(PCM) After the events that unfolded in season one of the hit Netflix/Marvel series “Luke Cage” we were a bit unsure of just where season two would pick up for Harlem’s hero Luke Cage, as he was certainly dealing with his new found fame on the streets and wrestling with the idea of being a super hero overall.
Deep down Luke Cage truly wants to be a normal guy, however his bulletproof skin and extreme strength certainly forced him almost unwillingly into the spotlight. In season two we find Luke Cage dealing with an increasing need to protect his beloved Harlem, while also coming to the realization that despite his abilities he doesn’t always have the ability to save everyone, especially those that do not want to be saved.
There are several times throughout the beginning of season two that we see Luke walking the thin line between being a hero and seeing himself turn into a bit of a villain. Luke meets one of his toughest opponents with the likes of Bushmaster (newcomer Mustafa Shakir) whose own powers leave him as an incredibly formidable foe. He is a true match for Luke, much more so that either Cornelius or Diamondback as we saw in season one.
Bushmaster is out to get his revenge on Mariah Dillard, played by the amazing Alfre Woodard, and Luke must decide whether to take the righteous path and protect Mariah (one of his biggest enemies) or would Bushmaster end up making a much better ally in the end.
There is a strong thread of family that ties season two of “Luke Cage” together, as we see Luke finally interact with his father played by veteran actor Reg E. Cathey. Sadly, “Luke Cage” season two would be the last role for Cathey who tragically passed away on February 9, 2018. We also meet Mariah’s daughter Tilda and learn a lot more about just what events led Mariah to becoming such a monster.
While season two does not have quite the same level of steam as season one, it still leaves us with the opinion that “Luke Cage” is by far and away one of the best from the Marvel TV universe. We felt that Diamondback was a far more interesting and intricate villain than Bushmaster, however Bushmasters head to head battle for control of the Harlem streets with both Mariah and Shades is definitely edge of your seat material and keeps the story flowing at a solid pace.
Also, watching the fantastic journey of Misty Knight (Simone Missick) discovering her own inner strength after dealing with horrific injury in season one and becoming a complete and utter bad ass in season two was a joy. Missick should be applauded for her fantastic take on this character throughout season two!
Shades (Theo Rossi) is almost forgettable this season and his oddly loyal allegiance to Mariah is almost nauseating. There were a few touching scenes between Shades and his comrade Comanche, but mostly all attention was focused on the plight of Bushmaster and his fight to take over Harlem and beat Luke Cage.
Once again the soundtrack for “Luke Cage” season two filled with a mix of hip-hop, reggae and soul was simply perfection and it is wonderful to see artists showcased on the screen as well through various performances at the Harlem’s Paradise club. Great surprise to see the amazing Gary Clark, Jr. make an appearance this season.
Speaking of appearances, one of the best episodes of season two took place when Luke is joined by Danny Rand (Finn Jones), otherwise known as The Iron Fist, where we see the two pair up once again to take down the bad guys and share a ton of wit and wisdom with one another. After all, The Defenders are another family unit in their own right, wouldn’t you say?
We were certainly left shocked and surprised by the ending of season two and definitely refuse to give anything away, however we can say with some level of certainty that this ending will surely give some new direction on how the rest of the Marvel series, including “The Defenders” will move going forward.
Leave us some comments and let us know what you think of “Luke Cage” season two which is streaming now via Netflix!
Marvel’s Luke Cage stars Mike Colter (Extinction). The second season is executive produced by series showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker (Ray Donovan), Jim Chory (Marvel’s Jessica Jones), and Jeph Loeb (Marvel’s Jessica Jones), who also serves as Marvel’s Head of Television.
The premiere episode of season two is directed by Lucy Liu (Future World). The cast also features Simone Missick (Ray Donovan), Alfre Woodard (12 Years a Slave), Theo Rossi (Sons of Anarchy), Mustafa Shakir (The Deuce), Gabrielle Dennis (Rosewood) and Rosario Dawson (Marvel’s Daredevil).
Marvel’s Luke Cage is produced by Marvel Television in association with ABC Studios for Netflix.
For more on Marvel’s “Luke Cage” please visit:
Facebook // facebook.com/MarvelsLukeCage/
Twitter // twitter.com/lukecage
Instagram // instagram.com/marvelslukecage/
Hashtag // #LukeCage
The post Review: It’s Family First In Luke Cage Season Two! appeared first on PCM Reviews.