“Luke Cage” has been on Netflix for less than a week and already controversy has stirred around the new show. Upon release “Luke Cage” was given a huge platform being featured in both the new arrivals and the “spotlight” spot. I personal did not pay any mind to the show already trapped in my own bingefest with countless other shows— and rewatching Sweeney Todd for the thousandth time. I barely noticed that it was a Marvel tv show— which I love— nor the fact that the hero is of African American descent. That is very rare to see a Person of Color (POC) in a television show as more than a “sidekick” or the heroine’s space saver friend.
My American Literature teacher even made reference to the show— he is the man, legit. He made a point to talk about it when we were talking about Herman Melville’s Bartleby. How did he make that fit? Bartleby’s “I would prefer not” attitude lead us to talk about what we would rather be doing— disclaimer: Bartleby is confusing if you don’t get the reference it’s better to Sparknote it. I said I would rather be in bed than in a 11o’clock lecture about Bartleby. My other classmates would rather just not be there. He said he would rather not be teaching and still binge watching Netflix’s “Luke Cage.” The new television apple of his family’s eye.
Today during a fire drill— which was complete uncalled for get it together, Lehman. I asked my friend and classmate about what is good to watch on Netflix— not for me, I swear. She pointed out that “Luke Cage" is on Netflix. Just today I was on Facebook— like a good college student— and found opposite views on “Luke Cage.” People felt that nearly entire people of color cast gives it a racist and limited view. It makes them “uncomfortable” and there is some kind of political motive behind the show. If they mean that Cage is trying to stop social injustice in his neighborhood— from what I have seen of the pilot so far— then you are right that it is political. Another person said that “Luke Cage” is “mostly black, where is the diversity? ” In a neighbor where it is mainly African American? Should they put in more races where there have no place in? Should the acts be from all walks of life where many of the people in those neighborhoods were mainly African American— before gentrification. Should they put in “black sidekicks” for other races.
Why is the show just broken down to race? This show should be based on its own merit just like any other show. We should not be judging the show based on the race of the cast— it is racist that you notice (even with the disclaimer that you start with.) No one noticed the amount of African Americans casted on Netflix’s Jessica Jones— people were to focused on David Tennant’s appearance (he is the best)— nor did people point out the cast of Fox’s Empire. Do people only pay attention to shows that have a African American when it focuses on something other than drama and more on the man having power?
