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

3. Marvel's Best TV Cast Yet

After singing the praises of Ali, Woodard, and Rossi, it's a testament to the strength of this cast that there are still plenty of names not mentioned who are more than worthy of praise. If the strength of a team is in its bench, then Cage is heading straight for a title win. From background players, such as Sônia Braga as Claire Temple's mother, to those who make a big impact in the episodes they last for (Frankie Faison's Pop's, Frank Whaley as Rafael Scarfe). There's a purpose to them all, even the guy selling DVDs on the street, and they all feel like an important part of this world.

Moving to the starting lineup, and you can see just how strong Luke Cage is. Rosario Dawson does perhaps her best work yet as Claire, and remains the most relatable character across all of these shows, while building a wonderful rapport with Mike Colter. I've already mentioned those three villains, but all deserve praise again for how they craft their characters and bring them to life, imbuing them with shades of grey, personality, and various layers.

The best of the lot, though (outside of the star) is Simone Missick as Misty Knight. Missick isn't someone I was overly familiar with before this series (I can't imagine too many were), but she brings Misty to life and then some. There are parts of the season were she's almost the main focus, and it's a credit to her performance that it doesn't fall flat. She shines in every scene she's in, and deserves to be a star on the back of this. Heck, if Netflix wanted to make a Misty Knight solo series, it wouldn't be the worst idea in the world.