We’re back with episode eight of Luke Cage Season Two. In “If It Ain’t Rough, It Ain’t Right” we have a new status quo and a lot of adjusting to do.
1. Misty back on the job.
Ridenhour is gone. Who will take his place? Misty.
Oh, fine.
The captain conveniently neglected to turn in Misty’s resignation while also conveniently leaving her gun and badge on his desk so Misty could conveniently find them.
It might seem funny to say this about a show with bulletproof men, airborne paralyzing agents, and imminent iron-fisted guest stars, but I had a hard time buying this.
I can buy the idea that Ridenhour delayed turning Misty’s paperwork since she threatens to quit more often than Johnny Paycheck. But for some reason, the gun sitting out there in the open bothered me.
Misty’s instantaneous agreement to take over exacerbated the problem for me. She was treated like crap there, especially by Nandi, and she got back in the saddle in less than a second.
And the people who mistreated her accepted her as a leader just as fast?
On the other hand, this sets up a new working relationship! Misty is the top cop, and Luke is her Batman/Sherlock/Spirit/Magnum trope that can get it done when the police can’t.
Yawn.
The sole bright spot in this development was Misty’s interview with Mariah. She got under her skin, and that’s a first.
2. Mariah has nowhere to go.
Mariah is so cynical and self-interested she can’t trust anyone, not even Tilda or Shades. It’s a wonder she can keep track of the lies and the games she’s playing with everyone.
So when Misty plants the idea that Shades might have been working with Comanche and the Police, the idea takes hold.
She’s rattled when she’s searching for her gun in the ashes of her brownstone. When Shades arrives, she’s startled and needs a moment to regain her composure. She never lets her guard down like that, not even in front of him. She’s still flustered enough that she doesn’t notice him taking the gun.
Mariah is clinging to Shades and Tilda because she needs them. There’s no reason to believe she trusts or even really wants either one in her life. She wants her money back.
3. Shades tries to buy redemption. No sale.
We’re supposed to believe that Shades is feeling some remorse over Comanche, which leaves me to wonder if my problem is with the acting and not the script. I don’t believe anything Shades says or does.
He visits Comanche’s mother, and after interrupting the conversation over her son’s death to take a phone call, we see a ham-handed attempt at buying redemption. Regardless of whether we believe his grief or not, he is a damaged person.
Mrs. Jones is having none of it and is open about doubting his story.
During questioning with Misty, Shades slips into reminiscing about how Comanche gave him his nickname. It’s the closest he gets to looking like has a soul. Close, but no cigar.
4. Harlem’s Paradise is the Iron Throne
Meanwhile, at the Paradise, the Basquiat comes down and a photo of Marcus Garvey goes up.
I’m still not clear on why Bushmaster has the club. We saw Piranha transferring Mariah overseas funds to another account. This makes sense. We know the money was in the Caymans, where wealth tends to be hidden and is easier to steal. I don’t know how this means he gets the club. Even if Piranha had full power of attorney (and I am pretty sure he said it was limited) real estate is not transferred in minutes over a laptop.
I mean, I’m sure Amazon is working on it, but we’re not there yet.
But everyone wants the Paradise. The Paradise is the Iron Throne. It’s the seat of power that the families are struggling over.
The McIvers are the Targaryens. The Baratheons betrayed them and killed their family. A single heir remains and is determined to recapture his/her family’s rightful place.
The Dillards hold the thrown right now. They are the Lannisters, pretending to be the Baratheons (Stokes.)
This is a neat comparison because then Luke is Brienne of Tarth, who stands only for justice.
Continued belowMaybe Bronn, who sells his sword?
Or perhaps Podrick, who gets a lot of free coffee.
Something like that.
5. No lull.
People often criticize the Marvel Netflix shows for being too slow, poorly paced, or too long. I think there have been a few cases where that might have been true, but not with Luke Cage Season 2, at least not yet. We’re 2/3s of the way in, and things are still moving quickly.
This episode had a lot of work to do with the new status quo, and a lot of that work was heavy on dialog and talking heads. But it managed to accomplish what it needed to do at a brisk clip and mixed in some action that didn’t feel gratuitous; it advanced the plot.
This may end up being the best show they’ve done.
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“If It Ain’t Rough, It Ain’t Right” ratcheted up the pressure and set us up for a big finale. What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments.
