'Cloak & Dagger' Recap: 'First Light' & 'Suicide Sprints'

Written by John Edward Betancourt

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM...YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK...

​I’ve come to realize over the past few months, that I’m flat out suffering from superhero fatigue. While I still enjoy the genre, and all the wonders that it currently has to offer, I simply don’t find myself scurrying to the couch to watch the latest hero offering simply because…on a certain level they’re all starting to offer the same old thing. We can always count on an origin story grounded in heroism, followed by a few challenges and missteps before our hero becomes precisely the champion we expected them to be.
 
And that lather, rinse and repeat approach to the genre, is precisely why a chunk of me was hesitant to settle in and watch Freeform’s newest offering, Cloak & Dagger, despite the glowing recommendations of my buddies Dave and Matt simply because I was in fact, expecting more of the same tired story elements that I made mention of a moment ago. So, imagine my surprise, when I finally settled in to watch this series, only to discover that it is an outright breath of fresh air when it comes to the superhero genre.
 
Because ‘First Light’ and ‘Suicide Sprints’ offered up none of the traditional tropes that one finds within the genre. Instead, this initial two-hour run of the series provided the fans with plenty that is exciting and new, and really, all of that comes courtesy of its strong characters because they are so supremely unique. Case in point, they’re a pair of troubled young adults for a change, who don’t fully understand the tough world that they’re growing up in and the fact that they have super powers that are a mystery to them only complicates their lives further and while that alone should be enough to carry this series, the story had more layers ready to reveal to the audience.

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​For instance, I was shocked in a good way when it comes to how Tandy and Tyrone operate often in the grey areas of life that most of us try to avoid. Which is fascinating because they’re clearly genuinely good people who have just happened to experience some horrible things in life and they believe that because of that, ambiguity is a better place for them to operate within and that mentality leads to some fascinating decisions from this duo, the kind that aren’t heroic in the slightest and honestly, I rather like that. Because it means in the long run they will have to earn their stripes as heroes, and I would hope that down the line, coming from a dark place will make them stronger champions for the people they will eventually protect.
 
Yet, perhaps the most fascinating element of these first two episodes, was their incredible focus on the power of loss and grief and it what it can do to people long term because the death of Tandy’s father and the death of Tyrone’s brother are precisely why these characters are so broken and lost in life and well, normally these elements are something that are glossed over when it comes to this genre and I was thoroughly impressed with the fact that this series made it a focal point of the story and undoubtedly, something for the characters to deal with in inspirational fashion down the line.
 
Either way, this two-hour premiere is a fine way to kick off the series and admittedly, I’m hooked for certain now. Because I really want nothing more than to see Tandy and Tryone deal with the pain that hangs heavy in their souls and if the heroes of this story are this dynamic and realistic as characters…what then can we expect from the villain of this series when they show their beady little eyes? Time will tell I guess, but for the first time in a long time, I am excited to catch the next episode of a superhero show and I’ll do my best to be on my couch come airtime to see what other incredibly rich storytelling awaits us in the weeks to come. Until next time.  

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