Sad news was released this weekend Luke Cage cancelled by Netflix. We were big fans of season 2 of Luke Cage and we were very saddened to hear that Netflix won't continue to produce the show any more. This coupled with the news that Iron Fist as a solo show will also not continue on Netflix is making us very concerned about the continuation of the creative relationship between Marvel and Netflix.

We originally intended for this to be a brief discussion in our news section of our review of Daredevil Season 3 Episode 3, but once it was recorded we realised it would probably be better as a standalone discussion. 

Most of this discussion is based on the Deadline article which broke the story. You can read the full article here https://deadline.com/2018/10/luke-cage-cancelled-marvel-netflx-mike-colter-cheo-hodari-coker-1202486487/ 

The main talking points from the Deadline Luke Cage Cancelled article that we discuss in this podcast:

* Luke Cage show runner for season one and two, Cheo Coker had his writers room for season three in place for about six months.
* The team had worked with guidance and notes from both Netflix and Marvel as usual for that six months.
* A final draft was of a thirteen episode treatment was delivered to Netflix last week. At this point they asked for the show to be cut to ten episodes.
* This seems to have been the final straw for the parties involved and Netflix has made the decision that because of these creative differences they will not be proceeding with Luke Cage as a solo character on Netflix.
* Luke Cage played by Mike Colter and Danny Rand played by Finn Jones will make appearances in the future but no confirmation of what that means have been provided. This could mean cameos that have already been filmed for the upcoming Netflix shows or it could mean a combined series of Heroes for Hire with Colleen Wing and Misty Knight. We will have to wait and see.

Thank you as always for listening along If you want to share your thoughts on this or any other topic you can email us at to feedback@defenderstvpodcast.com or you can join us on Facebook at Facebook.com/groups/defenderstvpodcast or you can of course follow us on Twitter @defenderscast.

We'll be back on Tuesday the 23rd of October with our discussion about Daredevil Season 3 Episode 3 "No Good Deed"

Thanks so much for listening

John, Chris and Derek

Defenders TV Podcast

Date recorded: 20/10/2018
Date published: 22/10/2018
MP3, 21.44 mins, 96kbps, 15.1 MB


All images and audio clips are copyright of Netflix no infringement is intended. The intro and outro music for our show is provided by Mississippi MacDonald you can find more of his music at his website MississippiMacdonald.com .

Derek and John recently sat down for an interview with Cheo Hodari Coker, the showrunner of Luke Cage, for a chat all about the show. This is a spoiler filled discussion all about Luke Cage season 1 and 2 so make sure you've watched everything up to the final credits before listening.


Some of the topics we spoke about in our interview with Cheo Hodari Coker were:
His inspirations for Season 1 and Season 2 of Luke Cage, from his time working on Southland and Ray Donovan to the guidance given by Jeph Loeb.

What drives him from the writers room, to the reviews, to the support group of the Marvel Netflix showrunners.

Happy accidents in filming that lead to iconic moments.

The antagonists of season one and season two from Mahershala Ali as Cornell "Cottonmouth" Stokes and Erik LaRay Harvey as Willis Stryker / Diamondback, to Mustafa Shakir as John McIver / Bushmaster, Gabrielle Dennis as Tilda Johnson and of course Alfre Woodard as Mariah Dillard

The original motivation behind John McIvor for Luke Cage Season 2 and why it changed.

Treating Iron Fist differently and having other showrunners using the characters he brought to life.

What Hogwarts house he belongs to and how Harry Potter informs his adaptation process.

We also speak to him about the boxing metaphors in Luke Cage and his time working with Sylvester Stallone on the drafts for Creed II.

We really enjoyed our interview with Cheo Hodari Coker about Luke Cage and everything else and hope we can bring our fellow Defenders more in the future. We love to hear from you about your thoughts on all of our podcasts so please send yours to feedback@defenderstvpodcast.com join us on facebook at Facebook.com/groups/defenderstvpodcast or follow us on Twitter @defenderscast and you can now record your thoughts for the podcast directly from our website defenderstvpodcast.com by clicking the “Send Voicemail” button.

John, Chris and Derek

Defenders TV Podcast

Date recorded: 21/09/2018
Date published: 26/09/2018
MP3, 98.48 mins, 96kbps, 68.0 MB

The intro and outro music for our show is provided by Mississippi MacDonald you can find more of his music at his ...

We're here at the epic finale of the show and we discuss it all in our Luke Cage Season 2 Episode 13 Review as we talk about our top five points of "They Reminisce Over You" the finale of season 2 of the Marvel Netflix show Luke Cage in our Spoiler filled podcast. As always make sure you've watched the episode before listening to our podcast.



Luke Cage Season 2 Episode 13 Review Podcast "They Reminisce Over You" Spoiler filled Synopsis

Directed by Álex García López

Written by Cheo Hodari Coker


With Mariah Stokes (Alfre Woodard) on trial and remanded at Rikers Island, crime and violence returns to the streets of Harlem as the other gang leaders go to war. In prison, Mariah adapts well to her new circumstances gaining power over the other prison factions; and goes to extreme measures to cover her tracks as she orders the murder of all her former employees, including her trusted PA Alex Wesley (John Clarence Stewart). Meanwhile, as the street war rages Luke Cage (Mike Colter) takes a new approach to protecting Harlem after a visit to Pop’s by Shades (Theo Rossi) who suggests that Luke should prevent a new crime boss from taking over in Harlem. Whilst Luke visits Rosalie Carbone (Annabella Sciorra) to secure peace in Harlem,  another crime boss, Bushmaster (Mustafa Shakir) recovering from his nightshade use with the help of Tilda (Gabrielle Dennis) chooses to return to Jamaica. Before he leaves he tells Tilda that the final Stokes must burn. As Mariah and Ben Donovan (Danny Johnson) make plans for her defence in court she is visited at Ryker’s by Shades, Tilda and Luke Cage. As Shades regrets what could have been, one visitor, Tilda Johnson, says goodbye to her mother and the Stokes name with a kiss laced with slow-acting poison. As it takes hold Mariah dies in the arms of her boy scout, Luke Cage, and is then cremated at the instruction of her daughter. In her Will, Mariah leaves Harlem’s Paradise to Luke Cage. As he takes on the mantle of the new “sheriff” of Harlem from the roost of the club, Misty Knight (Simone Missick) looks on worried that Luke will follow in the gangland footsteps of Mariah Stokes.

Thank you so much for listening to our Luke Cage Season 2 Episode 13 Review Podcast and the rest of this season. We've love hearing from listeners about your thoughts on all of our podcasts so far. If you would like to send any of your thoughts in please send them to feedback@defenderstvpodcast.com join us on facebook at Facebook.

Shades makes a big play in the penultimate episode of the season and we discuss it all in our Luke Cage Season 2 Episode 12 Review as we talk about our top five points of "Can't Front On Me" the twelfth episode of season 2 of the Marvel Netflix show Luke Cage in our Spoiler filled podcast. As always make sure you've watched the episode before listening to our podcast.



Luke Cage Season 2 Episode 12 Review Podcast "Can't Front On Me" Spoiler filled Synopsis

Directed by Everardo Gout

Written by Aïda Mashaka Croal


Luke Cage (Mike Colter) joins forces with John McIvor (Mustafa Shakir) to combat a new strain of heroin taking to the streets of Harlem. The new “Bushmaster” drug  forms part of Mariah’s new plan to destroy John McIvor and unite the criminal factions of New York with Mariah Stokes (Alfre Woodard) at its head. Elsewhere Shades (Theo Rossi) gives up everything as he confesses to Misty Knight (Simone Missick) and Deputy Chief Priscilla Ridley (Karen Pittman), who believe in the old adage that the “guilty man always sleeps” and Shades is making his play for the king of Harlem. As Shades plows ahead with his plan, the police focus on Mariah’s .38 mm gun just as Mariah announces  a massive party at Harlem’s Paradise to draw Bushmaster out once again after her plan with Hai-Qing Yang (Henry Yuk) is thwarted by Bushmaster and Luke Cage. That evening the secret arrival of a nightshade-jacked Bushmaster at Harlem’s Paradise to kill Mariah and the arrival of Shades with Harlem’s finest and a search warrant sees the party truly kick-off. As Luke and Misty are able to stop Bushmaster and protect Mariah, but Bushmaster manages to escape once again. However, in all the confusion of the fight an ivory handled .38 mm revolver is revealed and seals the fate of Mariah Stokes as she is arrested and led away.

Thank you so much for listening to our Luke Cage Season 2 Episode 12 Review Podcast we've love hearing from listeners about your thoughts on all of our podcasts so far. If you would like to send any of your thoughts in please send them to feedback@defenderstvpodcast.com join us on facebook at Facebook.com/groups/defenderstvpodcast or follow us on Twitter @defenderscast and you can now record your thoughts for the podcast directly from our website defenderstvpodcast.com by clicking the “Send Voicemail” button.

We'll be back on Tuesday the 31st of July with our review of the finale of Luke Cage Season 2 Episode 13 "Show more...