Luke Cage Episode 1
I have plans all day tomorrow so I can't binge Luke Cage the way I did Daredevil and Jessica Jones. Only a few episodes tonight, a few more tomorrow after I'm done, and then the rest on Sunday. I think this will be good. I watched the other shows in a frenzy but this one I'll get to savor. Should be fun.
Only one episode so far but I'm already loving it. Marvel really has a knack for music selection and this continues that trend. The Netflix shows also have a knack for having just the right light, colors, and shades and this also continues that trend. The result is a visually and aurally stunning presentation of Harlem. The Netflix cinematographers rival Game of Thrones for sheer beauty in creating television.
Every character was pitch perfect. We saw Cottonmouth standing in front of Biggie in the trailer but that is one hell of an impressive shot and doesn't get old. Mahershala Ali already is as captivating a villain as Fisk and Kilgrave. Alfre Woodard always wins and is playing the politician perfectly. Her using purell after touching the Harlem kids was a nice, understated, and definitely realistc touch. Theo Rossi (hi Veronica Mars season 1!) is playing the quiet menace of Shades and just his presence brings the shadow of Diamondback. Frankie Faison is a classic Hey It's That Guy which makes him perfect for Pops. I remember him from Oz when he played Jefferson's father and took a trite (if true) line-"a man shouldn't live to see his own son die"-and made it seem brand new. I turn into a weepy mess every time I watch Jefferson's execution. Thanks Frankie! I will also be spending the series worried for his safety because I love him so much. Simone Missick is great as Misty and I'm eagerly waiting for her story to unfold.
Finally, Luke. I loved him on Jessica Jones and I think he's already killing it here. I love how Mike plays him. He's mostly stoic, because he'll always win the fight and therefore doesn't need to get upset, but the flashes of his past and the moments when someone he cares about are in danger show that he'll scare the world if he loses control. I laughed so hard at the one thief running away scared after Luke kicked the asses of his team. And, yes, the one guy punching Luke in the face, only to get a skin breaking compound fracture was equal parts horrifying, badass, and hilarious. Luke didn't even blink. It was great.
The Netflix casting people needs raises because they kill it every time.
Something that struck me when I was watching is that I think Daredevil is the only Netflix show (so far) that hasn't done the focused sex scene for the lead actor(s). I mean, they made it clear that Matt was sleeping with Electra in college and we saw him kiss Karen but those scenes were nothing compared to what we got in Jessica Jones and now Luke Cage. I really love it that the shows led by a female and black superhero are the ones where they get to express and explore their sexuality while the white male superhero is presented as almost chaste. It's so great.
And I love the continued references to The Incident, including that one guy selling high quality video of the Avengers in the moment. The tone of these shows are so different from Shield and the movies that it would be so easy to forget that they all take place in the same universe so little references like that go a long way. And, as always, we must remember that the Netflix shows take place in the same universe as a talking racoon who can build a terrifying weapon out of basically anything. It's so fucking fantastic.
I'm not much of a Marvel reader despite my love of the movies and shows. I love the hell out of Ms. Marvel because Kamala Khan is the FUCKING BEST, and I did read Winter Soldier and Jessica Jones, but most of my comic interest lies with DC and Vertigo. I'll even read the New 52 before I grab a non-Kamala Marvel story. But I am familiar with some things so I caught and enjoyed the yellow lining of Luke's hoodie as well as his contemplative look when Connie offered to hire him. Nice, subtle, callbacks to his comics. These shows and movies don't need the big stuff unless they're focusing on specific stories. Jessica Jones had callbacks galore but that's due to her show relying heavily on her comics while Daredevil and Luke both have been around for a long time and have lots of Easter Eggs that can be mined for their shows without focusing on a particular story.
Anyway, now that I've documented my thoughts, it's on to episode 2.
Only one episode so far but I'm already loving it. Marvel really has a knack for music selection and this continues that trend. The Netflix shows also have a knack for having just the right light, colors, and shades and this also continues that trend. The result is a visually and aurally stunning presentation of Harlem. The Netflix cinematographers rival Game of Thrones for sheer beauty in creating television.
Every character was pitch perfect. We saw Cottonmouth standing in front of Biggie in the trailer but that is one hell of an impressive shot and doesn't get old. Mahershala Ali already is as captivating a villain as Fisk and Kilgrave. Alfre Woodard always wins and is playing the politician perfectly. Her using purell after touching the Harlem kids was a nice, understated, and definitely realistc touch. Theo Rossi (hi Veronica Mars season 1!) is playing the quiet menace of Shades and just his presence brings the shadow of Diamondback. Frankie Faison is a classic Hey It's That Guy which makes him perfect for Pops. I remember him from Oz when he played Jefferson's father and took a trite (if true) line-"a man shouldn't live to see his own son die"-and made it seem brand new. I turn into a weepy mess every time I watch Jefferson's execution. Thanks Frankie! I will also be spending the series worried for his safety because I love him so much. Simone Missick is great as Misty and I'm eagerly waiting for her story to unfold.
Finally, Luke. I loved him on Jessica Jones and I think he's already killing it here. I love how Mike plays him. He's mostly stoic, because he'll always win the fight and therefore doesn't need to get upset, but the flashes of his past and the moments when someone he cares about are in danger show that he'll scare the world if he loses control. I laughed so hard at the one thief running away scared after Luke kicked the asses of his team. And, yes, the one guy punching Luke in the face, only to get a skin breaking compound fracture was equal parts horrifying, badass, and hilarious. Luke didn't even blink. It was great.
The Netflix casting people needs raises because they kill it every time.
Something that struck me when I was watching is that I think Daredevil is the only Netflix show (so far) that hasn't done the focused sex scene for the lead actor(s). I mean, they made it clear that Matt was sleeping with Electra in college and we saw him kiss Karen but those scenes were nothing compared to what we got in Jessica Jones and now Luke Cage. I really love it that the shows led by a female and black superhero are the ones where they get to express and explore their sexuality while the white male superhero is presented as almost chaste. It's so great.
And I love the continued references to The Incident, including that one guy selling high quality video of the Avengers in the moment. The tone of these shows are so different from Shield and the movies that it would be so easy to forget that they all take place in the same universe so little references like that go a long way. And, as always, we must remember that the Netflix shows take place in the same universe as a talking racoon who can build a terrifying weapon out of basically anything. It's so fucking fantastic.
I'm not much of a Marvel reader despite my love of the movies and shows. I love the hell out of Ms. Marvel because Kamala Khan is the FUCKING BEST, and I did read Winter Soldier and Jessica Jones, but most of my comic interest lies with DC and Vertigo. I'll even read the New 52 before I grab a non-Kamala Marvel story. But I am familiar with some things so I caught and enjoyed the yellow lining of Luke's hoodie as well as his contemplative look when Connie offered to hire him. Nice, subtle, callbacks to his comics. These shows and movies don't need the big stuff unless they're focusing on specific stories. Jessica Jones had callbacks galore but that's due to her show relying heavily on her comics while Daredevil and Luke both have been around for a long time and have lots of Easter Eggs that can be mined for their shows without focusing on a particular story.
Anyway, now that I've documented my thoughts, it's on to episode 2.