120 minSeason 1 • Episode 2
LatestThe goddess Kwan Ying recruits former China-scholar Nick Orton to help her take back a magical manuscript from evil demons.
American journalist Nick Orton is caught up in the world of Chinese gods and monsters while on a search for the long lost manuscript to 'Hsi Yu Chi' (The Journey to the West) by Wu Ch'eng En. He is accompanied on his journey by a humanoid ape with incredible strength and magical powers, a humanoid pig-man, and his brother-in-arms, an ex-cannibal. Based on one of the greatest stories in Chinese history.
Practical Effects
Monkey King prosthetics that aged like milk, served with commitment.
Costume
Goddess Kwan Ying's wardrobe: where spiritual enlightenment meets Vegas showgirl.
Thomas Gibson
Nicholas Orton
Bai Ling
Kwan Ying
Russell Wong
Monkey King
Ric Young
Confucius
Kabir Bedi
Friar Sand
Richard Ng Yiu-Hon
Communist Official
Eddie Marsan
Pigsy
Randall Duk Kim
Shu
Henry O
Wu Chan Yen
Lim Kay Siu
Subodhi
Burt Kwouk
Professor Sheng
Hon Ping Tang
Nine Inch Nail Demon
Jacqueline Chan
Mother Superior
James Faulkner
Marcus Harding
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This NBC miniseries arrived during a brief 2000s wave of Western Journey to the West adaptations, all of which struggled to balance reverence with accessibility.
Thomas Gibson filmed this between Dharma & Greg seasons, reportedly confused by the wire work and visibly counting minutes until his agent called.
US
