Streaming on: Netflix
Episodes Watched: 8 of 8
With a decapitated head floating in a fish tank adorning the show’s poster, it’s obvious from the get-go that the Suns of The Brothers Sun have rather more skeletons in the closet than most families. Created by Brad Falchuk (American Horror Story) and Byron Wu, this eight-episode dramedy certainly begins with a bang — and bizarrely, The Great British Bake Off playing in the background.
As the series begins, with a surprise reunion, and revelations about the true nature of the family business, sheltered pre-med student and youngest son Bruce (Sam Song Li) is quickly thrust into a dangerous criminal world. The early episodes fly by, as the kind-but-useless Bruce desperately attempts to impress older brother Charles (Justin Chien), accompanying him on missions to uncover information while helping to protect their mother. It strikes a fun balance between black comedy and an intriguing whodunnit.
Some of the most elaborate (and extremely violent) hand-to-hand combat sequences and stunts in television.
The series shines in the more playful, fish-out-of-water sequences, and plenty of fun moments involving Michelle Yeoh’s Mama Sun taking things into her own hands. As the series progresses, there’s a gradual shift from the breezy, odd-pairing comedy to a more weighty, emotional family drama, and while this could have proved rather jarring, the power plays and politicking prove to be a gripping watch, particularly in the outstanding sixth episode (‘Country Boy’).
Academy Award winner Yeoh revels in her role, impressively balancing the doting matriarch with her more calculated and resourceful side; her comedic timing is just as sharp as it was in Everything Everywhere All At Once. But it’s in the warmth of the developing bond between the central brothers that the heart of the series truly lies. As Bruce, Sam Song Li nails the archetypal loveable loser, while Justin Chien excels as the conflicted father’s son, juxtaposing his outstanding fighting prowess with his love of baking and fascination with churros. Through this developing dynamic, the series navigates weighty themes of familial expectations, legacy, tradition, and whether we truly know our parents.
The action sequences, choreographed by an impressive stunt team which includes Everything Everywhere All At Once’s fight choreographers, brothers Brian Le and Andy Le, and John Wick stunt coordinator Justin Yu, are hugely inventive. These set-pieces feature some of the most elaborate (and extremely violent) hand-to-hand combat sequences and stunts in television, rivalling Warrior or Gangs Of London. It all makes for an entertaining and action-packed thrill-ride — worthy, surely, of a Hollywood handshake.