• Network: Netflix
  • Series Premiere Date: Sep 30, 2016
Season #: 2, 1
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1053 Ratings

User score distribution:
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User Reviews

  1. Sep 30, 2016
    6
    There's something about Luke cage that feels clunky. The show itself tends to drag at times, and the acting is mediocre across the board excluding some great performances. The writing could also use a little bit of work, it is hard to get through some parts, and the camerawork is dodgy at times.
  2. Sep 30, 2016
    5
    I was really hoping to fall head-over-heels for Luke Cage. Big fan of Daredevil, loved Jessica Jones – and I'm annoyed as hell that the second season is still a long way away – and I thought Luke Cage was perfect in the JJ series. I've only watched E1 so hopefully things will improve for me, but the acting is stilted and the writing uneven at best. It's the Marvel Universe so I'm notI was really hoping to fall head-over-heels for Luke Cage. Big fan of Daredevil, loved Jessica Jones – and I'm annoyed as hell that the second season is still a long way away – and I thought Luke Cage was perfect in the JJ series. I've only watched E1 so hopefully things will improve for me, but the acting is stilted and the writing uneven at best. It's the Marvel Universe so I'm not looking for The Wire, but there's little magic in the dialog and the exposition is heavy handed. I expect pilots to plod a bit but this really leaden. Hoping things pick up.... Expand
  3. Oct 4, 2016
    4
    Starts full of potential with energetic characters that make things interesting, but sadly down-spirals into a boring snooze-fest.The acting quickly reminds you of an average soap opera and you will find yourself skipping scenes very often due to the endless staring and the ultra slow pace that gets annoying really fast.
  4. Oct 16, 2016
    5
    Disappointing. Daredevil and Jessica Jones were excellent, but this series is very slow and at times even boring. The villain of the shows is so 2 dimensional and any action scenes are stripped of excitement due to Luke Cage being invincible. Constant gun fights with no risk of injury was fun at first but becomes dull over and over again. It slaps of lazy writing and quick rush to releaseDisappointing. Daredevil and Jessica Jones were excellent, but this series is very slow and at times even boring. The villain of the shows is so 2 dimensional and any action scenes are stripped of excitement due to Luke Cage being invincible. Constant gun fights with no risk of injury was fun at first but becomes dull over and over again. It slaps of lazy writing and quick rush to release a new Marvel series on the success of JJ. Expand
  5. Oct 31, 2016
    5
    I really liked Luke Cage in Jessica Jones and thought the previous shows put out by Marvel were great so I was expecting something pretty special from them with Luke Cage. Sadly it just wasn't there, most of the acting is corny and some is forced on the brink of being awkward to watch. His origin story seemed kinda mashed up in there and a lot of facts don't add up. The charactersI really liked Luke Cage in Jessica Jones and thought the previous shows put out by Marvel were great so I was expecting something pretty special from them with Luke Cage. Sadly it just wasn't there, most of the acting is corny and some is forced on the brink of being awkward to watch. His origin story seemed kinda mashed up in there and a lot of facts don't add up. The characters sometimes have knowledge about things they shouldn't based on previous interactions they weren't involved in and when they do have knowledge they don't acknowledge it i.e. detective Misty knowing who Diamondback is and his face but not taking him into custody immediately for holding her at gunpoint, two episodes later Luke takes him down in a way that was less than thrilling. Or when the Dr. says it takes a specific high temperature, salt content, and pH to weaken his skin and then when they actually do it Rosario Dawson has to remind him of the salt and temperature, how did an accomplished scientist not have all this written down and ready before the procedure even began??? I think Luke and Rosario Dawson's characters are ok but the rest are weakly written for. I did really like the music in the show, that was a great redeeming factor. I honestly don't know what happened and why there is such a difference between Jessica Jones/Dare Devil and Luke Cage, I hope season 2 is better. Expand
  6. Oct 3, 2016
    5
    HUGE Marvel fan, however, I can't deny I felt a little let down with the show. With the streak Marvel is on, the comparisons made to The Wire, and the hip hop connections involved I really thought I was in for something unique and original but the show was mediocre at best. And although the show had some explicit scenes, this season reminded me more of a abc daytime show, a la Revenge,HUGE Marvel fan, however, I can't deny I felt a little let down with the show. With the streak Marvel is on, the comparisons made to The Wire, and the hip hop connections involved I really thought I was in for something unique and original but the show was mediocre at best. And although the show had some explicit scenes, this season reminded me more of a abc daytime show, a la Revenge, than a hardcore show like The Wire. Too many cliche lines and a lot of the story felt forced leaving most characters' motivations hard to believe. I will say the casting for Luke was pretty spot on and love what he was able to bring to the character. I just wish the writing was stronger. Expand
  7. Oct 12, 2016
    4
    When this show was released I heard on the radio it broke Netflix. I Decided to watch the first episode. Borring, bad writing, bad acting, conflicting character standards. Attractive girl walks into the barber shop and ultimately hits on Luke, he throws her number on the floor and appears to show that he is not ready for any sort of relationship then hours later hooks up with someone.When this show was released I heard on the radio it broke Netflix. I Decided to watch the first episode. Borring, bad writing, bad acting, conflicting character standards. Attractive girl walks into the barber shop and ultimately hits on Luke, he throws her number on the floor and appears to show that he is not ready for any sort of relationship then hours later hooks up with someone. Episode 2 attempted to set up a very awkward and extremely tense moment in the barber shop but failed miserably. The acting nor dialogue improved by episode 2 so I came here to read some reviews and I am not alone, this show is bad. The first episode of any show is suppose to draw you in and spark interest, Lukes character almost achieved this but failed to deliver each time. The cast looks solid so it needs a way better script and directing for me to bother with season 2. I wont bother with any other episodes of season 1. I fell asleep after halfway through episode 2. This show is a far cry from a 10 and not a 1 either. It needs help to reach its potential.

    Start over guys you have a good cast and some potentially interesting storylines here. Polish up the writing and Work on the delivery because its lacking badly.
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  8. Oct 6, 2016
    4
    A show that picks interesting topics but dives to shallow depths in exploring the ideals of Harlem and current event struggles of low income, violence plague communities. All and all, a lack luster story with a bland and poorly driven protagonist against a undeveloped antagonist that leaves you feeling unsatisfied with each episode's finish.
  9. Oct 2, 2016
    6
    The first few episodes seems to be all people watched before running to the internet to judge the entire 13 episodes, which is a crime, since this is Netflix and all were available on-demand. While initially full of promise, it quickly devolves into predictability and long periods of discussions which are quickly made meaningless. If it were not for being able to binge-watch the entireThe first few episodes seems to be all people watched before running to the internet to judge the entire 13 episodes, which is a crime, since this is Netflix and all were available on-demand. While initially full of promise, it quickly devolves into predictability and long periods of discussions which are quickly made meaningless. If it were not for being able to binge-watch the entire 13 hours in about 6 with judicious use of skip (dialogue mostly), this would have been lower. The entire epsiode where he is "healed" (superhero tv trope #2) is so nonsensical that it is worth special note. While the words coming out of Luke's mouth are all correct, his action fall far short of their potential. Perhaps season 2 will improve, but if like Daredevil, this was the highpoint. Expand
  10. Oct 4, 2016
    6
    I watched the first three. Suffice to say, I'm disappointed. The show lacks a compelling main character, a developed villain, and interesting action scenes. My main qualm is that Luke Cage is so impervious that when he fights, there's no tension. You know even if he's shot, he can't be hurt.
    I hope when Iron fist comes out, I'm not this disappointed.
  11. Oct 3, 2016
    4
    The choices of the character do not make a bit of sense. The dialogues are so corny even the characters make fun of it. The special effects are stunnungly bad for a Neflix series, so bad that the camera does not focus on the action whenever a special effect would be necessary (Luke that jumps from a building or get hit by a car). Extremely slow pace without any philosphical depth to makeThe choices of the character do not make a bit of sense. The dialogues are so corny even the characters make fun of it. The special effects are stunnungly bad for a Neflix series, so bad that the camera does not focus on the action whenever a special effect would be necessary (Luke that jumps from a building or get hit by a car). Extremely slow pace without any philosphical depth to make it interesting

    All in all, having very much appreciated Jessica Jones and Daredevil, I was really disappointed and surprised by the scarce quality of this show

    Great locations, soundtrack and good casting, but they should fire whoever wrote the plot and dialogues (I skipped a lot of it in the last episodes - totally unnecessary)
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  12. Oct 16, 2016
    5
    Full of cliche's, terrible writing, the action looks phoney and the acting is mediocre. I could not get past the first 4 episodes because the show is just not worth continuing to see what happens next. Mediocre all around.
  13. Oct 20, 2016
    6
    I can't believe I was actually bored watching a Marvel series... I don't know what happened here, but Coulter, who was truly intimidating in his brief appearances in 'The Good Wife', and apparently propped up by the quality personalities around him in Jessica Jones - making him look good - was dull. He has absolutely no acting range, or at least wasn't given license to use it here. TheI can't believe I was actually bored watching a Marvel series... I don't know what happened here, but Coulter, who was truly intimidating in his brief appearances in 'The Good Wife', and apparently propped up by the quality personalities around him in Jessica Jones - making him look good - was dull. He has absolutely no acting range, or at least wasn't given license to use it here. The rest of the actors - the good - Pop is cool and Rosario Dawson who owns everything she's in, and Simone Missick is fantastic although not allowed to stay true to her character. The bad guys are laughable - literally. They are not remotely scary, poorly acted and questionable character choice. I mean Shades, one of the baddest guys around, is played by Theo Rossi - the weakest dude on the block in Son's of Anarchy. He is actually the only semi decent bad guy though, in his defence, which says a lot about the rest of the bunch. Expand
  14. Oct 9, 2016
    6
    The first 3-4 episodes are pretty hard to get through, with the predictable action, blatantly preachy monologues and completely unrealistic and boring 1-on-1 dialogues that are supposed to show us the characters as real people having real conversations yet they make them feel about as real as cardboard cutouts. But the story does find its footing, it becomes interesting enough later on toThe first 3-4 episodes are pretty hard to get through, with the predictable action, blatantly preachy monologues and completely unrealistic and boring 1-on-1 dialogues that are supposed to show us the characters as real people having real conversations yet they make them feel about as real as cardboard cutouts. But the story does find its footing, it becomes interesting enough later on to be worth watching to the end. The monologues and dialogues don't get much better though, the only good thing is that there are fewer of them. From episode 4 onward I just had to fast-forward through about 80% of the long unbearably bad all-talk scenes (similar defect to what degraded Sense8 S1 after a while, but it's much worse here). Also, Alfre Woodard needs to get fired and replaced with a real actress. Expand
  15. Oct 2, 2016
    4
    A lot of very good elements that made for some good episodes early in the show, but poor writing, dialogue and direction could not save the lack of cohesive vision and a weak plot. While it offers SOME nuanced and interesting perspectives on relevant issues, it is ultimately full of hollow, half-formed ideas and statements, instead of exploring and posing meaningful questions.

    It was
    A lot of very good elements that made for some good episodes early in the show, but poor writing, dialogue and direction could not save the lack of cohesive vision and a weak plot. While it offers SOME nuanced and interesting perspectives on relevant issues, it is ultimately full of hollow, half-formed ideas and statements, instead of exploring and posing meaningful questions.

    It was nice to finally see a couple of fleshed-out villains with back-stories that provide believable motivation (Cottonmouth and Mariah). It is a glaring flaw rampant in the superhero genre.

    Would love to see a second season with some serious course correction.
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  16. Oct 3, 2016
    4
    I gave it 3 episodes before giving up. The main character is unlikeable- his demeanor and the way he struts around and behaves like he is cool conflicts with the dialogue and plot- chalk that up to bad acting I guess, but apart from that, the dialogue was super weak; After nearly every sentence, better dialogue just slipped into my mind and I was wondering how they could have failed soI gave it 3 episodes before giving up. The main character is unlikeable- his demeanor and the way he struts around and behaves like he is cool conflicts with the dialogue and plot- chalk that up to bad acting I guess, but apart from that, the dialogue was super weak; After nearly every sentence, better dialogue just slipped into my mind and I was wondering how they could have failed so miserably with it. The racial theme being so prevalent is also an annoying detractor. Use it a few times, I'm all right with it, but bring up every few minutes that you are black and punctuate it with a racial slur, and it gets to be unwatchable. Expand
  17. Oct 3, 2016
    5
    The music cool, that NY groove sometimes with rap, jazz and soul. But the show drags, it becomes far to preachy with some message of messianic empowerment.

    Where the hell is New Jack City, Gangster Number One, Shaft, and there are plenty more. Come on. Even Boardwalk Empire had much better themes, setting that kind of gangster Harlem background, and no drugs either in that operation,
    The music cool, that NY groove sometimes with rap, jazz and soul. But the show drags, it becomes far to preachy with some message of messianic empowerment.

    Where the hell is New Jack City, Gangster Number One, Shaft, and there are plenty more. Come on. Even Boardwalk Empire had much better themes, setting that kind of gangster Harlem background, and no drugs either in that operation, because the gangsters are like some kind of cardboard cutouts, changing constantly from hard crim's then into something else, I wants that gun because it's so cool hehe, previously they were smashing somebody to pulp or shooting somebodies face off. I suppose they are like a comic book mimicking a child's read, ice then giggling and entering cussing matches, Yawn. Cage is tends to be more consent until he enters a sermon. Some of the acting is good sometimes, and the dialogue has its moments, but then it drags becoming this empowerment sermon of some kind of messianic savior freeing from oppression. D'oh a comic book doesn't stop to tell a drawn out movie.
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  18. Oct 10, 2016
    4
    It is more like a bad gangster flick than a modern superhero show: Luke Cage is in the background of his own show filled with screentime of supporting characthers.
    In my personal point of view Daredevil season 1, Jessica Jones and Daredevil Season 2 are all very good shows (Daredevil Season 2 a notch less) and Luke Cage is below them all.
    Recycled scenography in most of the episodes (all
    It is more like a bad gangster flick than a modern superhero show: Luke Cage is in the background of his own show filled with screentime of supporting characthers.
    In my personal point of view Daredevil season 1, Jessica Jones and Daredevil Season 2 are all very good shows (Daredevil Season 2 a notch less) and Luke Cage is below them all.
    Recycled scenography in most of the episodes (all happens in the same 3 location: boxing club, barber shop and nigth club), stereotyped characters especially villains, very stiff action sequences especially Power Man close querter fightings, slow paced, watching previous netflix superhero series is mandatory to understand some of the dialogues....
    I hope that "Iron fist" will be better
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  19. Oct 7, 2016
    6
    The series actually started off pretty well but a combination of some awful script, bad casting, and questionable acting detract from what started out as an awesome series. Hopefully, the next season will correct the negatives as it's still quite an entertaining series.
  20. Nov 19, 2016
    5
    Boring, predictable, and unconvincing. High production values can't cover exceptionally tepid writing. Cottonmouth was an interesting villain, but he's the focus for only half of the first season. Diamondback (the second major villain) is as stereotypical as villains come: spouting cheesy scripture and leering at the camera while nursing a grudge we've seen all too often (most recently inBoring, predictable, and unconvincing. High production values can't cover exceptionally tepid writing. Cottonmouth was an interesting villain, but he's the focus for only half of the first season. Diamondback (the second major villain) is as stereotypical as villains come: spouting cheesy scripture and leering at the camera while nursing a grudge we've seen all too often (most recently in 007 Spectre). Characters are introduced with a handwave. The action never feels or looks interesting (the "I'm bulletproof" thing gets old fast). The music performed in the night club is consistently great; but the theme music to the show generates none of the tension and excitement that Daredevil's does.

    Some blame Colter for the show's laid-back persona; he's just acting what is written, and he does it well. Maheshala Ali (as Cottonmouth) and Theo Rossi (as Shades) are both standouts; a little over-the-top, but both refreshingly interesting in a sea of stoicism. Rosario Dawson is good of course, but she's barely there until the final three episodes (she and Colter have great chemistry, too). Alfre Woodard's character has probably the best writing of all of them, and she is great. For the rest, the acting revolves around lowering their voices to a subdued monotone while saying the line, then elevating the volume at the end for emphasis. Incredibly lackluster.

    Not awful, but not too interesting either. Don't bother unless you're a mega fan or there's nothing else that is good in your watch queue.
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  21. Oct 14, 2016
    5
    I'm 5 episodes in and I find myself REALLY wanting to like this show, but also REALLY wanting to fall asleep at times. I like the music and the overall 'feel' of the show. Some of the dialogue is good in that it helps to give the characters some dimension, but some of it is also very cliche and cringe-worthy. Not to mention that there is just too much of it! Call me crazy, but when I'mI'm 5 episodes in and I find myself REALLY wanting to like this show, but also REALLY wanting to fall asleep at times. I like the music and the overall 'feel' of the show. Some of the dialogue is good in that it helps to give the characters some dimension, but some of it is also very cliche and cringe-worthy. Not to mention that there is just too much of it! Call me crazy, but when I'm watching a superhero show, I want to see a good amount of that superhero in action - and not just punching an occasional wall or clubbing guys over the head to knock them out. Here, Luke Cage is more similar to Jessica Jones than Daredevil. I think Jessica Jones was able to pull it off, mostly due to a fantastic job by David Tennant as Killgrave as well as Jessica just having a quirkier personality than Luke. Luke mostly just scowls through most of the shows and the plot (so far) is just so formulaic. There's no Kingpin, there's no Killgrave - villains that can really put it over the top. I find myself watching and waiting for things to pick up - not just from episode to episode, but minute by minute - but it never really does. Expand
  22. Oct 3, 2016
    6
    I will say, up front, that having characters who are far more interesting than the dumb story they're trapped in is the quintessential Marvel comic book experience, so in that sense, Luke Cage could not be any more true to its source material.

    The first half of the season is predictable and a little boring, but still works because Colter is so good as Luke Cage, but then the show tries
    I will say, up front, that having characters who are far more interesting than the dumb story they're trapped in is the quintessential Marvel comic book experience, so in that sense, Luke Cage could not be any more true to its source material.

    The first half of the season is predictable and a little boring, but still works because Colter is so good as Luke Cage, but then the show tries to expand from "Luke Cage vs. Boardwalk Empire" into a larger, more dynamic story, and everything just collapses like a cheap tent in a windstorm. None of it is as bad as those final, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle episodes of Daredevil's second season, but it gets close to being that silly, at times. The series is full of boring action scenes; the show revolves heavily around the simple idea that Luke is bulletproof, and he's surrounded by the same bad guys the entire season, and yet none of them ever stop firing guns at him. Long, long after the point where it becomes the dumbest thing you've ever seen, people who know full well that Luke is bulletproof continue shooting at him. The single silliest sequence is probably the "healing episode", which is wall to wall pseudo-science nonsense babble, and then somehow manages to forget (continuity? anyone? anyone?) one of the two bullets they're trying to remove. Completely. As though it never existed at all.

    The sad part of all this, of course, is that the characters themselves, from the supporting cast to the main players, are all so fun and interesting, and all so well acted. It's a waste.

    It would behoove Netflix to put the creative team from Jessica Jones in a leadership position with the rest of the Marvel shows, before they try to combine everyone for the Defenders. Her show was several orders of magnitude better (and more coherent) than Daredevil and Luke Cage, even during their best moments.
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  23. Oct 7, 2016
    6
    Gets to about episode 7 where it's fantastic and then it takes a huge nose dive with the reveal of the main villain and his scheme. Over the course of episodes 8-13, They draw out a story that could be told in 3 episodes instead of 6 and it goes from being well paced to painfully slow and uninteresting.
  24. Oct 11, 2016
    4
    Disclaimer: I am only 6 episodes in to the series.

    Luke Cage is a disappointment compared to it's parent series Jessica Jones. I like the music but the whole vibe of the show seems to have taken a detour from JJ. It's very slow paced and there isn't really any sort of "super-hero villain" to grab one's attention. This is more of a Sopranos meets Shaft than any semblance of a Marvel
    Disclaimer: I am only 6 episodes in to the series.

    Luke Cage is a disappointment compared to it's parent series Jessica Jones. I like the music but the whole vibe of the show seems to have taken a detour from JJ. It's very slow paced and there isn't really any sort of "super-hero villain" to grab one's attention. This is more of a Sopranos meets Shaft than any semblance of a Marvel universe story. Acting is good however. My wife however loves it. I'm now just watching for the brownie points.
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  25. Oct 23, 2016
    6
    After watching a few episodes of this series it looked promising entertainment but towards the end the writing is so bad that it makes me say "really??!?!?". It's a shame :/
  26. Dec 27, 2017
    4
    The dialogue is painfully bad. I appreciate the effort put into the setting, but even that's not stellar, and can't overcome the terrible deficiencies in the writing.
  27. Oct 23, 2016
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Looks promising at the beginning, then it's more of a train-wreck starting mid way through. I really liked Daredevil and Jessica Jones, and loved Luke in JJ, but after episode 8 I'm ready to give up on this show. They killed off the interesting lead villain, right after finally giving him a proper back story, and replaced him with the most absurd mid-season "reveal" I think I've ever seen. And in the next scene Luke's cop "girlfriend" inexplicably goes completely off character. The writing is truly abysmal. Expand
  28. Apr 18, 2017
    4
    This series had a great potential to be some kind of mix of Daredevil and The Wire but it's totally ruined by flat boring characters, crappy script (including both plot and dialogues), flaccid action and, the most of all, insanely terrible pacing. It feels like a huge filler with 3 or maybe 5 really great moments.
    Talking about great moments, I strongly appreciate main villain's authentic
    This series had a great potential to be some kind of mix of Daredevil and The Wire but it's totally ruined by flat boring characters, crappy script (including both plot and dialogues), flaccid action and, the most of all, insanely terrible pacing. It feels like a huge filler with 3 or maybe 5 really great moments.
    Talking about great moments, I strongly appreciate main villain's authentic look: something that finally doesn't look like dirty mess of padded rubber strips (ironically, MCU's best title Daredevil suffers from this problem the most).

    3 out of 7: meh.
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  29. Apr 12, 2017
    5
    Usually i don't like this type of TV Shows with Super Heroes but this one surprised me. Interesting character Luke Cage is but everybody else could be better. The story was a bit boring and the "bad guys" were not that impressive. Let't wait on the next seasons
  30. Aug 30, 2017
    6
    Solid! Enjoyable. Mike Colter portrays a consistent, solid, relatable character. Feels very distinct vs the other "Defender" series. I think Iron Fist tried to go with a similar vibe, but failed. Strong supporting cast.
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 30
  2. Negative: 0 out of 30
  1. Reviewed by: Ryan E.C. Hamm
    Oct 18, 2016
    70
    Overall, the show could have used a little tightening (it might be time to rethink the 13-episode model, which Daredevil's second season ought to have already proven), and episodes can lag a little bit in the middle, but it's an enjoyable ride.
  2. Reviewed by: David Sims
    Oct 6, 2016
    70
    Despite its languid narrative style, Luke Cage is doing many fascinating things. Its mood and visual aesthetic are as well-honed as the perfectly bleak Jessica Jones; its action scenes, when they arrive, are brutal and swift; and its lead performers are uniformly terrific, most of all Mike Colter as Cage, who wrings endless charisma from his character’s resolute stoicism.
  3. Reviewed by: Jeff Korbelik
    Oct 3, 2016
    100
    These shows are character studies. They are methodical and well-orchestrated. Both are a joy to watch and savor.