Let me know what you guys thought of *Luke Cage* Season 1. Expecting more Plot during Season 2. Posting new *Flash Episode 3 Jesse Quick* after it airs tonight :)
Emergency Awesome Luke Cage was great! Loved the music element they had throughout the show it really kept that cool street vibe alive. And yeah I can't wait for this new flash episode. Papa wells is going to have a major headache with Jesse's new speedster abilities.
The show had some enjoyable moments, but at times was sluggish. I didn't really like the villains for this one. Shades and Mariah were good. But I didn't care for the other villains. The first guy lacked any interesting aspects after he was revealed to be so ineffectual and the later villain....was just too goofy for the tone of this series. Overall it was enjoyable. Not my favorite show, but it wasn't bad.
I understand your disappointment be it had to be done. it reflected the comic book where he has been around since the 70s and Jessica Jones has only existed since the 2000s. And when Jessica Jones was created Luke Cage was a significant supporting character of her book. It would not have worked if she was in this show because she didn't fit.
Not sure why they killed off Cottonmouth so early, especially when they were really going deep into his back story... He was amazing, Diamondback not so much..
Nobody seems to be thinking this but maybe it's so they can build His mom into something better. Who knows how she will keep herself abover water in later stories.
If Diamondback's character was explored better, he would've been a great villian but they waited until like the last two episodes to explain he was his brother and the backstory of their childhood.
Gotta disagree on this one. Personally, I think this was the best Marvel Netflix show yet. It was incredibly deep and captured the political climate, the feel of NY, Luke's internal struggle and some of the most fleshed out characters yet. I did want more depth when it came to Diamondback and I hated that Cottonmouth was taken out too early. He was probably my favorite character on the show. I couldn't get enough. Can't wait for season 2.
I'm with you on that this is one of my favorite of the Netflix shows. Cottonmouth was a good villain, but to me it was cooler that they took him out when they did because it sets up Mariah as a villain for next season and we can see where she comes from. Diamondback wasn't as fleshed out as he could have been. but I don't think he was ever supposed to be a long lasting big bad. He was a great tool to bring about Cage's acceptance of his place in that world.
I agree, I didn't care for Diamondback in the slightest. I was genuinely upset when CottonMouth and Scarfe died. I really like both of those characters and the actors did AMAZING. Luke Cage was a good series, but definitely the least good out of the 3 shows. Hopefully season 2 will be more whole.
I agree. They were both good storylines, but you just simply can't follow up the Punisher with Elektra. That's like following up Citizen Kane with Harry Potter.
Levi Everaerts I agree she wasn't all that interesting anyways. Her motivations were more or less her catching up with Matt and them attempting to revisit their relationship from years ago. The punisher had more of a moral struggle between his view on killing criminals and daredevil's idea that everyone deserves a second chance. I'm glad the punisher is getting his own series.
The elektra storyline would've been better if it had been more compact - I felt there was a lack of explanation as to why fucking ninjas kept popping up left right & centre
That is such a loss. That actor and character was awesome. Diamondback was ok in the start but he degenerated into wreckless anger and rage for no clear reasons other than weird daddy issues. Daddy liked you better therefore murder?
Tommy Gibbons ...The boiling acid bath just dissolved the metal fragments in both wounds. They had no gear or equipment to even attempt removing them manually. I get what you mean but, it was taken care of without a step by step thing.
mmmmm I dunno, I kinda think that little container they had him in or the breathing apparatus is capable of withstanding heat that can "dissolve" alien metal. Let alone anyone working on him being able to get close to that kind of heat. They just did a production boo boo. That is all.
That shit looked like a fryer..I thought that Luke would come out looking like Michael Jackson.. or 50 shades darker .They literally deepfried his ass.
hey I really enjoyed the show but seriously it did kinda lack the whole interesting villain department once cotton mouth died I was expecting him to get his fucking super teeth at some point
i thought the ending (him going back to jail) was an amazing way to end. "sometimes backwards, to move forward." that quote is so relatable and memorable. "always forward, never backward, always" got me, but "sometimes backwards, to move forward" is one of the most poetic life lessons (if that makes any sense lol)
The Luke Cage series was AWESOME!!! I don't think they stretched the series out. It was good they explained everything for the people that didn't see Jessica Jones (like me). It's awesome and encouraging to see a powerful black superhero that speaks well and follows his conscience. The show is well written and has great actors!
Luke Cage is a decent show but clearly the worst of the Netflix series so far. Thin on plot and Stryker was an awful, hammy, daddy issue villain whose actions barely made any sense. These series always need a good villain to keep the stories interesting and Stryker just wasn't it. Cottonmouth was a good character which is why the first half is so much better than the latter half.
srry but i have to disagree with u on that. Actually I think it was one of the better shows the music was the best ever, the characters just felt natural and relatable and it show that marvel and are world is not that different (in terms of police brutality). It really capitalize on what it mean to be a black superhero
Honestly I liked the contrast of Luke being a 90's cartoon hero (read Clean mouthed Idealist) with more modern sensibilities and Striker playing almost every old villain trope straight but with gritty realism and brutality.
I couldn't say it is the worst. I think they are all too close in quality to say one is the worst at this point. I agree with the daddy issue thing. Any worst there dad's name would have been Martha. I can't disagree with your issues with it though. I got kicked out of the show when they had Diamond back in costume. But I love how they did a such a great job of turning the city into another character.
Luke Cage was amazing man. All of the series are. I like the fact that they expand out to 13 episodes it's like a 13 hour movie. It was better than most people are saying. Excelsior.
Thaahum She probably will. It looks like her armed healed but it may have gotten infected and she wasn't aware, then by next season or defenders she has a bionic arm.
That's when an AoS crossover would be wonderful. If Coulson was going to Defenders, he could be the one to give the arm to Misty, since SHIELD has the tech to make that arm, and he has one himself.
CyllidCastle They could just as easily say SHIELD made her a new arm and not have SHIELD show up at all. Hammer Tech made all the weapons on Luke Cage but Hammer Tech itself didn't show up.
JaidynReiman Hammer Tech is just a weapon manufacturer and seller, like Stark Industries were. How would you explain that a government agency creates an expensive custom equipment without even meeting with the recipient ?
I really liked Luke Cage, maybe because I love how the music is synched with what's happening. I feel the way they divided the season (Cottonmouth - Stryker) was kinda obvious, but it's still ok. Expected a bigger plot turn around tbh. Loved Mike Colter as Luke, I believe he still has a lot to offer. In the other hand, love your videos Charlie! I never miss a single one of them :) keep doing a great job!!!
They kept showing the power source at the back of the suit and I kept hoping that Luke would rip it off. Too bad he is more dumb than he looks. Overall, I enjoyed the show, but it had a few glaring problems, which have all been mentioned 100 times already so I won't do that here.
true but cottonmouth was just so good, he totally made the series for me. if cottonmouth didn't die so early and he was the main villain at the end it would be perfect
Oh...my...gosh...I thought I was the only one who thought that Shades could be the "Littlefinger" of Luke Cage, holy crap! Lol Well, with fans saying that now, I really hope they see it and know that they should keep him very interesting in the future.
Wow, I've never seen so much negative response to Luke Cage than on this comment section, haha. But regardless of how I myself LOVED the show and place it 2nd below Daredevil, I understand why in some ways...yeah, Striker was fine at first, and I just thought of his over-the-top-ness as an alright, "different" character trait, but then they just messed up with him at the very end. He seemed straight up cheesy in the last episode, and the fight really was pretty anticlimactic. I really hope that scientist doesn't give Striker powers...I'd rather him just be normal but use powerful weapons like the Judas gun. I didn't mind Cottonmouth's death too much, because that scene between him and Mariah was sooo good. And from that point on I really started getting into the character and liked Shades even more. But the end my thoughts on tge villians were: I freakin LOVE Shades and Mariah as villains, Cottonmouth was good but he didn't do much after the beginning, and it was annoying that he wouldn't listen to his voices of wisdom, therefore putting himself nearer to his demise (an example of why Shades came out fine but he's dead), and Striker went from alright and even amusing in a good way to ABSOLUTELY cheesy AS FUCK real quick...lol
The plot was about the battle for the soul of a community, and the symbolism was about being one's brother (or sister's) "keeper". Examples: Cage/Stryker, Cottonmouth/Mariah (who had a sibling-like relationship). I liked that it was 13 episodes. Character development was important. You really missed a lot here.
Luke Cage is the best of the Netflix series in my honest my opinion because I feel like I've actually experienced a lot of the situations in Luke Cage it's all about the environments in which you're from makes it more relatable I'm black and I've listened to rap and hip hop growing up so I can parallel my situations in my life to the series and I think it's fun and I seriously liked it way more than Jessica jones that show was kinda boring to me I could've actually went without her series the only good things that came from it was Luke and Killgrave
I couldn't have been the only one yelling at the TV during the last fight, "Destory the Machine/Computer thing on DiamondBack's back Luke." Seemed like a much simpler way of defeating him.
I enjoyed Luke Cage. I did feel it was kind of slow going, but I think they did a great job with the characters. The actors also did a great job as well. I really liked Cottonmouth and Shades on the villain side. I was a little disappointed with the ending, but hopefully they'll handle the jail thing really quickly since Defenders is a mini-series instead of a full series like the rest of the shows.
I really disliked the ending to Luke Cage. It's all good until some random fucking mob boss shows up with a judas gun out of fucking nowhere and shoots Luke. Then, he somehow gets a super suit from fucking Hammer that looks so shitty, and then Luke Cage just for no reason is suddenly off the run BECAUSE MISTY FUCKING SAID SO, despite the lack of evidence for his innocence. Then police come out of nowhere and take him to a prison he can fucking escape again from.
Jason Addison He could have escaped from the FBI agents if he wanted to. He didn't do that because he was ready to stop running. He won't break out, Matt Murdock will prove him innocent and get him out legally.
I thought overall it was good. Yes they took a bit long - but when feeling out a new character in a fullseries I think that kind of thing is to be expected a la Gotham Season 1. This is a common problem - but one usually remedied by the second season/subsequent material having that larger past to draw on. So having a slower pace and having more drama/detail can feed into a later more furious pace - like Gotham Season 2 and now 3 where the pace is insane.
In the finale episode, the Gang Starr song which the episode was named after ("You Know My Steez") was playing in the background of the flashback scene between Luke and Diamondback in the gym.
loved Luke Cage, the music was fantastic, though sometimes I was distracted with a song. And the women were amazing. I dont like how Marvel keeps killing (almost all) the best villains. Please keep Kingpin safe!
I felt like Luke Cage actually fit really well for it being one of the Netflix series. Also, I thought Shades and Mariah were great. The difficulty was when Cottonmouth was a very sympathetic character but Stryker was really fun to watch. One was more in depth and one was more entertaining. The plot was not structured well enough so the story dragged on but it was still good. For getting Luke out, they have Matt Murdock but Bobby Fisher also found that evidence in the shop. Dr. Burstein will probably give Stryker powers and thy may start off the season with that and build him up better but the question is what story would they do with him if they theoretically brought him back with powers. The series definitely had a lot of awesome characters. I would like to see more characters like Mama Mabel and definitely Bobby Fisher. There are some characters that I would assume are returning like Misty Knight, Shades, Mariah and Clair as well as Stryker and Dr. Burstein.
When Cheo Coker named the episodes after Gang Starr songs, his intention was to theme them as such, not to literally have the songs in there. Shonda Rhimes often used this same approach for whole seasons of "Grey's Anatomy", and he liked the idea enough, so he used it. Look it up.
Totally agree with you Charlie in your critique of Luke Cage! I could not put my finger on the issues I had with Luke Cage but your video makes most sense! Thank you!
Hey Emergency Awesome, do you think that Luke Cage's issue with the FBI will be resolved in the new season of Daredevil? I think it would be a fun and creative way of blending the Marvel World, and to lead the way to Luke Cage Season 2. What do you think?
Even though I really loved Luke Cage and wanted to live in that afterglow moment after finishing the series I really agree with all of your criticisms!
They was maybe too much exposition and/or development, but Luke Cage was *the most fun* so far. Episodes 4 through 8 were outstanding! Diamondback was a too sudden and major change, but fine once you accepted it. Like Daredevil season 2, Luke Cage started for adults but ended for the kids and the child in you :-)
A comic book guy didnt produce the Luke Cage series. That's why it left the confusion for the comic book geeks. The movie producer from Notorious worked on this. It was a way of pulling in African American comic book geeks. More combined viewers overall. It's a method to the madness. I'm black so I loved the show. All my white friends were confused. I told them to be patient. The conversion process will happen to be more white people inclusive. While keeping African American comic book geeks. Smile
I am an old white guy fan of the old Powerman and Iron Fist books. They were a favorite right after Spiderman. How they worked in the nod to his old costume was awesome. I thought they did a great job. And whether the guy was a comic book guy or not he clearly did do some research into the source material. It rang more true than false. All comic fans should know by now that there will be changes from the source material. Movie and TV shows should always be considered an Elsworlds version from the comics anyway.
I agree, was a very good first season but not quite on the level of Jessica Jones and Daredevil season 2. It really comes down to the villains and teammups because the hero is usually always liked. Kilgrave was exceptional and even tho the Punisher wasn't the actual villain, him and Elektra really shined just as much as Daredevil did! Luke Cage didnt have another shining character except for Cottonmouth who was killed off much too early!!!
I don't understand why Luke Cage got so much criticism, the only thing I disliked was Diamondback, didn't like his character portrayal and his story seemed rushed with a lot of things unexplained. Cottenmouth was such an interesting character that died too suddenly IMO, Mahershala Ali played the character so well.
I totally agree. My friends who are super into the Netflix series say Jessica Jones is the weak link but I love it so much. I think a lot of it has to do with Kilgrave, I love David Tenant and I also like a really visceral super villain rather than mob bosses and ninjas. Plus it had a ton of character development for Luke Cage as well as an amazing, dynamic lead who is honestly kind of an anti hero. The mob boss thing in Luke Cage is cool but honestly I liked Cottonmouth a lot and was sad to see him die so soon. I'm just really excited for more supernatural (with the Hand stuff) and more super villain stuff in general, I think Luke Cage's turn off for many people was that the first bit, like Charlie said, was a rehash of where he was on Jessica Jones combined with a feeling of how we've been here before with the mob and political sleaze via Fisk. I loved the show but it just felt too familiar to previous Netflix shows to top Jessica Jones for me.
Anyone else noticed a this mistake in continuity: when the reporter asks Mariah for a more fun interview, he suggests doing something along the lines of how Obama sang Al Green, BUT unless I'm mistaken, a certain Elis (however you spell it) character is president in MCU (as seen in both Iron Man 3, the third season of AoS, and possibly at some other times as well
cottonmouth and DiamondBack were crazy good at being menacing and intimidating even opposite luke cage who's basically a mini hulk. Great villans. In general the Netflix shows need to work on their endings, especially Daredevil. The best endings were JJ and L. Cage.
I honestly would put Luke Cage as the 3rd best marvel Netflix season so far. 1) DD S2 2) DD S1 3) LC S1 4) JJ S1 But I agree that the first half "The Cotton Mouth arc" was better than the second half. Diamond back was over the top but Mariah Dillard/Shades sub arc was interesting
Very much disagree Charlie; I thought the pre-Diamondback parts of Luke Cage were stronger with their characters than what happened after Stryker came in. Loved the character focus with everyone. Then again, I prefer more character-driven story a lot of the time than pure plot-driven.
Please tell us what the chronological order of the netflix series are! Like...daredevil season 1, jessica jones season 1, daredevil season 2....etc. What is the correct order of these seasons?
They'll probably do a Luke Cage season 2 and maybe an Iron Fist season 2, but then after that, they're gonna consolidate the shows into a Heroes for Hire show, and I think eventually they'll do the same with Jessica Jones as well. If JJ season 2 is received really well and fans demand another, then they might give her a 3rd season before adding her to Heroes for Hire, but they're gonna have to consolidate some of these shows at a certain point for 3 main reasons: 1.) The comics. Luke Cage and Iron Fist form Heroes for Hire in the comics, and also eventually employ Misty Knight and Colleen Wing. Luke and Jessica get married and have a baby, Iron Fist and Misty get together, etc. These storylines all would work best intersecting with one another in one ensemble series rather than awkwardly splitting them up amongst 3 separate shows just for the sake of having 3 separate shows. These actors are not going to want to pull double (or triple) duty every year, shooting 2-3 shows annually so that Luke can be a regular on JJ and then show up on Iron Fist as well, and Vice-Versa. 2.) To make room for new shows. After Defenders, I recon Marvel will want introduce some new blood into the mix in addition to the 4 Defenders, just as the film side did after Avengers. Punisher is already shooting, but fans are salivating for and demanding Blade, Moon Knight and Ghost Rider shows. The fans want it, we've heard rumors about these characters for a while now, and I get the feeling Marvel are setting up Marvel Knights in order to have a separate team from the Defenders, a team that is even more adult, that have zero qualms about outright murdering people, and who primarily take on the supernatural underbelly, Vampires, Demons, Sorcerer's, etc. They aren't concerned with protecting specific neighborhoods so much as wiping out Vermin wherever they find it. Unfortunately, I doubt Marvel will be able to do 8 shows at once. Already, they're starting to run into the problem of 2-year waits between seasons of fan-favorite series like Daredevil and Jessica Jones. Fans will tolerate it this time because they've got Defenders to hold them over, so they'll still get to see those two characters in 2017. But going forward, fans of Daredevil for instance, who may not care as much about the rest of the shows, will not want to have to wait 2 years between seasons 3 and 4 just so Marvel can do Luke Cage season 2 or Iron Fist season 2. Adding new shows to the mix only exacerbates this problem. However, consolidating Luke Cage, Iron Fist and Jessica Jones into a Heroes for Hire show, opens up slots for 2 more shows (Let's say Blade and Ghost Rider). So Marvel would then be working on 5 shows (Daredevil, Punisher, Heroes for Hire, Blade and Ghost Rider - Only one more than they're currently working on) instead of 8. They could then hire more crew instead of using the same exact crew for each show, and film some of the shows simultaneously, and suddenly those spinning plates become much easier to juggle. I actually think Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will come to an end sometime soon (if not after this season, then after season 5) so that Marvel can focus more time, energy (and money) on the Netflix shows which get higher ratings, are much better liked by fans and critics alike, and let's face it, are just plain better. 3.) I could easily see Daredevil running 5 seasons, perhaps more. He's the most popular of the Defenders, and he's got the most source material to work with, and his source material is very rich. As far as solo material, Jessica Jones basically has Alias, which they've done, and not much else. Luke's major solo adventures have nearly been milked dry at this point as well. Luke, Jessica and Iron Fist also all have very limited rogues galleries, which have mostly been depleted already (Assuming of course Iron Fist main villain will be Steel Serpent. Also, I doubt too many people are just dying to see Luke vs. Diamondback part 2, since he was the biggest complaint amongst most people with the 1st season.). So, I really don't see much of a justification for 3-5 seasons each of Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist solo shows. There's just not enough source material there for that, and those 3 characters always seemed to work best in the comics as part of an ensemble anyway. TLDR: I think Marvel would do best to consolidate Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist after 2 seasons each, then offer up their answer to Legends of Tomorrow with an ensemble Heroes for Hire show featuring Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, Misty Knight, Colleen Wing and perhaps White Tiger (There were rumors of Marvel shopping a White Tiger show, though I doubt it) or Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan (There've been rumors of this character getting her own show as well, but maybe it would be best to introduce her on Heroes for Hire 1st).
Hey Charlie,I just finished season 1 of Luke Cage and thought you absolutely nailed it with your recap. It was my least favorite of all the Netflix Marvel shows for all the reasons you mentioned. I'm hoping they figure things out for season 2. Luke's a great character and his acting is superb. Now the writing needs to catch up.Thanks for the videos!Brad
Thought it was good. I felt like the pacing in the second half wasn't as slow as Jessica Jones or Dare Devil Season 1. Like the bomb blowing up in Luke;s chest drove the plot by injuring the impenetrable man and introduced his creator, v.s. The purple man's in jail and now he's out.
To me, Luke Cage felt more like they cut two different seasons into one. The first half the season was the first half of Cottonmouth's story, the second half of the season was the second half of Diamondback's story.
For me, so far, mostly because of plot, emotional arc of the heroes, supporting characters and of course the villains, the ranking stands as follows (first meaning great and last meaning very good): Daredevil - Season 1 Jessica Jones - Season 1 Daredevil - Season 2 Luke Cage - Season 1
I liked the Shades character. He was very calculated and cerebral. I didnt care for Stryker too much. I noticed some GangStarr/Guru lyrics in the dialogue in some episodes. Pretty cool.
Luke Cage and Iron Fist should get 2-3 seasons each on their own, but eventually they should wrap up their run as those characters with a season or two of Heroes For Hire with a few seasons of Defenders here and there. I want them to make room for other Marvel Netflix shows. We know Punisher has begun filming, but I don't think anything new has been confirmed yet. But a Blade series or Moon Knight or Ghost Rider would be nice to throw into the mix as well.
I really liked Luke Cage. it kinda surprised me. The episodes were long and I agree they were really drawn out, toward the middle and the end I kinda wanted the episodes to last longer. I have had a hard time getting into Daredevil and Jessica Jones due to the slow beginnings but I didn't seem to have the same problem with Cage. I agree, the Harlem stuff was done well and the music was great. It kinda sucks that Maria and Cottonmouth seemed to just want to help Harlem get better even though they did it in an illegal way.
This is really good, dude! Just one question - are you gonna finish reviewing Luke Cage? I really enjoyed your video on the first three episodes, and I'd really like to hear your thoughts on the rest of the episodes. Anyway, like I said, great video!
I finished Luke Cage a few weeks ago. Patiently waiting for this video. It was great seeing characters from the Wire. I honestly feel, they introduced to many villains & Cage already defeating them. The Flash backs needed to be sooner. What's your thoughts?
1) Daredevil 2) Jessica Jones 3) Luke Cage I like Iron Fist more than LK and JJ already from the trailers. I'm hoping Iron Fist will be on that DD level. Sure to be the best action-based show. And the mysticism will be next level for netflix Marvel.
I loved Luke Cage. I thought the pacing was perfect, but I like longer slower stories. I also love how the villains totally win in the series and the heroes totally fail. It made it unique (so far) in the Marvel Netflix stuff. BTW about the new ending of your videos, if you aren't on screen to high-five then its not really a high-five. Its just awkward. :) Its like I went to high-five and you totally left me hanging!
My List Of Milestone Heroes That Needs Their Own Crossover's Milestone Heroes vs.RedCircle Heroes are: Heroes Inc.vs.The New Crusaders, Blood Syndicate vs,Riot Squad, BangBabies vs.The Superiors, Cooperative vs.Crucible, Kobalt Detectives vs.Justice Machine, Kobalt Inc.vs.Thunder Agents, Shadow Cabinet vs.Web Host,Icon and Rocket vs.EverGreenSpecialWeaponsAndTactics, Kobalt and Page vs.Super-Peace-Corps,Capers Inc.vs.A,R.M,S.. Tower Patrol vs.The New Crusaders,Hoop Squad vs.Riot Squad,G.R,I.N.D.vs.TheSuperiors,S.H.E.R.D,vs.Crucible, Union Of Separatist Scientists vs.Justice Machine, Space Cops vs.Thunder Agents, Yoongar vs.Web Host, DarkStar Defense Force vs.EverGreenSpecialWeaponsAndTactics, Dakota Police Department vs.Super-Peace-Corps,Davy Jones Locker vs.A.R.M,S., My List Of Milestone Heroes That Needs Their Own Crossover's is Milestone Heroes vs.Valiant Heroes are: Heroes Inc.vs.Psi-Lords, Blood Syndicate vs.Armor Hunters, BangBabies vs.EggBreakers, Cooperative vs, Future Force, Kobalt Detectives vs.Generation Zero, Kobalt Inc.vs.HardCorps, Shadow Cabinet vs.Harbringers,Icon and Rocket vs.HarbringerRenegades, Kobalt and Page vs.The Renegades, Capers Inc.vs.Specialists, Tower Patrol vs.Unity,Hoop Squad vs.X-O Commandos,G.R.I,N.D.vs.Arminories,S.H.E.R.D.vs. Secret Weapons, Union Of Separatist Scientists vs.Archer and Armstrong, Space Cops vs Quantum and Woody, Yoongar vs.Trinity Angels, DarkStar Defense Force vs.Trouble Makers, Dakota Police Department vs.Sliders, Davy Jones Locker vs.Water World.
Charlie! thousands of videos saying how much Luke Cage was going to be MCU's "The Wire" and you didn't mention all the same actors: Sonja Sohn played Kima in The Wire and the police captain at the beginning of Luke Cage (absolutely a nod to the character) plus the doctor that gave Luke his powers played Stringer Bell's lawyer, and the character was really similar, both shows even have a Method Man cameo!
I quite like Luke Cage, but it had the same problem all the Netflix series had, it ran a little slow somewhere between ep 7-11. Would've been perfect if it had been 8 - 10 episodes. Either that or more plot.
Hi I have a question. We all know that these Defender series are in the same universe where captain America and other avengers exist. if you remember the lady who is telling Tony Stark about her son who died in sokovia, she is the same lady who is one of the villian in Luke cage season 1. So is it just a glitch in casting or some Easter egg? @emergencyawesome
i really liked the way the show picked during the first few episodes. i almost thought that luke cage would be better than jessica jones. But it was jus alright. Cant wait for iron fist and defenders.
I wouldn't be so certain that the "really good lawyer" Claire knows is Matt. Foggy is actually in a stronger position to represent Luke and Claire saw first hand what Foggy can do in court.
I enjoyed Luke Cage but Jessica Jones was AMAZING!!! And Dare Devil loved both of the seasons for that so far. Luke Cage was a good action drama show with little story.
I agree with you on just about everything however I thought that Stryker was absolutely the weakest characterization, both in terms of feeling like the conflict was earned, as well as the actual performance being too hammy.
honestly it would be so cool if Iron Fist ended with him being pulled into court by (insert character) and watch Daredevil get him out, and the begining of Defenders continues from there
I was kind of hoping that they do Luke Cage season 1, Iron Fist season 1, just ot get the characters out there and get things rolling and then combine the two shows for season 2+ and make them into one show. Those two were usually together. I generally liked Luke Cage, but there was a big lull in the middle of the season. That whole part where he was shot and had to travel to the doctor. It was 2 episodes of filler that could have been handled differently. It slowed down the pacing of the show, but things picked back up again after. Not as good as Daredevil (not a fan od DD either, but the show was good) and about on par with Jessica Jones. I would love to see a Punisher series as his logo was part of that Defenders teaser that we saw, but at the same time, I think his part in the Daredevil series was all that we are going to get for him until Defenders.
EA loved the video BUT I disagree on the Pops being killed by Striker. I think that scene and the consequences from it really showed you the range & depth of Cottonmouth. I agree tho on Diamondback... he became a little Palpatine-esque in SW ep III at the end. More cartoony. Love how much Claire we are getting & the Misty Knight outfit at the end. Can't wait for season 2.
Let me know what you guys thought of *Luke Cage* Season 1. Expecting more Plot during Season 2. Posting new *Flash Episode 3 Jesse Quick* after it airs tonight :)
Emergency Awesome Luke Cage was great! Loved the music element they had throughout the show it really kept that cool street vibe alive. And yeah I can't wait for this new flash episode. Papa wells is going to have a major headache with Jesse's new speedster abilities.
Emergency Awesome I don't have Netflix😭😭😭😭
The show had some enjoyable moments, but at times was sluggish. I didn't really like the villains for this one. Shades and Mariah were good. But I didn't care for the other villains. The first guy lacked any interesting aspects after he was revealed to be so ineffectual and the later villain....was just too goofy for the tone of this series.
Overall it was enjoyable. Not my favorite show, but it wasn't bad.
daredevil will always be on top!
are you on android or iphone?
I'm still hacked they didn't give Jessica anything more than a nameless shoutout after how huge of a deal he was in her show.
rebound chick shoutout
Lol, precisely!
Claire mentioned Jessica by name
yeah im so pisssed. he was in like 70% of her show and she got nothing. and now we gotta another year for her season 2, wtf Netflix and Marvel
I understand your disappointment be it had to be done. it reflected the comic book where he has been around since the 70s and Jessica Jones has only existed since the 2000s. And when Jessica Jones was created Luke Cage was a significant supporting character of her book. It would not have worked if she was in this show because she didn't fit.
I quite enjoyed the Luke Cage series but I think your critique is spot on.
thanks!
Not sure why they killed off Cottonmouth so early, especially when they were really going deep into his back story... He was amazing, Diamondback not so much..
PremierJP007 I totally agree with you! cottonmouth was a way better villain!
PremierJP007 It was to catalyse Mariah's arc and introduce Stryker.
LTHL Blade yeah we know... but the actor who played cottonmouth is still way better than stryker.
PremierJP007 :( yea...but he wasn't equipped to deal with cage; back was a challenge at least; even in the books (got to luke several times)
Nobody seems to be thinking this but maybe it's so they can build His mom into something better. Who knows how she will keep herself abover water in later stories.
The Cottonmouth character was great
Kaysha I agree.
I loved Luke Cage don't get me wrong. But I lost a little interest once CottonMouth died
Hey Zuz agreed. Diamondback was a terrible charact....
Totally agree . He was amazing
I hated Luke's brother and not in a good way.
If Diamondback's character was explored better, he would've been a great villian but they waited until like the last two episodes to explain he was his brother and the backstory of their childhood.
Mahersala Ali slayed as Cottonmouth, Diamondback was just a whiny bitch. Like seriously bro get over it quit being such a crybaby.
Gotta disagree on this one. Personally, I think this was the best Marvel Netflix show yet. It was incredibly deep and captured the political climate, the feel of NY, Luke's internal struggle and some of the most fleshed out characters yet. I did want more depth when it came to Diamondback and I hated that Cottonmouth was taken out too early. He was probably my favorite character on the show. I couldn't get enough. Can't wait for season 2.
I agree with EVERYTHING you typed out here.
Cant wait for: #HeroesForHire!!!
@Netflix make it happen!!!!
Thanks man, they definitely knocked it out of the park with this. They're on a great run!
I'm with you on that this is one of my favorite of the Netflix shows. Cottonmouth was a good villain, but to me it was cooler that they took him out when they did because it sets up Mariah as a villain for next season and we can see where she comes from. Diamondback wasn't as fleshed out as he could have been. but I don't think he was ever supposed to be a long lasting big bad. He was a great tool to bring about Cage's acceptance of his place in that world.
Diamondback is gonna still be a villain, which is why He was with the Doctor at the end.
I agree, I didn't care for Diamondback in the slightest. I was genuinely upset when CottonMouth and Scarfe died. I really like both of those characters and the actors did AMAZING. Luke Cage was a good series, but definitely the least good out of the 3 shows. Hopefully season 2 will be more whole.
Electra ruined season 2 of daredevil for me. I liked the punisher story arc but hers was just destructive to the core group.
I agree. They were both good storylines, but you just simply can't follow up the Punisher with Elektra. That's like following up Citizen Kane with Harry Potter.
Levi Everaerts I agree she wasn't all that interesting anyways. Her motivations were more or less her catching up with Matt and them attempting to revisit their relationship from years ago. The punisher had more of a moral struggle between his view on killing criminals and daredevil's idea that everyone deserves a second chance. I'm glad the punisher is getting his own series.
Alex Sinibaldi Elektra was annoying and unnecessary.
The elektra storyline would've been better if it had been more compact - I felt there was a lack of explanation as to why fucking ninjas kept popping up left right & centre
Alex Sinibaldi Agreed. Electra was pointless.
It was great up until Cottonmouth died. It was still good but just slowed down a bit. Didn't really care for Diamondback.
With you on that one! Also, do you believe (As i do) that Marvel Studios is fixing to introduce all four of the Defenders in Avengers 3 & 4?
That is such a loss. That actor and character was awesome. Diamondback was ok in the start but he degenerated into wreckless anger and rage for no clear reasons other than weird daddy issues. Daddy liked you better therefore murder?
I loved Cottonmouth. Diamondback completely took me out of the rest of the episodes with his awkward grins and almost Pulp Fiction references.
Jose Penny Murillo I really hope so. At least have a cameo.
Ron Petersen yeah. He was a whinny bitch lol. 1/2 the people in the world have daddy issues.
What really annoyed me was when they did the surgery on Luke to remove the fragments but only worked on the chest wound and not the stomach
Tommy Gibbons ...The boiling acid bath just dissolved the metal fragments in both wounds. They had no gear or equipment to even attempt removing them manually. I get what you mean but, it was taken care of without a step by step thing.
parkourrrrrrr ...At first before turning up the heat to dissolve the rest.
Actually, they couldn't cut Luke's skin, so they turned up the heat to extreme. Then they took out actually shrapnel.
mmmmm I dunno, I kinda think that little container they had him in or the breathing apparatus is capable of withstanding heat that can "dissolve" alien metal. Let alone anyone working on him being able to get close to that kind of heat.
They just did a production boo boo. That is all.
That shit looked like a fryer..I thought that Luke would come out looking like Michael Jackson.. or 50 shades darker .They literally deepfried his ass.
I've been waiting for the season 1 wrap up! Thanks 🙏 Charlie!
thanks!
Emergency Awesome I loved season 1 and daredevil Charlie can you please respond
Luke Cage was a mess in a lot of places. Not horrible but very disappointing.
Dimitri Bitu I thought it was dope finished it in two days while daredevil ill put off for weeks
hey I really enjoyed the show but seriously it did kinda lack the whole interesting villain department once cotton mouth died I was expecting him to get his fucking super teeth at some point
agree!!
Better than both of those.
i thought the ending (him going back to jail) was an amazing way to end. "sometimes backwards, to move forward." that quote is so relatable and memorable. "always forward, never backward, always" got me, but "sometimes backwards, to move forward" is one of the most poetic life lessons (if that makes any sense lol)
The Luke Cage series was AWESOME!!! I don't think they stretched the series out. It was good they explained everything for the people that didn't see Jessica Jones (like me). It's awesome and encouraging to see a powerful black superhero that speaks well and follows his conscience. The show is well written and has great actors!
OMG @ Emergency Awesome... THANK YOU CHARLIE!!!! Great honest review man!
thanks!
Luke Cage is a decent show but clearly the worst of the Netflix series so far. Thin on plot and Stryker was an awful, hammy, daddy issue villain whose actions barely made any sense. These series always need a good villain to keep the stories interesting and Stryker just wasn't it. Cottonmouth was a good character which is why the first half is so much better than the latter half.
srry but i have to disagree with u on that. Actually I think it was one of the better shows
the music was the best ever, the characters just felt natural and relatable and it show that marvel and are world is not that different (in terms of police brutality). It really capitalize on what it mean to be a black superhero
geryon I didn't like Jessica Jones that much so I'd give my Worst Award to that
Honestly I liked the contrast of Luke being a 90's cartoon hero (read Clean mouthed Idealist) with more modern sensibilities and Striker playing almost every old villain trope straight but with gritty realism and brutality.
I'd say cottonmouth ranks up there with Fisk/Killgrave & Stryker is the worst marvel Netflix villain to date for sure
I couldn't say it is the worst. I think they are all too close in quality to say one is the worst at this point. I agree with the daddy issue thing. Any worst there dad's name would have been Martha. I can't disagree with your issues with it though. I got kicked out of the show when they had Diamond back in costume. But I love how they did a such a great job of turning the city into another character.
Luke Cage was amazing man. All of the series are. I like the fact that they expand out to 13 episodes it's like a 13 hour movie. It was better than most people are saying. Excelsior.
Luke Cage and iron fist should get 5 seasons, and then do a Heroes for Hire
I wanted Misty Knight to get the bionic arm lol
Thaahum She probably will. It looks like her armed healed but it may have gotten infected and she wasn't aware, then by next season or defenders she has a bionic arm.
Thaahum Maybe not a completely prosthetic arm but I think she'll get some enhancement in her arm.
That's when an AoS crossover would be wonderful. If Coulson was going to Defenders, he could be the one to give the arm to Misty, since SHIELD has the tech to make that arm, and he has one himself.
CyllidCastle
They could just as easily say SHIELD made her a new arm and not have SHIELD show up at all. Hammer Tech made all the weapons on Luke Cage but Hammer Tech itself didn't show up.
JaidynReiman Hammer Tech is just a weapon manufacturer and seller, like Stark Industries were.
How would you explain that a government agency creates an expensive custom equipment without even meeting with the recipient ?
I really liked Luke Cage, maybe because I love how the music is synched with what's happening. I feel the way they divided the season (Cottonmouth - Stryker) was kinda obvious, but it's still ok. Expected a bigger plot turn around tbh. Loved Mike Colter as Luke, I believe he still has a lot to offer.
In the other hand, love your videos Charlie! I never miss a single one of them :) keep doing a great job!!!
one of the biggest turnoffs was diamondback g
having a powered suit at the end lol they could have done something way better
They kept showing the power source at the back of the suit and I kept hoping that Luke would rip it off. Too bad he is more dumb than he looks. Overall, I enjoyed the show, but it had a few glaring problems, which have all been mentioned 100 times already so I won't do that here.
true but cottonmouth was just so good, he totally made the series for me. if cottonmouth didn't die so early and he was the main villain at the end it would be perfect
Pimp Storm Troopin ass lol
Oh...my...gosh...I thought I was the only one who thought that Shades could be the "Littlefinger" of Luke Cage, holy crap! Lol Well, with fans saying that now, I really hope they see it and know that they should keep him very interesting in the future.
Wow, I've never seen so much negative response to Luke Cage than on this comment section, haha. But regardless of how I myself LOVED the show and place it 2nd below Daredevil, I understand why in some ways...yeah, Striker was fine at first, and I just thought of his over-the-top-ness as an alright, "different" character trait, but then they just messed up with him at the very end. He seemed straight up cheesy in the last episode, and the fight really was pretty anticlimactic. I really hope that scientist doesn't give Striker powers...I'd rather him just be normal but use powerful weapons like the Judas gun.
I didn't mind Cottonmouth's death too much, because that scene between him and Mariah was sooo good. And from that point on I really started getting into the character and liked Shades even more. But the end my thoughts on tge villians were: I freakin LOVE Shades and Mariah as villains, Cottonmouth was good but he didn't do much after the beginning, and it was annoying that he wouldn't listen to his voices of wisdom, therefore putting himself nearer to his demise (an example of why Shades came out fine but he's dead), and Striker went from alright and even amusing in a good way to ABSOLUTELY cheesy AS FUCK real quick...lol
Did everybody forget what the hulk and abomination did to harlem?
Chdis Nash You are the only guy that has said that!
True indeed
That was also 8 years ago
Zay That is in the mcu
we all want to forget this event. ;)
I liked Luke Cage but sorta went down in story when Cottonmouth died & Diamondback was so goofy. But a good show for us Brothas.
The plot was about the battle for the soul of a community, and the symbolism was about being one's brother (or sister's) "keeper". Examples: Cage/Stryker, Cottonmouth/Mariah (who had a sibling-like relationship). I liked that it was 13 episodes. Character development was important. You really missed a lot here.
Striker was absolutely the worse part of it.
Nigga, I am your brother!
Thomas Blessing, that was like his one good line.
+Shakeema Edwards good line, shitty twist.
Luke Cage is the best of the Netflix series in my honest my opinion because I feel like I've actually experienced a lot of the situations in Luke Cage it's all about the environments in which you're from makes it more relatable I'm black and I've listened to rap and hip hop growing up so I can parallel my situations in my life to the series and I think it's fun and I seriously liked it way more than Jessica jones that show was kinda boring to me I could've actually went without her series the only good things that came from it was Luke and Killgrave
And they should've named it Heroes for Hire instead of Defenders but I guess it some what had to coincide with the Avengers name
i guess the point is that they end up defending NYC's poor from the big money viIIains who are the onIy ones who could afford them. :-)
The MCU never needs Blades. No vampires. No zombies.
diamondback was a little too over the top for me with his acting
CAAAAAN YOUUUUU DIG ITTTTTTT!
agreed
whachoo talkin bout' willis? lol! :)
*_CAAAARRRRLLLLL COME OUT TO PLAAAAAYYYYYY_*
ray britton yep
I couldn't have been the only one yelling at the TV during the last fight, "Destory the Machine/Computer thing on DiamondBack's back Luke." Seemed like a much simpler way of defeating him.
I enjoyed Luke Cage. I did feel it was kind of slow going, but I think they did a great job with the characters. The actors also did a great job as well. I really liked Cottonmouth and Shades on the villain side. I was a little disappointed with the ending, but hopefully they'll handle the jail thing really quickly since Defenders is a mini-series instead of a full series like the rest of the shows.
I really disliked the ending to Luke Cage.
It's all good until some random fucking mob boss shows up with a judas gun out of fucking nowhere and shoots Luke. Then, he somehow gets a super suit from fucking Hammer that looks so shitty, and then Luke Cage just for no reason is suddenly off the run BECAUSE MISTY FUCKING SAID SO, despite the lack of evidence for his innocence. Then police come out of nowhere and take him to a prison he can fucking escape again from.
Jason Addison He could have escaped from the FBI agents if he wanted to. He didn't do that because he was ready to stop running. He won't break out, Matt Murdock will prove him innocent and get him out legally.
and that is how defenders start!
JaidynReiman Of course he will, I get that. It's just all out of nowhere at the end.
*****
Not if you have all the documents proving Luke's innocent. Well, Carl Lucas in this case.
Why did you show a picture of littlefinger next to shades? at 5:21
Because Shades is the Littlefinger of Harlem.
Emergency Awesome ahh that's true 😅
I thought overall it was good. Yes they took a bit long - but when feeling out a new character in a fullseries I think that kind of thing is to be expected a la Gotham Season 1. This is a common problem - but one usually remedied by the second season/subsequent material having that larger past to draw on. So having a slower pace and having more drama/detail can feed into a later more furious pace - like Gotham Season 2 and now 3 where the pace is insane.
Is Mahersala Ali's Cottonmouth the best Marvel villain? what a wonderful performance and well written character.
In the finale episode, the Gang Starr song which the episode was named after ("You Know My Steez") was playing in the background of the flashback scene between Luke and Diamondback in the gym.
loved Luke Cage, the music was fantastic, though sometimes I was distracted with a song. And the women were amazing.
I dont like how Marvel keeps killing (almost all) the best villains. Please keep Kingpin safe!
I felt like Luke Cage actually fit really well for it being one of the Netflix series. Also, I thought Shades and Mariah were great. The difficulty was when Cottonmouth was a very sympathetic character but Stryker was really fun to watch. One was more in depth and one was more entertaining. The plot was not structured well enough so the story dragged on but it was still good. For getting Luke out, they have Matt Murdock but Bobby Fisher also found that evidence in the shop. Dr. Burstein will probably give Stryker powers and thy may start off the season with that and build him up better but the question is what story would they do with him if they theoretically brought him back with powers. The series definitely had a lot of awesome characters. I would like to see more characters like Mama Mabel and definitely Bobby Fisher. There are some characters that I would assume are returning like Misty Knight, Shades, Mariah and Clair as well as Stryker and Dr. Burstein.
When Cheo Coker named the episodes after Gang Starr songs, his intention was to theme them as such, not to literally have the songs in there. Shonda Rhimes often used this same approach for whole seasons of "Grey's Anatomy", and he liked the idea enough, so he used it. Look it up.
Totally agree with you Charlie in your critique of Luke Cage! I could not put my finger on the issues I had with Luke Cage but your video makes most sense! Thank you!
I feel like story might have been a little light, but the purpose and statement is what really made it a win!
Shades dropped the file that could clear Luke Cage's name under the table..
They need to bring back cottonmouth!! He was awesome
Demik Holdat Yeah, definitely. It would be great if they bring him back.
I love Bobby Fish's reaction when he saw diamondback full costume 😂😂😂 a hip storm trooper
Hey Emergency Awesome, do you think that Luke Cage's issue with the FBI will be resolved in the new season of Daredevil? I think it would be a fun and creative way of blending the Marvel World, and to lead the way to Luke Cage Season 2. What do you think?
Good review Charlie. Been waiting on this for a minute appreciate the insight
One Gang Starr song was used in the series "You Know My Steez" in the beginning of episode 13.
Even though I really loved Luke Cage and wanted to live in that afterglow moment after finishing the series I really agree with all of your criticisms!
They was maybe too much exposition and/or development, but Luke Cage was *the most fun* so far.
Episodes 4 through 8 were outstanding!
Diamondback was a too sudden and major change, but fine once you accepted it.
Like Daredevil season 2, Luke Cage started for adults but ended for the kids and the child in you :-)
Luke Cage season 1 is the best Netflix Marvel series to date. Then Daredevil season 1, then season 2, then Jessica Jones
A comic book guy didnt produce the Luke Cage series. That's why it left the confusion for the comic book geeks. The movie producer from Notorious worked on this. It was a way of pulling in African American comic book geeks. More combined viewers overall. It's a method to the madness. I'm black so I loved the show. All my white friends were confused. I told them to be patient. The conversion process will happen to be more white people inclusive. While keeping African American comic book geeks. Smile
I am an old white guy fan of the old Powerman and Iron Fist books. They were a favorite right after Spiderman. How they worked in the nod to his old costume was awesome. I thought they did a great job. And whether the guy was a comic book guy or not he clearly did do some research into the source material. It rang more true than false. All comic fans should know by now that there will be changes from the source material. Movie and TV shows should always be considered an Elsworlds version from the comics anyway.
I agree, was a very good first season but not quite on the level of Jessica Jones and Daredevil season 2. It really comes down to the villains and teammups because the hero is usually always liked. Kilgrave was exceptional and even tho the Punisher wasn't the actual villain, him and Elektra really shined just as much as Daredevil did! Luke Cage didnt have another shining character except for Cottonmouth who was killed off much too early!!!
I don't understand why Luke Cage got so much criticism, the only thing I disliked was Diamondback, didn't like his character portrayal and his story seemed rushed with a lot of things unexplained. Cottenmouth was such an interesting character that died too suddenly IMO, Mahershala Ali played the character so well.
I loved when Stryker on his comic book suit was compared to a "pimp storm trooper" XD
Gang Starr's song "You Know My Steez" was heard in the opening flashback scene of the 13th episode of the same name.
As much as I've liked all of the Netflix Marvel series, Jessica Jones is definitely my favourite so far.
C. Scott Davis
w0t?
Agreed.
I totally agree. My friends who are super into the Netflix series say Jessica Jones is the weak link but I love it so much. I think a lot of it has to do with Kilgrave, I love David Tenant and I also like a really visceral super villain rather than mob bosses and ninjas. Plus it had a ton of character development for Luke Cage as well as an amazing, dynamic lead who is honestly kind of an anti hero. The mob boss thing in Luke Cage is cool but honestly I liked Cottonmouth a lot and was sad to see him die so soon. I'm just really excited for more supernatural (with the Hand stuff) and more super villain stuff in general, I think Luke Cage's turn off for many people was that the first bit, like Charlie said, was a rehash of where he was on Jessica Jones combined with a feeling of how we've been here before with the mob and political sleaze via Fisk. I loved the show but it just felt too familiar to previous Netflix shows to top Jessica Jones for me.
Anyone else noticed a this mistake in continuity: when the reporter asks Mariah for a more fun interview, he suggests doing something along the lines of how Obama sang Al Green, BUT unless I'm mistaken, a certain Elis (however you spell it) character is president in MCU (as seen in both Iron Man 3, the third season of AoS, and possibly at some other times as well
cottonmouth and DiamondBack were crazy good at being menacing and intimidating even opposite luke cage who's basically a mini hulk. Great villans. In general the Netflix shows need to work on their endings, especially Daredevil. The best endings were JJ and L. Cage.
I honestly would put Luke Cage as the 3rd best marvel Netflix season so far.
1) DD S2
2) DD S1
3) LC S1
4) JJ S1
But I agree that the first half "The Cotton Mouth arc" was better than the second half. Diamond back was over the top but Mariah Dillard/Shades sub arc was interesting
Very much disagree Charlie; I thought the pre-Diamondback parts of Luke Cage were stronger with their characters than what happened after Stryker came in. Loved the character focus with everyone. Then again, I prefer more character-driven story a lot of the time than pure plot-driven.
Please tell us what the chronological order of the netflix series are! Like...daredevil season 1, jessica jones season 1, daredevil season 2....etc. What is the correct order of these seasons?
They'll probably do a Luke Cage season 2 and maybe an Iron Fist season 2, but then after that, they're gonna consolidate the shows into a Heroes for Hire show, and I think eventually they'll do the same with Jessica Jones as well. If JJ season 2 is received really well and fans demand another, then they might give her a 3rd season before adding her to Heroes for Hire, but they're gonna have to consolidate some of these shows at a certain point for 3 main reasons:
1.) The comics. Luke Cage and Iron Fist form Heroes for Hire in the comics, and also eventually employ Misty Knight and Colleen Wing. Luke and Jessica get married and have a baby, Iron Fist and Misty get together, etc. These storylines all would work best intersecting with one another in one ensemble series rather than awkwardly splitting them up amongst 3 separate shows just for the sake of having 3 separate shows. These actors are not going to want to pull double (or triple) duty every year, shooting 2-3 shows annually so that Luke can be a regular on JJ and then show up on Iron Fist as well, and Vice-Versa.
2.) To make room for new shows. After Defenders, I recon Marvel will want introduce some new blood into the mix in addition to the 4 Defenders, just as the film side did after Avengers. Punisher is already shooting, but fans are salivating for and demanding Blade, Moon Knight and Ghost Rider shows. The fans want it, we've heard rumors about these characters for a while now, and I get the feeling Marvel are setting up Marvel Knights in order to have a separate team from the Defenders, a team that is even more adult, that have zero qualms about outright murdering people, and who primarily take on the supernatural underbelly, Vampires, Demons, Sorcerer's, etc. They aren't concerned with protecting specific neighborhoods so much as wiping out Vermin wherever they find it. Unfortunately, I doubt Marvel will be able to do 8 shows at once.
Already, they're starting to run into the problem of 2-year waits between seasons of fan-favorite series like Daredevil and Jessica Jones. Fans will tolerate it this time because they've got Defenders to hold them over, so they'll still get to see those two characters in 2017. But going forward, fans of Daredevil for instance, who may not care as much about the rest of the shows, will not want to have to wait 2 years between seasons 3 and 4 just so Marvel can do Luke Cage season 2 or Iron Fist season 2. Adding new shows to the mix only exacerbates this problem.
However, consolidating Luke Cage, Iron Fist and Jessica Jones into a Heroes for Hire show, opens up slots for 2 more shows (Let's say Blade and Ghost Rider). So Marvel would then be working on 5 shows (Daredevil, Punisher, Heroes for Hire, Blade and Ghost Rider - Only one more than they're currently working on) instead of 8. They could then hire more crew instead of using the same exact crew for each show, and film some of the shows simultaneously, and suddenly those spinning plates become much easier to juggle. I actually think Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will come to an end sometime soon (if not after this season, then after season 5) so that Marvel can focus more time, energy (and money) on the Netflix shows which get higher ratings, are much better liked by fans and critics alike, and let's face it, are just plain better.
3.) I could easily see Daredevil running 5 seasons, perhaps more. He's the most popular of the Defenders, and he's got the most source material to work with, and his source material is very rich. As far as solo material, Jessica Jones basically has Alias, which they've done, and not much else. Luke's major solo adventures have nearly been milked dry at this point as well. Luke, Jessica and Iron Fist also all have very limited rogues galleries, which have mostly been depleted already (Assuming of course Iron Fist main villain will be Steel Serpent. Also, I doubt too many people are just dying to see Luke vs. Diamondback part 2, since he was the biggest complaint amongst most people with the 1st season.). So, I really don't see much of a justification for 3-5 seasons each of Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist solo shows. There's just not enough source material there for that, and those 3 characters always seemed to work best in the comics as part of an ensemble anyway.
TLDR: I think Marvel would do best to consolidate Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist after 2 seasons each, then offer up their answer to Legends of Tomorrow with an ensemble Heroes for Hire show featuring Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, Misty Knight, Colleen Wing and perhaps White Tiger (There were rumors of Marvel shopping a White Tiger show, though I doubt it) or Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan (There've been rumors of this character getting her own show as well, but maybe it would be best to introduce her on Heroes for Hire 1st).
mikeylikesit100 A. The defenders are in the advengers infinity war
Hey Charlie,I just finished season 1 of Luke Cage and thought you absolutely nailed it with your recap. It was my least favorite of all the Netflix Marvel shows for all the reasons you mentioned. I'm hoping they figure things out for season 2. Luke's a great character and his acting is superb. Now the writing needs to catch up.Thanks for the videos!Brad
Thought it was good. I felt like the pacing in the second half wasn't as slow as Jessica Jones or Dare Devil Season 1. Like the bomb blowing up in Luke;s chest drove the plot by injuring the impenetrable man and introduced his creator, v.s. The purple man's in jail and now he's out.
To me, Luke Cage felt more like they cut two different seasons into one. The first half the season was the first half of Cottonmouth's story, the second half of the season was the second half of Diamondback's story.
For me, so far, mostly because of plot, emotional arc of the heroes, supporting characters and of course the villains, the ranking stands as follows (first meaning great and last meaning very good):
Daredevil - Season 1
Jessica Jones - Season 1
Daredevil - Season 2
Luke Cage - Season 1
I liked the Shades character. He was very calculated and cerebral. I didnt care for Stryker too much. I noticed some GangStarr/Guru lyrics in the dialogue in some episodes. Pretty cool.
Potential Defenders line-up: Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Punisher, Elektra, Stick, Hellcat, Gladiator, Misty Knight, Colleen Wing, White Tiger (mentioned in JJ).
Luke Cage and Iron Fist should get 2-3 seasons each on their own, but eventually they should wrap up their run as those characters with a season or two of Heroes For Hire with a few seasons of Defenders here and there. I want them to make room for other Marvel Netflix shows. We know Punisher has begun filming, but I don't think anything new has been confirmed yet. But a Blade series or Moon Knight or Ghost Rider would be nice to throw into the mix as well.
Your analysis of Luke Cage being stretched is exactly the way I fell about Flash and Arrow.
I really liked Luke Cage. it kinda surprised me. The episodes were long and I agree they were really drawn out, toward the middle and the end I kinda wanted the episodes to last longer. I have had a hard time getting into Daredevil and Jessica Jones due to the slow beginnings but I didn't seem to have the same problem with Cage. I agree, the Harlem stuff was done well and the music was great. It kinda sucks that Maria and Cottonmouth seemed to just want to help Harlem get better even though they did it in an illegal way.
This is really good, dude! Just one question - are you gonna finish reviewing Luke Cage? I really enjoyed your video on the first three episodes, and I'd really like to hear your thoughts on the rest of the episodes. Anyway, like I said, great video!
Did you watch this video?
I finished Luke Cage a few weeks ago. Patiently waiting for this video. It was great seeing characters from the Wire. I honestly feel, they introduced to many villains & Cage already defeating them. The Flash backs needed to be sooner. What's your thoughts?
Good to see I am not the only one who misses Cottonmouth. Wonder if the show runners could bring him back? I don't mind logical leaps to achieve this
1) Daredevil
2) Jessica Jones
3) Luke Cage
I like Iron Fist more than LK and JJ already from the trailers. I'm hoping Iron Fist will be on that DD level. Sure to be the best action-based show. And the mysticism will be next level for netflix Marvel.
Man Luke Cage was awesome I hope they have more fight senses in S2 to display Luke Cage's Power Man
I loved Luke Cage. I thought the pacing was perfect, but I like longer slower stories. I also love how the villains totally win in the series and the heroes totally fail. It made it unique (so far) in the Marvel Netflix stuff. BTW about the new ending of your videos, if you aren't on screen to high-five then its not really a high-five. Its just awkward. :) Its like I went to high-five and you totally left me hanging!
They announced season 2 for Luke Cage??? Will it tie when Iron Fist season 2 (hopefully Marvel do that) come out for Heroes for Hires??
My List Of Milestone Heroes That Needs Their Own Crossover's Milestone Heroes vs.RedCircle Heroes are: Heroes Inc.vs.The New Crusaders, Blood Syndicate vs,Riot Squad, BangBabies vs.The Superiors, Cooperative vs.Crucible, Kobalt Detectives vs.Justice Machine, Kobalt Inc.vs.Thunder Agents, Shadow Cabinet vs.Web Host,Icon and Rocket vs.EverGreenSpecialWeaponsAndTactics, Kobalt and Page vs.Super-Peace-Corps,Capers Inc.vs.A,R.M,S.. Tower Patrol vs.The New Crusaders,Hoop Squad vs.Riot Squad,G.R,I.N.D.vs.TheSuperiors,S.H.E.R.D,vs.Crucible, Union Of Separatist Scientists vs.Justice Machine, Space Cops vs.Thunder Agents, Yoongar vs.Web Host, DarkStar Defense Force vs.EverGreenSpecialWeaponsAndTactics, Dakota Police Department vs.Super-Peace-Corps,Davy Jones Locker vs.A.R.M,S., My List Of Milestone Heroes That Needs Their Own Crossover's is Milestone Heroes vs.Valiant Heroes are: Heroes Inc.vs.Psi-Lords, Blood Syndicate vs.Armor Hunters, BangBabies vs.EggBreakers, Cooperative vs, Future Force, Kobalt Detectives vs.Generation Zero, Kobalt Inc.vs.HardCorps, Shadow Cabinet vs.Harbringers,Icon and Rocket vs.HarbringerRenegades, Kobalt and Page vs.The Renegades, Capers Inc.vs.Specialists, Tower Patrol vs.Unity,Hoop Squad vs.X-O Commandos,G.R.I,N.D.vs.Arminories,S.H.E.R.D.vs. Secret Weapons, Union Of Separatist Scientists vs.Archer and Armstrong, Space Cops vs Quantum and Woody, Yoongar vs.Trinity Angels, DarkStar Defense Force vs.Trouble Makers, Dakota Police Department vs.Sliders, Davy Jones Locker vs.Water World.
Shades is the best thing about this series, he was so over the top but it worked unbelievable good.
Charlie! thousands of videos saying how much Luke Cage was going to be MCU's "The Wire" and you didn't mention all the same actors:
Sonja Sohn played Kima in The Wire and the police captain at the beginning of Luke Cage (absolutely a nod to the character) plus the doctor that gave Luke his powers played Stringer Bell's lawyer, and the character was really similar, both shows even have a Method Man cameo!
I quite like Luke Cage, but it had the same problem all the Netflix series had, it ran a little slow somewhere between ep 7-11. Would've been perfect if it had been 8 - 10 episodes. Either that or more plot.
Good breakdown on Luke Cage. DD second series was totally off the chain.
Hi I have a question. We all know that these Defender series are in the same universe where captain America and other avengers exist. if you remember the lady who is telling Tony Stark about her son who died in sokovia, she is the same lady who is one of the villian in Luke cage season 1. So is it just a glitch in casting or some Easter egg? @emergencyawesome
i really liked the way the show picked during the first few episodes. i almost thought that luke cage would be better than jessica jones. But it was jus alright. Cant wait for iron fist and defenders.
I wouldn't be so certain that the "really good lawyer" Claire knows is Matt. Foggy is actually in a stronger position to represent Luke and Claire saw first hand what Foggy can do in court.
Whats your opinion on Misty Knight and how most of these heroes have a hallway fight scene except Jessica Jones
I enjoyed Luke Cage but Jessica Jones was AMAZING!!! And Dare Devil loved both of the seasons for that so far. Luke Cage was a good action drama show with little story.
You did not like Simone Missick as Misty Knight? She was fantastic.
I don't think Netflix has made any tv shows that weren't really good, hope to see Ghost Rider, Blade, and Moon Knight get a series next
I agree with you on just about everything however I thought that Stryker was absolutely the weakest characterization, both in terms of feeling like the conflict was earned, as well as the actual performance being too hammy.
Drinking game idea: Take a shot everytime Charlie says "Stryker" :D
I freaking love your t-shirt!!! awesome video btw~
honestly it would be so cool if Iron Fist ended with him being pulled into court by (insert character) and watch Daredevil get him out, and the begining of Defenders continues from there
Fisk, Kilgrave and Cottonmouth would have made a really, really good villain team. All 3 actors were great. Too bad only one of the three remains.
I was kind of hoping that they do Luke Cage season 1, Iron Fist season 1, just ot get the characters out there and get things rolling and then combine the two shows for season 2+ and make them into one show. Those two were usually together.
I generally liked Luke Cage, but there was a big lull in the middle of the season. That whole part where he was shot and had to travel to the doctor. It was 2 episodes of filler that could have been handled differently. It slowed down the pacing of the show, but things picked back up again after. Not as good as Daredevil (not a fan od DD either, but the show was good) and about on par with Jessica Jones.
I would love to see a Punisher series as his logo was part of that Defenders teaser that we saw, but at the same time, I think his part in the Daredevil series was all that we are going to get for him until Defenders.
EA loved the video BUT I disagree on the Pops being killed by Striker. I think that scene and the consequences from it really showed you the range & depth of Cottonmouth. I agree tho on Diamondback... he became a little Palpatine-esque in SW ep III at the end. More cartoony. Love how much Claire we are getting & the Misty Knight outfit at the end. Can't wait for season 2.
I love the way you broke this down. I honestly wish cottonmouth didn't die.
Who was Luke talking to at 1:42?
great video Charlie!
I really liked Luke Cage, but I hope season two is balanced better. The Luke Cage soundtrack was also my awesome mix.