Sweet Christmas! "Luke Cage"

Luke Cage (2016)

TV-MA

Starring Mike Colter, Simone Missick, Theo Rossi, Alfre Woodard, Rosario Dawson, Erik LaRay Harvey, Mahershala Ali, Frank Whaley, Frankie Faison,

Created by Cheo Hodari Coker

The Story:

Luke Cage (Colter) is minding his own business in Harlem at Pop's (Faison) Barbershop. However, fate has other plans in store for Mr. Cage and when tragedy strikes, it's time for Harlem's Hero to take care of business, by any means necessary.

I won't go into much more specifics of characters, as that gives away entirely too much to the storyline.

I will say this:

1) We get Luke Cage's origin story
2) We see, ever so briefly, Cage's original costume.
3) Claire (Dawson) helps tie this series to Daredevil and Jessica Jones

However, in typical Netflix/Marvel fashion, my usual complaint still exists:

They tell a wonderful 8-10 episodes...over the course of 13 episodes. : /

I found the first 2 episodes to be especially slow-paced, but things pick up in the 3rd, especially with the introduction of a rocket launcher.

;)

Now that Luke Cage realizes how awesomely indestructible he is, hopefully he will also be a little less mopey.

Seems if he would have just heroed up on at least 2 different occasions, he could have spared himself, and Harlem, a lot of grief and heartache.

Of course, that also helps build the character of the hero, by having to get through the hard times.

The show is also packed with quite an interesting array of characters on both sides of the law.

However, Marvel would be wise, in both movies and television, to stop killing everyone so darn fast.

I'm just saying...

Finally, I liked the villain of the first half of the season much more than the one in the last half of the season. Personality. Charisma. Hard to say.

That we will not see more of him, and the other guy will be back in the future, is disappointing.

Also, I guess there was a third entity that Luke Cage tackled head on.

The "N Word".

Loved it.

If it's such a horrible word, everyone should take Cage's stance on using it or having it used on them.

Regardless of the color of skin of the character saying it.

Currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: Solid B