While the storyline plods along, the characterization is strong, especially with regard to Alfre Woodard's breakout role. She reminds us of what the complexity of a villain looks like, and she explores every part of what it means to be filled with avarice, love, desire, intelligence, and hate. She makes this show better for its unsure plot at times.
415 Reviews
From Great to Acceptable
Murder-Meatball16 October 2016
Luke Cage starts off great with a strong classic noire vibe in a modern coat of paint. A strong cast creates a powerful atmosphere and tone that draws you in. Mike Colter clearly looks the part of an indestructible giant and plays Luke Cage in a somber and traditional "tormented, silent protagonist" kind of way, but it is the surrounding cast that truly brings out this jewel: Simone Missick as the honest officer from the street, Mahershala Ali as the tormented gang leader, Frank Whaley as the smart mouth sidekick cop, Alfre Woodard as the congresswoman stuck in both the future and the past, Frankie Faison as the mentor and spot of light in the dark.
Sadly as the story progresses through the season and especially about half way through with some major shake up of the status quo, much of the great character nuances and complex relationships that had started to develop were taken in a very different direction and new characters were given more screen time. This I think was a mistake; not only because in its current iteration replaced focus of interesting characters and arcs with something very straight forward and boring, but also because it happened so soon in the series.
Such a significant shake up would have been much more suitable for a season finally and with a second season dealing with the fallout and changing landscape for our cast to traverse, not as a throw in at the half way mark.
All in all the first half of the series was a clear 8 for me and the second half about a 6 so on average it comes out a 7, Good, but not a must watch.
Sadly as the story progresses through the season and especially about half way through with some major shake up of the status quo, much of the great character nuances and complex relationships that had started to develop were taken in a very different direction and new characters were given more screen time. This I think was a mistake; not only because in its current iteration replaced focus of interesting characters and arcs with something very straight forward and boring, but also because it happened so soon in the series.
Such a significant shake up would have been much more suitable for a season finally and with a second season dealing with the fallout and changing landscape for our cast to traverse, not as a throw in at the half way mark.
All in all the first half of the series was a clear 8 for me and the second half about a 6 so on average it comes out a 7, Good, but not a must watch.
great character and actor
SnoopyStyle14 November 2018
Luke Cage (Mike Colter) received superpowers when he was experimented on in a private prison. He has super strength and impenetrable skin. He returns to his Harlem neighborhood to fight local crime lord Cottonmouth (Mahershala Ali) and other villains. Misty Knight (Simone Missick) is a police detective fighting for justice.
I really like Mike Colter and I really like the character of Luke Cage. The show does struggle to maintain story flow over the full 13 episode seasons. Nevertheless, it delivers quite a good punch in the Netflix Marvel Universal. Colter is able to maintain narrative drive all by himself. He is a compelling character and I hope he stays in the Marvel universe despite the cancellation due to the pending Netflix Marvel streaming war.
I really like Mike Colter and I really like the character of Luke Cage. The show does struggle to maintain story flow over the full 13 episode seasons. Nevertheless, it delivers quite a good punch in the Netflix Marvel Universal. Colter is able to maintain narrative drive all by himself. He is a compelling character and I hope he stays in the Marvel universe despite the cancellation due to the pending Netflix Marvel streaming war.
Luke cage
tyceadams28 July 2022
Luke cage was pretty decent, I would say it's action, a lot of really cool scenes, some episodes and scenes were a bit boring, some episodes can be a bit slow too, but most episodes were good, it wasn't the best show ever but it's still a good one, I still enjoyed the show.
Bring this back!
Rob133129 September 2022
As a huge fan of Marvel I'm a little biased because I pretty much like everything they put out. My bias aside, Luke Cage is terrific! If you don't believe me just read through the reviews here and look at the ratings. Even the critics loved this show. It's about a fugitive who gets super strength after an experiment goes wrong. He moves back home to Harlem to try to rebuild his life and make his home a safe place from all the terrible people try to take over. Now that it's on Disney plus maybe they can bring him back. They've already started to bring back others and recently renewed Daredevil so there's still hope. At least bring him back into the MCU somehow. If you're a Marvel fan then this is a must watch!
Expected More
creashun-002756 October 2016
There's a lot to say about this series but I think the most obvious is how underwhelming the main character is. Colter comes off as rejected, docile, and often simple. There's background of him being a former cop but his intellect as Luke Cage seems far too simple for any skills of the sort. That along with the monotonous tone he takes throughout each episode really diminishes the character. The supporting cast works well and they are engaging and entertaining; especially Cottonmouth. The musical cameos are great as well and remind me of the old New York Undercover TV series when every episode featured someone new in the background. My only complaint is Luke Cage himself.. in the comics he was an active and athletic guy that didn't walk around in hoodies all of the time speaking with his "inside voice." This is like Luke Cage on Ritalin.
Not quite as good as Daredevil or The Punisher but still pretty good!
Supermanfan-1313 December 2020
While Luke Cage is not quite as good as The Punisher or Daredevil, it's still a very good, action packed show that is absolutely worth watching! It's another Netflix Marvel show that is outstanding. It's just too bad that they had to part ways because I loved all 5 of their shows, some more than others but all still good. Mike Colter was terrific as Luke Cage!
Could be so much more
HonestOpinionGuy4 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Mike Colter is such a great cast for Luke Cage.
Bushmaster in S2 was a fantastic villain, one of the best mcu villains in my opinion.
Sadly the ending of season 2 ruins the whole character of Luke Cage and the show. It feels like they tried to set up a really terrible idea for season 3, in which Luke get corrupted / in conflict with his decisions. So basically a childish story we have seen all the time.
Just Kill the end of season 2, let him burn the building and move into the mcu! And don't forget pops barber shop and the new owner. Mike Colter with a new Iron Fist would be a really cool add to the mcu. I am giving this 7 star just because of the Luke Cage, Bushmaster and the Soundtrack.
Bushmaster in S2 was a fantastic villain, one of the best mcu villains in my opinion.
Sadly the ending of season 2 ruins the whole character of Luke Cage and the show. It feels like they tried to set up a really terrible idea for season 3, in which Luke get corrupted / in conflict with his decisions. So basically a childish story we have seen all the time.
Just Kill the end of season 2, let him burn the building and move into the mcu! And don't forget pops barber shop and the new owner. Mike Colter with a new Iron Fist would be a really cool add to the mcu. I am giving this 7 star just because of the Luke Cage, Bushmaster and the Soundtrack.
Season 2 redeemed the show
snowyprecipice25 June 2018
First season was messy, a little boring and a little unwatchable. Season two was solid and the characters were amazing. The development of Mariah, Hernan and Tilda were amazing! Extra props to Hernan; he was absolutely amazing to watch. Luke's small conflict suited him; he didn't need a big losing-himself-and-finding-himself arc - that was well done. Even the Jamaican dude was well done. Loved Danny's cameo!
(The ending, though.. what the hell lol)
(The ending, though.. what the hell lol)
Amazing, as expected
xpythonxx3 October 2016
As a fan of old school hip-hop, the music Easter eggs and cameos made the show a great pleasure to watch. The first thing I noticed when I saw the episode names was that they were all named after songs by Gang Starr. This got me hooked even before watching. I am not just basing this review on personal bias toward the music, but on the story told. This show takes place in an area that Daredevil and Jessica Jones have never been to; Harlem. With this new area comes new criminals and villains introduced into the MCU. There are many character with different backgrounds and stories that give the show an insight into the mind state of the people. Marvel, once again, has made a show with a great story, characters, and and overall get viewers hooked and satisfied. If you consider yourself a fan of the MCU, this is a must-watch. Hopefully this review was helpful and if you are planning on watch the show, hopefully you enjoy it as much as I did.
All the elements of the defenders are great
sbagatelli123 October 2018
Not sure why so many people are down on Luke Cage and Iron Fist, but if I were to rate the different series, I would rate Jessica Jones as my least favorite, although I found season 2 to be so much better than season 1. Keep them all going strong.
Dark Chocolate: Sweet and Bitter
elementcraft813 December 2016
Warning: Spoilers
I love the emphasis on black culture and I love the main character, Luke Cage.
That's about all I like.
The series tries to shock you with twists, but instead they are just plot points that either don't belong or have no explanation. Some reasons with spoilers left at the bottom.
Luke Cage in the comics is supposed to be Hero for Hire. In this rendition, he avoids being a hero at all costs.
Jessica Jones tried to spice things up with a sex scene every other episode. In this series, the opening episode had a sex scene but then nothing after that. I don't know which is worse. The motivation for this sex scene was extremely poor and it did not reflect the rest of the series. It was a terrible hook for audiences who like to watch strangers have sex to get into the series.
SPOILERS Let's start with Clair Temple, the nurse from Hell's Kitchen. She was a romantic interest for Matt Murdock in Daredevil, but distanced herself from him because she couldn't handle his violent and bloody hobby of saving the city which could leave him in tatters. What does she do when she meets Luke Cage? She immediately pressures him to be a hero and do dangerous things, even becoming a side kick. Aw, man, and her line at the final fight scene? "Remember who you are." THAT CAME FROM NOWHERE! I CRINGED.
Final villain: half brother, Diamondback. Best friend to Luke Cage his whole life until suddenly... not. Terrible motivation and excessive vendetta. Weak character they tried to make really creepy.
Script writing was sometimes terrible. Events and conversations were forced. You could tell the writers wanted something to go somewhere or to flash a character as a foreshadowing, but didn't know how to make it work, so they just wedged a blunt action or comment in there. For example, when a stooge reports to Cottonmouth while his cousin is on the second floor--before Cottonmouth uses the rocket launcher. His cousin is listening in on the conversation, which she has no part of, from another floor. At the end of it, everyone walks away and she shouts from the upper floor, "I don't want to know, just get it done!" or something like that.\ No one was talking to her. No one wanted to fill her in on anything. They left to take care of business. And yet she says this stupid comment. The writers just wanted to make her look precariously authoritative over Cottonmouth as a foreshadowing. But it was awful.
Besides that, the story went from episode to episode as if they didn't know where the writers were going--almost as if they had different people in charge of each episode who barely talked to each other. It was tough.
I love marvel. I love Luke Cage! But this series was bad.
That's about all I like.
The series tries to shock you with twists, but instead they are just plot points that either don't belong or have no explanation. Some reasons with spoilers left at the bottom.
Luke Cage in the comics is supposed to be Hero for Hire. In this rendition, he avoids being a hero at all costs.
Jessica Jones tried to spice things up with a sex scene every other episode. In this series, the opening episode had a sex scene but then nothing after that. I don't know which is worse. The motivation for this sex scene was extremely poor and it did not reflect the rest of the series. It was a terrible hook for audiences who like to watch strangers have sex to get into the series.
SPOILERS Let's start with Clair Temple, the nurse from Hell's Kitchen. She was a romantic interest for Matt Murdock in Daredevil, but distanced herself from him because she couldn't handle his violent and bloody hobby of saving the city which could leave him in tatters. What does she do when she meets Luke Cage? She immediately pressures him to be a hero and do dangerous things, even becoming a side kick. Aw, man, and her line at the final fight scene? "Remember who you are." THAT CAME FROM NOWHERE! I CRINGED.
Final villain: half brother, Diamondback. Best friend to Luke Cage his whole life until suddenly... not. Terrible motivation and excessive vendetta. Weak character they tried to make really creepy.
Script writing was sometimes terrible. Events and conversations were forced. You could tell the writers wanted something to go somewhere or to flash a character as a foreshadowing, but didn't know how to make it work, so they just wedged a blunt action or comment in there. For example, when a stooge reports to Cottonmouth while his cousin is on the second floor--before Cottonmouth uses the rocket launcher. His cousin is listening in on the conversation, which she has no part of, from another floor. At the end of it, everyone walks away and she shouts from the upper floor, "I don't want to know, just get it done!" or something like that.\ No one was talking to her. No one wanted to fill her in on anything. They left to take care of business. And yet she says this stupid comment. The writers just wanted to make her look precariously authoritative over Cottonmouth as a foreshadowing. But it was awful.
Besides that, the story went from episode to episode as if they didn't know where the writers were going--almost as if they had different people in charge of each episode who barely talked to each other. It was tough.
I love marvel. I love Luke Cage! But this series was bad.
Luke Cage Hits Like a 90lb Creampuff
hyperiontitanj2 October 2016
I was looking forward to this more so than the other Marvel Netflix shows, but Luke Cage is easily the weakest of the bunch.
The show improves throughout its run, but it really only picks up over the last few episodes. The story is not compelling, the acting is troublesome at times (mostly early on), and Cage's story arc and motivation (or lack thereof) leaves much to be desired for most of the first season. At times it's hard to believe he's the same character who first appeared in Jessica Jones.
The biggest issue is the tedium. The director appears to have a problem with story telling, but the real issue is there just isn't enough material to fill each episode. Every hour drags on and on. It's awkwardly punctuating by musical numbers that will not be appealing to most viewers with frequent cuts back and forth which simply interrupt the consequential moments of each episode instead of accentuating them.
The villains are too weak for the season to drag on as it did. Cage is very overpowered in this series (far more powerful than in Jessica Jones) and there's no plausible reason he doesn't mop things up by the end of the first few episodes. To account for this, much of the show is filler. Some of the reviews I've seen remark how much character development there is on the supporting cast as one of the show's strengths. Honestly, it seems to be a glaring weakness. Not only is this too, filler, the character development is poor. It not only doesn't explain who these people really are and in fact detracts from the characters as you see how weak and ineffectual the rest of the cast is.
In reality, Cage could have pimp slapped the villain out of Harlem at any point in the entire series and they could have moved on to a new and better story line.
The show improves throughout its run, but it really only picks up over the last few episodes. The story is not compelling, the acting is troublesome at times (mostly early on), and Cage's story arc and motivation (or lack thereof) leaves much to be desired for most of the first season. At times it's hard to believe he's the same character who first appeared in Jessica Jones.
The biggest issue is the tedium. The director appears to have a problem with story telling, but the real issue is there just isn't enough material to fill each episode. Every hour drags on and on. It's awkwardly punctuating by musical numbers that will not be appealing to most viewers with frequent cuts back and forth which simply interrupt the consequential moments of each episode instead of accentuating them.
The villains are too weak for the season to drag on as it did. Cage is very overpowered in this series (far more powerful than in Jessica Jones) and there's no plausible reason he doesn't mop things up by the end of the first few episodes. To account for this, much of the show is filler. Some of the reviews I've seen remark how much character development there is on the supporting cast as one of the show's strengths. Honestly, it seems to be a glaring weakness. Not only is this too, filler, the character development is poor. It not only doesn't explain who these people really are and in fact detracts from the characters as you see how weak and ineffectual the rest of the cast is.
In reality, Cage could have pimp slapped the villain out of Harlem at any point in the entire series and they could have moved on to a new and better story line.
Woo hoo! No racial bias!
rsvp32128 June 2018
This series is model for how to do a cultural show without alienating any group.
Unlike pathetic and ruined shows like DC's "Black Lightening", and Marvel's two other loser super power series, "Impulse", and "Cloak and Dagger", Luke Cage writers don't hatefully target/blame any specific group, or whine about any snowflake social pc issues. It's just brilliant action and a smooth plot.
Extremely enjoyable to watch, Season 2 better than 1, I've upped my rate from a 6 to an 8.
I just hope there's not another two years to get Season 3!
Unlike pathetic and ruined shows like DC's "Black Lightening", and Marvel's two other loser super power series, "Impulse", and "Cloak and Dagger", Luke Cage writers don't hatefully target/blame any specific group, or whine about any snowflake social pc issues. It's just brilliant action and a smooth plot.
Extremely enjoyable to watch, Season 2 better than 1, I've upped my rate from a 6 to an 8.
I just hope there's not another two years to get Season 3!
What is everyone whining about?
sheafjoe21 October 2016
There is a cancer in our society and that is people who thing they are superior for not liking something. Sure this show may have its flaws, but it does EXACTLY what it is set out to do. Entertain. Not every show is going to be perfect, but if you go into a show just looking for everything wrong with it, of course you are going to have a bad time. Granted, I watched the first episode and I thought it was a bit slow, the second episode picked up that a little and then, the third episode hit, I was so excited for everything else that the show had in store for me. Do not guide yourself by the negative reviews, they were obviously expecting way to much, probably by the hype the trailer generated. This is a very awesome show and if you stick with it, you are definitely going to have an amazing time watching it. It has plenty of action, while not getting bogged down by too much explosions and fight scenes to keep people entertained. Most people will give some lame excuse to give this show a low rating and I disagree. I just want to say I had a blast, I was smiling, I was tense, I was having so much fun with this and I can't wait to see every other season that they make.
Season 2
hazzahamnwardy30 November 2018
Warning: Spoilers
This season is amazing, definitely surpasses the first season for me, and the best season of any of the Netflix marvel shows. This season, you need to watch The Defenders to understand what is going on, but that's fine because The Defenders is great. This season shows Luke Cage slowly turning into a antagonist, I was confused who the villain was this season, because Luke was being very violent, abusive to Claire, so thats why she left, which I thought was a good decision, because it shows Luke without the person he loves the most, which was great because then he was left with his dad instead. A character that I have to talk about is Bushmaster, he is by far the best villain of the Netflix marvel shows, maybe even the MCU. He made me feel sympathetic for him, which is what makes a good villain. Now, let's talk about the other villain, Mariah. She is a horrible person, she is turned into the thing that Cottonmouth said she would turn into, "Black Mariah", when she is on screen, you could be excited, scared, interested with what she has to say. She is a great villain and character in this series. Now let's talk about Shades, in the first season I could care less about Shades, I thought that he was a character that is there to expand Mariah's ark, but in this season he is a awesome character, he is by far in the top 5 characters of the Marvel Netflix shows, this season gave him redemption, to help Harlem, and stop Mariah, which is what he does. Some side characters were fine, like Shade's friend that he has to kill, which expands Shades ark. Tilda (Mariah's daughter) was good, had some good scenes, but is there to show Mariah that her family doesn't want her anymore, which also involves Shades as well. Overall, a fantastic season, the best season of any Netflix Marvel show, so I will give it a 9.5/10, hard to top, fantastic
Gold Standard
sgichuhi30 September 2016
First of all don't go in excepting something like Thor,grow up.Daredevil and Jessica Jones already established they are willing to go places the Marvel movies dare not go.They got that quality storytelling and intrigue like Game Of Thrones. but more accurately with Luke Cage.I'll compare it to the greatest show ever made.. The Wire.
Luke Cage takes you to the heart and soul of Harlem and music.Everything is top notch from the acting to the characters to the action. The dialogue sounds straight out of a Quentin Tarantino movie with them discussing whose better between Bruce Lee and Jet Li & Many other pop culture reference.There is some social and political commentary too.This show better get all the Emmy awards that can be thrown at it. What I like about the Marvel Netflix shows is how each one feels different from the rest.The theme of hope makes Luke Cage stand out.Did I also mention this is the most diverse show on television,Asians Whites,Latinas & Of course blacks.
Now I love most Netflix shows especially the creme like House Of Cards,Narcos,Daredevil,Master Of None,Jessica Jones, Stranger Things etc but as far as first seasons go Luke Cage is the Gold Standard.
Luke Cage takes you to the heart and soul of Harlem and music.Everything is top notch from the acting to the characters to the action. The dialogue sounds straight out of a Quentin Tarantino movie with them discussing whose better between Bruce Lee and Jet Li & Many other pop culture reference.There is some social and political commentary too.This show better get all the Emmy awards that can be thrown at it. What I like about the Marvel Netflix shows is how each one feels different from the rest.The theme of hope makes Luke Cage stand out.Did I also mention this is the most diverse show on television,Asians Whites,Latinas & Of course blacks.
Now I love most Netflix shows especially the creme like House Of Cards,Narcos,Daredevil,Master Of None,Jessica Jones, Stranger Things etc but as far as first seasons go Luke Cage is the Gold Standard.
Awesome!
jaimefaye-4593527 June 2018
These folks saying that Luke Cage is less than incredible are either morons or completely insane. It's not supposed to be big screen quality. This is blacksploitation at its finest. Season 2's soundtrack is absolutely breathtaking. All of my favorite reggae musicians in one place! I didn't think Mariah would be able to be as evil as Cottonmouth, but she brings her own brand of brutality to the show. Netflix handles the minor Marvel characters very well.
It's good
shana-wells5 March 2019
As excellent as I hoped it would be.
Colin00011 October 2016
After being thrilled by Daredevil, and also enjoying the Jessica Jones series, I headed for a binge session of Luke Cage with some trepidation. I thought it very possible, that like Suicide Squad, and Batman vs Superman, the hype could have been too much. It wasn't. In fact, the series isn't hyped enough.
Setting the stage for this series, the feeling of the authenticity of a black community had to be explored, and this was done via two vehicles - the music and the barbershop. The barbershop was a focal point for reflection. Most of the action happened away from there. There were references to real life events of Harlem, so even though the series championed always going forwards, it also looked back.
Because there were so many characters, it was impossible to flesh all of them out. But with the important ones, layers revealed more of each person's journey. This was done quite well, although some characters did seem a bit too one-dimensional for my preference.
The action was good, but in some episodes it was a little sparse, and in one or two episodes, it seemed there was hardly time to for me to make a coffee, before a jump to another conflict. So the pacing was not even, but it was certainly acceptable.
Rosario Dawson brings a tension to the series and the personal interplay is something that I liked a lot. She was my third favourite actor in the series. Alfre Woodard was just superb. It was easy to love her, and to hate her. Her performance was the best in the series. However, Alfre Woodard was my second favourite. But Mike Coulter was truly amazing. He upped his game from Jessica Jones to be the full lead, and he was brilliant. His character of Luke Cage was played at a perfect pitch. Strong yet hesitant, disinterested and disenfranchised, he changed to become what people were secretly hoping for.
Sadly, none of his enemies were strong enough in my opinion. Even though its known that he is not as strong as Spiderman, and is not fast, he does need enemies that define him more. I think these may have to be created from scratch, as his historic enemies from the comic are not the challenge that he really needs.
I have read other reviews of this series, and those that don't seem to like it, seem to be the same people that anonymously call black people *Harambe* on Twitter. If you're black, you will probably love this. If you have black fiends that you view as equals, you will probably love this. If you think BLM is evil, and most black people want handouts, and deserve to be shot without question by the police, then you will not like this TV series at all - too many black people. Its paints a positive picture of black people, as rounded, whole and secure. Some people will react badly to that, no matter what.
For the rest of we TV superhero fans, its one of the best things ever! Bring on series 2.
Setting the stage for this series, the feeling of the authenticity of a black community had to be explored, and this was done via two vehicles - the music and the barbershop. The barbershop was a focal point for reflection. Most of the action happened away from there. There were references to real life events of Harlem, so even though the series championed always going forwards, it also looked back.
Because there were so many characters, it was impossible to flesh all of them out. But with the important ones, layers revealed more of each person's journey. This was done quite well, although some characters did seem a bit too one-dimensional for my preference.
The action was good, but in some episodes it was a little sparse, and in one or two episodes, it seemed there was hardly time to for me to make a coffee, before a jump to another conflict. So the pacing was not even, but it was certainly acceptable.
Rosario Dawson brings a tension to the series and the personal interplay is something that I liked a lot. She was my third favourite actor in the series. Alfre Woodard was just superb. It was easy to love her, and to hate her. Her performance was the best in the series. However, Alfre Woodard was my second favourite. But Mike Coulter was truly amazing. He upped his game from Jessica Jones to be the full lead, and he was brilliant. His character of Luke Cage was played at a perfect pitch. Strong yet hesitant, disinterested and disenfranchised, he changed to become what people were secretly hoping for.
Sadly, none of his enemies were strong enough in my opinion. Even though its known that he is not as strong as Spiderman, and is not fast, he does need enemies that define him more. I think these may have to be created from scratch, as his historic enemies from the comic are not the challenge that he really needs.
I have read other reviews of this series, and those that don't seem to like it, seem to be the same people that anonymously call black people *Harambe* on Twitter. If you're black, you will probably love this. If you have black fiends that you view as equals, you will probably love this. If you think BLM is evil, and most black people want handouts, and deserve to be shot without question by the police, then you will not like this TV series at all - too many black people. Its paints a positive picture of black people, as rounded, whole and secure. Some people will react badly to that, no matter what.
For the rest of we TV superhero fans, its one of the best things ever! Bring on series 2.
"We can't have guys like me running around on every corner". - Luke Cage to Claire Temple, episode #1.9
classicsoncall14 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
The character of Luke Cage burst upon the comic book scene in June, 1972 with the publication of Marvel's 'Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1'. It was renamed 'Luke Cage, Power Man' with the 17th issue, and had a forty nine issue run as a sole adventure, super-hero title until the character's teaming with Iron Fist in 'Power Man and Iron Fist #50'. From there, Luke Cage was incorporated into other Marvel titles and team-ups, after becoming the first black superhero to be featured as the protagonist and title character of a comic book. Luke Cage had a significant impact on a comic book fan who eventually became an actor, who wanted to make it on his own instead of relying on his family name. That's how Nicholas Coppola became Nicolas Cage.
I'm only just getting around to this program, having never read the series back in the Seventies, though it appears to find it's story line from the pages of the comic like all the other Marvel based super-hero shows from Netflix. I found the program to be fairly compelling over it's first season run of thirteen episodes. It has an almost entirely black cast, with characters that appeared in other series, like nurse Claire Temple (Rosario Dawson) from 'Daredevil' and a single appearance in 'Jessica Jones'; and Detective Misty Knight (Simone Missick) from the 'Iron Fist' series. For this viewer, that's what makes these shows all the more interesting, never knowing who or when they will pop up in the story line.
The program has more than it's share of villains, as Luke Cage attempts to bring law and order to the streets of Harlem, often times running afoul of the police when his enemies conspire to frame him for crimes he didn't commit. That's part of the major story line in the second half of season one, when the murder of Harlem Paradise nightclub owner Cornell 'Cottonmouth' Stokes (Mahershala Ali) is staged to make it look like Luke was involved. Luke, who's body is invulnerable to things like mere bullets, and who has super human strength due to a medical experiment gone awry, has to use his street smarts and the aid of loyal friends to counter the attacks of his enemies. Probably the most irritating thing about the first season story is how Councilwoman Mariah Dillard (Alfre Woodard) constantly avoids being nailed for her involvement in the Stokes murder and the illicit drug trafficking in her Harlem district.
One thing I've been keeping an eye on in these Marvel/Netflix series is the possibility of catching Marvel comic book legend Stan Lee in a cameo or bit part. Unsuccessful so far with Daredevil, Jessica Jones and Iron Fist, I think I finally caught his likeness on a storefront poster in Episode #1.12, where he asks neighborhood citizens if they 'See a Crime, Report It'. It's around the 17:32 mark if you want to check it out. I might be wrong but I want to believe Lee made an appearance here, if only on paper.
I'm only just getting around to this program, having never read the series back in the Seventies, though it appears to find it's story line from the pages of the comic like all the other Marvel based super-hero shows from Netflix. I found the program to be fairly compelling over it's first season run of thirteen episodes. It has an almost entirely black cast, with characters that appeared in other series, like nurse Claire Temple (Rosario Dawson) from 'Daredevil' and a single appearance in 'Jessica Jones'; and Detective Misty Knight (Simone Missick) from the 'Iron Fist' series. For this viewer, that's what makes these shows all the more interesting, never knowing who or when they will pop up in the story line.
The program has more than it's share of villains, as Luke Cage attempts to bring law and order to the streets of Harlem, often times running afoul of the police when his enemies conspire to frame him for crimes he didn't commit. That's part of the major story line in the second half of season one, when the murder of Harlem Paradise nightclub owner Cornell 'Cottonmouth' Stokes (Mahershala Ali) is staged to make it look like Luke was involved. Luke, who's body is invulnerable to things like mere bullets, and who has super human strength due to a medical experiment gone awry, has to use his street smarts and the aid of loyal friends to counter the attacks of his enemies. Probably the most irritating thing about the first season story is how Councilwoman Mariah Dillard (Alfre Woodard) constantly avoids being nailed for her involvement in the Stokes murder and the illicit drug trafficking in her Harlem district.
One thing I've been keeping an eye on in these Marvel/Netflix series is the possibility of catching Marvel comic book legend Stan Lee in a cameo or bit part. Unsuccessful so far with Daredevil, Jessica Jones and Iron Fist, I think I finally caught his likeness on a storefront poster in Episode #1.12, where he asks neighborhood citizens if they 'See a Crime, Report It'. It's around the 17:32 mark if you want to check it out. I might be wrong but I want to believe Lee made an appearance here, if only on paper.
Season 2 Sweet Christmas or Sweet Molasses? Stay with it, there's a payoff.
intrepidami4 July 2018
Gosh sometimes episodes are a slow burn. Lots of heavy dialogue in-between any action. Especially in the first 8 episodes or so. We get endless conversations. And because everybody is trying to win a writing Emmy which is fine, it's almost the superhero equivalent of My Dinner with Andre.
Then something wonderful happened! You were rewarded for your perseverance, those last episodes were...FANTASTIC. There was a shift and it all started to make sense. You understood Bushmasters motivations. Certain people got back stories, bad person good person role reversals occurred. It might still be happening.
You had to pay attention. But this was Godfather in Harlem level stuff. It really took a quality spike upward. They wrapped it up and had you wondering where it's going to go next.
Then something wonderful happened! You were rewarded for your perseverance, those last episodes were...FANTASTIC. There was a shift and it all started to make sense. You understood Bushmasters motivations. Certain people got back stories, bad person good person role reversals occurred. It might still be happening.
You had to pay attention. But this was Godfather in Harlem level stuff. It really took a quality spike upward. They wrapped it up and had you wondering where it's going to go next.
Sweet Sweetbacks Badass Christmas
southdavid25 October 2018
Now the show is seemingly cancelled, though the future of the characters is still to be decided, I thought I'd submit my opinion on the two seasons of "Luke Cage" that Netflix has provided.
So what has worked? The actors and character have been pretty much universally excellent. There is one notable exception that I'll come back too. Mike Colter is great in the title role, no longer mourning his wife (in fact she's barely spoken of) he's free to become Harlem's hero - whilst his bond with Clare (ever excellent Rosario Dawson) grows. Though his relationship with the police is complicated, he usually finds a willing confidante in Misty Knight (Simone Missick) who also becomes a player outside the confines of just this series. Whilst it's hard to say whether the Harlem of "Luke Cage" is authentic, looking at it from the other side of the planet, it feels perilous and alive. Like a lot of superhero films and shows, it's often the villain that defines its success and whilst not as good as either Kingpin, in Daredevil, or as entertaining as Killgrave in Jessica Jones - Luke does have a few good ones. Mahershala Ali plays gangster and club owner Cottonmouth in the first season, and gives the type of performance his talent usually provides. The second season switches to the Yardies as the antagonists and Mustafa Shakir is enjoyable as Bushmaster, aggrieved leader of the group. Though Cage's most constant villain is probably his best, Alfre Woodard gives a stellar performance across two seasons as Mariah Dillard, at the start a politician trying to cut the ties of her families sordid past (and present) but by then end a coldblooded murderer and head honcho. I suspect it'll be ignored come awards season, as it's "genre" TV but it'll be a serious overlook.
Now the problems. Midway through the first season, Cottonmouth is replaced as the villain by the much less compelling Diamondback (Erik Harvey). It's not a total death knell for the season, but it's a significant downgrade that hamstrings what's left. It's perhaps a symptom of the desire to make each of these seasons' 13 episodes, whether or not the story actually warrants that much time. I'm not sure why they have that, Netflix has that perfect system that should allow them to make as many variations on seasons as they see fit. A proper season of six episodes, followed by another one of seven a few months later would be fine, when you don't have to worry about scheduling and advertising, but instead both full seasons we got include quite a large degree of repetition in order to fill the desired run time and, specifically to the case a "Luke Cage" the gang of criminals that inexplicably believe that theirs are the bullets that are going to be the ones to kill him, despite him being famous across the borough, if not the city, for being bulletproof. The musical numbers too, though often great performers are another indulgence that betrays the padding nature of much of it.
I hope there's more "Luke Cage" in one form or another as Mike Colter charismatic turn deserves it and the story is left an interesting point, but what we've had is an decent show and even if I does end at the climax of the second season one that's just about worthy of the time investment.
So what has worked? The actors and character have been pretty much universally excellent. There is one notable exception that I'll come back too. Mike Colter is great in the title role, no longer mourning his wife (in fact she's barely spoken of) he's free to become Harlem's hero - whilst his bond with Clare (ever excellent Rosario Dawson) grows. Though his relationship with the police is complicated, he usually finds a willing confidante in Misty Knight (Simone Missick) who also becomes a player outside the confines of just this series. Whilst it's hard to say whether the Harlem of "Luke Cage" is authentic, looking at it from the other side of the planet, it feels perilous and alive. Like a lot of superhero films and shows, it's often the villain that defines its success and whilst not as good as either Kingpin, in Daredevil, or as entertaining as Killgrave in Jessica Jones - Luke does have a few good ones. Mahershala Ali plays gangster and club owner Cottonmouth in the first season, and gives the type of performance his talent usually provides. The second season switches to the Yardies as the antagonists and Mustafa Shakir is enjoyable as Bushmaster, aggrieved leader of the group. Though Cage's most constant villain is probably his best, Alfre Woodard gives a stellar performance across two seasons as Mariah Dillard, at the start a politician trying to cut the ties of her families sordid past (and present) but by then end a coldblooded murderer and head honcho. I suspect it'll be ignored come awards season, as it's "genre" TV but it'll be a serious overlook.
Now the problems. Midway through the first season, Cottonmouth is replaced as the villain by the much less compelling Diamondback (Erik Harvey). It's not a total death knell for the season, but it's a significant downgrade that hamstrings what's left. It's perhaps a symptom of the desire to make each of these seasons' 13 episodes, whether or not the story actually warrants that much time. I'm not sure why they have that, Netflix has that perfect system that should allow them to make as many variations on seasons as they see fit. A proper season of six episodes, followed by another one of seven a few months later would be fine, when you don't have to worry about scheduling and advertising, but instead both full seasons we got include quite a large degree of repetition in order to fill the desired run time and, specifically to the case a "Luke Cage" the gang of criminals that inexplicably believe that theirs are the bullets that are going to be the ones to kill him, despite him being famous across the borough, if not the city, for being bulletproof. The musical numbers too, though often great performers are another indulgence that betrays the padding nature of much of it.
I hope there's more "Luke Cage" in one form or another as Mike Colter charismatic turn deserves it and the story is left an interesting point, but what we've had is an decent show and even if I does end at the climax of the second season one that's just about worthy of the time investment.
Story could be shown in 2 hours instead of 13 and plot holes everywhere
sebmaul1 October 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Started very slow for a marvel series but the setting and most of the cast were promising better episodes.
Instead the story remains very weak and after a little highlight with the unexpected death of cottonmouth i hoped that the series will now change in regard to the main villain diamondback.
Instead my expectations were not even met and it absolutely turned into an unlogical mess.
Nearly not a single action of the main characters makes any sense and there were so many plot holes that they couldn't be counted.
The old superman issue of invulnerability was again solved with a special weakness element which then of course develops to a very common ammunition for everyone to create more tense in lukes battles but absolutely fails.
Instead the story remains very weak and after a little highlight with the unexpected death of cottonmouth i hoped that the series will now change in regard to the main villain diamondback.
Instead my expectations were not even met and it absolutely turned into an unlogical mess.
Nearly not a single action of the main characters makes any sense and there were so many plot holes that they couldn't be counted.
The old superman issue of invulnerability was again solved with a special weakness element which then of course develops to a very common ammunition for everyone to create more tense in lukes battles but absolutely fails.
The Magic Bullett
tigertrainer20 July 2017
Warning: Spoilers
SPOILERS OK so maybe not the best of the Defenders related series but reasonable popcorn eating fare. But then the Acid Bath Scene with the Mad Scientist had me wondering if the writers had just given up.
To be clear: Cage has been shot twice by exploding JUDAS bullets. Once in the left side gut & then in the right side shoulder.
Claire couldn't remove the fragments, which were moving deeper towards his "organs", cos his skin to too tough.
So off they go to find Seagate's ex Mad Scientist to see if could help. Using the convenient Ultrasound gadget Claire is able to remove 3 fragments from Cage's shoulder wound, which has softened thanks to the Acid bath & some MSG. Job Done? Cage emerges directly from the tank. But wait what about the 1st gut shot? Maybe the acid ate that one? A Magic Bullett?
That was pretty poor and sadly the remainder of the series just went down hill from there. In the final wash Mad Scientist is now miraculously treating Stryker under police guard. The only thing Missing was Prince singing Acid Rain Purple Rain.
To be clear: Cage has been shot twice by exploding JUDAS bullets. Once in the left side gut & then in the right side shoulder.
Claire couldn't remove the fragments, which were moving deeper towards his "organs", cos his skin to too tough.
So off they go to find Seagate's ex Mad Scientist to see if could help. Using the convenient Ultrasound gadget Claire is able to remove 3 fragments from Cage's shoulder wound, which has softened thanks to the Acid bath & some MSG. Job Done? Cage emerges directly from the tank. But wait what about the 1st gut shot? Maybe the acid ate that one? A Magic Bullett?
That was pretty poor and sadly the remainder of the series just went down hill from there. In the final wash Mad Scientist is now miraculously treating Stryker under police guard. The only thing Missing was Prince singing Acid Rain Purple Rain.
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