MSestrimski
6/10 2 years ago
"Daredevil" and "Jessica Jones" are both shows I love, so another acclaimed series off of Marvel & Netflix's run of shows was meant to be right up my alley. Unfortunately, "Luke Cage" left me rather lukewarm (sry for the pun). I meant to drop it after the first season, but reading some opinions online convinced to continue with the second one and finish it, and truth be told, I did enjoy the second season more, but it still had plenty of issues for me.
Pacing is the biggest enemy of LC. The 13-episode seasons never really bothered me in "Daredevil" and were not a big issue in "Jessica Jones" as I can watch Krysten Ritter be a sassy asshole all day. It's a major problem in Luke Cage though. While there aren't many flaws otherwise to speak of, the show is so slow that it's hard to watch a lot of the time. There are great moments that make this worth it, particularly in the second season, but there's a whole lot of nothing happening most of the time. If each season was half as long, I honestly think this would have been a great series, on par with the previously mentioned Marvel/Netflix series.
Luke Cage's roster of villains is a mixed bag. Cottonmouth didn't do a lot for me, but he got quite interesting towards the end. [spoiler] And then he got immediately killed off...[/spoiler] Diamondback was not good. His backstory was somewhat interesting and the general concept of his character provided potential, but what we got was an unbelievable cartoony whacko. Black Mariah manages to have some of the worst and best moments in the series. Shades is someone I liked, though I wasn't enjoying his presence for a good half of Season 2. But then there is one antagonist that throws every other villain, no, every other character, Luke Cage included, out the window - Bushmaster. A bloodthirsty, eccentric Jamaican man with a thirst for vengeance, his motives and development made him the most captivating presence on screen. Of course, Mustafa Shakir's performance cannot be understated.
More positive characters would include the titular character, portrayed by Mike Colter, who carries the role with a great deal of charisma. I have no gripes with Luke and like a lot of what the show has done to solidify him as his own superhero. Misty Knight is someone else with a very prominent role. I liked her, but do think that I was intended to be more involved in her story. Simone Missick acted well, but her performance was just too repetitive to me. Other notable characters would include recurring MCU Netflix nurse Claire Temple, whose arc in Season 2 I actively dislike and is one of my biggest dislikes of that season. [spoiler]Relationship drama that comes out of nowhere and spirals out of control like that is a superhero cliche I absolutely loathe.[/spoiler] Bobby Fish was a charming fellow. D.W. is great comic relief, but he brings a lot of heart to the story as well. Pop is a captivating person. Have to say that Luke's father contributed a lot, and that Reg E. Cathey did great at bringing the complexities of this character to life.
The action is solid, though not exceptional like in "Daredevil". Nonetheless, I never got sick of seeing some ignorant soul shoot Luke, only for the bullets to bounce off him. Then he went and dealt with thugs like they were nothing. He's quite powerful, but that never stops suspense from factoring in, whether it's a weakness he has or something that he cares about being threatened. While battling, hip hop is the most common choice of music. A lot of Wu-Tang in particular [spoiler](Method Man even makes an appearance)[/spoiler]. A big theme of Luke Cage is celebrating blackness, and while hip-hop is the dominant form of music, even in the main theme, plenty of other genres come in and out as well. Funk, blues, jazz. In fact, reggae is quite big in Season 2.
On the topic of blackness, it's only fair for the series to dive into its characters' more socially conscious roots and explore topics such as racism, gang violence, corruption and more. It takes unashamed inspiration from "The Wire", which would be clear to any fan of the drama as three actors from it appear in the first few episodes. I have to say "Luke Cage" never comes even close to the greatness of "The Wire", but I do enjoy its more laid-back approach to some of the serious topics it covers. The tone in general is quite campy, but there are times when it will get more serious and it somehow works. Focusing more on its characters is perhaps the truly progressive move, using those blaxploitation roots as a backdrop to build its world more than anything.
I grew attached to "Luke Cage", but those two 13-episode seasons were a slog to push through. I was waiting for most episodes to end, though I was glad whenever something more interesting occured. I wouldn't recommend it as a must-watch, but if you want a longer show and don't mind the slow pace, it might be worth giving a shot.
