Luke Cage

BanzaiCat · September 30, 2016, 05:50:58 PM

I didn't know about the Luke Cage series until Netflix started having it show up on my feed about a week ago. I was surprised it went live today (yesterday?). Watched the first episode; it was really good. Much better than Jessica Jones, IMO. Better than Daredevil, too, but I've said before (and think some of you have too) that Daredevil takes a few episodes to start getting good. This one is good right off the bat. I like the character and the chemistry between the actors, not to mention how his powers are revealed. Great stuff.

Tpek · September 30, 2016, 07:39:06 PM

Yeah, I've watched the first 3 episodes already. Pretty neat show.
I wonder how they are going to present him with challenges when all he fights so far are normal street level thugs.

Also, will they merge his show with the upcoming Iron Fist show after a while to make a Heroes for Hire show? (I know a Defenders show is already planned)

Nefaro · October 01, 2016, 11:50:19 AM

I'm glad it doesn't have such long dull stretches as Daredevil. But it also hasn't equaled some of the amazing scenes in DD, either.

And, while a few of the actors in LC are good, I've not seen anything to rival D'Onofrio or Bernthal's awesome performances in DD. Not even close.

Still prefer DD, even considering far too much whiny Karen & Froggy in it.

EDIT: Although Frank Whaley has been pretty good thus far. Still not quite to the above referenced levels though.

Tpek · October 03, 2016, 05:50:06 PM

I just finished watching the season.

Nice show.
I'd have like to discuss it more, but considering how new it is it would be best not to spoil.

All I can say is I like the tiny hint they left at the end for the next Marvel/Netflix show, Iron Fist (who is Cage's best buddy in the comics).

Capn Darwin · October 03, 2016, 06:14:48 PM

First time I've ever "binge" watched a show. Kill most of my weekend, but it was worth it. Well written. Good actors. Decent action. O0

airboy · October 04, 2016, 10:20:10 PM

My wife and I watched the first two episodes.

They were very well acted. Good scripts. Very violent. Almost all of the characters are pretty rotten individuals. The three good characters with screen time in the first two episodes have flaws either currently or in the past. The bad people are just evil - although even many of the bad people have some good qualities. Thank God, no Rap music. The dialogue is understandable (if it was "real urban Harlem thug talk" it would not be understandable to most of the rest of the world).

I would not let even a young teenager (13-15) watch it. For adults, it is good. Dialogue has a lot of depth referencing classic Black American literature and dosed with a very heavy level of Biblical references. But if you get neither set of references you can follow the plot line without realizing what you are missing. The dialogue between Cottonmouth and Pops on Old Testament vs. New Testament justice was pretty deep for any TV show.

I like it a lot better than Jessica Jones so far. They have given Luke a great motivation to kick some butt.

Silent Disapproval Robot · October 04, 2016, 10:30:00 PM

It's just not clicking for me. Cage just isn't a very interesting character as far as I'm concerned. His invulnerability to damage removes any sense of danger or tension. Also, compared to Daredevil, the fight scenes just aren't that well done. I don't think the actor playing Cage has the martial skills necessary for visually exciting scenes. There seem to be a lot of jump cuts and Cage doesn't really do much other than lumber around and fling people through gyp rock walls. I guess from a story perspective it would make sense that he doesn't need to be a great fighter if he's invulnerable but it doesn't make for very interesting viewing.

I'm 3 episodes in but I don't really care if I see any more.

JasonPratt · October 05, 2016, 08:46:15 AM

To be fair, lumbering around invulnerable to normal weapons and throwing a few people through walls, is pretty much what "Power Man" does. His bff Danny Rand, "Iron Fist", is the flashy style fighter.

I'm not against a Power Man show, but why call it "Luke Cage", and... really, why bother? Diversity I guess? He's very much a good supporting character. Nothing I've heard or read even from people who liked the show, sounds to me like they succeed in making him more than that. :(

No doubt I'll watch it eventually. I'm glad to hear a lot of people do like it. O:-) But I still haven't heard anything to inherently justify its existence.

bayonetbrant · October 05, 2016, 10:24:30 AM

Quote from: JasonPratt on October 05, 2016, 08:46:15 AMI'm not against a Power Man show, but why call it "Luke Cage", and...

Because "Power Man" sounds like it belongs on the Saturday morning cartoons, and b/c they introduced him as Luke in JJ... who also doesn't really have a nickname in the MCU

Quote from: JasonPratt on October 05, 2016, 08:46:15 AMreally, why bother?

They're setting up The Defenders as the street heroes by giving them all their own shows before bringing them together

Quote from: JasonPratt on October 05, 2016, 08:46:15 AMDiversity I guess?

Not the worst reason in the world, especially if it nets you a few more eyeballs

Quote from: JasonPratt on October 05, 2016, 08:46:15 AMHe's very much a good supporting character. Nothing I've heard or read even from people who liked the show, sounds to me like they succeed in making him more than that. :(

For the past 30 years, Iron Man was essentially a supporting character
Dr Strange was a supporting character
Yes, they carried their own books... barely
Jessica Jones - supporting
the Agents of SHIELD - supporting, and not even in their own books!
Black Panther - supporting
Ant-Man - the ultimate supporting character
The Inhumans have had multiple books canceled out from under them; still getting their own movie

Nefaro · October 06, 2016, 05:34:02 AM

Quote from: JasonPratt on October 05, 2016, 08:46:15 AM

I'm not against a Power Man show, but why call it "Luke Cage", and... really, why bother? Diversity I guess? He's very much a good supporting character. Nothing I've heard or read even from people who liked the show, sounds to me like they succeed in making him more than that. :(

We've been praising some of Netflix' shows. But they're not really too focused on one genre or viewer group. If you look at all of their original offerings, lately, you'll see that they're spraying the focus all over the place.

Some of it is bound to stick with some of it's viewership, in this shotgun blast approach. I'm sure gathering as many diverse viewers as they can is on the agenda, since they're making whole seasons to relatively obscure superhero characters. I'm sure Netflix would like to use a higher profile female or black superhero than Jess-EE-cuh or Cage, but they have only been given that one small Marvel microcosm of heroes to use. Not many to choose from. So there we are.

BanzaiCat · October 06, 2016, 05:39:40 AM

I had to look up Cage in Wiki because, while I knew a bit I didn't know the actual comic history of him. Skimming the article I found something about how he had a relationship with Jessica Jones.

I couldn't get into the Jessica Jones series, but I'll try again, as I will with Daredevil, at some point - it's all tied together it seems.

mirth · October 06, 2016, 06:15:20 AM

Quote from: bayonetbrant on October 05, 2016, 10:24:30 AM
Quote from: JasonPratt on October 05, 2016, 08:46:15 AMHe's very much a good supporting character. Nothing I've heard or read even from people who liked the show, sounds to me like they succeed in making him more than that. :(
For the past 30 years, Iron Man was essentially a supporting character
Dr Strange was a supporting character
Yes, they carried their own books... barely
Jessica Jones - supporting
the Agents of SHIELD - supporting, and not even in their own books!
Black Panther - supporting
Ant-Man - the ultimate supporting character
The Inhumans have had multiple books canceled out from under them; still getting their own movie

Bingo. Marvel had sold away the rights to most of its A-list lineup before it struck gold with the first Iron Man flick. Most of the MCU characters are historically lesser heroes in the comic books. Who the hell had heard of the Guardians of the Galaxy before the movie? Only a few diehard Marvel fans. The rest of us were on wikipedia trying to figure out who Star Lord was.

bayonetbrant · October 06, 2016, 11:14:12 AM

Quote from: mirth on October 06, 2016, 06:15:20 AMWho the hell had heard of the Guardians of the Galaxy before the movie?

ME!

Quote from: mirth on October 06, 2016, 06:15:20 AMOnly a few diehard Marvel fans.

Well, that explains it...

Quote from: mirth on October 06, 2016, 06:15:20 AMThe rest of us were on wikipedia trying to figure out who Star Lord was.

Fuckit... half of you guys are on Wikipedia trying to figure out where Stalingrad is ;)

mirth · October 06, 2016, 11:19:37 AM

Quote from: bayonetbrant on October 06, 2016, 11:14:12 AM
Quote from: mirth on October 06, 2016, 06:15:20 AMThe rest of us were on wikipedia trying to figure out who Star Lord was.
Fuckit... half of you guys are on Wikipedia trying to figure out where Stalingrad is ;)

That's in the Delta Quadrant, right?

airboy · October 06, 2016, 11:26:20 AM

Quote from: bayonetbrant on October 06, 2016, 11:14:12 AM
Quote from: mirth on October 06, 2016, 06:15:20 AMWho the hell had heard of the Guardians of the Galaxy before the movie?
ME!

Quote from: mirth on October 06, 2016, 06:15:20 AMOnly a few diehard Marvel fans.
Well, that explains it...

Quote from: mirth on October 06, 2016, 06:15:20 AMThe rest of us were on wikipedia trying to figure out who Star Lord was.
Fuckit... half of you guys are on Wikipedia trying to figure out where Stalingrad is ;)

Brant is claiming high level geek cred for his Marvel Universe knowledge.

Is anyone willing to go up against him Mano-A-Mano? My knowledge stops around 1980-1984 for Marvel.