigy from China, arrives in America under the guise of searching for his estranged sister, Mai Ling (Dianne Doan).
Upon arriving, Ah Sahm demonstrates his formidable fighting skills and is immediately sold to the Hop Wei, one of Chinatown’s most powerful criminal tongs. He discovers that his sister has risen to power in the rival Long Zai tong, making them enemies on opposite sides of a bloody turf war.
Ah Sahm must navigate rival gang turf wars, corrupt local law enforcement, racial hostility from Irish labor unions led by Dylan Leary (Dean Jagger), and anti-Chinese legislation from politicians—all while carving out his own path in a ruthless new frontier.
Key Themes & Production Highlights
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Bruce Lee’s Dream Project: Conceived by Bruce Lee in the 1970s, the original treatment was archived for decades until his daughter, Shannon Lee, partnered with Justin Lin and Jonathan Tropper to bring it to life.
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Visceral Kinetic Martial Arts: Combines classic ’70s kung fu flair with modern, high-impact fight choreography, featuring homage-filled homage moments to Bruce Lee’s fighting style.
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Exploration of American History: Blends high-stakes crime drama with real-world 19th-century history, covering the Chinese Exclusion Act, immigrant labor exploitation, and political corruption.