Helmed by Cheo Hodari Coker and based on the Marvel comics of the same name, Luke Cage follows the story of a man with super strength and unbreakable skin. He is also a wrongfully convicted man who escaped prison and has been trying to lay low and live a quiet life in Harlem, New York. He soon gets pulled into conflict when a criminal organization threatens the city and the people he cares for. Luke decides to take action and confront the threat and his own past, becoming the public defender the people need.
Now I did review this before several years back, along with its second season, and even though the show itself was unfortunately cancelled I still loved it, alongside the other Marvel Netflix properties. After rewatching the first season that same love for the show sparked up again, but this time I have an even bigger appreciation for the show than I did back then. And with all that has been going on recently, this might be one of the most relevant shows to watch right now due to its themes, story, and relatable characters.
Mike Colter as Luke Cage is one of the best superhero performances ever put on television, giving us a unique character with great strength and a big heart, but also vulnerability. The character is physically indestructible and has nearly limitless strength, so you wonder how a character like this can be compelling. The show smartly uses emotional torment in order to make us care for Luke despite him being a seemingly unstoppable force. The show isn’t focused on making him a superhero, its focus is on making the character interesting and compelling, and also making the characters surrounding him interesting and compelling as well.
He also has a strict level of morality that separates him from his opposition, and he cares greatly for the people in his life who have helped him in different ways. Mike’s performance as Luke can range from charming and corny to emotional and deep when a scene requires it. His journey is very investing, in this season as well as in the second season. Mike Colter really made this character iconic and inspiring in so many ways, and he reflects those same qualities in his own life, so much so that it’s made me not only respect him as an actor but as a person as well.
The rest of the supporting cast is excellent as well. We have Detective Misty Knight, played beautifully by Simone Missick, who is no pushover when it comes to protecting the public, and has a personal connection to the city she defends, but is unfortunately restrained by the law. This does bring her into conflict with Luke, who acts out on his own in bringing justice to the streets, but it also makes her re-evaluate her status as a cop and how broken the justice system is. This is something that is very relevant to what has been a problem both now and for so many years: how easily the justice system can be corrupted.
This is shown through all the characters, especially with Luke being wrongfully convicted and Misty being unable to truly keep lives safe. There are also excellent political themes that are wielded here that don’t completely drive the plot, but are interwoven throughout the series, making a more grounded story that has way more of an impact on the viewers and keeps them engaged. There are themes of community unity and systematic racism in this series that are also relevant to current events.
Rosario Dawson returns as Claire Temple in a more integral role compared to previous Marvel Netflix shows, and has really great chemistry with our lead. Her role in this series is my favorite of all six Netflix shows, and she adds a lot to the story. We also have two side characters: Pops (Frankie Faison) and Bobby Fish (Ron Cephas Jones) who both act as mentors to Luke and are both memorable in their own way. Pops is especially memorable despite being in only two episodes of the series, since he has a huge impact on Luke that pushes him forward to become the hero he needs to be and not let anything hold him back.
And then we have our main villains of the series. Cornell Stokes (aka Cottonmouth, played excellently by Mahershala Ali) is a sadistic force of nature that brings such power every time he is onscreen and yet, despite being such a terrible person, he has such an interesting backstory, making him a villain with depth and relatability. He was raised in such a harsh environment and was forced into this life of crime. He has a certain elegance to him and a loyalty to family that not only hides his true nature but hides his secret yearning to leave this life, which gets slowly revealed the more Luke Cage pushes him. He’s such an engaging and intimidating character, thanks to beautiful writing and perfect acting from Mahershala Ali, that I wish he was in the show more.
However, there is a significant turning point that happens in the series that opens the door for the other villains to step in. Mariah Dillard, played by Alfre Woodard, serves as a political front runner for Cornell’s business, and uses her own power to get what she wants, making her just as intimidating as Cornell. But just when you think you could predict the road her character takes in this show, big things happen with her that make the rest of the show completely unpredictable, and make her unpredictable as well. She’s shown to have something truly monstrous underneath her public face.
Then we have Willis Stryker, aka Diamondback, played by Erik LaRay Harvey, who serves as a symbol in Luke’s past that he has to confront. His origins are very different from Cornell and he is a much more unbalanced and over the top comic book villain in comparison. His relationship to Luke is integral to the story, and his overall impact I think is effective but it’s mostly the performance that I can sometimes find myself uncertain of. He can be really intimidating and dangerous at one point and then over the top the next. I can forgive it, considering what his role adds to the story arcs for everyone.
The last villain, Shades, played by Theo Rossi, had a better role in the second season, but I still find him to be a great character here, with a smart and sadistic personality that also affects the story and show. Some may feel he sticks out from the other characters, but I think he fits right in with the tone. And while the show can be realistic, gritty and violent, matching the tone of the other Marvel Netflix shows, this series isn’t afraid to stand out on its own with its corny charm, vibrant culture, and even over the top nature. There is some pretty great humor that pays tribute to the comics (especially fun lines like “Sweet Christmas”) and the writing isn’t afraid of a little levity.
The show also really dives in to the special African American communities of Harlem, visually exploring its rich history, from the buildings to the art to the clothes people wear. And thanks to absolutely stunning cinematography, the visual impact on viewers of the culture and scenes is nothing short of amazing. The colors also effectively establish the mood and tones of various scenes, and they look gorgeous. The score and lyrical music used in the show comes from various artists of different genres, establishing a perfect atmosphere for Harlem’s diversity.
While we do have a central story that we focus on, I am glad that we have such a unique culture that is celebrated and interwoven in the story. The action is really well shot, keeping to the Marvel Netflix tradition of awesome fight sequences, although it’s great to see it have its own style. The combat in this series is not fluid like Daredevil, but more street level brawl-like fighting, brutal and matched to the setting. Luke is shown to be a force of nature. Due to what he’s been through, his way of fighting stands out as being unique and slightly humorous at times. The use of practical effects for his abilities are very well done and reminds me of some of the great work done in Unbreakable and Split, with no need for heavy CGI or digital effects.
I felt the overall narrative was really excellent, and the arcs for all characters are handled with great care, even when the story can drag at some points.
The story this series tells and the relevant messages it shares is probably the strongest among most comic book shows, and probably one of the most overlooked. It reminds me just how important and impactful the Marvel Netflix shows were prior to their cancellations, and I think people seem to have forgotten that. Of course, Daredevil is still talked about a lot for its contributions, but Luke Cage and the other shows had so much to offer too. And both seasons of Luke Cage dive into topics that have been big in recent years, but I don’t think people have paid enough attention to them. With all that is happening now, this is a show I think deserves some attention again, and I truly believe this character and his story should be continued, especially with how things were set in the second season. I’m going to give Luke Cage Season 1 an A.
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