Ok, let's lay down some hard truths about Luke Cage. It started strong, there's no denying that. The series immediately distinguished itself with a unique style (especially for a contemporary superhero show), a fantastic cast, and a powerful message about a black hero. I gave its first few episodes a rave review from the screeners I saw, and then ... the rest of the season dropped. And like many others, I found it incredibly slow and weighed down by serious pacing issues. As with Daredevil and Jessica Jones, Luke Cage's 13-episode format felt incredibly overlong, with even episode lengths themselves dragging (particularly as it ambled into its third act). Evan Valentine wrote up a piece for us about how Luke Cage highlights the problems of Marvel's shared universe, as fervor over the series has died down.

Now, from the depths of YouTube, a user called Zach Ace brings us a ray of hope. He's mixed up scenes from Luke Cage (with a retro filter and some perfectly-timed character intros and well-chosen fonts) with the theme music from Family Matters ("As Days Go By"), and the result is pretty much perfect. Luke Cage isn't without some levity (especially thanks to star Mike Colter, who is fantastic with his often slyly funny delivery), but wouldn't you want to watch this show? Check out the video below:

Luke and Pops, just hanging out at the Barbershop, watching the world go by as Luke gets predictably embroiled in a love triangle with Misty and Claire? Look at Cottonmouth laughing it up! And Pops and his Swear Jar! I love TV dramas, but honestly, sometimes you just need a little light. Luke Cage was missing an energy and a drive starting around its midseason, and to see it repackaged like this gives it a whole new life.

For more on our recently Luke Cage coverage, check out these links below:

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Image via Netflix
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Image via Netflix
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Image via Netflix
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Image via Netflix