Modern media is filled to the brim with superheroes. We have comics, games, tv shows – if you don’t see a superhero that interests you, don’t worry there’s another one right around the corner. The live-action side of superhero entertainment has been expanding even more over the past few years, so much so that 90% of the films I go to are comic book related. And the television landscape seems to be growing even faster. So naturally if there’s a popular genre such as superheroes, there will be shows for people of all ages. So what does a teen show in this genre look like?
Cloak & Dagger is a new Marvel teen drama show airing on the Freeform network. Two kids meet tragedy on the same night and their lives are never the same. When they find each other as teenagers, they realize just how connected they are. We currently only have one other teen superhero show, Marvel’s Runaways. And while that focuses on the characters discovering their power and uncovering an evil plot by their parents, the drama between the teens is mostly casual high school stuff. Cloak & Dagger on the other hand deals with real world consequences.
RELATED: Who Are Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger?
In the first 20 minutes of the series premiere, we have race relations, drug abuse, gun violence, police brutality, and death. And these things are not just check marks on a list, these things deeply affect our characters and their lives. While both of the characters approach life differently – one is homeless while the other has strict but caring parents – they both are affected by the society they live in which is the South.
Because of this, some might feel the need to turn off the show but I implore you to embrace it. The show deals with these issues not as a passing reference, but as recurring themes. And luckily, it seems that the showrunners and production take it seriously, as it doesn’t seem heavy handed or poorly done. These kids aren’t facing end of the world situations like Runaways, they’re just trying to survive in the harsh American society they are living in. And it’s important for people of all backgrounds and races to watch shows like this – to see the experience others go through because it creates empathy.
Living as an American in a predominately white area, I had grown up completely ignorant of the struggles black Americans go through everyday. In fact, there were only one or two black kids in my grade, so my ignorance was exponential. So for a show to bring these issues to the forefront is extremely important for kids growing up as I did. And, it’s also important for adults who, perhaps unknowingly, live with blinders on. Is Cloak & Dagger the perfect example of race relations in America? Certainly not. But shows like this open the door to conversation and we need them. I’m happy to see one of my favorite genres tackling this subject matter on television where the show can meet a much larger audience than the comic book.
As for the superhero side of things, it seems to be a slow burn. Their powers are on the back burner as the show focuses more on the characters’ connection. Which, frankly, I like quite a bit. That’s not to say they don’t show them off often. As the characters discover what they can do, so does the audience. It’s the characters’ origin story after all, so they attempt to explore what gave them their powers and how they all work. The mystery will be fun to follow as the show goes on, but the characters are what will get us to stay.
To boil it all down – this is a grounded superhero show aimed at teens that adults can enjoy. It feels honest in its approach and one that you should check out when it debuts on June 7th on Freeform.
RELATED: Meet the Cast in These New CLOAK & DAGGER Photos
RELATED: They’re Drawn to One Another in the CLOAK & DAGGER Trailer
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