Deadly Class Premiere Review: I'll Reserve Judgement Until After A Few More Episodes

SyFy's newest offering will air on January 16, 2019. It is currently available On Demand and on their website for anyone who wants an early look. The series is based on a graphic novel of the same name by Rick Remender and Wesley Craig. In 1980's San Francisco, a teenage Marcus Lopez is trying to survive on the streets. His parents were killed and he just burned down the orphanage where he was staying.

Marcus is recruited to join King's Dominion. Its a top secret academy that schools its attendees in the dark arts. Instead of learning English and Algebra, the students learn poisons, martial arts, etc. Their headmaster is Master Li (played by the always wonderful Benedict Wong). He doesnt put up with any crap. Pass a note during class and you just might get you nose broken.

We are introduced to a number of Marcus' fellow students. They are divided into cliques based on their parents' criminal background:

Kuroki- Saya (played by Lana Condor)
Soto Vatos- Maria (played by María Gabriela de Faría) and her very jealous ex boyfriend Chico
Preppies- Kids of CIA/FBI agents.
Dixie Mob- Neo Nazis
Final World Order (FWO)- Willie (played by Luke Tennie)
Unaffiliated- everyone like Marcus (played Benjamin Wadsworth) who isnt in another group. This includes Billy and Petra.

Grade: 3 1/2 Monsters (out of 5). I have mixed feeling thus far. The soundtrack and fight scenes are fun. The premise that "some people deserve to die" is an interesting one. But right now I'm not emotionally invested in any of the characters. Hopefully that will change over time. Pilots are extremely rough to pull off well since the show's universe and main characters have to be quickly established. I'll reserve judgment on "Deadly Class" until I've seen a few more episodes. Hopefully the action will pick up soon.