From the beginning, it is obvious that the Suns of The Brothers Sun have more than their fair share of secrets to hide with a decapitated head floating in a fish tank on its poster. This eight-episode dramedy was made by Brad Falchuk (American Horror Story) and Byron Wu and starts off with a bang —- strangely enough, with The Great British Bake Off on in the background.
The series opens up with Bruce reuniting unexpectedly and revelations about what goes on behind closed doors at home, leading him into dangerous territory as he discovers he has gotten himself into some sort of illegal business. The early episodes go by quite quickly while sweet but useless Bruce tries hard to earn respect from his older brother Charles (Justin Chien) who drags him along to get information or even guard their mother. It walks an interesting line between black comedy and whodunnit.
The best moments are when Yeoh’s Mama Sun gets involved in acts of fun involving her character’s fish-out-of-water sequences. There is a slow change from quirky buddy comedy towards heavy emotional family drama which could have been clunky but for all the power plays and politicking that makes a great watch, especially Episode 6 (‘Country Boy’).
Academy Award winner Yeoh revels in her role, impressively balancing the doting matriarch with her more calculated and resourceful side; her comedic timing is just as sharp as in Everything Everywhere All At Once. But it’s in the warmth of the developing bond between the central brothers that the heart of the series truly lies. As Bruce, Sam Song Li nails that classic endearing loser archetype where Justin Chien shows great range as two characters—fighter par excellence next to baker extraordinaire/addict of churros who wants to be daddy too. Throughout this process though, dense themes like familial expectations, legacy versus tradition, and whether we truly know our parents are addressed by the show.
The stunt team consisting of, among others, brothers Brian Le and Andy Le (fight choreographers from Everything Everywhere All At Once) and Justin Yu (stunt coordinator for John Wick) came up with these action scenes. From the intricate martial arts sequences to the brutal fisticuffs, these set pieces outshine anything else on TV including Warrior or Gangs Of London. This entertaining and action-filled rollercoaster ride would surely earn a Hollywood handshake.
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