Martial Law
Martial Law
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Martial Law

7.1
Yr 1998
Rt 43m
Status Ended
Action & Adventure Comedy Crime Drama
Your Verdict

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Series Brief

Overview

Sammo Law spins, kicks, and chops his way through crime as a one-man police force in Los Angeles. He's a tough law enforcer who comes to the U.S. in search of a former friend and protegée — and gets drafted as part of the LAPD.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 50 /100

Martial Law generally received mixed reviews from critics during its original run. While the show was widely commended for its high-quality, impressive action sequences featuring Sammo Hung, it faced criticism for relying on formulaic storytelling and uneven attempts at comedy.

Some contemporary perspectives highlight the show's balance of tone, noting its ability to tackle sensitive subjects like human trafficking and racism with a lighthearted approach that avoided trivializing the material. It is often remembered as a distinct entry in the police procedural genre, opting for a style that was more action-centric than gritty realism.

“largely praised the show's action sequences while critiquing its formulaic storytelling and uneven comedy”

“It handled topics like racism and trafficking with surprising lightness — never trivialising them, but wrapping the punches in a grin.”

Why fans love it

Premiering in 1998, Martial Law blends traditional crime drama with high-energy action and comedy. The series follows Sammo Law, a formidable enforcer who travels from China to Los Angeles on a personal mission to locate a former friend and protegée. Instead of completing a quick search, he ends up drafted straight into the LAPD, bringing an entirely new style of police work to the streets of California.

The show stands out by pairing physical action choreography with a warm interracial friendship dynamic. Starring Sammo Hung Kam-Bo, the series replaces standard police routine with a steady delivery of spins, kicks, and chops. Fans enjoy how the story balances serious Los Angeles crime investigations with lighthearted comedy, giving the late-nineties cop show a distinct personality.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 75
Regulars 6
Longest run 44 eps
Sammo Hung Kam-Bo
Sammo Hung Kam-Bo
as Sammo Law
44 episodes
Gretchen Egolf
Gretchen Egolf
as Amy Dylan
22 episodes
Louis Mandylor
Louis Mandylor
as Det. Louis Malone
22 episodes
Tom Wright
Tom Wright
as Capt. Benjamin Winship
22 episodes
Kelly Hu
Kelly Hu
as Chen Pei Pei
44 episodes
Arsenio Hall
Arsenio Hall
as Terrell Parker
36 episodes
Mako
Mako
as Master Reng
2 episodes
Suzanne Krull
Suzanne Krull
as Mrs. Pimner
2 episodes
Show 67 more
Mark Sheppard as Clay Sullivan 1 episode Brittney Powell as Lieutenant P.J. Garrett 1 episode Craig Kilborn as Lewis 1 episode Jeffrey Combs as Antoine Trembel 1 episode Aki Aleong as Chu Chiao 1 episode Tony Plana as Chava Rocha 1 episode Edward Albert as Deputy Chief Bain 1 episode W. Earl Brown as Larry Gambozza 1 episode Chuck Norris as Ranger Cordell Walker 1 episode Tracy Dali 1 episode John Hawkes as Jake Simms 1 episode Amy Carlson as Cassie McGill 1 episode Alex Meneses as Anette Delgado 1 episode Joseph Ashton as Sean Nolan 1 episode Samaria Graham as Lisa Mulwray 1 episode Thom Barry as Ralph Samuels 2 episodes Deron McBee as Kyle 1 episode Dona Hardy as Martha Bueby 1 episode Greg Collins as Gibson 1 episode Marla Gibbs as Delores Samuels 2 episodes Dennis Burkley as Warden Jalouse 1 episode Kirk Fox as Marcus 1 episode Chris Hendrie as Consul General 1 episode Troy Brenna as Trucker Crewsman 1 episode O-Lan Jones as Landers 1 episode Andre Jamal Kinney as Student 1 episode Doug Kruse as Felix 1 episode Lombardo Boyar as Pablo 1 episode Shawn Huff as Donna Nolan 1 episode Loren Avedon as Jack 1 episode Susan Lee Hoffman as Julia Cartwright 1 episode Sung Kang as Xian 4 episodes Darryl Chan as Thug (uncredited) 5 episodes Armin Shimerman as Daniel Darius 1 episode Bianca Rossini as Audra Xiomara 1 episode Jerry Doyle as Thomas McQueen 1 episode Downtown Julie Brown as Celine Vashon 1 episode Barry Wiggins as Cragg 1 episode David J. Partington as Captain Harberg 1 episode Larry Hankin as Father Bosley 1 episode Jodi Taffel as Civil Servant 1 episode Ángel Vargas as Tyson 1 episode Brian Jacobs as County Clerk Williams 1 episode David Leitch as David Hasbro 5 episodes Christina Ma as Mei Ling 2 episodes Tzi Ma as Lee Hei 5 episodes Monica Malek-Yonan as Detective 4 episodes Rebecca Staab as (uncredited) 2 episodes Allan Kolman as harold russ 2 episodes Tammy Lauren as Det. Dana Doyle 5 episodes Mike Starr as Det. Alex Portman 2 episodes Julia Campbell as Melanie George 5 episodes Keith Diamond as Skunk 2 episodes Tim Rigby as Crossbow Thug 2 episodes Robert LaSardo as Hector Flores 2 episodes Elaine Lui as Lin Pei Chin 2 episodes Pete Antico as Guard 2 episodes James Hong as Weng Chu 3 episodes Carlo Manchini as Thompson 2 episodes Tim Curry as The One (voice) 3 episodes Neal McDonough as Kyle Strode 3 episodes Natalie Raitano as Ivana Bock 4 episodes Christopher Neame as The One (voice) 3 episodes François Giroday as Mr. Payson 2 episodes Kim Lankford as Dr. Geller 2 episodes Eugenia Yuan as Maya Chu 2 episodes Tania L. Pearson as Law Office Receptionist 2 episodes
Signal Match

Similarity

Where Martial Law overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

martial arts police los angeles, california interracial friendship lapd chinese man
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
September 26, 1998
Status
Ended
Episode Runtime
43 minutes
Origin
US
TMDB Votes
104