Luke Cage, the second season of the bulletproof brutha from Marvel's TVs universe dropped as a full season on Netflix. Like everyone else who watched it, I thought it was half-again too long and full of too much talky exposition. (It would seem like both problems have the same solution.) Dramatically it lacked cohesiveness and the tone was haphazard. Early on it was all about hostile, destructive, and greedy people pursuing power and justifying their actions by referencing past grievances or difficult childhoods or both. And racism. Yawn. Worse, the action sequences were sporadic and weren't particularly well done. So why don't I think Luke Cage sucks?
Well, as with the first season, the soundtrack is exceptional. There were many points where I wanted to hit the web and search for artists. Second, it was somewhat redeemed by the acting. The inane and irrational dialogue was often redeemed by a good reading (the late Reg Cathey in particular). Third, although the action was too rare and too lame, some of the cinematography and set design in the quieter moments was fascinating. Lastly, and most interestingly, the final episode setup a situation where a real, complicated, and philosophical theme could be explored. When the criminal boss of Harlem was eliminated things didn't get better, in the vacuum they got worse and more violent. Cage is now set up as the guy who, operating outside the law, will keep the peace -- the benevolent dictator. He's convinced he can handle his new power without becoming falling into corruption himself. This is stuff of potentially Greek-level human tragedy. The Godfather theme is intentional and unmistakable. Will the writers nail it the third season? Will they shirk the histrionic melodrama and crank out a story for the ages? I have seen no evidence they are up to the task, but I hope so.
Brockmire, also has axes to grind, but his are more personal. The comedic moments are ace as functional alcoholic Brockmire self-destructs over and over again in assorted absurd ways. Hank Azaria is wonderful and his devotion to Brockmire as his pride and joy shines through. This season, his sidekick Charles (Tyrel WIlliams) shines especially bright. But the sparkle of the first season is gone. Brockmire's professional prospects are whipsawed back and forth as way to send him into a spiral. His connections with others are used as props to emphasize his dysfunction rather than as fully realized relationships. It feels more manufactured.
Still, there are plenty of guffaws to see it through. And in the final episode they have taken a huge chance of getting Brockmire clean and sober. Not sure how it affects their prospects going forward, but I suppose we'll find out.
