Marvel's Luke Cage: 10 Ups And 2 Downs From Season 1

8. Harlem

Luke Cage Pops
Netflix

After three seasons in Hell's Kitchen, Luke Cage is the first to move the drama northwards, heading upstate to Harlem. While spending time in the Kitchen has been great, the shift pays off fantastically well.

Much like the first season of Daredevil, the city ties in to the narrative, serving as a character in its own right. The Harlem on-screen here is a vibrant and strong community that comes together when it matters, and spending time on the streets of it provides an interesting, eclectic backdrop to the drama and action.

The series wouldn't really have been able to work in Hell's Kitchen, or almost anywhere else in New York for that matter, as if very much depends on that Harlem spirit, the tensions, the issues its people face, and the connections between the city and the various power players in it.

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Contributor

NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.