Cloak & Dagger (2018–2019) User Reviews

I don't typically review these things.

[thewintercall · 8/10 · 8 June 2018]

As somebody who isn't typically fond of reviewing shows, I've decided I'd start giving my honest opinion in regards to the TV shows that have fanboys screeching about the content it's relevant to.

Cloak & Dagger is a perfect representation of its comic counterpart so far. I give this a solid 8/10, due to the fact the show has a perfect build up in the first two episodes, you learn who your characters are, you are able to connect with the characters, and you are able to feel as they feel, it is well deserving of so.

Cloak & Dagger is nothing like what has been seen with any Marvel TV show so far, and I appreciate that fact. Don't hop on the bandwagon of voting it low because other reviews are low. The track record for IMDB votes pre-release of something is terrible. Give your honest opinion after watching. It was a wonderful pilot.

540 reviews before show even airs. Turns out it's quite good.

[Dogtagz · 8/10 · 8 June 2018]

IMDb credibility is absolute crap. You think they'd govern their review system a little better. Like not allowing the bottom feeding internet trolls to post reviews..... until the show is actually released. I loved the pilot episode. Nice very fresh take on the source material. Used to love these comics as a kid. Great that the show is good.

Give the show a chance to develop.

[lbauer-4 · 7/10 · 9 June 2018]

OK, so there's a lot of back story to wade through, still better than just leaving us guessing. As for one reviewer's obsession with date rape drugs, get over yourself. As far back as the turn of the last century there was this think called a Mickey Finn, as in slip someone a Mickey in their drink to knock them out. And the girl's intention was to incapacitate her victim in order to rip him off, not have her way with him. The fact that you focus on that one instance says a lot more about you than about the quality of the show.

Season 2 ruining the show...

[sumtim3s00n · 17 May 2019]

Season 1 was not particularly exciting (to put it mildly) but it AT LEAST had a direction and some good scenes. Also they were supposedly learning their powers and they were learning about the past and themselves.

Now 2nd seasons here. YEAH! Kick As5! Right?

Wrong. Its some psychedelic, dream, different dimensions nonsense that keeps going in circle, and is a total and utter bore to watch. Just when you were expecting them to lvl up and regroup and start being themselves the writers decided there will be more of "finding themselves" and running in a circle. The story has not progressed ONE INCH since the first season. Not. one. inch. Not to mention the acting and scenes all look so unbeliveably cheap and "we've only got 15 minutes" type of deal, its pathethic. I was looking forward to this show. Watched the first season, it had some moments. But then second season came. Better to just end the show. It reminds me of Heroes or Mr. Robot. Its just a bunch of random nonsense now.

So far, pretty good

[heatsink98 · 7/10 · 8 June 2018]

After watching the first couple episodes, the writing on this series looks promising. The script is much better quality than similar Marvel TV titles like AGENTS OF SHIELD, and it's practically a masterpiece compared to INHUMANS. Then again, INHUMANS looked like bad cosplay with a $20 budget.

I'm surprised to find this on Freeform instead of regular ABC television, but whatever, the series looks like it has a bright future if the story quality stays at the same level.

Not sure what others were thinking

[beleghz · 10/10 · 1 August 2022]

A lot of other reviews complain about the story and the writing. I thought the show found a great pace telling the story. There wasn't the modern 3 minutes of story per hour of fight scenes. Maybe that's what others thought? The Michael Bay idea that the action is the story?

My only question is how did this not get renewed.

If you like watching character development this is a good show. If you want a lot of action scenes than maybe it isn't for you.

Intriguing.

[DrunkenRaccoon · 7/10 · 21 November 2021]

Slow but unique. I liked the originality of the show.

There is a lot going on and can seem confusing but I liked how it played out to this point.

But having been in New Orleans many times, no one has a local accent ????

Way better than I expected.

[barbiextea · 9/10 · 8 June 2018]

I'm not going to lie, from the previews I thought the show was going to be a typical teenage drama, I was pleasantly wrong. Not even ten minutes into the show it got my emotions going and if it weren't for my pride, I probably would've cried. The actors are great and the cinematography is beautiful, it really helps express what the show is trying to do. The writing is pretty good and intriguing. Though the only thing that sucks about the show is some of the reviews on this website that I am going to address.

Fist of all, to those who are complaining about the "political correctness" of the show, this comic book was made for political correctness. The comic book was released during the 80s, a time where the drug problem exploded here in America. The TV show is dealing with the problems of our time, including police brutality, mental health and still drugs even though it is not one of the major issues of the show

Second, for those who complain that it it is different from the comic book, most comic book adaptations are. Though this was adapted to fit in with today's world. At heart, the important things are what is the same.

Third, for this who haven't actually watched it, please watch it and absorb it. It is actually a pretty great show, if you don't let your prejiduce get in the way.

Wow!

[alecsports · 6/10 · 9 June 2018]

Cloak and Dagger is Marvel's best show since Daredevil. I watched it expecting something something on par with Runaways, but this show had me hooked from the amazingly executed opening. The first two episodes were interesting, exciting, hardly dragged, and had surprisingly good effects. If the showrunners were able to keep up this level of quality for the whole season, Marvel and Freeform could truly have something great on their hands.

Complete 10 episode series review

[geeklegionofdoom · 4/10 · 3 August 2018]

For the record , i was actually a reader of the comics back when they first came out, but i understand that adaptions and changes need to be made. That's not the issue.

Comparisons to the Runaways are fair, but that had an intriguing story and more interesting characters .

This show, even when they try to turn the status quo on it's head it's still predicable are tiresome.

I will say I think the 2 leads to a pretty good job, especially the guy who plays Tyrone. Tandy is a somewhat unlikable character , but that's more down to the writing.

The show is predictable , very slow and really more a teen drama than any type of superhero show. As i suspected , the couple don't really become 'Cloak & Dagger ' until right at the end and even then i feel it's not really fully formed yet.

This first season seems way too padded , like they didn't want to get to super heroics until the finale episode. After the pilot it's 8 episodes of padding with very little plot progression but plenty of teen angst The ridiculous zombie inspired finale is truly terrible with the , you guessed it, beam of light up in the sly cliche .

I wasn't a big fan of the mystical , voodoo type B story line, though i'll give it credit for trying something different to other hero fare.

It's not Inhumans level bad, but even Agents of Shield is better than this. Tweens and young teens may get something from this, but comic book fans might want to look elsewhere.

Much better than expected

[ibificus · 9/10 · 19 July 2022]

This series is much better than I expected. I started watching it yesterday and am mid-way through season 2 right now. I was expecting cheesy kid stuff (like that nonsense you see on WB), but this is very engaging. Characters have depth. There are no weird love triangles. There's some minor dust-ups over people not telling people stuff right away ("betrayal" trope), but it's not over the top like the WB Arrowverse nonsense.

It's a different origin than the print version, but that's fine. It updates to work in the current Marvel paradigm - so someone hoping to watch print in motion will be disappointed, but that's not a fair expectation. Something made today shouldn't be a blow by blow of something made 40 years ago. The story is compelling. The storytelling (plays with time and perspective) is also compelling. It's worth a watch.

Good entertaining show

[mzambrio · 7/10 · 9 June 2018]

I've over rated this mainly because there are way to many haters out there but it's easily an 8 for me. I've watch both of the episodes and this is a pretty good show. I don't not much about the comic characters but the show is really entertaining and at times deep. I would really recommend checking it out.

When is something going to happen?

[geminiatl · 5/10 · 17 June 2018]

I've watched all 3 episodes that have aired so far. I understand that with a new series people who have not read the comic have to get to know the characters. After 3 episodes of nothing but soul searching and showing they are not perfect people with perfect lives, it's time to move on and pick up the pace.

Bailing! Ep 4 putrified with social victimisation

[rsvp321 · 22 June 2018]

Give me a break!

"The whole country trying to kill me every day"?

"Can I check your privilege?"

I assume that that's the dialogue we can expect in future episodes, so I'm bailing.

Too bad. I thought it started out a little rough, but worth giving it a chance, and I think A. Joseph is an excellent actor and expect to see a lot more of him, but the *writers, once again* have brought unnecessary social issues as the main plot drive of a superhero series, and the powers so minor that they're only incidental.

Too many series lately have been ruined in the same way. It seems that "Marvel" doesn't mean "excellence", anymore...

Not great, but not bad at all either

[brandongraz · 7/10 · 3 September 2018]

I just finished the show tonight and it was pretty good. The show isn't anywhere near the standard marvel has set with their Netflix shows. Although, with all of these big and action packed stories, it's good to have a smaller story. The lead actors are great at their jobs and have good chemistry together. The show doesn't really pick up until a few episodes in. Unfortunately it doesn't pick up too much and go above and beyond your expectations, but it gets better. I give a 7 instead of a higher grade because the show is really predictable, uses many cliches, and really isn't something you haven't seen before. With that said, the show still manages to keep you invested in the characters as well as the story, and it is enjoyable. I would recommend this as something to binge if you don't have anything else to watch and want to give it a try. This a show you really only want to binge because you might lose interest if you watched it spaced out. The show isn't perfect and it has flaws, but it is something worth trying out at the very least.

Hmmmm

[howell-44392 · 7/10 · 28 June 2019]

So my original rating was a 6 but since I love superhero and fantasy stuff I decided to stick around even though it wasn't all that great and so now I've finished watching the ending of season 2 and although it has gotten good enough for me to change my rating to a 7 I just wish it was a little more better

I'm not sure why it has such a low rating..

[Al-Jaeger · 9/10 · 8 June 2018]

This was surprisingly good. It was more dark and gritty than I thought i9t was going to be. It actually felt like I was watching Netflix Marvel.

Started with promise...

[scott_facebook · 6/10 · 21 May 2019]

First season was pretty good. Season 2 just getting a bit too weird for example, "B sides". Some of the episodes just getting a little bit too surreal and abstract.

Dares to go where other MARVEL properties won't!

[Palikos · 9/10 · 8 June 2018]

Starting here I would like to say that Cloak & Dagger is Marvel's most serious property released till date! As the titles suggests, it's a real game-changer in the super hero movies/series era, by being a social/drama series which ALSO contains super hero material. It truly manages to capture correctly many different social aspects of everyday life that exist out there. Many people cope with 'em, but no other series will go that deep in exploring them and their outcomes on people's characters. Subjects like parenting, teenage life, crimes and drugs, are heavily covered by the shows first two episodes.

• The writing and plot manage to move smoothly from scene to scene, without making the viewer feel bored. Dialogues are also well-written
• Cinematography & Photography are equally good with Netflix's shows
• The CGI manages to keep it at the usual Marvel TV levels = totally good (focusing mainly on Cloak's cloak and Dagger's daggers)
• Beautiful sound design, coming along with a lovable soundtrack
• The acting is pretty good from main characters, especially Cloak & Dagger, just nominate these kids already!

* I would only hope for more action sequences in the end of the day, but by maintaining the show's style & character they way they are now is breathing a fresh air of uniqueness for this show.

In a nutshell, everything is tying together MARVELously in this show! If you're looking for a deeper show than all the other super hero series out there, then there's your go!

Hard to stand out in a crowded field of comics-inspired shows

[puzzledresearcher · 6/10 · 8 June 2018]

Cloak and Dagger has an unenviable task of entering a very overcrowded field of TV shows about young, reluctant superheroes.

Formula for these type of shows is an overabundance of good looking young people (obviously, as the show exists to sell advertising to the young demographic.)

Still, after just two episodes, the early rating on IMDB surprises me for how low it is (5.9 as of this writing.) Perhaps there are fans of the comics that are disappointed in the version on television.

On the whole, given we are just two episodes into the series, the positives are that the story is creating a complex enough entanglement between the lives of the main characters that, if the writers and directors have done their job well for the rest of the season, a long and interesting story can develop.

The teen angst is too stereotypical but there is no avoiding it in these kind of series. So, what is good here is that Tyrone's life situation in particular has enough supporting characters with decent actors that Aubrey Joseph can play his part with a very reasonable portrayal of a young man.

Unfortunately, the Dagger character and situation is less realistic and I think that is making her the weaker of the two parts.

Worth watching at least for a handful of episodes, to see how this works out.

I Agree With Most Reviewers Here

[heykateforever · 4/10 · 8 November 2020]

This was an interesting situation for me. I love the Marvel Comics and superhero stories. I started watching it to sleep by and ended up getting pulled in and watching the first season. It definitely would have done this show a favor had they ended it at end of the first season. The first season is slow as many said here, which would frustrate its target audience, teenagers and those in their 20s. It had a plot, it flowed as a cohesive story, although it occasionally slipped into moments of forgetfulness of said plot. But I could follow it and it was different. The fellow who plays Ty is superb. The girl was OK. It had a great cast with great talent and the story wrapped up nicely at the end. Because most media today is stuffed with Identity Politics and preachy real-life nonsense we, who watch TV to get AWAY from everyday nonsense, find tedious and it does not add to the story. Nevertheless, I am used to such shenanigans these days and try to look past that when the plot is actually interesting and the directors and producers keep the plot flowing in interesting ways.

If they had stopped at the end of season 1, I might have upped my rating to a 6 and a half. But the 2nd season? Be forewarned. It has been such a miserable trail of non cohesive storyline, I actually walked away halfway through episode 8 in season 2. I finally had had enough of the truly remarkable stupidity of the episodes, which to my surprise got worse and worse as the season went along. It is one thing to suspend belief, it's another to make something that literally screams - I NEED BETTER WRITERS, DIRECTORS, AND PRODUCERS. I would have given it a 5, but subtracted a point for Identity Politics and ever escalating craziness and somehow mashing in preaching about social issues at the same time. None of which added to the plot (if you can call this 2nd season mess plots). You have been warned!

Great start!

[mark-fenwick29 · 9/10 · 9 June 2018]

I can't wait to watch more of this. Character are real and well thought out. Great powers and loads of scope for development. Production could do with a little more money invested for the visuals but that's not important. I always loved the comic characters but they were generally background characters that supported other lines like Power Pack. There is great potential here as long as they keep story first. Good luck x

Just enough to hold my interest, awful camera work.

[spnelson-37990 · 6/10 · 21 July 2018]

This is another marvel show that is micro managed enough to keep my interest to see the next episode.

The camera style is distracting. I understand that it's a popular thing especially with indy films. I just get distracted and upset by thinking the camera man has a bad case of Parkinson disease and can't hold the camera still. With that being said, I may break from watching the show if it's to get a second season that uses this camera style.

Sloooow

[argoebel · 4/10 · 18 June 2018]

There may be potential here, but the plot is advancing sufferingly slow for the first three episodes. Unlike others, I think the soundtrack is the best part and as for the many reviews citing "political correctness," that's not actually a thing here. The slow is delightfully apolitical, but I've not ever read the comics.