Luke Cage season 2 binge watch review
Photo Credit: Netflix/David Lee
10. Luke Cage S2 E10 – “The Main Ingredient”
For the first time, I’m actually excited about Iron Fist season two. Danny Rand has always been at his best when they play into the somewhat cocky, but overall naive kid. When he pops in for this episode, there are definitely fans all around the world squealing in excitement. This is the team-up Marvel has been teasing since the Defenders wrapped. It’s a light-hearted fare which feels a little out of place with this season, but the hour was still a lot of fun.
Luke decides to stop by Pop’s to visit his old friend and offer his help. The scene at Pop’s is entertaining, and a bit meta when they comment how the name “the Immortal Iron Fist” is just smart branding. The overall team-up doesn’t disappoint either.
Fans have been waiting for Heroes for Hire for so long that expectations have been high. Their fight scenes perfectly compliment their own individual style and Finn Jones has greatly improved since last year. He seems much more relaxed and the series seems to have confidently found his characterization.
As fun as “The Main Ingredient” is, it’s weighed down by Mariah’s decision to flat out murder the people in the Jamaican restaurant. Her storyline throughout the episode is dark and hard to watch. At least Alfre Woodard is perfect playing a slightly unhinged Mariah as she makes erratic decisions. However, I don’t think the show earns her decision to be called Mariah Stokes. She’s spent the entirety of the season rejecting that name but all of a sudden she’s embracing it? It feels like the series skipped over a major reason for her to accept her history.
The biggest problem in this episode though is that I wish the entire season was like it. Before the second season debuted, Netflix promised Heroes for Hire and Daughters of the Dragon. The fact that it took ten episodes for Danny to show up is a little disappointing. Not to mention, Daughters of the Dragon only got two scenes despite being the perfect mix of thrilling and fun.
Danny leaves at the end of the episode, and I’m not sure why. Bushmaster is still out there, and his entire reason for coming to Harlem was to help Luke fight him. Yet, he seems content to go after Luke has recentered his aura. It’s like the series wants an excuse to get rid of him even though his partnership with Luke has only made the latter infinitely more enjoyable to watch. Danny’s infectious energy rubs off on him and the two play off one another perfectly.