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Many martial arts-centric series, especially ones like Netflix‘s Cobra Kai, intentionally pull their punches. They avoid going all-out with their portrayal of fist fights and hold back on violence to be suitable for a wider audience. One martial arts TV show on Netflix, however, keeps upping the ante and the stakes of its action with each new episode to ensure viewers always stay at the edge of their seats.
Bloodhounds premiered on Netflix in June 2023 and quickly rose in the ranks to become one of the most loved action series on the streaming service. From a narrative standpoint, the Netflix action thriller‘s season 1 suffered because it lost some steam towards the end. However, that did not hold the show back from returning with another installment.
With season 2, Bloodhounds took its action and drama to a whole new level. Its creators understood that more than a coherent and logical storyline, its viewers wanted to see well-choreographed action scenes. As a result, they took a no-holds-barred approach towards delivering one slam-bang action set piece after another, raising the bar for how violent and brutal martial arts’ portrayal can be on the small screen.
Bloodhounds’ Fistfights Feel Brutally Real & Painful
Bloodhounds season 1 was already packed with some incredibly memorable action scenes that were as scarring and painful for audiences as they were for its heroes. In season 2, however, the Netflix thriller has no safety cushions. It entirely rejects the idea that its heroes should emerge from a fight unscathed. Owing to this, every impact carries immense weight and every fight feels consequential.
This really benefits the series because, as a viewer, you start wondering if the heroes will make it out alive. While most of the action in the series is grounded in boxing and MMA in terms of style, the series ensures its fights are not confined to the rules of the sports. Instead, it introduces the idea of death matches in season 2, where characters even wrap their fists with metal pads before one-on-one bouts.
Like some of the best action movies and shows, Bloodhounds, too, has some incredibly over-the-top sequences. In these scenes, its overpowered hero single-handedly takes down entire groups of men with his boxing skills and sheer power. Somehow, though, even in these sequences, the show’s action feels real and immersive.
Action thrillers like Reacher have their own appeal, but their drama can feel a little too predictable. One knows the lead is so overpowered that no one can beat him. Other shows, like Cobra Kai, are unpredictable but end up feeling too perfectly choreographed. Bloodhounds, in contrast, is perfectly rough around the edges and even highlights how its characters have finite energy in a fight.
Bloodhounds Proves TV Shows Can Be On Par With Big Budget Hollywood Action Movies
Even some of the better big-budget action movies fail because they rely a little too much on CGI scale, quick-cut editing, and shaky camera tricks to portray combat. Bloodhounds substitutes these elements with brilliant choreography and incredible spatial awareness during fights.
The show’s actors, too, come off as real martial artists, and, as a viewer, one never dares to question if they are merely pretending to fight for the camera. To keep things interesting, Bloodhounds also unfolds its action scenes in many diverse settings. From shady underground rings to actual boxing stadiums, from hotel lobbies to wide tunnels, every setting in the show brings novelty.
Bloodhounds season 2 ended with a cliffhanger, paving the way for even higher stakes in season 3. However, given how Netflix has not officially renewed the show, its return seems uncertain. Hopefully, though, Bloodhounds will get more follow-ups in the near future because it is a rare action thriller that embraces the raw physicality of hand-to-hand combat.