I must admit that I am now more excited about upcoming shows in Marvel’s Netflix universe than its cinematic one. Don’t get it twisted though, I still thoroughly enjoy watching Earth’s Mightiest Heroes come to life on the big screen. But it’s the little screen which now has me mesmerized, with its Defenders – first Daredevil, then Jessica Jones and now Luke Cage.
7 Reasons To Get Excited About Luke Cage
- Mike Colter. Although his big screen filmography only recently picked up, Colter has had numerous turns on network television for nearly 15 years. His experience with the small screen and the ongoing nature of a TV series make him a great fit for a character that needs to evolve over many episodes. As we saw in Season I of Jessica Jones, his on-screen presence and physical stature (6’3″ height) fit the character to a tee.
- Halo: Nightfall. Wait, don’t laugh. Yes, I saw this 98-minute movie. Not because I am a video gamer. And not because I wanted to see it. I stumbled upon it while I was folding laundry two months ago. The movie is not good at all. But, it did show that Colter could be the lead character in a fantasy/sci-fi ensemble.
- The Music. We all heard ODB’s hit track Shimmy Shimmy Ya in the latest Luke Cage trailer. And we all got excited. As a huge fan of the Wu-Tang Clan and as a hip-hop fan in general, this was music to my ears. Then after seeing this clip, I went crazy. I am confident that the show will be great, but even if it ain’t, just queue the music!
- Rosario Dawson. I am happy to see her character, Claire Temple aka the Night Nurse, who has already appeared in Daredevil and Jessica Jones, return. Her character was one of the more underrated, scene-stealing aspects of Daredevil’s Season I. I’m interested where her character is taken. Depending on which direction the show runners decide to go, it could lead to fan boy/girl dissent – especially if she ends up being Luke Cage’s long-term love interest!
- Cheo Hodari Coker. Like Colter, Coker doesn’t have a lengthy resume yet. But for what he lacks in quantity, he makes up for it in the quality of his most recent writing and production credits. His creative work on TNT‘s well-received Southland television series as well as his solid screenplay for Notorious, the Notorious B.I.G. biopic, show that he has a talent for portraying dramatic, action packed stories in urban settings. But more importantly, for such a groundbreaking show in terms of its diversity, his writing to-date has demonstrated a very intimate connection to the sights, sounds and sensibilities of a largely African-American setting. This should serve the series well.
- Harlem. Speaking of largely African-American settings, what better place to depict than Uptown? With its rich cultural history as well as its ongoing civic challenges, the timing and setting couldn’t be more right for this show, given the national conversations that are taking place about gun violence, police brutality and poverty in our inner cities. I am hopeful that the series will address some of these issues with a deft, Marvelous touch.
- Glowing Reviews! First I saw this. Then I saw this. Loki (below) may be onto something!
