At WonderCon Anaheim 2018, fans were treated to a much more substantial sneak peak of Marvel Television’s newest series, Cloak and Dagger, than they were expecting: A full screening of the show’s 52-minute pilot. OMFGTV was there to witness the screening and is happy to report that Marvel and Freeform’s first collaboration hits it out of the park.
Cloak and Dagger opens on all the right notes with its’ lengthy teaser opening that ends in a phenomenal, moving visual moment that must be seen to be believed. From there on in, the show belongs to its’ two magnetic leads: Tandy Bowen (Olivia Holt), a career con artist trying to support her alcoholic mother, and Tyrone Johnson (Aubrey Joseph), a basketball star at his local high school.
Though much of the pilot keeps the pair separate from each other, this actually works in the show’s favor. By the time both characters collide, we, the viewers, have a crystal clear picture of their struggles and what is driving them.
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Much of this is done visually by director Gina Prince-Bythewood (“Beyond the Lights” and “The Secret Life of Bees”), who keeps the pilot moving quickly and kinetically, almost entirely shot with handheld cameras.
Crucially, the show uses bright light and darkness- which obviously ties into the show’s themes- especially well. Even the title card ties into this motif. Flashbacks are especially effective and smartly used at key moments and actually drive the action forward. Hopefully, the rest of the series will continue this style, a-la “Lost.”
And it wouldn’t be fair to talk about the show without praising Holt and Joseph. They’re both outstanding, once again proving that Marvel’s casting is spot on. Holt does a lot while saying little; small, dialogue free moments with her are among the most revealing. Joseph is the more relatable of the duo, but is just as troubled as Tandy, which comes to a head in the pilot’s unexpected finale.
Cloak and Dagger is already shaping up to be one of summer TV’s biggest hits. With its’ fantastic actors, darker storyline and carefully constructed narrative, it is a superhero show that could break the mold in the same way “Daredevil” did.
Cloak and Dagger premieres June 7th on Freeform.