‘Luke Cage’ Spoiler Review: Flaws Rise To The Surface In Final 6 Episodes

(Full spoilers for Luke Cage season 1 from here on in)

Luke Cage has been making waves all weekend since dropping all 13 first season episodes Friday, up to and including temporarily breaking Netflix. We already talked about how the show’s existence is cause for celebration. Now that the much-hyped first MCU project led by a black superhero faces scrutiny, how does it hold up?

For all his strength, turns out there are some storytelling devices not even Power Man can avoid.

The first seven episodes were distributed to critics, including our own, and formed the basis of the early reviews. As we now know, it was a particularly torturous place to leave off. I knew the twist at the end of the seventh episode would change the game considerably, but the back six feel like a very different, more disjointed show. The heightened urban crime drama faded to generic incoherence at points, largely due to the death of Cottonmouth and emergence of Diamondback, a loss of character motivation and and some seriously questionable plotting.

And yet, it always carried a tonal flame, a spark that could bring alive a given scene when utilized. It is the spackle that held together the ramshackle plot. Colter is excellent. “Bulletproof Love” by Method Man was amazing. The supporting cast is diverse and invested, elevating lesser material (much like Suicide Squad). The show stood out it felt vibrant and new yet familiar and within the confines of the broader MCU.

Click Next to scroll through the rest of the review or click which links below interest you.

What worked:

• Powerful tone and message
• Actors, characters resonated
• Felt new and a part of the MCU at the same time

What didn’t work:

• Nonsensical plot and choices
• Too long and drawn-out