Marvel's Luke Cage Reviews: 10 Early Reactions You Need To Know
7. It Really Embraces The Setting
Hell's Kitchen has played a huge part so far in the Netflix Marvel Universe, in particular as the cause of Matt Murdock becoming Daredevil and his furious conflict with Wilson Fisk. For Luke Cage the setting is moving to Harlem, but the backdrop is still just as important.
"While it might sound cliché to explain how the city backdrop for a comic book show is like a main character in the story, Harlem really fits that phrase to a “T” here... Harlem gives the show a unique verve and character that makes it feel very different." - 411 Mania
The idea of Harlem being its own character is echoed throughout a lot of reviews, and is something the producers had previously spoken about. Similarly, it seems there's a real connection between Cage and Harlem (via ComicBook.com):
"Director Cheo Hodari Coker immerses you into the chaotically vibrant world that is Harlem, New York in every scene, creating a fluid but unbreaking bond between the city and its hero that even Daredevil doesn't enjoy. Perhaps it is because Cage doesn't wear a mask and openly walks amongst the people he protects, but either way, there is never a question of if he belongs to this city, but rather what took him so long to get here."