Luke Cage: S1E1-S1E3

Posted on October 3, 2016 by Juan Vargas in Featured, Luke Cage - S1 // 1 Comment

With the proliferation of cop on Black violence prevalent in society today and the nonchalant way it is treated by greater America, Luke Cage couldn’t have come at a better time as it gives us at least for 13 hours of something to grasp, a symbol perhaps, or just something that lets us forget all the fucked up shit that’s going on. Primarily because this show is Black as shit.

From every episode being named after a Gang Starr song (although my favorite “Right Where You Stand” is not included), the excellent score by Ali Shaheed Muhammad & Adrian Younge, which alternates between Hip-Hop and ’70s R&B, permeates the mood, to the way the cinematography encapsulates the city of Harlem. The first thing you notice as the ’70s style opening sequence begins is how authentic the show looks.

Directed by Cheo Hodari Coker and starring Mike Colter as the titular character, Luke Cage picks up some time after we last saw him in Jessica Jones’ season one, Luke is still torn up about his wife Reva being killed (at the hands of a mind-controlled Jessica Jones) and is keeping a low profile by leading an unassuming life, sweeping hair at a barbershop and washing dishes at a club. Speaking of which, last we saw Luke Cage he was sneaking out a window while Rosario Dawson was tending to him. Now I may not know much, but if Rosario Dawson was tending to me, my head would hurt, my hand, my tummy, whatever. Anyway I digress. Frankie Faison leaves behind the bars of Banshee, PA., plays the role of Pop, the barbershop owner who uses his shop to provide a safe haven for those seeking recluse from the mean streets.

Images: Netflix

Pop and Luke form a father/son bond as they share common sensibilities, and as the show starts Luke has already entrusted Pop with his secret of invulnerability and super strength. Of course, Pop wants Luke to use his power for good, but Luke just wants to be left alone. When Luke goes to his second job as a dishwasher, we meet some of the other players in the Luke Cage universe.

Darnell “Don’t call me Cottonmouth” Stokes - played by Marhershala Ali (Remy from House of Cards) and Mariah Stokes - Alfre Woodard (playing a different role from her appearance in Captain America: Civil War) are cousins who for all intents and purposes run Harlem from different angles; Darnell through the drug game and Mariah politically. I really like the dichotomy between these two as Mariah believes all they need is her political connections to get their goals accomplished, although she has no trouble accepting Darnell’s money to replace money she funneled for her political aspirations. Meanwhile, Darnell knows money is money and without it they’re not getting anything accomplished. I especially loved Mariah’s “I will cut you if you don’t shut the fuck up” when they’re both raging after finding out Luke Cage stole Darnell’s cache in episode three.

We are also introduced to the captivating Misty Knight- Simone Missick, who steals the show through the first three episodes. As soon as she comes on screen you can’t take your eyes away from her and not only because she’s agonizingly beautiful, but because she has a presence that demands you pay attention to every word she says. As mesmerizing as her first appearance is she really shines when she’s shown as a detective. Immediately, we know that she’s always the smartest cop in the room. Especially as she deconstructs a crime scene a la Sherlock Holmes. I can’t wait to see more of her and hope she gets to be a fixture in the Netflix MCU going forward.

Marvel’s Luke Cage

Unlike Daredevil and to a certain extent Jessica Jones, there’s not much action in the first two episodes as Coker is sets up the motivations for the character while providing much needed insight into this world. When Luke stops some of Darnell’s goons from racketeering Luke’s landlord, that’s when he decides to stop running and figuratively dons his armor/hood. However, it isn’t until Pop is killed by one of Darnell’s (without his approval) thugs that Luke decides to go full on Power Man (his comic book alter ego) and go after Darnell.

At first Luke hits some of Darnell’s smaller stash houses, but eventually he works up to the fortress-like Crispus Attucks complex. And although we have to wait for the action, man do they deliver once it hits. In what’s essentially Luke Cage’s version of Daredevil’s famed hallway scenes. Luke, with Wu-Tang’s “Bring The Ruckus” blasting in his ears, bulldogs his way into Darnell’s fortress, first by ripping a car door and using it as a shield then by ripping a pipe through the wall and using it as a bat. The fight choreography never gets as specific as Daredevil, but they don’t have to as Luke Cage is all about power and doesn’t care if you get your puny shots on him. “Bring the Ruckus’ really adds to the badass factor in an already badass scene and I can’t wait to hear what other songs they use for future battles.

The only thing that didn’t work that well for me was Detective Scarfe, played by Frank Whaley. I don’t know if it’s because he always plays an asshole or what, but I saw that heel turn coming a mile away. I guess we can take solace in calling him Virginia Slim. Ha-ha.

At the end of episode three we learn that Darnell Stokes ain’t fucking playing, messing up an aww moment between Luke and his landlord with a fucking bazooka. Damn, son. You ain’t playing. Alright, let me hurry up and watch episode four.

Additional Thoughts

Admittedly, my knowledge of Luke Cage in the comics is limited to his Marvel Max limited run and some special appearance on some of my regular comics.
I like how The Avengers incident is a source of bootleg hawking in the streets of Harlem.
Although I felt they overdid Darnell’s “King Shot” where he’s superimposed over Biggie Smalls with just his crown over his head, it did look really cool.
I question the need for Luke Cage to even need a car door, or a pipe for that matter; it passes the rule of cool so I’ll allow it.
When Shades (Theo Rossi; Sons of Anarchy) first appears he seems to be an equal of Darnell Stokes, but in the next two episodes he’s more of an underling. In any case he mentions he works for Diamondback, which Darnell seems to at least respect if not fear, which I can only hope will be the super-powered villain of the series.
Speaking of Shades, he seems to be connected to Luke Cage’s origin as he was one of the prisoners in Luke’s flashbacks
Turk has essentially turned into the Rosario Dawson of the Underworld.
Another small complaint is the Latin boss Domingo, played by Jacob Vargas. I’m sure he’s a good actor (he even has the same last name as me), but he’s like 4-ft tall and is just not imposing. In the scene with Darnell where he kept dropping candy bars on the floor, he looked like a petulant child.
Each episode had a guest performer at Darnell’s bar. Raphael Saadiq in episode one, Faith Evans in episode two, and Charlie Bradley in episode three. I wonder if they’ll do it for every episode.