Longstreet (TV, 1971)

Lee’s four-episode arc on the ABC detective series gives us the most unvarnished look at his philosophy of any performance. As Li Tsung, he verbally articulates Jeet Kune Do’s core concepts—like being like water and yielding to overcome force—making this a documentary of his mind in action. Airing in 1971, it predates and arguably outperforms #2 (Enter the Dragon) as a pure, unscripted treatise on his fighting art. Notably, the scripts used 90% of Lee’s actual lesson content, a fidelity unmatched by his film roles, and the blind detective trope grounds the teaching in a uniquely visceral demonstration.