Note: Obviously, this review will have spoilers for any Marvel Netflix show that preceded it.
The first season of Luke Cage had a lot to love. The music, the setting, the portrayal of black America and Cottonmouth. Then there were also some things to loathe, like Colter’s range as an actor and Diamondback. After the somewhat underwhelming Defenders and second season of Jessica Jones, I couldn’t help but wonder if the Marvel Netflix shows had peaked after their first seasons. The second season of Daredevil began strong, with The Punisher stealing the spotlight, but the second half is pretty forgettable.
I was worried that the second outing for Luke Cage would continue the Marvel Netflix trend of disappointment, but I am happy to see that was not the case. The ending was a disappointment, and I may just need to do a spoiler review or post to discuss that properly. However, the disappointing ending here only comes in the latter half of the 13th and final episode, as opposed to the slow death that the first season suffered once Cottonmouth died.
This season picks up after Defenders, with the series making reference to Daredevil’s death (if you’ve seen the post-credits scene from Defenders you know Matt is still alive). Luke Cage’s status as Harlem’s Hero has turned him into a full-blown celebrity and the season brings up all of the issues that come with this attention. Cage is going steady with Claire and Misty Knight is back on the job after losing her arm in Defenders. Mariah and Shades are still in power, even though Defenders said they skipped town once Cage went to jail.
Mariah and Shades are both trying to go legit, trying to sell their guns while planning an investment that can bring in clean money. To start, Shades is arguably the breakout character of this season. His performance in the first season fluctuated between good and hammy, far too often. This time around it seems like Theo Rossi has truly entered his character’s mind. A big part of his development is tied to Comanche (Thomas Q. Jones), who we previously saw as a Seagate prisoner that attacked Luke Cage alongside Shades. Upon release, Comanche joins Shades as one of added muscle.
As I tried to pick my favourite characters from the season I realized that there were plenty to choose from, even among the characters who only appear in a few episodes. Comanche is one, Dontrell “Cockroach” Hamilton is another, Raymond “Piranha” Jones is another. The characters come and go, but their appearances don’t hamper the plot. Each one contributes to the end game since they are all tied to the main villain. Mariah is a scene-stealer but a new villain overshadows her.
Bushmaster comes to Harlem, straight out of Kingston, carrying a grudge against Mariah and wishing to take Harlem for himself. Mustafa Shakir brings the character to life, embodying power, menace and empathy. However, his performance does bring up one issue of the season. The Jamaican accents could use some work.
Shakir’s is the best one we hear, but even his is spotty in places. His right-hand man is brutal at times, Bushmaster’s Uncle sounds Nigerian at times, and don’t get me started on the other Jamaican characters. Some of the characters sound alright when they speak a word or two, but end up butchering the accent more when they have to string multiple sentences together. Shakir’s performance is somewhat hampered by his accent but it wasn’t enough to ruin it fortunately. However, hearing him and other characters speak just made me wonder why no Jamaican actors were selected for the parts, especially since Jamaicans feature so heavily this season. It’s not as if the actors we got were so marketable that replacing them wasn’t practical.
Despite the accents, I did love the attention given not only to black America, but also the black America composed of first or second-generation immigrants. Like the first season, the show isn’t afraid to touch on issues that are often deemed “divisive’ nowadays. It’s Mariah who brings up Jamaica’s reputation as a place for “Marley, marijuana and murder” and its enslavement to the World Bank. Bushmaster’s powers are also rooted in Jamaican lore and history.
It may be a spoiler, but Bushmaster doesn’t leave us halfway through the season and it’s interesting to see his conflict with Mariah play out. While Cage would like to have them eliminate each other, Bushmaster’s tactics tend to draw attention or leave other people in the crossfire. I have read some articles criticizing Cage as the most dull part of the season, and I didn’t want those articles to sway my own opinion. Cage may be the least interesting, but I don’t think he’s dull. This season features him reuniting with his father and also facing his own demons, with his newfound brutality creating a rift between him and Claire. I also feel like Colter’s performance has actually improved with each series, from season one to Defenders, to season two.
Colter always played the chill, charismatic role well. He struggled when asked to do more. There are still moments of that here, especially when he’s paired with an actress like Rosario Dawson, but I will say that overall I was pleasantly surprised.
Another thing I was happy to see is the evolution of the fight against Cage. When thugs confront him in the first episode they explain they “still have to try” taking him down. Weapons such as grenades also make an appearance, showing that crime bosses are realizing bullets could be useless. Cage also says that people are still tempted to “see if they myth is real,” since they might think his bulletproof status is the work of urban legends. However, there are still moments when the fight scenes can get dull or repetitive in season 2 since they just feature yet another scene of bullets bouncing off. Which is why the Bushmaster fights were a welcome change. Bushmaster has the strength to take Cage on hand-to-hand (without a terrible suit like the one Diamondback wore) and also uses a flashy capoeira style to do it.
The last episode is disappointing due to a decision that Cage makes in the last half-hour. There is an explanation given for the decision but it ends up feeling insufficient when Cage’s behaviour is also factored in. The change in his character feels inconsistent with what we saw leading up to it and just ends up being a disappointing destination for the lead.
Overall though, this second season is the first one to truly deliver.
Netflix MCU Rankings
- Daredevil
- Jessica Jones
- Luke Cage Season 2
- The Punisher
- Daredevil Season 2
- Defenders
- Jessica Jones Season 2
- Iron Fist