Luke Cage

i like "luke cage". although it kinda loses direction about halfway through the season, i think it sticks the landing and is a solid entry in the marvel universe. but the whole time, there's something about "luke cage" that just feels a little... off. and it wasn't something that i feel like i could really put into words before (or during) our discussion yesterday. but the more i've thought about "luke cage" in regards to its similarities to blaxploitation films, really the more i can see it as modern blaxploitation. sure, the stereotypes and characterization has been updated. but "luke cage" goes out of its way at times to point out just how black the show is, and that kinda makes it feel less genuine. there's a lot "luke cage" does right; cottonmouth as a villain, luke cage's connection to the people he protects, and the (scarily relevant) issues with the police department that necessitates a vigilante. but it's the details that just feel... off. it's hard to voice exactly what distinguishes a show from being a "black superhero show" and just a "superhero show" where the hero happens to be black. but there is a difference. for comparison, there's the animated "static shock" show we mentioned that to me, always just felt like a superhero show. even when it openly dealt with racism (which did happen; his best friend's father was racist), the whole thing felt... natural. but then again what do i know? i'm three-fourths white / one-fourth hispanic. i never have to worry about finding a superhero who "looks like me" (to borrow the phrase from that guy in the documentary). one episode of "static shock" that always stuck with me as a kid, was an episode where static traveled with his family to africa and, when he calls his best friend (a white guy) to tell him about his trip, he excitedly yells "there's black people everywhere!" and goes on to ask "is this what it feels like for you all the time?.." i can't know what it's like to look at superheroes and feel under-represented. so, even if "luke cage" is sorta-kinda modern blaxploitation and even if it does lean a little heavily on stereotypes at times, it's at least a step in the right direction... right?... maybe?... idk. i'll watch season two.