A steady but engrossing premiere introduced us to the world of Luke Cage.
*Full Spoilers Ahead*
Wasn’t that something? After all the films and TV shows that have come before it, you could be forgiven for wondering just how Marvel was going to bring us yet another comic book property that still felt fresh and exciting. Well Luke Cage succeeds in being both of those things in a multitude of different ways, once again proving the genius of Marvel Studios.
The first thing that struck me about Luke Cage is how tonally different it feels to Marvel’s other Netflix shows. Daredevil and Jessica Jones are famous for the darkness that shrouds each episode, but whilst Luke Cage maintains that same level of gritty realism, the overall tone is somewhat brighter. This is immediately obvious, and I do mean immediately, as a sense of warmth is portrayed even in the opening credits. The warm yellow colours are in stark contrast to the dark reds of Daredevil and the cold purples of Jessica Jones, and this brighter atmosphere carries across to the opening scene. As the characters jovially chat about (forgive my ignorance) either Basketball or Baseball (maybe neither), a strong sense of fellowship and community is portrayed within their actions. The naturalistic nature of their conversation allows the audience to relate to them in ways that haven’t been entirely possible with the other Netflix shows.
The tone does darken as the episode goes on, but the show never loses the feeling of hope and togetherness. This is largely thanks to protagonist Cage. As powerful as the opening scene was for depicting tone, it also did a wonderful job of reintroducing us to Luke. Showrunner Cheo Coker rightly bypasses catching us up with what Luke’s been up to since Jessica Jones, instead giving us a man with a whole new set of problems. Cage struck an imposing but also intriguing figure throughout the opening scene. He is clearly a man trying to live a normal life, and his stuttered and ultimately unsuccessful attempts to engage in conversation with the barbershop folks reflect this. He may have amazing abilities, but at the end of the day is still a man struggling through life like the rest of us, and this was continuously emphasised throughout the episode.
Luke’s struggles with money and women put him in stark contrast with Cottonmouth. Both have power, so whilst Cottonmouth uses his to gain influence and grant himself luxuries, Luke shies away from his due to the damage it has caused, despite what he could gain from it. It’s the kind of hero-villain relationship that is used often, them being polar opposites of one another, but tweaked just enough so that it’s still exciting. What is that change? Well the fact that Cottonmouth isn’t at the top right now. He’s not really the man in charge. That’s a wrinkle personified by the character of Shades. It’s clear he’ll play a big part in Luke’s backstory, but as soon as Cottonmouth screws up he is subsequently always beside him. His story will be one of increasing his power then. Of becoming King. Having villains fight one another was glimpsed only briefly in Daredevil Season 2, so it once again pushes Luke Cage into fresh new territory.
This episode was about introducing us to Luke Cage’s world, so as such we were introduced to a lot of characters. Two standouts were Misty Knight and Mariah Dillard. Both are based upon pre-existing comic book characters, and both play a pivotal role in Luke’s story. Misty’s wisecracking badass detective persona was balanced by her flaws, and this is again what makes characters so great. Whilst on the job she has sex with Luke, a moment that looks set to cause problems going forward, but it is also a moment that will serve to keep the character grounded. Similarly, councilwoman Mariah Dillard is mixed up in illegal business and could easily see her power crumble. Adding these flaws to characters prevents them from being larger than life, they don’t have to be perfect, and it causes both victories and failures on their part to be all the more satisfying for the audience.
It would be remiss of me not to mention the place Luke Cage holds as a form of media in the current climate, where racial tensions are increasingly tested every day. I’m not a man of colour, so I won’t pretend to fully understand what people who are have to endure day to day, however I do understand the value Luke Cage has and the effect it could have on audiences. As a Marvel property Luke Cage has an enormous outreach, and the ability to both celebrate black culture and help a mainstream audience learn and understand the problems faced by all people of colour. The show paid reference to events and movements occurring in real life and this shouldn’t be shied away from. Luke Cage is the kind of show people need right now, and with any luck it will get people thinking about what’s going on in the world.
Of course there was plenty to see in this episode, so other highlights include:
- How great was the music? There were some standout pieces in there. I know the score is always used to emphasise the events onscreen, but the way it was used here just seemed more noticeable somehow.
- I didn’t catch his name but I liked the Barber. He’s obviously intended as a father figure to Luke, so that has me worried that he won’t make it to the end of the season, but the joyous outlook he has on life was refreshing, especially in contrast to Luke’s brooding.
- What do you reckon is gonna happen to the barbershop though? Given the history of these Netflix shows it doesn’t have long left to stand.
- References to ‘The Incident’ here. How long before Tony Stark just swoops down and says “Hi”. Please let that happen.
- There were some interesting flashes of Luke’s past here that will no doubt be explored later in the season, but it certainly signals a rich and interesting backstory, and carries on the tradition of the Netflix heroes being haunted by their past.
- The scene with Cottonmouth beating that guy to death was brutal, and certainly conveyed how unhinged his thirst for power is making him, though I doubt anything will ever top the car scene from Daredevil.
- Though he got his hands dirty this episode, both Cottonmouth and Mariah seem like the smart kind of villains, which is always enjoyable. Verdict’s still out on Shades though, who looks like he could go either way.
- I wouldn’t have minded if we weren’t given a full display of Luke’s power in the first episode, but I think it was necessary, especially to entice any new viewers. The whole scene was great as Luke overpowered the entire gang with a calm nonchalance, and the last standing member evoked a similarly fun scene from Iron Man 3.
So this was a stellar opening episode for Luke Cage, as he proved to be just the kind of hero we need right now. With a refreshing tone that clearly differentiates the show from its Netflix fellows, and a superb cast that promise to deliver an excellent story, it’s clear we’re in for a real treat with this one. The slow burn was necessary to establish this world and its characters, as it feels we barely scratched the surface of what’s to come, and I am very excited for that indeed.
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