Kung Fu Cancelled After 3 Seasons at The CW

After three seasons on The CW, the network has officially cancelled Kung Fu. The network officially announced that the series will not return for a fourth season which means that the March 8th Season 3 finale will now stand as a series finale as well. The series originally debuted on the network on April 7, 2021. Developed by Christina M. Kim, the series is an adaptation of the 1970s series of the same name.

“As we reimagine the new CW, we had to make some tough programming decisions,” the network said in a statement. “We thank our partners at Warner Bros. and the casts and creative teams of Kung Fu and The Winchesters for all their hard work, creativity and dedication.”  

While news of Kung Fu‘s cancellation will be disappointing for fans, to some extent it’s not unexpected. There have been major changes in the works at The CW following its purchase by local television giant Nexstar Media Group in late 2022. Since then, there have been numerous staff changes at the network as well as a shift in programming. To date, of the network’s original series, only All American and Walker have been picked up for the 2023-2024 television season. The CW also canceled

Kung Fu stars Olivia Liang as Nicky Shen, Kheng Hua Tan as Mei-Li Shen, Shannon Dang as Althea Shen, Jon Prasida as Ryan, Eddie Liu as Henry Yan, Gavin Stenhouse as Evan Hartley, Vanessa Kai as Pei-Ling Zhang, Yvonne Chapman as Zhilan Zhang, Tony Chung as Dennis Soong, JB Tadena as Sebastian and Tzi Ma as Jin Shen. Here’s how the network describes the third (and final) season of the series.

“After an earthquake hit Chinatown in the season two finale, season three opens with Nicky (Olivia Liang), her family, and her community attempting to rebuild in more ways than one.  Nicky, still reeling from her abrupt breakup with her boyfriend Henry (Eddie Liu), and the shocking death of her nemesis-turned-ally Zhilan (Yvonne Chapman), puts on a brave face as she juggles a new job teaching kung fu while fighting a growing crimewave in San Francisco. Mei-Li (Kheng Hua Tan) struggles to keep Harmony Dumplings afloat, while rebuilding the restaurant; and Jin (Tzi Ma) helps the rest of the community get back on its feet. Althea (Shannon Dang) has lost her company and finds herself jobless, living in the cramped Shen house, while Dennis (Tony Chung) works a variety of service gigs to help make ends meet. Ryan (Jon Prasida) adjusts to cohabitating with boyfriend Sebastian (JB Tadena), while working fulltime as an ER resident; and Evan (Gavin Stenhouse) embarks on a new legal venture.  But just as Nicky and the Shens are finding their footing, Nicky is thrown on her heels by the introduction of a mysterious vigilante, Bo (guest star Ben Levin) — and the shattering return of a woman who appears to be her deceased shifu, Pei-Ling (Vanessa Kai).  Pei-Ling’s shocking return will engulf Nicky in an epic and dangerous story, filled with mystery and magic… a story that will have momentous consequences for Nicky and the whole Shen family.”

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