House of the Dragon Season 2 introduced a new fan-favorite character, Hugh Hammer, played by actor Kieran Bew. For those missing the drama, scheming and action of House of the Dragon, Bew’s other hit series Warrior is a must-watch. The show is streaming now on Max.
Bew was a breakout hit in House of the Dragon Season 2 – especially after Episode 7, “The Red Sowing.” He had several rich scenes to work with throughout the season, and his character presented an unexpected moral quandary that even the book did not explore so deeply. It’s similar in some ways to the story of Bew’s character on Warrior, “Big Bill” O’Hara. The series is perfect to fill the void now that House of the Dragon is over, and it has a dedicated fandom still pulling for it after its cancellation last year.
Warrior is based on an original story written by Bruce Lee as a TV treatment back in the 1970s. Lee’s daughter Shannon Lee finally produced the series with filmmaker Justin Lin. It premiered on Cinemax in 2019, but the network stopped producing original content altogether after Warrior Season 2. However, the show was streaming on HBO Max by then, and it was revived as a streaming-exclusive for its third season. The show was canceled in December of 2023.
Warrior is set in San Francisco in the 1870s, and is about a Chinese martial artist navigating the American old west. Andrew Koji stars as Ah Sahm, who came to the U.S. looking for his sister Mai Ling (Dianne Doan), only to discover that she has become an organized crime boss. Unable to convince Mai Ling to come home, Ah Sahm joins a rival tong while trying to decide on his next move. The show explores racism, colonialism, family and honor with some incredible fight choreography and action along the way.
Bew’s character Big Bill is an Irish police officer assigned to “the Chinatown squad,” ostensibly tasked with rooting out the tongs and preventing organized crime. However, Bew is caught between the community he works in and the Irish immigrant community he lives in, as well as the political quagmire of the police department. His story is heartbreaking at times and infuriating at others, compelling the audience to see through the perspective of a racist and a people-pleaser.
Warrior may not have dragons of Weirwood trees, but it has more sword-swinging than House of the Dragon Season 2, for what it’s worth. Its depiction of people fighting to thrive no matte how bleak their world seems will resonate with fans of Westeros, and will allow them to spend more time with Bew. Both shows are streaming now on Max.