Marvel's LUKE CAGE coming to Netflix Sept 30, 2016

Watched this over the weekend, very enjoyable. Some slow moments but always edging forward with purpose I didn't feel tedium setting in. Felt some of the clunkier script lines were overall not nearly as torpid as some of the lines in Daredevil Season 2. Also some of the cultural and contemporary references played out really quite well. Liked the little hint towards Iron Fist at the end, though I can't say I'm wildly excited about that one.
This series is a hit in my opinion.

 

I think if you give it until say episode 4 you might feel differently.

 

I agree with most of Deesky's comments above, and think that 8 to 10 episodes would have been enough (Stranger Things got this very right). The first half of the season is better than the second half, which is really where it drags. You wonder if Hollywood will ever figure out that monologues are death. The cardinal rule of storytelling -- show don't tell -- is ignored again and again. Really good casting, though. While I think it could have been better, I enjoyed it overall, and the fluff is balanced with gestures toward cultural commentary (a black man in a hoody is the hero).

I've noticed something now with three Netflix series (Stranger Things, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage): the first half of the season is really strong, and the second half loses some momentum as they begin to explain things (more exposition, less action). Jessica Jones suffers slightly less from this, but it's still there. Haven't watched Daredevil yet, so I can't comment on that.

Also, Netflix originals sure do use a lot of flashbacks. Orange Is The New Black, I'm looking at you.

 

Just one more episode mate, only one more...

 

Hmm only got Netflix over Tha weekend, I will have to take a peek at this and J.J.

Mind I've not seen D.D. either.. Bit of catch up to do ..

 

I watched the 4th episode first. Bringing it back just to put it down makes me not want to watch the rest of it

 

Starting watching this last night. Made it thru 4 episodes so far. Never read the comic but knew a little about it. I knew about the silver tiara, etc. It does drag a little but I will watch a few more and see how I feel about it. Overall, so far, it's decent.

Pat

 

I enjoyed it, but tend to agree it was 3 or 4 episodes too many, I really enjoyed the soundtrack and the various musical appearances, the vinyl of the soundtrack is out in late November and top of my soundtrack wants list even if the person who did the art work obviously doesn't understand what bulletproof means. I assume everyone else picked up on the dig at Amazon and Harry Bosch with the Michael Connelly putdown in the last episode, nice of them to frame it as an East Coast versus West Coast thing, they wish Luke Cage was as good a show as Bosch.

 

Watched the 2nd episode last night. It was telegraphing its path from very early on. I'm thinking 'Please don't kill off his old buddy the barber. Please don't be that obvious....'. Yep, sure enough, they went all Sopranos - again. I'm not against violence but I am against lazy writing. Oh hum. Another 'revenge' plot. Yawn... Maybe I'm expecting too much. It's based on a comic and a 70s comic at that.

 

I liked Luke, and I'm excited about Iron Fist, one of my favourites from my youth.

Y'all did note the Colleen Wing thing....that's related to Danny Rand and Iron Fist. In the comic, Colleen and Misty teamed up.

I was wondering if Misty was gonna lose that arm..... in the comic, she's got a bionic arm, courtesy of Shield, iirc.

 

Yeah I spotted the Colleen Wing Dojo thing at the end. Took me a while to twig that is the link to Iron Fist.

 

Warning: spoilers ahead!

I agree that Luke Cage's origin is about 8 episodes stretched out to thirteen, with way too many long conversations that just destroyed any sense of pace. The church sequence and the final siege at the nightclub were excruciatingly long-winded.

Also, I question the use of multiple villains. Like Daredevil 2, it watered down the focus. Cottonmouth and Diamondback both suffered from being similarly-named, and not seeming rational enough to hold the loyalty of those around them.

The writing became too repetitive, with dozens of deaths, most of which were gratuitous, that only served to lessen the impact when it was someone important. The multiple-flashbacks, while helping to flesh-out motivations a bit, also made the already-slow pacing even worse. And how many times was Mariah surprised by an intruder in her house? Come on!

After, the highs of Daredevil, and the awesome JJ, this one was quite the let-down.

However, Michael Colter was excellent throughout, and owns the role. Rosario Dawson continues to impress. And the production values were first rate.

It was bad writing, thin story with too many characters, and snail-like pacing that ultimately ruined Luke Cage's first series.

I can only give a 6 to what seemed a sure-fire 10.

 

One thing I didn't like about it is they presented some controversial views as fact, and in order to more easily appreciate the show you had to believe those views. But, the way I see it, suspension of disbelief is necessary to enjoy the thing to begin with, so why not suspend disbelief on that too.

 

Man, I just got thru watching it and your review is one I could've written myself, Spot on! While I loved Jessica Jone's & DareDevil, the pacing of this was atrocious and the writers have no clue about Luke Cage at freaking all!

First off, and Jesus this pisses me off, he wasn't from Georgia. Only connection he has with the state of Georgia IS Seagate. His enemy Willis Stryker, AKA Diamondback was his friend not the bastard brother. Lazy writing at it's finest.

Also, the Judas Bullet...LOL, boy the writers dreamed this one up since there was NEVER a Bullet that could hurt Luke Cage in the comics at all. But yeah, let's make him Vulnerable and more human. Yet another bad mistake on the writers part.

Tony Stark gave her a bionic arm in the comics. But the writers (being lazy yet again) give us Misty in a sling, her arm healed in a matter of days lol and more monotonous dialogue that should have been avoided.

I'll give this one a 5 our of 10 stars...Colter is great as Luke Cage and I'm not knocking his acting chops, he does a good job, but in the comics Luke cage is 6'6" 425 pounds. He's no where near that.

 

Just finished watching this over Thanksgiving weekend.

Pacing was way too slow... I thought Mike did great job and Rosario shined as always.

Hoping Punisher really cranks up action...

 

I agree for the most part. I enjoy how the flashback device is used on OITNB where we get to know the characters over a fairly long period of time in prison and the flashbacks show the circumstances that led them to being there, other than the Piper/Alex relationship which had flashbacks early in the first season. I think it's interesting and I haven't seen another show that has introduced us to a lot of characters, let us get familiar with them then show us their back story (note - this may have been done before but I haven't seen it).

 

Just finished Game Of Thrones 7.
Looks like Luke Cage next.

 

I enjoyed it. Took a bit to get used to the flow and feel but it was an atmospheric ride.

 

What that other black superhero one with the family ?

 

Black Lightning. I enjoy it. . . like most of the CW superhero things I put it on and don't take it too seriously. And I've enjoyed the work of several of these actors in the past. . . . The superhero stuff I think is really really topnotch are Legion and Gotham and DareDevil, then the other Marvel ones, Arrow, then the rest.

 

Season 2 now streaming for those who are interested...

 

I'll definitely catch it on disc! Great show.

 

Seems to have the same old problem as other Netflix superhero shows - three or four episodes of plot stretched over 13 episodes with endless catch-and-release subplots.