King of the Mountain

Chinese-American Kung Fu practitioner David Carradine (as Kwai Chang Caine) continues his wanderings in the American West, from the very successfully piloted TV-movie shown earlier in the year. For the most part, the series features a relatively high level of excellence in photography and performance (with the obligatory martial arts scenes). It's surprising to read some controversy concerning Carradine's being cast in the lead role; his convincing portrayal is, in hindsight, the driving force behind the series' enduring worth.

In episode one, Caine finds stability and happiness in a pseudo-family, after bringing orphaned Brandon Cruz (as Peter Gideon) to live on widow Lara Parker (as Amy Allender)'s ranch. This is the "Shane" plot, with race replacing the original's natural father (interestingly, Carradine starred in the 1966 TV version of "Shane"). Producers were wise to cast Mr. Cruz (from "The Courtship of Eddie's Father") and Ms. Parker (from "Dark Shadows") in the guest-starring roles; certainly, they lured in additional viewers.

Parker is especially effective (and quite remarkably unlike her famous "Angelique" character); she and Carradine convey an attraction that should have been the episode's primary focus. John Saxon (as Raven) is an effective home-wrecker. And, Mark Allen, another "Dark Shadows" alumni, appears very briefly, as a post office clerk who gives Cruz directions. A good start for "Kung Fu".

***** Kung Fu - King of the Mountain (10/14/72) Jerry Thorpe ~ David Carradine, Brandon Cruz, Lara Parker

The pilot established the character of Kwai Chang Caine, and the reason why he wanders the American West of the 1870s. This being the first actual series episode (Oct 1972), the audience is introduced to new characters each week, with different ideas and stories focusing on Caine's reactions, supported by occasional flashbacks to his days as a student/disciple at the Shaolin Temple in Northern China, detailing the training and philosophy of the resident priests. Carrying on from the pilot, Caine is forced to move constantly due to the $10,000 bounty on his head imposed by the Emperor of China, coming upon the burned-out remains of a frontier home attacked by Indians, with the father dead, the mother carried off, and only Peter Gideon (Brandon Cruz from THE COURTSHIP OF EDDIE'S FATHER), the 10-year-old son, left behind. Caine accompanies the boy to the home of his uncle, Percy McCoy (Ken Lynch), who shows interest only in Peter's nonexistent wealth. When Caine also proves to be penniless, the greedy McCoy clan decide to call in a professional bounty hunter, Raven (John Saxon), to lay claim to the Emperor's reward for the priest that killed his nephew. By this time, Caine and Peter have found a home with Amy Allender (Lara Parker), who has offered Caine a job tending her ranch. Peter adopts many of Caine's habits, such as not eating meat, and the lonely Amy is impressed by Caine's tireless efforts on her behalf, and puzzled by his lack of interest in the money he earns. The patient Raven bides his time, until his threat to destroy the ranch forces Caine into the inevitable showdown. The obvious attraction between Caine and the young beauty, well conveyed by the underrated Lara Parker (DARK SHADOWS), is never overstated, a shame since so much more could have been made, just not in a one hour program. The second episode would flesh out the premise that would carry the show to the very end.