A-Season 2A satisfying, stylish finale erases some of Luke Cage’s flawsAli Barthwell6/30/18 11:30pmSaveEditEmbiggenSend to EditorsPromoteGo to permalinkLuke Cage has drawn on Blaxploitation films for its visual style and its themes. The character in the comic books was…
B+Season 2Luke Cage finds its footing leading into the finaleAli Barthwell6/30/18 5:15pmSaveEditEmbiggenSend to EditorsPromoteGo to permalinkI fully understand that there are some among you in the comments that disagree with my hot takes on Luke Cage this…
B-Season 2Flashbacks invigorate Luke Cage but don’t do much for character developmentAli Barthwell6/30/18 2:35amSaveEditEmbiggenSend to EditorsPromoteGo to permalinkI know it must get a little repetitive to read these reviews where I keep saying that I want something more from Luke…
CSeason 2A playful Luke Cage feels unbalanced, out of place this late in the seasonAli Barthwell6/29/18 10:45pmSaveEditEmbiggenSend to EditorsPromoteGo to permalinkAfter the emotional thrill ride of the last episode and the threat of Bushmaster on the loose, “The Main Ingredient”…
CSeason 2Luke Cage invokes deep pain but doesn’t fully explore itAli Barthwell6/29/18 6:05pmSaveEditEmbiggenSend to EditorsPromoteGo to permalinkLuke Cage wants to position itself as a series about oppressed people and resistance. The first season utilized the…
C+Season 2Luke Cage needs to rely on its more interesting characters instead of the well-trod plotAli Barthwell6/29/18 5:05pmSaveEditEmbiggenSend to EditorsPromoteGo to permalinkEven a mediocre episode of Luke Cage feels like a really good episode of any police procedural. It makes sense that the…
B-Season 2Luke Cage doesn't know what to do with its strongest characters Ali Barthwell6/24/18 10:30pmSaveEditEmbiggenSend to EditorsPromoteGo to permalinkThe issue with Luke Cage being the least interesting character on the series could be mitigated if the series used the…
B-Season 2Flawed characterization of the lead hurts Luke CageAli Barthwell6/24/18 8:20pmSaveEditEmbiggenSend to EditorsPromoteGo to permalinkWe’re almost at the midpoint of the season and by the midpoint of any work of fiction, we should be turning some…
ASeason 2Luke Cage debases its characters and leaves us with blood on our hands Ali Barthwell6/23/18 9:30amSaveEditEmbiggenSend to EditorsPromoteGo to permalinkLuke Cage is a lot of things: a crime drama, a comic book show, a modern take on blaxploitation. But this episode…
BSeason 2Luke Cage suffers a defeat and the series slows down to watch his fallAli Barthwell6/23/18 7:00amSaveEditEmbiggenSend to EditorsPromoteGo to permalinkBecause Netflix series are intended for binge-watching, it’s difficult for a single episode to stand out. Episode three…
ASeason 2A tremendous emotional scene sets high expectations for the rest of Luke Cage’s second seasonAli Barthwell6/22/18 3:00pmSaveEditEmbiggenSend to EditorsPromoteGo to permalinkThere’s a lot written on “Netflix’s Strategy” to get viewers hooked. Pacing the season out to have the most impact on…
B+Season 2Quick pace and a mysterious villain make for a thrilling Luke CageAli Barthwell6/22/18 1:00pmSaveEditEmbiggenSend to EditorsPromoteGo to permalinkWhen it comes to comic book villains, there are two tactics to take when it comes to their backstory. One: to carefully…
A-Season 2Luke Cage reinvents itself along with its heroAli Barthwell6/22/18 12:00pmSaveEditEmbiggenSend to EditorsPromoteGo to permalinkAfter the mystical and enigmatic happenings in The Defenders, it’s a real treat to return to the down-to-earth setting…
B+Pre-AirLuke Cage is the first Marvel show to top its first seasonDanette Chavez6/20/18 12:10pmSaveEditEmbiggenSend to EditorsPromoteGo to permalinkLike its lead character, Marvel’s Luke Cage is aware of the upward climb it’s facing in season two. Luke (Mike Colter)…
B-Season 1Luke Cage finale is more a recap than a conclusionAli Barthwell10/30/16 12:00pmSaveEditEmbiggenSend to EditorsPromoteGo to permalinkLuke Cage was building toward something, right? The wise words of Pop, Cottonmouth’s musical ability, Diamondback’s…
B-Season 1Luke Cage tries to right itself, return to themeAli Barthwell10/28/16 12:00pmSaveEditEmbiggenSend to EditorsPromoteGo to permalinkThe first thing any of us knew about Luke Cage was that he was a bulletproof black man. His impenetrable skin was…
B-Season 1Luke Cage can’t push past standard action fareAli Barthwell10/26/16 12:00pmSaveEditEmbiggenSend to EditorsPromoteGo to permalinkFor a show that elevated itself from standard action television with stunning visuals and stylistic choices, it’s…
CSeason 1Tragedy and twists trip up Luke CageAli Barthwell10/24/16 12:00pmSaveEditEmbiggenSend to EditorsPromoteGo to permalinkEpisode 10, “Take it Personal,” wrestles with the theme “tragedy can be exploited for personal gain” and the most…
B-Season 1The fight for control motivates Misty and Mariah in Luke CageAli Barthwell10/21/16 12:00pmSaveEditEmbiggenSend to EditorsPromoteGo to permalinkIn this episode of Luke Cage, “DWYCK,” the case is made for any one of the number of criminals and villains running…
A-Season 1Diamondback turns Luke Cage into a horror movieAli Barthwell10/19/16 12:00pmSaveEditEmbiggenSend to EditorsPromoteGo to permalinkThe actors on Luke Cage whose performances lean into the genre and style of the series for their introductions are all…
