Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson has had a pretty impressive run on television. Power didn’t just become a hit. It grew into an entire universe, with multiple spinoffs extending the franchise well beyond the original series.
Raising Kanan was one of those spinoffs, giving us five seasons. And now, Kanan’s story will continue in the upcoming Power: Origins.
BMF also built a strong following. So when Fightland came along with 50 Cent’s name attached, viewers had every reason to expect another hit.
But Fightland hasn’t generated the same kind of buzz. I enjoyed the first season, so now that it’s over, I keep coming back to one question: Why isn’t this show connecting with more viewers?
The Power Comparison Problem
Having 50 Cent‘s name attached may have helped draw eyes to Fightland, but it also brought expectations. If viewers tuned in looking for another Power, they didn’t get it.
Fightland has crime, violence, family drama, and plenty of people making questionable decisions, but the similarities pretty much end there.
This is a British drama built around boxing, with its own pace, characters, and style. It doesn’t feel like Power, and I don’t think it’s trying to. That may be part of the problem.
When audiences already associate a producer with a certain kind of show, anything that moves too far outside that box can be a tougher sell.
Fightland came in carrying expectations it may never have been meant to meet.
The Cultural Disconnect
Fightland also asks American viewers to step into a world that may not feel immediately familiar. The London setting gives the series a different rhythm, and some of the dialogue can take a little getting used to.
I’ll admit, there were times when the heavier British accents and slang had me saying, “Huh?” I turned on closed captioning so I could catch the occasional word or phrase I missed.
It helped, but not because the show was impossible to understand. Now and then, I just needed a little backup.
The setting and language are part of what makes Fightland feel different, so I wouldn’t want the show to lose either. Still, they may help explain why some American viewers haven’t connected with it as quickly.
Add TV Fanatic as a Trusted Source on Google!
Get More of Our Coverage!Are Unfamiliar Faces the Problem?
Fightland has a strong cast, but many of its stars are much more familiar to UK viewers. That unfamiliarity may make it harder for the series to pull in an American audience right away.
Clarke Peters should have been that familiar face. Many U.S. audiences know the veteran actor best from HBO’s The Wire, but Fightland didn’t give him nearly enough to do.
His character stayed mostly outside the criminal dealings at the story’s center, leaving Peters with far less screen time.
That was a missed opportunity. Peters could have brought more weight to the story, even in the gym scenes, and Fightland never really took advantage of what he could offer.
Sometimes Fightland Gets in Its Own Way
Not everything comes down to expectations, accents, or an unfamiliar cast. Fightland created a few problems for itself, especially when it drifted too far from Duke’s revenge story.
Some of the side stories added depth, but others slowed things down when the main story was finally gaining momentum. And after all the buildup surrounding Duke and Kingsley, their long-awaited showdown didn’t hit nearly as hard as it should have.
Another missed opportunity was London itself. If you’re taking viewers someplace new, then take us there.
This family has seemingly unlimited resources. Yet, we rarely saw the fancy restaurants, exclusive spots, or posh side of the city that could have made London feel like another character in the story.
Fightland didn’t need to turn into a travel show, but a few recognizable locations, neighborhood references, or even some name-dropping would have helped the setting feel more important.
London should have been more than the place where the story happened.
Still, those side stories also gave us some of the season’s strongest emotional moments. Fightland didn’t always find the right balance between developing its characters and moving the story forward.
Why Fightland Is Still Worth Watching
For everything Fightland could have done better, there’s still a lot here to like.
The premise may pull you in — a gritty crime drama centered around boxing — but the family drama, betrayals, and grudges give you plenty of reason to stick around.
This family is seriously dysfunctional, and Kingsley is not winning Father of the Year anytime soon. Once you watch, you’ll understand exactly why.
And let’s talk about the women. These ladies aren’t sitting around looking pretty, waiting for the men to plot and throw punches. They have their own agendas. They’re strong and smart.
That’s one of the things I really like about this show. The women are power players too and just as ruthless. I wouldn’t want to meet Cece or Kim in a dark alley.
The men aren’t all fists and tough talk either.
Some of my favorite moments were when they dropped their guard and showed some vulnerability.
You get a better understanding of who they are and why they make the choices they do.
Fightland deserves a chance.
It isn’t perfect and doesn’t need to become another Power to work. There’s more heart here than you might expect, and that’s what kept me watching.
If you skipped Fightland the first time around, give it a shot and see what you think.
The complete first season is streaming now on STARZ.
-
Fightland Season 1 Episode Rankings: Which One Lands the Biggest Punch So Far?
Which Fightland Season 1 episode landed the biggest punch? We rank the first seven episodes from worst to first.
-
Fightland Season 1 Episode 7’s “Without Me, There Is No You” Keeps the Surprises Coming
Fightland Season 1 Episode 7’s “Without Me, There Is No You” raises the stakes as family fractures deepen and Duke closes in on Kingsley.
-
Fightland Season 1 Episode 6 Review: There Is a War Coming, and Kingsley Is Out for Blood
On Fightland Season 1 Episode 6, Kingsley is back and out for blood, leaving broken loyalties and a blindsided Duke in his wake.
TV Fanatic is searching for passionate contributors to share their voices across a variety of different articles. Do you think you have what it takes to be a TV Fanatic? Click here for more information and next steps.
