Marvel's Luke Cage

New trailer!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB1in0KkoG4

(And because the non-Netflix shows don't seem to rate their own threads, here's a reminder that Cloak and Dagger is also starting a couple weeks after Luke Cage season 2 drops.)

Two eps in to the new season. Highlights: Reg E. Cathey's inimitable drawl, Jamaicans. Lowlights: bluesy rock, explication and pacing, Shades & Mariah's tepid cuddling.

probably not going to watch s2, but I found fans' seemingly earnest affection for Shades completely baffling

Much more so than last season, if you don't know the inside references or the backstory from other shows or who the characters popping up are supposed to be, some of these scenes are pretty opaque.

Like, is it an inside joke that everybody keeps shooting at him even though he's famously impervious to bullets?

It's not even an inside joke. Several of the dudes who've shot at him have made reference to the futility of their gesture.

This has been solid thus far. Lots of good character-based stuff. Finn Jones hasn't shown up yet, though, so take that with a grain of salt.

Simon, I don't know who you've seen repping for Shades but no. He's a weak link. Agreed on Shades and Mariah's canoodling being off-putting.

Also of note: once again, a Marvel Netflix show brings a scene of ott brutality (Bushmaster's first kill) that probably tops those that came before. Like I don't think I've even seen shit like that in a horror movie.

watched the first episode. already deeply bored and unlikely to continue.

Thanks for sharing your journey with us.

I look forward to enjoying the actor who plays Shades when he's an old character actor some day.

The Shades/Comanche plotline was good, I'll give him that much at least.

Oh, I'm glad Comanche's going to have a plotline. Thus far in my viewing he's just a guy who is around.

I’m only halfway in and love the cheesy jokes
“I’m 6’3”, black, and bulletproof. You think if I put on a mask people won’t know who I am?”
“There are still people who think Shock G and Humpty Hump are different guys”

Finished last night. Minor quibbles:

-Maybe reel it in a little with the songs that directly reference the plot and characters, guys. I counted no fewer than three (two within the last two eps alone).
-Also maybe curb the Netflix ultraviolence already. Not entirely sure a 15-second unbroken shot of someone burning to death (let alone the two subsequent flashbacks to that particular moment) was, y'know, entirely necessary.
-Danny Rand: still kind of the worst, at least whenever words are coming out of his face. Thankfully restricted to a single episode.
-Ending the season with a scene that directly photocopies the final scene of a classic movie is maaaaybe a little too DO U SEE????

Otherwise, this was one of the more successful Netflix seasons, imo. I appreciate how things wrapped up, as it opens some interesting and unforeseen avenues (to the extent that these shows continue to loosely overlap).

I fast forwarded through so much of S1 idk if I have the patience for a second. I feel like this is one of those things that I'm glad exists and is p great for what it is, but it also happens to be a thing that doesn't really hold my attention (ie, a police procedural)

It's pretty sweet that Shades is about the only non-black face you see through most of its runtime. Again, I have to wonder how hard Marvel is kicking themselves post-Black Panther for not taking a shot on a Luke Cage film.

otoh that Shades actor is really fucking annoying, p much hated every second he was onscreen

Also of note: once again, a Marvel Netflix show brings a scene of ott brutality (Bushmaster's first kill) that probably tops those that came before. Like I don't think I've even seen shit like that in a horror movie.

Have seen, but yeah, it was on some kinda giallo, grand guignol tip. I guess I should've said it was more extreme than the average kills one would see in a relatively mainstream horror movie.

watched the first ep and it was about what I expected - some enjoyable stuff (the corny jokes, the music, a couple speeches) and then a bunch of *meh* stuff (loads of exposition, that Shades guy trying to look like a badass).

it's crazy how padded these eps feel, like there really isn't enough going on to merit stretching every episode out to an hour

kudos on them making Bushmaster twice as interesting as Diamondback was in season one, though

I like the Jamaican angle.

I tapped out of S1 when Diamondback came in, totally boring

If they removed all the intense pointless conversations between pairs of characters, they'd have a pretty good 4-episode season.

lol exactly

yup - another season of Marvel’s Two People Talking (In A Mostly Empty New York)

Netflix Marvel is just sad

Wow, this season's narrative unravels really quickly.

Yeah gets a bit clunky in places.
Cameo from Iron Fist if you stay with it that far.
But did have some bits i enjoyed.

Phew. Made it through this one. Once I saw the post about Two Characters Talking Intensely I couldn't get it out of my head, so thanks for that! Seriously they need to make these 8 episode seasons, at most. I feel like most of the Netflix Marvel shows have some good stuff in them (ok, not Iron Fist, and Punisher was too violent for me to even make it through one episode), but so much damn filler...

Is there any financial reason Netflix seem committed to these 13 episode seasons?

Their revenue comes from subscriptions so can't see how an 8 or 10 episode season would impact on things. Is it just viewer expectation?

Would have thought that a viewer expectation could always be redrawn if the prototype for the change was successful.
Is there a history of shows long enough for there to be a tradition yet.
13 weeks = 1/4 of a year but these things are simultaneously released so that doesn't hold much water.