Parker Sublette
Staff Writer
A bullet-proof black man may seem like a heavy-handed piece of social commentary, but “Luke Cage” manages to get across a relevant moral as well as maintain an interesting and complex plot.
The third show in Netflix’s line of Marvel inspired series, “Luke Cage” provides for a captivating thirteen episodes of political intrigue, enticing plot, complex characters, and topical thematic references.
“Luke Cage” is Netflix’s newest crime drama in the series of Marvel based shows including “Daredevil” and “Jessica Jones”. The show is directed by Cheo Hodari Choker and is based on the comic series created by Archie Goodwin.
The premier season of “Luke Cage” follows the events of the bullet-proof man Luke Cage (Mike Colter) and his exploits in the neighborhood of Harlem. What begins as a man with a troubled past seeking a quiet life quickly spirals into a mess of gangs, corrupt politicians, and dirty cops in one of New York’s most historic neighborhoods.
When watching a show based around comic books it is oftentimes that elements of plot are overlooked in favor of action, luckily “Luke Cage” manages to maintain an engaging plot throughout the season. “Luke Cage’s” unique plot does executes a mysterious and dark feel without falling back on tired cliches that are often used in media with a more dreary atmosphere.
An often poorly done subgenre, political intrigue, which focuses on the drama and power struggles in politics, is well done in “Luke Cage”. While most attempts at political intrigue end in boring over-detailed stories “Luke Cage” performs excellently in this regard however, making the political machinations of the antagonists an alluring plot to follow.
“Luke Cage” also does well at including characters and references to other parts of the Marvel cinematic universe. Crossovers are a very common trope in the superhero genre, but oftentimes it seems forced and unnatural in the way it is executed, “Luke Cage” luckily succeeds in its attempts at crossing the paths of multiple stories.
All superhero stories have a moral, a reason for being made, “Luke Cage” is no exception. The series features a heavy thematic atmosphere in regards to race relations in America. “Luke Cage” does a commendable job in relating the characters and events of the show to an issue at the forefront of political society.
Whether or not one agrees with the message “Luke Cage” is setting in its political commentary is unimportant. Seeing well-executed social commentary in visual media when such subtleties are often forgotten or ignored in modern media is encouraging to see.
The action sequences in “Luke Cage” are sadly lacking. Its predecessor “Daredevil” was renowned for its well-choreographed action scenes, but it is evident that this is one area in which “Luke Cage” did not follow the same formula. The simplicity of the action scenes grows tedious after the first few sequences due to lack of originality and imagination.
“Luke Cage” lives up to the high expectations that have been set by other Marvel series. A show with a diverse cast, exciting plot, social commentary, and complex characters should top any Marvel fan’s watch list.
“Luke Cage’s” first season is a Netflix original and is only available to watch on Netflix.
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