Luke Cage Luke Cage General Discussion Thread - Part 1

[Flint Marko]

Mariah was decent, kind of your standard two-faced politician type, but still good
My favorite was Cottonmouth

And I agree, Diamondback was wack
I get they were going for the big, theatrical, blaxploitation-style villain, but it was just too much of a departure from the nuanced and layered Stokes and Mariah. Plus the whole cliched connection to Luke.... It literally felt like Diamondback wandered into frame from a totally different show/movie.

Agreed about Diamondback. Easily my least favorite Netflix villain. Wasn't terrible, I get what they were going for and the actor gave a good performance all things considered, but he felt like he belonged more on AoS than Luke Cage.

But I disagree about Mariah, by the end of the series I strongly felt that she was a great villain. Not on par with Fisk or Kilgrave, but definitely up there.

 

[Web-Head]

To me this show was missing a great villain. None of them were scary, smart, menacing, or even that compelling to me. They weren't bad though

I'm on the same boat as well, which is probably why this is my least favorite of the Netflix shows so far.

 

[BatsDC]

Diamondback needed to be brought in earlier and toned down a little. I think that would have really helped

 

[Steyin]

I think what a lot of people dont understand is that this show is a homage to blacksploitation. The silliness comes with the territory.

Pretty stupid decision to do that IMO then. This series deserved better.

 

[Faith_Cassidy]

If blaxploitation isn't your thing, that's cool but that doesn't mean the show should have steered away from it to suit certain tastes. I think the tone, music, the fact that Harlem felt like a unique place (as opposed to generic Hell's Kitchen) all made this show standout in ways neither DD or JJ have.

Kilgrave and Fisk are very good villains but they brought nothing different to the genre. Cottonmouth, Mariah and Diamondback all felt like a breath of fresh air to me and much of the dialogue is distinctly Luke Cage, something you wouldn't hear on any of the other superhero shows on tv right now. Yep, the genre needed this show, badly.

 

[Gamma Goliath]

Yeah some people act like this show is Black Dynamite reincarnate, i appreciate the respect to the source and the uniqueness of this character and those around him.

 

[Wylie Times]

People are grossly overstating the Blaxploitation elements. It's really just the score and a few nods here and there. Too often people equate "Blaxploitation" with "Bad" when in reality Blaxploitation films are really just films steeped in urban blackness.

As I said before there's a depth to the writing and how it meshes with the music choices that I think people are missing. Even some of the conversations that some people think seem "forced" are actually authentic, but they're conversations that black people tend to have among themselves.

I've seen people say the scene with Method Man, Sway, and Heather B was "too on the nose" as if the things they were saying about Luke Cage hadn't already been said by people on social media, in interviews, and other places BEFORE the show debuted.

 

[chamber-music]

It isn't often that a black showrunners or writers gets to make a big budget show with a mostly minority cast. I think it is forgivable that they indulge a little. A lot of the conversations in the show are not too far removed from the ones going on in the black community and it is understandable that given this large platform that they would take the opportunity to bring those conversations to the show.

I watched the first episode and I don't really think I'll go forward. That episode was mainly just people talking while sitting or standing. It was so damn slow. Is this what the rest of the show is?

Every MCU Netflix show starts slow and then the pace things build as the show goes on.

Netflix likes to ease people in with these Marvels shows.

Jessica Jones episode one '"AKA Ladies Night' wasn't really action heavy. Besides delivering a subpoena to strip-club owner by grabbing his car and the final scene with Hope killing her parents, not a lot of interesting things happened.

To me this show was missing a great villain. None of them were scary, smart, menacing, or even that compelling to me. They weren't bad though

I would say Shades is one of the most competent villain in the MCU. A lot of villains have overly convoluted or stupid plans but Shades acted like a real intelligent criminal would. Not trying to draw attention and trying to manipulate things. He doesn't give grandiose monologues when he has the hero cornered. He sees an angle to everything and plays it in a way that will have the best results for his own interests.

 

[Wylie Times]

Also, the "It cheesy Blaxploitation" comments are just bizarre because for YEARS all I remember seeing some people saying that's exactly what they wanted. They wanted Quentin Tarantino directing a Luke Cage movie set in the 70's, or they wanted Luke to wear that stupid costume for the entirety of the show. So why is it all of a sudden a problem now when they just do a few nods to Blaxploitation films?

 

[BlueLanternKal]

Black Mariah was great because it was a journey of self discovery. Fisk knew he was a monster, but was in denial until the season one finale. Mariah didn't know what she was capable of until she did it. Watch her in the first episode and the last and they're two different people even down to her usage of the word n****. When she [blackout]killed her cousin she snapped and[/blackout] that started her descent towards villainy.

 

[MadVillainy]

Also, the "It cheesy Blaxploitation" comments are just bizarre because for YEARS all I remember seeing some people saying that's exactly what they wanted. They wanted Quentin Tarantino directing a Luke Cage movie set in the 70's, or they wanted Luke to wear that stupid costume for the entirety of the show. So why is it all of a sudden a problem now when they just do a few nods to Blaxploitation films?

Why is it weird not everyone wanted the blaxploitation elements

 

[MadVillainy]

The blaxploitation elements are fine to have if you have them used in a better way.

Personally I would've ignored them but it isn't a bad idea to use but especially weird when first part of the season you have a straight crime thriller and then the season turns into having blaxploitation elements

 

[Kane52630]

I thought it had elements throughout the season.

 

[MadVillainy]

But it was more heavily used when Diamondback appeared imo

 

[BoredGuy]

Yeah Diamondback appearing completely flipped the show

oh, and I actually cringe at the thought of a Tarantino directed, 70's set Cage movie

The nods to the culture and the overall tone and the score, the indirect homages to blaxploitation were all great, I just think the dialogue veered into cheese way too often (most especially Luke's and Stryker's), and certain performances didn't help that feeling.

 

[Random490]

As I said before there's a depth to the writing and how it meshes with the music choices that I think people are missing. Even some of the conversations that some people think seem "forced" are actually authentic, but they're conversations that black people tend to have among themselves.

For the most part I agree, I do feel one or two were forced. Specifically [BLACKOUT]Luke monologue at the end[/BLACKOUT] just seemed shoehorned in, wasn't that relevant to the conversation the characters were having or the scene. As if the writer wanted that speech to be made but didn't have any good place to write it in.

I've seen people say the scene with Method Man, Sway, and Heather B was "too on the nose" as if the things they were saying about Luke Cage hadn't already been said by people on social media, in interviews, and other places BEFORE the show debuted.

I was actually worried about Method Man's appearance when I saw it in the trailer. It's too easy for a celebrity cameo to be out of place or come off as cheesy. But that conversation they had was really well written and preformed. I felt like that was something you could actually hear on the radio. Also it's nice to hear the media be somewhat rational instead of yelling heads, even if it is just in fiction.

 

[MadVillainy]

Yeah Diamondback appearing completely flipped the show

oh, and I actually cringe at the thought of a Tarantino directed, 70's set Cage movie

The nods to the culture and the overall tone and the score, the indirect homages to blaxploitation were all great, I just think the dialogue veered into cheese way too often (most especially Luke's and Stryker's), and certain performances didn't help that feeling.

It kinda reminds me how I felt DD season 2 was kinda divided by being a crime thriller with the Punisher stuff and then a supernatural ninja thingy with The Hand

DD season 1 did have multiple elements and influences
to a lesser extent but they balanced it well

 

[chamber-music]

Spoiler

Cottonmouth and Black Mariah were played pretty straight while Diamondback was played more over the top. I enjoyed the change of pace with Diamondback Quoting the bible and spitting one liners. The character felt like more of a wild card like The Joker or Loki. He pops up and creates havoc.

 

[TheVileOne]

For the most part I agree, I do feel one or two were forced. Specifically [BLACKOUT]Luke monologue at the end[/BLACKOUT] just seemed shoehorned in, wasn't that relevant to the conversation the characters were having or the scene. As if the writer wanted that speech to be made but didn't have any good place to write it in.


I was actually worried about Method Man's appearance when I saw it in the trailer. It's too easy for a celebrity cameo to be out of place or come off as cheesy. But that conversation they had was really well written and preformed. I felt like that was something you could actually hear on the radio. Also it's nice to hear the media be somewhat rational instead of yelling heads, even if it is just in fiction.

I agree with a lot of this. Some clunky stuff in that episode.

 

[kguillou]

I'm sorry guys, I'm not getting the Blaxploitation feel that you guys are getting. The music? Maybe a little. But a lot of the music is very contemporary or throwback to 90's hip hop. Black Dynamite is a blaxploitation homage, this definitely is not. This is nothing like Superfly or Shaft or Foxy Brown or any of those low rent (but awesome) 70's flicks about jive talkin badass mofo takin' it to the man. This feels very much like a modern African American drama set in modern day Harlem.

 

[javonstokess]

IMO, Diamondback was no more over the top than any incarnation of the Joker or Riddler.

He was Cage's "crazy" villain, every hero has one.

 

[Blade X]

I haven't watched this series yet (I'm gonna bite the bullet and try to watch JESSICA JONES first), but I have 2 questions for those of you who have seen the entire series.

1. Was there more action and better fight scenes in this series than there were in JJ and the 2 seasons of DD?

2. Was the tone of this show more upbeat and fun than JJ and the first season of DD?

 

[flickchick85]

I haven't watched this series yet (I'm gonna bite the bullet and try to watch JESSICA JONES first), but I have 2 questions for those of you who have seen the entire series.

1. Was there more action and better fight scenes in this series than there were in JJ and the 2 seasons of DD?

2. Was the tone of this show more upbeat and fun than JJ and the first season of DD?

No to both. Maybe a slightly more upbeat tone, but that's about it.

 

[javonstokess]

I thought the show did a great job of building a rouges gallery for Cage.

 

[Web-Head]

I haven't watched this series yet (I'm gonna bite the bullet and try to watch JESSICA JONES first), but I have 2 questions for those of you who have seen the entire series.

1. Was there more action and better fight scenes in this series than there were in JJ and the 2 seasons of DD?

2. Was the tone of this show more upbeat and fun than JJ and the first season of DD?

I recommend watching JJ first. I think there might have been more action and a little bit of a more upbeat tone, but not by much. It's also been almost a year since I've seen Jessica Jones.