He was an icon of cool who could take out a brawling gang of dozens. The continuing fascination with the life and teachings of Bruce Lee eclipses James Dean’s cult following and rivals that of Charlie Parker for the mystical devotion they inspired.

Continuing its commitment to cinematic martial arts begun with “Late Night Kung Fu,” Fuel TV examines the man and his legacy through the eyes of his admirers in the six-part “Bruce Lee Lives!”

As a home of mixed martial arts (MMA) and extreme sports, Fuel TV draws on many of their up-and-coming competitors for commentary. However, this is quite apt in the case of MMA, considering that Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do is considered the original form of pragmatically selected mixed martial arts disciplines, as “Bruce Lee Lives!” lucidly explains.

Kenny Florian, the only fighter to compete in four of the UFC’s seven weight divisions, is particularly eloquent in describing Lee as a personal source of motivation and a continuing influence for most of his colleagues.

Perhaps the best sequences of the first episode feature his goddaughter Diana Inosanto, who convincingly positions Lee as a pioneer of independent filmmaking as well as a martial arts innovator. In fact, his self-produced Hong Kong films arguably blazed a trail for current HK action auteurs and festival favorites, like Wong Kar-wai and Johnnie To.

Not surprisingly, “Bruce Lee Lives!” will spur many viewers to revisit Lee’s signature films as well as the surprisingly good bio-drama “Dragon: the Bruce Lee Story,” whose director, Rob Cohen, also appears as a talking head.

Of course, it is ultimately due to the charisma and mystical significance of its subject. Frankly, the series would be perfect weekend afternoon TV, but for now, it airs Wednesday nights at 10:00 p.m. EST, starting this week (7/13) on Fuel TV.

Joe Bendel writes about independent film and jazz and lives in New York. To read his most recent articles, please visit jbspins.blogspot.com.