Max cancels Warrior, burying hope in time for the holidays

Well, time for me to go cry into a pillow until 2024: Max has canceled the excellent martial arts drama Warrior, according to TV Line.

Set in San Francisco during the Tong Wars of the late 19th century, Warrior told the story of Ah Sahm (Andrew Koji), a martial prodigy who came over from China only to get mixed up in gangland warfare. It was a thrilling show with a talented cast that regularly made me shout extemporaneously during its many spectacular fight scenes. In its honor, I’m thinking of trying to do a flip later. I’ll be back sometime in March after my neck heals.

Warrior began life on Cinemax but was canceled after two seasons as Cinemax pivoted away from original programming. Max (then HBO Max) picked the show up for a third season, for which I am grateful. I am less grateful that Warrior was only available to watch on Max rather than on HBO proper; while new episodes of Warrior were dropping on the streaming service, The Idol was airing in HBO’s prized Sunday night time slot. I don’t care if you haven’t seen Warrior; you already know it was better than The Idol. Should’ve switched that up, HBO.

I never had much hope that Warrior would come back for a fourth season; there just didn’t seem to be a ton of buzz around it. But it still sucks that it’s not coming back, particularly when season 3 ended on several juicy cliffhangers.

TV Line mentions that the first three seasons of Warrior may be available to stream on Netflix — in addition to Max — as early as February. That would be nice, because this show deserves to be exposed to a wider audience. I wish that had happened before Warner Bros. Discovery buried the third season on Max, but I’m trying to avoid dwelling on bitterness lest I spend the holidays pouting in the corner behind the Christmas tree.

Warrior star Kieran Bew mourns the show

Actor Kieran Bew was part of Warrior’s ensemble cast; he played the kinda-corrupt-but-mostly-well-meaning police officer Bill O’Hara. After news of the cancelation broke, he posted a picture of himself beaten on bloodied on the set. Same, Kieran, same.

Okay, not actually same; I’m actually quite comfortable and not bloodied up in the slightest. But I am upset. And if you want blood, come check back in after I attempt that flip.

At least Kieran Bew will land on his feet; he’s playing Hugh Hammer in the second season of HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel show House of the Dragon. To the rest of the cast and crew behind Warrior, thank you very much for your work. This flip’s for you…

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