Luke Cage (season 1)

Luke Cage (season 1)

Promotional poster
Starring
Country of origin United States
No. of episodes 13
Release
Original network Netflix
Original release September 30, 2016 (2016-09-30)

The first season of the American web television series Luke Cage, which is based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, a former convict with superhuman strength and unbreakable skin who now fights crime, is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films and other television series of the franchise. The season was produced by Marvel Television in association with ABC Studios, with Cheo Hodari Coker serving as showrunner.

Mike Colter stars as Cage, reprising his role from the series Jessica Jones. He is joined by principal cast members Mahershala Ali, Simone Missick, Theo Rossi, Erik LaRay Harvey, Rosario Dawson, and Alfre Woodard. Luke Cage entered development in late 2013, and Colter was cast, to appear in Jessica Jones and star in Luke Cage, in December 2014. Production took place in New York City from September 2015 to March 2016, with the season exploring race, politics, and the Black Lives Matter movement while looking to replicate the unique atmosphere and culture of Harlem. Coker especially emphasized the use of music: Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad composed a "90s hip-hop" score; various artists give onscreen performances in the fictional nightclub Harlem's Paradise throughout the season; and each episode is named after a Gang Starr song.

The first two episodes of the season premiered in Harlem on September 28, 2015, with the full season of 13 episodes released on Netflix on September 30 to an estimated high viewership and positive reviews. Critics praised the cast, 1970s style, music, and approach to racial issues, while its structure and some of the writing was viewed as some of the series' shortcomings. A second season of Luke Cage was ordered on December 3, 2016.[1]

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
1"Moment of Truth"Paul McGuiganCheo Hodari CokerSeptember 30, 2016 (2016-09-30)

Luke Cage is keeping a low profile as a sweeper at a barbershop owned by ex-gangster Henry "Pop" Hunter and as a dishwasher at the "Harlem's Paradise", a nightclub owned by crime boss Cornell "Cottonmouth" Stokes. Two men, Shameek and Chico, bust up one of Stokes' arms deals with help from Dante, a bartender at the Harlem Paradise. After shooting and leaving Dante for dead, they make off with the money. NYPD detectives Misty Knight and Rafael Scarfe are tasked with the investigation. With help from "Shades" Alvarez, who works for Stokes' supplier Willis "Diamondback" Stryker, Stokes tracks and kills Shameek and retrieves his share of the money. Scarfe and Knight decide to question Cage, who had replaced Dante during his absence at the club. Meanwhile, Cage beats up and fends off street thugs, who attack his landlady's restaurant demanding contribution for the "New Harlem Renaissance" initiative spearheaded by Stokes' cousin Mariah Dillard, a councilwoman.

Raphael Saadiq performs his songs "Good Man" and "Angel" at Harlem's Paradise. Coker chose the latter when it "just had a hook on it", and Saadiq finished it specifically for the series.[2] d-Nice also performs.
2"Code of the Streets"Paul McGuiganCheo Hodari CokerSeptember 30, 2016 (2016-09-30)

After Stokes' enquiry, Cage locates Chico and brings him to the barbershop for protection at Pop's behest, while Pop lies to Knight and Scarfe about Chico's whereabouts. Pop sends Cage to parley with Stokes on Chico's behalf, but one of Stokes' men, Tone, is tipped off to Chico's location by Turk Barrett and performs a drive-by shooting, killing Pop and critically wounding Chico while Cage shields a young boy. Knight becomes suspicious when Cage remains unharmed despite getting shot. Angered by Pop's death, Stokes kills Tone for his actions and gives Dillard the money. When Cage finds out about this, he decides to retaliate.

Faith Evans performs "Mesmerized" at Harlem's Paradise.[3]
3"Who's Gonna Take the Weight?"Guillermo NavarroMatt OwensSeptember 30, 2016 (2016-09-30)

Stokes pays for Pop's funeral and warns Cage to let go of the matter. Cage finds out from a regular customer, Bobby Fish, that the barbershop is facing closure due to unpaid bills, and begins targeting Stokes' business to manipulate Stokes into transferring his assets to Dillard's secure office, "Crispus Attucks". Stokes has a falling out with his associate Domingo Colon, whom he blames for the attacks. Cage attacks Crispus Attucks, steals a share of the money, which he gives to Fish, and leaves the rest for the police to find. After agreeing to testify against Stokes and revealing Cage's involvement in the attacks, Chico is killed by Scarfe, who is on Stokes' payroll. Stokes tracks down Cage to his landlady Connie Lin's restaurant and fires a missile, causing an explosion.

Charles Bradley sings "Ain't It a Sin".[4]
4"Step in the Arena"Vincenzo NataliCharles MurraySeptember 30, 2016 (2016-09-30)
While trapped in the rubble, Cage reminisces about his past as Carl Lucas and his incarceration at Seagate Prison, a private detention facility run by C.O. Albert Rackham. He befriends fellow inmate Squabbles, develops an attraction to psychologist Dr. Reva Connors, and is forced to engage in illegal ring fights by Rackham, and crossed paths with inmates Alvarez and Comanche. Lucas and Connors plan to expose Rackham's activities, but Rackham learns of this by torturing Squabbles and has Lucas brutally beaten. Connors then convinces Dr. Noah Burstein, a scientist conducting experiments on the inmates, to perform the procedure on Lucas. Rackham sabotages the experiment, and the resulting accident gives Lucas his powers. He then escapes and adopts the identity of "Luke Cage". Cage manages to pull himself and Connie out of the rubble and reveals his abilities to the media.
5"Just to Get a Rep"Marc JobstJason HorwitchSeptember 30, 2016 (2016-09-30)

Stokes begins extorting the citizens of Harlem to cover his debts and Cage confronts him to demand he stop. Shades recognizes Cage from Seagate and offers to lend Stokes a prototype weapon stolen from Hammer Industries that could kill Cage on Diamondback's behalf. Realizing this would cost him control of Harlem, Stokes decides to sell the weapons from the botched exchange to Colon and use the money to buy Diamondback's weapon. Scarfe is assigned to retrieve the weapons, but steals them for himself. Meanwhile, Knight begins investigating Scarfe at the behest of her superiors and Claire Temple arrives in Harlem to visit her mother, Soledad Temple, to whom she confides about her experiences with enhanced people. During Pop's memorial, Cage delivers an eulogy and humilliates Stokes in the process, leading Knight to warn him that war against Stokes could destroy Harlem.

Jidenna performs his single "Long Live the Chief" for a soundcheck at Harlem's Paradise, ahead of the release of his debut album of the same name.[3]
6"Suckas Need Bodyguards"Sam MillerNathan Louis JacksonSeptember 30, 2016 (2016-09-30)
Scarfe attempts to blackmail Stokes, but is critically wounded instead and escapes to Pop's for help, where he gives Cage a ledger with incriminating evidence on Stokes. Cage contacts Claire, who treats Scarfe's injuries, while another of Stokes' men, Lieutenant Perez, is ordered to find and kill Scarfe. Knight finds out Perez is also on Stokes' payroll and tricks him into implicating himself, records his admission before arresting him. Cage, Claire and Scarfe are ambushed by mercenaries hired by Stokes on their way to 1 Police Plaza to turn over the evidence, and although Cage fends them off, Scarfe dies from his injuries. Meanwhile, Dillard has an interview with the media. The reporter exposes Dillard's possible involvement in Stokes' actions. Stokes is arrested with the evidence from Scarfe. Knight's supervisor expresses concerns about another disclosure of police corruption after Wilson Fisk's case.
7"Manifest"Andy GoddardAkela CooperSeptember 30, 2016 (2016-09-30)

Scarfe's ledger is found inadmissible and Stokes is exonerated. He threatens to expose Cage's real identity if challenged again. Cage decides to leave Harlem; but Claire convinces him to stay and fight. Stokes reminisces about being raised by Dillard at the behest of their grandmother, mobster Mama Mabel. As a child, Stokes' musical talents were encouraged by his uncle Pete, whom Mabel later forced Stokes to kill after learning Pete had made side dealings with her rivals, and molested Dillard. Meanwhile, Knight is investigated by the internal affairs bureau while Dillard is put under pressure by her party to resign from the council. Cage attacks Colon and takes the weapons, giving them to Knight. Dillard visits Stokes to convince him to let go of his obsession with Cage, which leads into an argument that ends with her killing him when he says she flirted with Pete. Alvarez praises her and reveals his plan to frame Cage for the murder. Knight finds out "Luke Cage" is an alias just as he meets Claire to reveal his true identity and is shot by Stryker with the Judas, the Chitauri bullet, leaving him badly wounded.

The episode features a musical performance by d-Nice.
8"Blowin' Up the Spot"Magnus MartensAïda Mashaka CroalSeptember 30, 2016 (2016-09-30)
Claire gets Cage in an ambulance to a hospital; but they are attacked by Stryker en route. They take refuge in a women's clinic, where Claire examines Cage's tissue to find a way to take out the Judas shrapnel. Candace, a waitress and hostess at Stokes' club, tells the police that it was Cage who killed him, making Knight suspicious of Dillard. Knight calls Cage and informs him of the accusation, while another officer triangulates his location. She arrives at the clinic, attempting to arrest him; but they are attacked by Stryker again. Cage recognizes him from his childhood, with Stryker blaming him for leaving him to "rot". Cage follows Stryker to the United Palace and overpowers him, but he manages to escape. Dillard secretly pays Candace for testifying against Cage. In custody, Claire insists that Cage is innocent, making Knight so angry that she assaults her before the inspector intervenes and has Claire released. Stryker confronts Cage on a sidestreet, reveals himself as his brother and shoots him with another Judas bullet, knocking him in a garbage truck.
9"DWYCK"Tom ShanklandChristian TaylorSeptember 30, 2016 (2016-09-30)

A police psychologist is tasked to examine Knight. Cage is detected by two policemen, whom he beats up before escaping. Stryker blames Alvarez for Stokes' death. Dillard meets Colon and convinces him to arrange a meeting with all the local crime bosses. Cage reunites with Claire, who convinces him to let her take him to Burstein for treatment. The inspector releases Knight and tasks her to find Cage, who arrives at Burstein's with Claire. They give him the drive containing the data he needs. Stryker interrupts Dillard's meeting with the crime bosses, killing all of them except Colon. She tells Stryker that the video of Cage attacking the policemen has made him an enemy of the city; and Stryker can now sell the Judas bullets to NYPD. Burstein dips Cage inside acid, hoping that it will soften his skin, giving the former the chance to remove the shrapnel. However, the pain of the procedure gives Cage a cardiac arrest.

The Delfonics perform "Stop and Look (And You Have Found Love)" in the episode.[5]
10"Take It Personal"Stephen SurjikJason HorwitchSeptember 30, 2016 (2016-09-30)
Claire and Burstein manage to revive Cage and take out the shrapnel. Cage finds out that he was chosen as an experiment subject long before he was injured in Seagate. He and Claire look at Connors' files and find videos of her, proving that she was the person who chose Cage, upsetting him. Stryker kills a policeman, framing Cage. The police get angry and get more aggressive to find Cage, with one detective beating a teenage boy. Dillard shows support for the boy and arranges a ceremony in Harlem's Paradise. Cage threatens Burstein not to replicate the experiment and leaves with Claire and the drive. However, Burstein is revealed to have a copy of the data. In the ceremony, Dillard insists on Cage's fault and the need to arm the police against him. Her fellow party member however secretly tells her about their knowledge of the truth. Cage and Claire arrive at Harlem's Paradise while Knight arrives too, attempting to arrest Stryker, who shoots her before Cage interrupts and tries to escape with her; but they are surrounded by the mercenaries.
11"Now You're Mine"George Tillman Jr.Christian TaylorSeptember 30, 2016 (2016-09-30)
Cage escapes to the kitchen with Knight while Stryker takes Claire, Candace, the servant who testified against Cage, and the remaining civilians hostages. The police surround the club; but inspector Ridley does not authorize any assault. Cage and Knight escape to the basement using a secret entrance in the kitchen just before Stryker's men storm in. Claire tends to Candace's wound, with the latter revealing the truth to the former and telling about where Cage and Knight might be. Claire escapes and joins the pair, tending to Knight's wound. Stryker uses the loudspeakers to demand Cage to meet him by threatening to kill the hostages. Cage leaves to meet him. Alvarez finds the secret entrance and confronts Knight and Claire, who manage to overpower and lock him. Stryker kills Dillard's fellow party member Boone. Cage arrives and frees the hostages, excluding Candace, whom Stryker uses to cover his own escape just as the SWAT team storms in and forces Cage to surrender using the Judas bullets provided by Dillard. Cage, Alvarez and some other mercenaries are put in custody.
12"Soliloquy of Chaos"Phil AbrahamAkela Cooper & Charles MurraySeptember 30, 2016 (2016-09-30)

Cage manages to escape from police custody, while Knight works hard to locate Stryker and clear Luke's name. Stryker has Alvarez released on bail, then orders Zip and his thugs to kill him.Alvarez prevails and kills them. The tide of public opinion begins to turn back to Cage. Although the NYPD is still determined to bring him down. Candace meets Knight and says that she will testify against Dillard if Knight protects her. Knight takes her to Soledad's. Alvarez approaches Dillard and suggests they get Cage on side by giving him evidence of Lucas's innocence, and that they all work together to defeat Stryker. Cage finds Barrett, who is working for Stryker, and forces him to reveal Stryker's location before locking him in a dumpster. Colon and his men attack Stryker and his mercenaries. Stryker manages to defeat them and escape. Cage arrives and saves a wounded Colon. As the parties converge on Pop's to parley, Stryker attacks, wearing a powered suit which allows him to match Cage's strength and invulnerability. Cage tasks Knight to go after Dillard and Alvarez while the former engages Stryker.

Method Man guest stars in the episode, performing the original rap song "Bulletproof Love" after he is saved by Cage during a robbery.[3]
13"You Know My Steez"Clark JohnsonAida Mashaka Croal & Cheo Hodari CokerSeptember 30, 2016 (2016-09-30)

In flashbacks, Stryker helps Lucas become a boxer, eventually leading to the latter winning an important match. In the present, Cage and Stryker continue their fight inside and outside the barber shop. In the confusion, Knight drops her phone and Dillard loses the files which prove Lucas's innocence. Cage tries to reason with Stryker, but eventually knocks him out when the suit's power system fails while Dillard is arrested. Alvarez uses Knight's phone to lure Candace out of hiding and kills her, without whose testimony Dillard walks free. Ridley blames Knight for keeping Candace at a private place instead of protective custody. Federal marshals arrive to arrest Cage for his escape from Seagate. Claire kisses him before he leaves promising to call a skilled lawyer she knows to help him out. Fish finds the Lucas files in the barbershop. Dillard re-opens Harlem's Paradise with Alvarez by her side. Knight goes undercover in the club again. Claire takes up self-defense lessons. As Stryker recovers in hospital, Burstein enters his room.

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings perform "100 Days, 100 Nights", the title track of their "breakout effort", during Dillard's re-opening of Harlem's Paradise.[3]

Cast and characters

Main

Recurring

Notable guests

Production

Development

In October 2013, Marvel and Disney announced that Marvel Television and ABC Studios would provide Netflix with live action series centered around Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage, leading up to a miniseries based on the Defenders.[24] In December 2014, Mike Colter was cast as Cage, which was envisioned as a recurring role on Jessica Jones before headlining his own series.[25][6] Netflix and Marvel announced that Cheo Hodari Coker would be the showrunner for Marvel's Luke Cage in late March 2015,[26] after he pitched the series to Netflix as an examination of Harlem, "like what The Wire did for Baltimore."[27] The season consists of 13 hour-long episodes.[28]

Writing

Each episode of the season is named after a Gang Starr song, with Coker explaining, "I wanted the 13 episodes to feel like an album. Like when Prince put out an album, you would shut things out and listen to the whole thing" similarly to modern binge watching of television series.[15][29] Coker was inspired to do this by television producer Shonda Rhimes, who names each episode of Grey's Anatomy after a pop song. Coker chose the Gang Starr songs ahead of his first pitch meeting with Marvel Television head Jeph Loeb, to help organize his planned story arcs.[30] Coker chose the songs based on their titles only, so each episode's events does not necessarily reflect the respective song's lyrics.[31]

The season picks up "a few months" after Jessica Jones, and is set in Harlem rather than the Hell's Kitchen of the previous Marvel Netflix series, which Colter described as "a completely different world".[32] Loeb said the season was about Luke Cage's "story and where he came from and, most importantly, where he’s going" after "catching him not quite in the middle, but in the early part of the middle" of his story on Jessica Jones.[33] On this, Colter noted that like the previous Marvel Netflix series, Luke Cage uses flashbacks "to tell a different part of the story."[34] Colter explained that in Luke Cage, the character is "trying to basically stay off the radar",[32] but an event in the series' second episode, described as "hard to watch", "get[s] this series into forward action mode ... There were events that needed to happen to make [Cage] see that he couldn’t just sit back and do nothing."[35] Marvel Comics' editor-in-chief Joe Quesada said that unlike the fictionalized version of Hell's Kitchen depicted in Daredevil and Jessica Jones, which was more inline with how it was when the comics were first written, the Harlem of Luke Cage represents the Harlem of "today", and is truer to the real-life modern New York.[36] However, Colter admitted that "Harlem, the character that we’re trying to create, does resemble Harlem of maybe ten years ago."[37] Coker described Cottonmouth's club, Harlem's Paradise, as the series' Iron Throne.[38] He wanted the club to "invoke the history of Harlem ... it’s crime, politics, music, really the whole cornucopia of the black creative existence in one place."[37]

Loeb described the season as "a fugitive story",[39] and "a story of redemption",[40] while Coker described "a powerful fusion of dark drama, hip-hop, and classic superhero action"; "The Wire of Marvel television, because we really deal with a lot of different issues."[41] More specifically, Coker felt the series is a "hip-hop Western", comparing it to Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy of films, with Cage the Man with No Name coming to a town, Harlem, where he is convinced to fight injustice. Coker further compared the characters Cottonmouth and Misty Knight to the resident villain and local law enforcement, respectively, of the Western genre, and described the Harlem's Paradise nightclub as the town's saloon.[31] Cage is seen wearing a black hoodie throughout the series, which, beyond being practical for a character trying to lie low, was a nod to Trayvon Martin and Black Lives Matter. Colter said it was meant to invoke "the idea that a black man in a hoodie isn’t necessarily a threat. He might just be a hero."[42] The series also features a political campaign with the slogan "Keep Harlem Black", "in the face of gentrification that threatens to homogenize Harlem’s cultural history."[27]

Casting

The main cast for the season includes Colter as Cage, reprising his role from Jessica Jones;[6] Mahershala Ali as Cornell "Cottonmouth" Stokes;[7][8] Simone Missick as Misty Knight;[9][10] Theo Rossi as Hernan "Shades" Alvarez;[10][11] Erik LaRay Harvey as Willis Stryker / Diamondback,[12][13] whose involvement was not officially announced by Marvel prior to the season's release, as he agreed not to do any publicity for the show to not "ruin the twist" of Stryker being the season's main villain;[43] Rosario Dawson as Claire Temple, reprising her role from Daredevil and Jessica Jones;[10][11] and Alfre Woodard as Mariah Dillard.[14][15]

In September 2015, Frank Whaley was cast as Rafael Scarfe.[10][16] Sean Ringgold and Karen Pittman were revealed to be involved in the series in March 2016,[19] later revealed to playing the characters Sugar and Priscilla Ridley, respectively. Also recurring throughout the season are Ron Cephas Jones as Bobby Fish,[17] Jacob Vargas as Domingo Colon, Darius Kaleb as Lonnie Wilson, Jade Wu as Connie Lin, Deborah Ayorinde as Candace Miller,[18] Justin Swain as Bailey, Jaiden Kaine as Zip, Dawn-Lyen Gardner as Megan McLaren,[20] Jeremiah Richard Craft as Dave Griffith, Michael Kostroff as Noah Burstein,[21] Tijuana Ricks as Thembi Wallace, and John Clarence Stewart as Alex. Also, several other actors reprise roles from other Marvel Netflix shows: Parisa Fitz-Henley returns as Cage's former wife Reva Connors from Jessica Jones;[19][22] Rob Morgan reprises the role of Turk Barrett from Daredevil;[23] Rachael Taylor provides the voice of Trish Walker, who she plays in Jessica Jones, for a radio talk show;[21] and Danny Johnson and Stephen Rider reprise their roles of Benjamin Donovan and Blake Tower from the second season of Daredevil.[21]

Design

Costume designer Stephanie Maslansky returned from the same role on Daredevil and Jessica Jones. Like the main characters of those shows, Cage has his own wardrobe evolution throughout the season after his initial look of T-shirts, jeans, leather jackets or an army jacket was introduced in Jessica Jones.[44] The series opted to depict Cage in a Trayvon Martin-inspired hoodie, but introduces the character's classic costume for a brief flashback. Colter said that the costume, designed in the blacksploitation era, "is not made for serious moments", but the series was able to poke fun at it in the brief scene, with Cage saying "You look like a damn fool" to himself when wearing it.[45]

In looking to pay homage to Cage's original costume with his updated clothing, Maslansky and Coker considered "the idea of him wearing a gold hoodie, a gold T-shirt, but those just seemed too on the nose, and just too bright for a guy who is trying to keep his identity quiet." Instead, Maslansky lined the insides of all of Cage's hoodies with yellow, so the color could frame the character's face in close ups.[46] In contrast to Cage's hoodie, with jeans and T-shirts, many of the series' villains wear well-tailored suits. Stokes does this because he wants to present himself as "a wealthy, successful businessman", and wears a lot of suits from Dolce & Gabbana and Zegna, with one of his suits from the show custom made.[47] To pay homage to the comic character, Maslansky dressed Ali in a green suit for when Stokes is introduced. Worried that this would come across as "flamboyant", Maslansky kept the suit a "subtle shade of green", and then decided to have the character always wearing a "subtle piece of green" from then on, like emerald earrings for one costume. The designer noted that many of these elements would not be noticed by the audience, but they made a difference to Ali when he was getting into character.[48] For the character Shades, brands such as Hugo Boss, Helmut Lang, Prada, and Ferragamo were used "because he wasn't trying to hide who he was",[47] while Misty Knight, in her final shot of the season, is shown wearing a version of her own iconic comic costume.[48]

Coker instructed the series' prop master to carefully choose a selection of books to appear in Cage's bedroom, including Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man.[27] The sets were designed and dressed to consist of strong colors that could be emphasized by the series' cinematography, to help differentiate the show from the noir look and tone of Jessica Jones.[49] The nightclub Harlem's Paradise was intended to invoke the real-life Harlem nightclubs the Cotton Club and the Lenox Lounge.[50][51]

Filming

Marvel announced in February 2014 that the series would be filmed in New York City,[28] with Quesada stating in April that the show would be filming on location in addition to sound stage work.[52] In July 2015, Loeb stated that Luke Cage was prepping to begin filming,[53] and by September 2015, production had begun under the working title Tiara.[54][55] Filming took place in Harlem, including Lenox Avenue and areas where American Gangster was shot,[50][51] the Mount Olivet Baptist Church, St. Nicholas Park, Jackie Robinson Park, Riverside Park, and the Riverside Drive viaduct;[56] in Washington Heights,[56] including at the United Palace;[57] Cortlandt Alley in Chinatown;[56] in areas of Queens for when Cage escapes Seagate Prison and puts on the classic Power Man costume;[45] the Roosevelt Island steam plant for interiors of Seagate; the Music Hall of Williamsburg for the exterior of the Paradise Nightclub; the former Fulton Correctional Facility in The Bronx for the Crispus Attucks Complex; and the Long Island City portion of Newtown Creek.[56] It was important to Coker for the series to film in Harlem, "the only place in the city where you see those wide boulevards. We really wanted to capture the color, the rhythm of the streets".[51] For example, the production had the opportunity to film at a barbershop in Greenwich Village "that would’ve been a little easier for us to shoot in", but Coker said "the opportunity to film it in Harlem was irresistible. I didn’t want us to talk about Harlem and then not film in Harlem."[37] Filming concluded in March 2016.[19]

Manuel Billeter served as director of photography for the series, after doing the same for Jessica Jones.[58] He worked with director Paul McGuigan to establish the look of the show in the first two episodes, with Coker hiring McGuigan based on his direction of the Sherlock episode "A Scandal in Belgravia". Coker was delighted to learn how little CGI McGuigan used to craft the visuals of that episode, and wanted the same approach for Luke Cage, "just old school camera stuff. He brought a very analogue perspective, analogue feel to the show." McGuigan, Coker explained, directed "every scene [as] long takes, from multiple takes over and over again. We would run an entire eight page scene almost like a play, so when it comes together it’s seamless."[51] McGuigan was inspired by the works of photographers Gordon Parks, Tony Ray-Jones, and Jack Garofalo.[59] Billeter looked to differentiate the look of Luke Cage from Jessica Jones with cinematography, using modified gels on lights, and saturating and warming colors in color correction to give Harlem "a more glowing look".[49] Coker noted that the series' has a color scheme of yellow, brown, amber, and gold, in contrast to the "violet tint" Billeter gave Jessica Jones to reflect that series' villain, the Purple Man.[31] The series was shot on Netflix's standard 4K cameras, with Billeter pairing them with Panavision Primo lenses that were "custom treated with a reflective coating in between the glass elements in the interior of the lens, causing more flares and bringing down the contrast in addition to very slightly de-focusing them" in order to "add something magic, less controlled and more cinematic". Billeter filmed Colter with a lot of low angles to make him look "even more heroic", and kept the camera close to him, even when he was "surrounded by space", with Harlem in the background so that Cage "is always the dominant force in his shots, but he also remains a part of the terrain. The shots aren’t of him alone; they’re of him in his home."[49]

Cage's fight style in the series was called "smack-fu" by Coker, referring to the way he tried not to punch anybody since that would probably kill them with his super strength.[60] To film the effect of bullets bouncing off of Cage, remote controlled devices were attached to Colter, operated by "the push of a button by someone overlooking the stunt behind the cameras." The devices had the ability to "burn the skin if not attached properly to clothing, and [Colter] once almost lost hearing in one ear when he forgot to insert the required ear pieces."[61] The third episode begins with a couch coming out of the window of the fictional Crispus Attucks complex in Harlem. This was a tease of a large fight scene shown in full later in the episode, on which Coker said, "You're already anticipating what's going to happen, so when you finally do get to that moment and then the music kicks in, it takes on this new energy." The fight itself is the series' version of the 'superhero hallway fight' made famous in Daredevil, with Coker explaining, "We wanted to do something that, while in the same realm, was its own thing ... That's what this whole show is about, ultimately, being able to do the superhero thing with flavor."[60] Filming for the fight was influenced by "Arnold Schwarzenegger’s invading the police station in Terminator",[62] and was one of the toughest sequences for the crew to shoot; it took a 14-hour day, and Colter attributed the successful completion of the sequence, including the couch shot, to director Guillermo Navarro.[60] Colter also called the fourth episode particularly difficult to film, taking around 12 or 13 days to shoot. The episode was written by executive producer Charles Murray, "a geek bar none" who looked to organically transition the character's origin story from the original comics into the modern world of the series for the episode. This involved flashback sequences with Colter in makeup and different costumes, and each scene was shot by director Vincenzo Natali in many camera setups.[63]

The series' production sound mixer Joshua Anderson, who worked on Daredevil and Jessica Jones as well, worked to capture as much sound on set with boom mics over lavaliers to ground the unbelievable elements of the series in "naturalistic sound". He noted that Ali's Cottonmouth laugh and many of Colter's lines in particular sounded "incredible on the boom". Anderson also talked about Luke Cage adding a new layer of sound that the other series did not—music, both how important it is to the show, and so the captured sound needed to be clear to be properly mixed in with the music later, and how it was used on set, with several artists giving live performances in the fictional nightclub Harlem's Paradise. For the latter, Anderson and his team had experience after working on the musical series Smash.[64]

Visual effects

FuseFX provided 867 visual effects shots for the season, with a team of 15 to 20 members under FuseFX New York’s production head and senior visual effects supervisor Greg Anderson. Anderson explained that the series' challenging schedule was made easier by the company's catalog of previously used digital assets and effect elements that can be reused, or partially reused, where appropriate in new projects. Several effects shots, "big and small", were created to show Cage's abilities, including a slow motion shot of a thug's fist collapsing into a "bloody compound fracture" while punching Cage in the face. A standout effects sequence for the season was when "the bad guys try to kill the hero by blowing up a building he’s in". The single sequence took FuseFX 130 days to complete, and involved creating a CG building and integrating it into footage of a real New York City block, matching up with "multiple camera angles and light sources" throughout the sequence. The effects team then had to digitally destroy the building, and create "a complex array of fireballs and falling debris".[65]

Music

In April 2016, Coker revealed that Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad were composing the series' score, describing it as having "a '90s hip-hop vibe".[41] The season also features onscreen performances by various artists as the live performances in the Harlem's Paradise nightclub, which Coker wanted to use to help capture the vibe of the neighborhood.[27] Songs from Mahalia Jackson, Nina Simone,[38] John Lee Hooker ("It Serves You Right to Suffer" and "I'm Bad Like Jesse James"),[38][66][67] Dusty Springfield ("Son of a Preacher Man"),[68] and Wu-Tang Clan ("Bring da Ruckus") are also used.[4][42] Coker wanted Prince to perform at the nightclub for the season finale, before his death in April 2016. The "swear jar" that appears in the season was designed by Coker in hopes of convincing the artist to make the cameo appearance, as he was known to have a "swear jar" himself since he was a devout Jehovah's Witness. The role was ultimately filled by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, which Coker said was "the better choice" because "that sequence is about Mariah being crowned."[69] A soundtrack album for the season was released on October 7, digitally and pressed on yellow vinyl by Mondo.[70][71]

Marvel Cinematic Universe tie-ins

Part of the series takes place simultaneously with the events of the second season of Daredevil.[72] Throughout the season, the villains use Hammer Technology weapons to counter Cage's abilities. The company and its founder, Justin Hammer, were introduced in Iron Man 2, and Hammer was last seen incarcerated in Seagate Prison in the Marvel One-Shot All Hail the King; Seagate is also depicted in the series as the prison where Carl Lucas was sent, and there is a reference to "millionaires hidden in the basement" while he is there.[20][73][74] The series references the events of The Avengers and members of that team,[21][73] as well as the future Defenders and their own series.[21][75] Specific mentions include Madame Gao's operations in Daredevil,[5] the widely known villains Wilson Fisk and Frank Castle,[21] and a flier for Colleen Wing's martial arts class, set to be introduced in Iron Fist.[76]

Release

Luke Cage was released on September 30, 2016,[77] on the streaming service Netflix worldwide,[26] in Ultra HD 4K.[78] The 13 hour-long episodes were released simultaneously, as opposed to a serialized format, to encourage binge-watching, a format which has been successful for other Netflix series.[28][52]

Marketing

On March 18, 2016, the first footage of the series debuted exclusively on Netflix. The trailer appeared at the end of the second season of Daredevil, autoplaying after viewers finished the final episode.[79] In July 2016, Colter, Woodard, Ali, Rossi, Missick, Whaley, and Coker appeared at the San Diego Comic-Con to promote the series and debut footage.[80][81] At the end of August 2016, Netflix released the first part of the "Street Level Hero" digital social video series. The series "look[ed] to blend fiction with history by taking audiences behind the curtain on the themes that give the show it’s street-level authenticity and cultural relevance." The first part was centered on the music of the series, with commentary from Coker, Colter, composers Younge and Muhammad, A$AP Ferg and Method Man.[82] At the end of September, the second part of the "Street Level Hero" series was released, focusing on Harlem, with commentary from Coker, Colter, A$AP Ferg, Method Man, and Harlem style icon Dapper Dan.[83] On September 28, 2016, the series premiered at the AMC Magic Johnson in Harlem.[84][85]

Reception

Audience viewership

As Netflix does not reveal subscriber viewership numbers for any of their original series, Symphony Technology Group compiled data for the season based on people using software on their phones that measures television viewing by detecting a program's sound. According to Symphony, Luke Cage opened stronger initially than the Netflix original series Making a Murderer and Stranger Things, but its performance over its first month fell short of both, comparatively. Symphony estimated that 6.34% of viewers age 18-49 were watching Luke Cage in an average minute in the first 32 days following its release, with Making a Murderer and Stranger Things seeing 9.1% and 9.81% of viewers, respectively.[86]

Critical response

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 96% approval rating with an average rating of 8.2/10 based on 50 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "An immersive, socially conscious narrative and a confident, charismatic lead performance make Marvel's Luke Cage a stellar sampling of the new Marvel/Netflix universe."[87] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 79 out of 100 based on 30 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[88]

Reviewing the first seven episodes of the series, Allison Keene of Collider.com awarded it 5 stars out of 5, saying, the series is "an intimate portrait of street life, detailing not only the inner workings of the crime syndicates, but also the beleaguered police, sleazy politicians, and the young people in the community who see guns and drugs as an easy way to make money." She also noted the use of race in the series, as well as giving each cast member "distinct personalities and memorable moments that create immediate stakes" while specifically praising Colter.[22] Mike Cecchini of Den of Geek spoke positively of the series, saying "Luke Cage boasts an excellent cast, tremendous atmosphere, and a willingness to go places that other Marvel Studios productions can’t." He added that Simone Missick as Misty Knight was the series' standout performance, much like Colter was in Jessica Jones, and praised the music, feeling it had "the most active role in a superhero production since Guardians of the Galaxy" and called the original score by Younge and Muhammad "equally impressive" and "a perfect veneer of 70s style". However, Cecchini felt Luke Cage "hits the usual Marvel Netflix problems, though. There are some archetypes that get leaned on a little too heavily and characters have a tendency to monologue, sometimes aggressively."[89]

Deadline.com's Dominic Patten called Luke Cage "one of the most socially relevant and smartest shows on the small screen you will see this year... Linking to the Greater Marvel Universe with finesse, hip-hop’s alternating swagger and reserve, the zeitgeist, and the iconic legacy of Harlem, the series reaches both back and forward into the culture of heroes and an America looking for a true game-changer."[90] David Milner for Digital Spy also gave positive thoughts on the series, saying "When it's not fulfilling its duties as a Marvel-licensed product, Luke Cage is basically a précis of the last 100 years of African-American history – especially in relation to Harlem itself." Conversely, Milner felt Ali's Cottonmouth was not "as imposing a figure as Daredevil's Wilson Fisk and isn't nearly as darkly charismatic as David Tennant's Kilgrave from Jessica Jones."[91] Maureen Ryan of Variety felt Luke Cage "has a more than adequate supply of pleasures", with the cast strong enough to "power" the series "through its rough spots, which include a somewhat clunky pilot and a notable tendency to sprawl". She also felt that "Where the drama tends to stumble is in meandering expositional scenes, which quite often go on too long and drain the show of momentum... when [high caliber actors such as Mahershala Ali and Alfre Woodard] can’t make a long dialogue scene work, the problem is in the writing, not the performances."[17] Merrill Barr, writing for Forbes, called the series "another winner for Marvel and Netflix that shouldn’t be missed," saying, "Arcs are beautifully handled, often taking zigs when a zag is not only expected but often encouraged. Fans of the characters are going to rejoice at the level of quality they are getting with this one after waiting so long for Cage to be realized in live action, and fans of Marvel in general should really enjoy the 70s stylings that shake things up real well."[92]

Giving the series 4.5 stars out of 5, Cinema Blend's Eric Eisenberg felt Luke Cage "has a unique flavor that could very well lead it to being called the best Netflix/Marvel series so far by the time it's first season is over,"[93] a sentiment also shared by Helen O'Hara of The Daily Telegraph.[94] Eisenberg also praised the members of the supporting cast, including Misskick as Misty Knight, Frank Whaley as Rafael Scarfe, Frankie Faison as Pop, and Theo Rossi as Shades, and Ali and Woodard as the villains. Despite "weak exposition delivery in the pilot, repetitive narrative structures, and individual arcs that are cut short too soon," Eisenberg concluded that Luke Cage "presents a corner of the world unlike anything ever presented in comic book films or television – and built with a compelling vision and atmosphere, the first seven episodes suggest that it will ultimately come together as one of the best examples of the genre."[93] David Betancourt, for The Washington Post, concluded, "When it comes to Marvel’s movies and Netflix’s shows, they haven’t struck out yet. Luke Cage is no different, and it is Netflix’s best Marvel show to date. When given the chance to bring to life one of the most well-known heroes of color around, Marvel and Netflix produced something that is undeniably and unapologetically black and beautiful."[95] TV Guide's Alexander Zalban called the series one of 2016's "most vital, important" and "timely" television series, saying it had "incredibly layered and iconic performances" from the cast and felt that "just as Jessica Jones sucked fans in by being a superhero detective story set in the Marvel Universe, while actually being one of the most powerful and thorough explorations of sexual assault ever committed to film," so too would Luke Cage with the racial aspects it covered.[96]

Matt Webb Mitovich of TVLine, who gave the series a "B", felt Harlem was "a wonderfully utilized character, both a welcome departure from the well-explored Hell’s Kitchen and a distinct neighborhood unto itself," along with strong performances from Colter (bringing "a needed intensity") and Ali ("compelling and threatening as Cottonmouth"), though felt some of its "talkier moments" and its pacing were some of the series' weak spots.[97] Entertainment Weekly's Jeff Jensen awarded the series a "B-" saying "Luke Cage is a meaningful attempt at developing a new-model black hero. As entertaining drama, it’s trapped in a not-so-Marvelous trapped cage", though he criticized it as "one more piece of Marvel pop that expresses its ballyhooed shared-world premise so poorly, it’s jarring when it even happens," as well as some of the series' logic, "sluggish pace [and] thinly stretched plot".[98] Reviewing the entire season, Terri Schwartz of IGN awarded it an 8.4 out of 10, saying, "Marvel's Luke Cage doesn't reach the heights of Daredevil and Jessica Jones, and its flawed second half ends up diminishing what was otherwise a fantastic season. But with something important to say and interesting new characters, Luke Cage is another win for Marvel's Netflix shows."[99]

Accolades

Year Award Category Recipient(s) Result Ref(s)
2016 Hollywood Music in Media Awards Main Title – TV Show / Digital Series Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Younge Nominated [100]
People's Choice Awards Favorite Premium Sci-Fi/Fantasy Series Luke Cage Pending [101]

References

  1. ↑ Stedman, Alex (December 4, 2016). "'Luke Cage' Renewed for Season 2 on Netflix". Variety. Archived from the original on December 4, 2016. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
  2. ↑ Milzoff, Rebecca (October 25, 2016). "Raphael Saadiq Explains How Writing for 'Luke Cage' Was a Dark Dream Come True". Billboard.com. Archived from the original on November 10, 2016. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Gassman, Ian (November 3, 2016). "7 Awesome Musician Cameos from Luke Cage, Season 1". Paste. Archived from the original on November 10, 2016. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  4. 1 2 Cecchini, Mike (October 1, 2016). "Luke Cage: Complete Marvel Comics Easter Eggs and Reference Guide – Luke Cage Episode 3: Who's Gonna Take the Weight?". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on October 1, 2016. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  5. 1 2 Cecchini, Mike (October 1, 2016). "Luke Cage: Complete Marvel Comics Easter Eggs and Reference Guide – Luke Cage Episode 9: DWYCK". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on October 1, 2016. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 Strom, Marc (December 22, 2014). "Mike Colter to Star as Luke Cage in Marvel's A.K.A. Jessica Jones". Marvel.com. Archived from the original on December 22, 2014. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  7. 1 2 Dornbush, Jonathon (September 3, 2015). "Luke Cage casts House of Cards actor Mahershala Ali as Cottonmouth". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on September 3, 2015. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
  8. 1 2 Strom, Marc (September 3, 2015). "Mahershala Ali Joins the Cast of the Netflix Original Series 'Marvel's Luke Cage'". Marvel.com. Archived from the original on September 4, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  9. 1 2 Andreeva, Nellie (September 2, 2015). "Marvel's 'Luke Cage' Casts Simone Missick In Key Role". Deadline.com. Archived from the original on September 2, 2015. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Netflix Original Series 'Marvel's Luke Cage' Adds to the Cast". Marvel.com. September 16, 2015. Archived from the original on September 16, 2015. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Andreeva, Nellie (September 2, 2015). "Marvel's 'Luke Cage': Theo Rossi Cast, Rosario Dawson To Reprise 'Daredevil' Role". Deadline.com. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  12. 1 2 Damore, Meagan (May 25, 2016). "Look: New "Luke Cage" Photos Reveal Classic Marvel Comics Villain". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on May 25, 2016. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
  13. 1 2 Li, Shirley (October 3, 2016). "Luke Cage postmortem: Diamondback actor speaks, says ruining Luke 'is a game to him' — exclusive". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 3, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  14. 1 2 Strom, Marc (September 15, 2015). "Alfre Woodard Joins 'Marvel's Luke Cage' for Netflix". Marvel.com. Archived from the original on September 16, 2015. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  15. 1 2 3 Marston, George (July 21, 2016). "SDCC 2016: Marvel & Netflix's LUKE CAGE Panel". Newsarama. Archived from the original on July 22, 2016. Retrieved July 22, 2016.
  16. 1 2 Han, Angie (September 10, 2015). "'Luke Cage' Adds Frank Whaley as Rafael Scarfe". /Film. Archived from the original on September 12, 2015. Retrieved September 12, 2015.
  17. 1 2 3 Ryan, Maureen (September 23, 2016). "TV Review: 'Marvel's Luke Cage'". Variety. Archived from the original on September 24, 2016. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  18. 1 2 Teixeira, Bianca (September 30, 2016). "Luke Cage's Deborah Ayorinde Is Ready to Fly". Sharp. Archived from the original on October 9, 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Kincaid, Rhiannon (March 14, 2016). "Luke Cage Cast And Crew Throw Wrap Party As Production Nears End On Season One". MCU Exchange. Archived from the original on March 14, 2016. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  20. 1 2 3 Cecchini, Mike (October 1, 2016). "Luke Cage: Complete Marvel Comics Easter Eggs and Reference Guide". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on October 1, 2016. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Zalben, Alexander (September 30, 2016). "Marvel's Luke Cage: Every Easter Egg and Reference". TV Guide. Archived from the original on October 2, 2016. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  22. 1 2 3 Keene, Allison (September 7, 2016). "'Luke Cage' Review: Netflix Delivers the Hero We Need". Collider.com. Archived from the original on September 7, 2016. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
  23. 1 2 Morales, Wilson (October 22, 2015). "Daredevil's Rob Morgan Back As Turk Barrett On Marvel's Luke Cage". BlackFilm.com. Archived from the original on March 15, 2016. Retrieved March 15, 2016.
  24. ↑ Lieberman, David (November 7, 2013). "Disney To Provide Netflix With Four Series Based On Marvel Characters". Deadline.com. Archived from the original on April 8, 2014. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
  25. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (November 19, 2014). "Marvel's 'Jessica Jones': Krysten Ritter, Alexandra Daddario, Teresa Palmer, Marin Ireland, Jessica De Gouw Testing For Lead". Deadline.com. Archived from the original on November 20, 2014. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  26. 1 2 Spangler, Todd (March 31, 2015). "Netflix, Marvel Pick 'Luke Cage' Showrunner, Cheo Hodari Coker". Variety. Archived from the original on March 31, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  27. 1 2 3 4 Dockterman, Eliana. "The Maing of: Luke Cage – A Hero for this Moment". Time. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
  28. 1 2 3 "Marvel's Netflix Series to Film in New York City". Marvel.com. February 26, 2014. Archived from the original on February 26, 2014. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
  29. ↑ Viscardi, James (July 21, 2016). "Marvel's Luke Cage Liveblog From San Diego Comic Con 2016". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on July 22, 2016. Retrieved July 22, 2016.
  30. ↑ Sullivan, James (September 26, 2016). "In every episode of 'Luke Cage,' a tribute to Gang Starr". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on September 27, 2016. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
  31. 1 2 3 Rivera, Joshua (October 3, 2016). "Why the Creator of Luke Cage Wanted to Make a "Hip-Hop Western"". GQ. Archived from the original on November 1, 2016. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  32. 1 2 Siegel, Lucas (October 12, 2015). "Mike Colter Reveals Where And When Marvel's Luke Cage Will Take Place". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on October 13, 2015. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  33. ↑ Radish, Christina (July 29, 2015). "JESSICA JONES: Melissa Rosenberg and Jeph Loeb Talk Characters, Tone, Action and More". Collider. Archived from the original on July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  34. ↑ Woerner, Meredith (December 29, 2015). "Mike Colter, Marvel's new Luke Cage, talks about the soul of his new Netflix series". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
  35. ↑ Mason, Charlie (July 21, 2016). "Luke Cage Cast: A 'Necessary' Evil Pushes New Hero Into Action Mode". TVLine.com. Archived from the original on July 22, 2016. Retrieved July 22, 2016.
  36. ↑ Joe Quesada on Luke Cage Embracing NYC and Iron Fist's Villain Count – SDCC 2016. IGN. July 21, 2016. Retrieved July 22, 2016.
  37. 1 2 3 White, Brett (August 3, 2016). ""Luke Cage" Cast, Showrunner Call Netflix Series A "Love Song" To Harlem". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on August 28, 2016. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  38. 1 2 3 Topei, Fred (July 29, 2016). "'Luke Cage' Showrunner Teases Big-Name Musical Guests for Season One [TCA 2016]". /Film. Archived from the original on July 31, 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  39. ↑ Schwartz, Terri (January 26, 2016). "Marvel TV Head Jeph Loeb Talks Agent Carter, SHIELD Spinoff, Luke Cage And X-Men On TV". IGN. Archived from the original on January 26, 2016. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  40. ↑ Boone, Josh (July 25, 2016). "EXCLUSIVE: Marvel's Head of TV Reveals How 'The Defenders' Will Be Different From 'The Avengers'". Entertainment Tonight. Archived from the original on July 29, 2016. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  41. 1 2 Nolfi, Joey (April 13, 2016). "Luke Cage producer compares Netflix's new Marvel series to The Wire". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  42. 1 2 Tanz, Jason (August 16, 2016). "Modern Marvel: Why Netflix's Luke Cage Is The Superhero We Really Need Now". Wired. Archived from the original on August 28, 2016. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
  43. ↑ Damore, Meagan (October 8, 2016). "NYCC: Iron Fist Cast Makes First-Ever Live Appearance". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on October 9, 2016. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
  44. ↑ Soo Hoo, Fawina (November 20, 2015). "There Are No Superhero Costumes To Be Found In 'Jessica Jones,' Netflix's Latest Marvel Adaptation". Fashionista. Archived from the original on November 21, 2015. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  45. 1 2 Bucksbaum, Sydney (October 4, 2016). "'Luke Cage' Star Breaks Down "Brilliant" Power Man Costume Reveal". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 4, 2016. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
  46. ↑ Carlos, Marjon (October 10, 2016). "On Luke Cage, a Hoodie Is the New Cape". Vogue. Archived from the original on November 1, 2016. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  47. 1 2 Christian, Scott (September 30, 2016). "Luke Cage's Costume Designer Reveals Why Heroes Love Hoodies". Esquire. Archived from the original on October 14, 2016. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
  48. 1 2 Di Placido, Dani (October 18, 2016). "'Luke Cage' Costume Designer Discusses Keeping It Casual". Forbes. Archived from the original on November 1, 2016. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  49. 1 2 3 DuBois, Hawkins (October 3, 2016). "Get To Know Manuel Billeter, The Super Cinematographer Behind Marvel's 'Luke Cage'". Moviepilot. Archived from the original on October 14, 2016. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
  50. 1 2 Los Angeles Times (July 25, 2016). Comic Con: Luke Cage. YouTube. Retrieved July 28, 2016.
  51. 1 2 3 4 Lincoln, Ross A. (July 27, 2016). "'Luke Cage' Showrunner On Filming Netflix Show: "I Didn't Want To Speak Harlem And Say Harlem Without Seeing Harlem" – TCA". Deadline.com. Archived from the original on July 28, 2016. Retrieved July 28, 2016.
  52. 1 2 Blackmon, Joe (April 27, 2014). "Marvel Netflix Series Part Of Marvel Cinematic Universe, Available For Binge Watching According To Joe Quesada". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on April 28, 2014. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
  53. ↑ Boone, John (July 15, 2015). "We Asked Marvel's Head of Television About Everything From 'Agent Carter' to 'Iron Fist' — And He Answered". Entertainment Tonight. Archived from the original on July 16, 2015. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  54. ↑ Siegel, Lucas (September 1, 2015). "Marvel's Luke Cage Production Title Is Tiara". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on September 2, 2015. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  55. ↑ Jayson, Jay (September 2, 2015). "Exclusive: Misty Knight To Appear In Neflix's Luke Cage". Comicbook.com. Archived from the original on September 3, 2015. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
  56. 1 2 3 4 Young, Michelle (October 4, 2016). "NYC Film Locations for Luke Cage, Netflix's Latest Marvel Show Set in Harlem". Untapped Cities. Archived from the original on November 9, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  57. ↑ Agard, Chancellor (October 2, 2016). "Luke Cage recap: 'Blowin' Up the Spot'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 2, 2016. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  58. ↑ "10 Cinematographers to Watch 2016: Manuel Billeter". Variety. April 20, 2016. Archived from the original on April 30, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  59. ↑ Paul McGuigan [paul_mcguigan] (September 15, 2016). "#LukeCage I was greatly influenced by the street photography of Gordon Parks, Tony Ray-Jones and Jack Garofalo. Also check out Khalik Allah." (Tweet). Archived from the original on September 27, 2016. Retrieved September 27, 2016 – via Twitter.
  60. 1 2 3 Bucksbaum, Sydney (October 2, 2016). "'Luke Cage' Showrunner, Star Break Down Episode 3's Epic Fight Scene With "Swagger"". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 14, 2016. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
  61. ↑ Betancourt, David (September 27, 2016). "Inside the making of 'Luke Cage,' Marvel's first black superhero show". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 28, 2016. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
  62. ↑ O'Keefe, Meghan (September 15, 2016). "'Luke Cage' Showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker On Mike Colter, "Heroes For Hire," And Making An "Inclusively Black" Superhero Show". Decider. Archived from the original on September 25, 2016. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  63. ↑ Gross, Ed (August 24, 2016). "Luke Cage: inside the Netflix series with Mike Colter". Empire. Archived from the original on November 2, 2016. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
  64. ↑ James, Daron (September 30, 2016). "Marvel's 'Luke Cage': The Art of Recording Sound in the Chaotic Marvel Universe". No Film School. Archived from the original on October 14, 2016. Retrieved October 14, 2016.
  65. ↑ Longwell, Todd (October 21, 2016). "Visual Effects Shop Ignites Big Bangs for the Small Screen". Variety. Archived from the original on November 1, 2016. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  66. ↑ Cecchini, Mike (October 1, 2016). "Luke Cage: Complete Marvel Comics Easter Eggs and Reference Guide – Luke Cage Episode 5: Just to Get a Rep". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on October 1, 2016. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  67. ↑ Cecchini, Mike (October 1, 2016). "Luke Cage: Complete Marvel Comics Easter Eggs and Reference Guide – Luke Cage Episode 7: Manifest". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on October 1, 2016. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  68. ↑ Cecchini, Mike (October 1, 2016). "Luke Cage: Complete Marvel Comics Easter Eggs and Reference Guide – Luke Cage Episode 11: Now You're Mine". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on October 2, 2016. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  69. ↑ Kennedy, Michael (October 6, 2016). "Luke Cage Showrunner Wanted Prince to Cameo in Season 1 Finale". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on October 7, 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  70. ↑ "'Marvel's Luke Cage' Live Concert Announced". Marvel.com. September 23, 2016. Archived from the original on September 24, 2016. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  71. ↑ Osborn, Alex (October 6, 2016). "Luke Cage Soundtrack Coming On Yellow Vinyl From Mondo". IGN. Archived from the original on October 6, 2016. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  72. ↑ White, Brett (August 23, 2016). "Charlie Cox Reveals Where "Luke Cage" Falls in the Marvel/Netflix Timeline". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on August 24, 2016. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  73. 1 2 Maldy, Alex (September 7, 2016). "TV Review: Marvel's Luke Cage – Season 1 Episode 1 "Moment of Truth"". JoBlo.com. Archived from the original on September 7, 2016. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
  74. ↑ Kubai, Andy L. (October 4, 2016). "Luke Cage Easter Eggs, References & MCU Connections". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on October 5, 2016. Retrieved October 5, 2016.
  75. ↑ Cecchini, Mike (October 1, 2016). "Luke Cage: Complete Marvel Comics Easter Eggs and Reference Guide – Luke Cage Episode 10: Take it Personal". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on October 2, 2016. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  76. ↑ Cecchini, Mike (October 1, 2016). "Luke Cage: Complete Marvel Comics Easter Eggs and Reference Guide – Luke Cage Episode 13: You Know My Steez". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on October 2, 2016. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  77. ↑ Lovett, Jamie (March 11, 2016). "Marvel's Luke Cage To Debut On Netflix On September 30th". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on March 11, 2016. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
  78. ↑ "Marvel's Luke Cage". Netflix. Archived from the original on September 7, 2016. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
  79. ↑ Dornbush, Jonathon (March 18, 2016). "A hero rises in Harlem in first Luke Cage teaser". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on March 20, 2016. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
  80. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony; Patten, Dominic (June 28, 2016). "Marvel's 'Luke Cage' Heading To Comic-Con For Sneak Peek". Deadline.com. Archived from the original on June 28, 2016. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  81. ↑ "Marvel Television Returns To San Diego Comic-Con". Marvel.com. June 30, 2016. Archived from the original on July 5, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  82. ↑ Evry, Max (August 31, 2016). "Luke Cage Music Featurette Brings the Sound of the Streets". ComingSoon.net. Archived from the original on September 1, 2016. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  83. ↑ Cummings, Moriba (September 27, 2016). "Watch Hip-Hop Legends Talk the 'Luke Cage' Netflix Series". BET. Archived from the original on September 28, 2016. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
  84. ↑ Theo Rossi [Theorossi] (September 8, 2016). "September 28th LIVE from the @LukeCage Red Carpet Premiere in Harlem! Who's coming? #Shades 🕶" (Tweet). Archived from the original on September 9, 2016. Retrieved September 9, 2016 – via Twitter.
  85. ↑ Morales, Wilson (September 29, 2016). "Photos From Luke Cage NY Premiere". BlackFilm.com. Archived from the original on October 3, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  86. ↑ Dale, Brady (November 14, 2016). "Marvel's 'Luke Cage' Has Been the Comic Company's Biggest Hit This Year". New York Observer. Archived from the original on November 16, 2016. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  87. ↑ "Marvel's Luke Cage: Season 1 (2016)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  88. ↑ "Marvel's Luke Cage : Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  89. ↑ Cecchini, Mike (September 7, 2016). "Marvel's Luke Cage spoiler-free review". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on September 7, 2016. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
  90. ↑ Patten, Dominic (September 7, 2016). "'Luke Cage' Review: Mike Colter-Led Marvel Series Flexes Serious Muscle". Deadline.com. Archived from the original on September 7, 2016. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
  91. ↑ Milner, David (September 16, 2016). "Marvel's Luke Cage review: an evolution for comic books on TV". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on September 19, 2016. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
  92. ↑ Barr, Merrill (September 22, 2016). "'Luke Cage' Review: Another Winner For Marvel And Netflix With A Dash Of 70s Nostalgia". Forbes. Archived from the original on September 25, 2016. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  93. 1 2 Eisenberg, Eric (September 22, 2016). "Luke Cage Review: Netflix's Latest Marvel Show Is Every Bit As Awesome And Exciting As We Wanted". Cinema Blend. Archived from the original on September 25, 2016. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  94. ↑ O'Hara, Helen (September 18, 2016). "Luke Cage, first look: this could be Netflix's best Marvel series yet". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on September 25, 2016. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  95. ↑ Betancourt, David (September 21, 2016). "'Luke Cage' is the blackest thing Marvel has ever done". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 25, 2016. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  96. ↑ Zalben, Alexander (September 26, 2016). "Marvel's Luke Cage Is the Most Important TV Show of 2016". TV Guide. Archived from the original on September 29, 2016. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  97. ↑ Mitovich, Matt Webb (September 25, 2016). "Luke Cage Review: New Marvel Series Is Strong, But Not Without Weak Spots". TVLine. Archived from the original on September 26, 2016. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  98. ↑ Jensen, Jeff (September 27, 2016). "Luke Cage: EW review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on September 29, 2016. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  99. ↑ Schwartz, Terri (October 2, 2016). "Marvel's Luke Cage: Season 1 Review". IGN. Archived from the original on October 2, 2016. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  100. ↑ Pride, Ray (November 2, 2016). "7th Annual Hollywood Music In Media Awards Announces Nominees In Film, TV, & Video Games". Movie City News. Archived from the original on November 5, 2016. Retrieved November 5, 2016.
  101. ↑ Strom, Marc (November 16, 2016). "The Netflix original series is up for Favorite Premium Sci-Fi/Fantasy Series!". Marvel.com. Archived from the original on November 19, 2016. Retrieved November 19, 2016.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/5/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.