SPOILERS: LUKE CAGE - 5 Things It Got Right And 3 Things It Got Wrong
Following Luke Cage's debut on Netflix last Friday, we take a look at the things the show got right as well as the characters, moments, and creative decisions which didn't work anywhere near as well...
Was Luke Cage Marvel's best series to date? It's certainly up there, but regardless of your thoughts on it, there's no denying that the show did a fantastic job of taking the character we first met in Jessica Jones and transforming him into one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's most likeable and compelling heroes. That's not the only thing Luke Cage did well of course, but it wasn't exactly perfect either.
What you'll find here then is a spoiler-filled look at both what did and did not work in the first season of Netflix's latest Marvel drama. From characters to storylines and even action set pieces, this is an in-depth look at the pros and cons of Luke Cage along with how it might be able to improve when it returns for a second season. Needless to say, if you're not all caught up yet, stop reading now...
Did Work: Cottonmouth
Marvel Studios has been very hit and miss when it comes to villains, but the TV division's track record on Netflix has so far been pretty excellent. Mahershala Ali's Cottonmouth may not have posed a physical threat to Luke Cage, but he made for an excellent opponent for Power Man. Just like Wilson Fisk, he was emotionally complex and oddly likeable in places (especially after we learned more about his past), but when it came time to be a completely evil bastard, Ali delivered.
His dynamic with both his men and characters like Black Mariah and Shades was a lot of fun to watch, and his moments of brutality were every bit as fierce and shocking as Fisk smashing that goon's head with the car door or murdering Ben Urich. Honestly, it's just a shame we didn't get more of him.
Didn't Work: Luke's Trip To Georgia
Luke getting shot was definitely pretty interesting, but the fact that his recovery took four episodes just adds weight to the arguments of those who say these Marvel shows would be better served being ten instalments long instead of thirteen. Frustratingly, Luke and Claire taking a trip to Georgia resulted in the titular hero spending a lot of time lying back in the passenger seat or in a tank full of acid, and that's just not exciting viewing.
It's hard to fault Mike Colter's performance here as he really was great, but the whole thing just lasted too long and didn't add much to the series as a whole. There are many other quicker and more interesting ways Reva's secrets could have been revealed, while that doctor still performing his experiments is a last minute reveal which would have worked without all the time spent in his conveniently outfitted barn/lab.
Did Work: Luke Cage's Powers
While I would have liked to see a slightly more powerful Luke Cage (I may be wrong, but I'm sure his comic book counterpart is quite a bit stronger), it's hard to fault the series for how it portrayed his abilities. I've seen some say that sight of bullets bouncing off him grew old quickly, but Luke walking down that corridor in Crispus Attucks House in slow motion as those men tried and failed to gun him down was undeniably awesome.
The way he dealt with those who tried to take him down physically was also great, and the reluctant hero casually tapping people on the head to knock them unconscious is something I can't see ever growing stale. It would have been nice to see maybe one or two more big set pieces, but that final battle against Diamondback definitely delivered and ended things with a bang.
Did Work: The Origin Story
Luke Cage does a fantastic job with the titular character's origin story. Rather than spacing that out throughout the entire season, the show deals with it in just the one episode as we get to see both Luke's time behind bars and the circumstances which led to him gaining his abilities and meeting Reva. While it's different in places to the comic books, the whole thing is still handed brilliantly here, with the later reveal surrounding Diamondback also working well.
Throw in the fact that we get to see him - briefly - wearing his classic duds from the source material, and this was just all great. However, the highlight for me (and a moment I'm surprised still hasn't made it into gif form) was the shot of Luke smashing his way out of Seagate while wearing that tiara and the cuffs. Epic.
Didn't Work: Cottonmouth's Sudden Demise/Diamondback
While there's no denying that Cottonmouth's death in Luke Cage was an unexpected twist, it came a little too soon and left a void the show struggled to fill. After being built up as a massively powerful and intimidating figure in the Harlem underworld, Diamondback was basically just a religious nut with daddy issues who was obsessed with killing Luke. We never really got a sense of what made him so feared, and in many ways it would have been more satifying seeing Cottonmouth in that superpowered suit in the finale!
On the plus side, Black Mariah's arc was pretty interesting, and the decision to keep her out of prison sets up the second season's conflict nicely. Shades also has some potential, but ultimately, none of them could top Cottonmouth. Is anyone really excited about seeing a powered up Diamondback returning? I'm not so sure...
Did Work: Black Lives Matter
As many different people and websites (and even the show itself) have already said, the story of a bulletproof black man is more relevant today than ever. Luke Cage does an excellent job of portraying the way many African Americans and minorities are persecuted by the police while never getting too preachy or political. Like Black Panther, Luke is the sort of hero who can inspire a whole new audience both in real life and the reality of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The way the series portrayed Harlem and its cultural identity is also impressive, especially as it resisted introducing us to any of the cliched characters movies and shows in similar settings often have. Even the fact that Luke Cage showed an Asian couple without the stereotypical accents you often hear in media has earned it praise, and honestly, it's well deserved.
Didn't Work: Too Much Exposition
Claire Temple is a great character, but her being used to advance the story in these Netflix shows and provide the audience with an explanation as to how things work is beginning to grow a little stale. The appearance of other characters from shows like Daredevil and Jessica Jones was fun, but a little forced, especially in a city as big as New York. It sometimes just felt too convenient for them to be showing up in the right place at the right time, particularly when the very person you would think would want to get involved with clearing Luke's name is Jessica.
The show's use of flashbacks was also a little grating. The majority of viewers will have binge watched the series within the space of a few days, so seeing Cottonmouth's demise repeated a dozen times served as more of a distraction than helpful to explaining what was happening on screen.
Did Work: The Ending
Season two of Daredevil was so concerned with setting up everything from a third season to The Defenders and The Punisher's upcoming spinoff that it didn't really end on a very satisfying note. In some ways, Luke Cage is just as open ended, but for the most part, I think they chose the best possible way to wrap things up.
Sure, the final shot could have been Luke opening up Heroes for Hire where Pop's used to be, but that wouldn't have felt earned and is something which should actually be saved for when he hopefully befriends Iron Fist during some sort of team-up series. Sending him back to Seagate until The Defenders means we can pick up with Luke right where things left off, while the character's inevitable second season is now free to go down any number of paths depending on how things play out in that spinoff.
Do you agree with this look at what did and didn't work in the first season of Luke Cage? As always, let us know your thoughts on that and your own take on the series in the comments section below.