Yet again, Marvel shows their dominance, experience and skill in the art of (loosely) adapting comic books to television – Luke Cage season one is fantastic. Although it was great as a whole, I’ve decided to narrow it down and choose my five favorite moments from the thirteen episodes, in no particular order.
Honorable Mention: “Sweet Christmas.” Luke Cage dropped the phrase a few times over the course of the season.
A teenager puts a gun to Luke’s head. (Episode 2)
Something about the writing in this clip is just so powerful; it sums up the character of Luke Cage in a nutshell. Not only does this scene set the stage for the season’s main arc, but it also gives us a taste of Mike Colter’s acting range. The dialogue given by Colter parallels the culture he wants to see in Harlem, and the commentary is blatant, yet effective. This is the moment that really locked me into the show.
Pop’s funeral. (Episode 5)
Cottonmouth gives a speech, and Luke outdoes him with a better speech directly after. At this point in the story, the tension between the two characters is building; this scene takes it to a new, more personal level. It’s badass, beautifully written, and has major impact in the context of the story.
“I don’t have time for this”. (Episode 12)
Luke is on the run, and goes out of his way to help out a liquor store being robbed by two punks. The clip is one of the first times we see the public on the side of Cage, rather than the negative light he’s been consistently portrayed in by Cottonmouth, Mariah, and pretty much everyone else that holds authority in Harlem. It’s a subtle, yet effective character moment.
The origin. (Episode 4)
If you’ve read Luke Cage comics or know anything about the character, you probably appreciated this episode. I did too. It took us through the transition of Carl Lucas to Luke Cage, metal headpiece, yellow shirt and all. Mike Colter rocked the classic Power-Man suit; I never thought I’d be saying that. Ever. On a serious note, though, the episode was also imperative for the audience to get to know the character on a deeper level than “the strong, soft spoken bulletproof guy”. I’d say it did its job.
Luke Cage vs. Diamondback. (Episode 13)
Reminiscent of the fights in the Dark Knight trilogy (which I love), this brawl showcases Luke Cage’s wit, stamina, and strength. The fights had been a somewhat weak part of the season for me, but forunately this one didn’t fit that trend.
What were your favorite moments from season one of Luke Cage? Be sure to let me know in the comments section of this article.
