Marvel’s Luke Cage Season 2 Review: Bulletproof Crime Drama

Warning: Season 1 spoilers abound below. If you haven’t seen the first 13 episodes, proceed at your own risk.

After a sabotaged experiment leaves him with super strength and unbreakable skin, Luke Cage becomes a fugitive trying to rebuild his life in modern-day Harlem, New York City. But he is soon pulled out of the shadows and must fight a battle for the heart of his city - forcing him to confront a past he had tried to bury.

Luke Cage surprised many with the first season, for its firm tone bringing Marvel’s first African-American superhero to streaming services across the country. It moved away from the ninjas, and an ancient evil is seen before, pushing a grounded story in modern-day Harlem. But what is next for the acclaimed Netflix original, after the groundbreaking Black Panther, audiences want more from POC representation.

Following clearing his name in the first season, Luke Cage has now become a celebrity on the streets of Harlem with bulletproof skin and positive outlook. But being famous comes with hurdles, as he needs to protect himself and the city from the evil that lay in shadows. A formidable foe has risen, and Luke is forced to risk it all for Harlem’s safety. But will his unbreaking skin, work in his favour? Or does it cause problems for the black communities? All those questions get answered with the 13 episode season of Luke Cage.

Netflix

Season 2 is the most robust Netflix offering to date, pushing messages about celebrity culture and black issues within modern-day America. It also delivers one of the most intriguing villains in Marvel’s television universe, allowing the upbeat Luke Cage to reach another level. There are issues however with loose plot threads and overused extended slow-motion action scenes, but these moments do not affect the structure of the show. I loved the fast-paced approaching to storytelling this time around, making sure audiences aren’t left to twiddle their thumbs with padded dialogue. It’s also great to see Luke Cage not restricted to an origin story, instead gets to explore the criminal underground of Harlem.

Luke Cage (Mike Colter) the experienced and now famous crime-fighter has returned to Harlem, protecting the city bubbling rivals in the criminal underworld. But, new issues arise with the arrival of Bushmaster who wants to take over Harlem for good and bring in the Jamaican mob. Mike Colter does another solid performance, with the actor's charm filling out the scenery and delivering rich dialogue. I adored the fact the show doesn't feel like a glorified origin story, a problem which always lies in these Netflix shows, instead of further develops Luke Cage a hero for hire.

Netflix

Misty Knight (Simone Missick) returns as the fiery and intriguing NYPD detective, who is looking to clean up Harlem from the upcoming crime families. The fan favourite's role is more substantial this time around in Season 2, helping out Luke Cage on his wild journey to rid the city from dangers. Simone Misssick is used to significant effect here, balancing the troubles of being disabled in a society filled with questions. These character moments, related to me on another level with her struggles all hitting closer to home.

The villainous John 'Bushmaster' McIver (Mustafa Shakir) is a surprising addition to Season Two, as his Jamaican roots and close quarter combat skills working together in conjunction with Luke Cage (Mike Colter). While his motivations do come across unearned his relentless battle against the hoodie-wearing Cage is impressive and brings tension to scenes, I enjoyed seeing him find ways in breaking the superhero down from the inside. Mustafa Shakir delivers a solid performance, which brings Jamaican culture to the forefront of the 13-episodes, succeeding in following up the great Cottonmouth.

Verdict 

Luke Cage Season Two (2018) is a bulletproof crime drama filled with intense looks at race relations and positive influences in the community, combined with mature themes. It still retains the comic book mentality, with solid musical arguments during intense fight scenes and over the top villainous speeches.  It doesn’t reinvent the formula but improves in every area when compared to the first season.

Netflix has another hit on their hands, giving Luke Cage a perfect successor to his usurpingly outstanding first season. It ends with a solid villain and engages the audiences with thought-provoking sequences about race. I look forward to more adventures from the bulletproof man and his entourage.

Luke Cage Season Two is on Netflix! Go check it out.