Spoilers ahead for the two-part series premiere of Cloak and Dagger. If you haven't had the chance to watch yet, you may want to check out some of our spoiler-free articles until you tune in.
The latest Marvel TV show to hit the airwaves is none other than Cloak and Dagger on Freeform, and its two-hour premiere set the stage for a show unlike anything else in the Marvel library. Aubrey Joseph and Olivia Holt star as the titular Cloak and Dagger, also known as Tyrone Johnson and Tandy Bowen, respectively. The characters are destined for romance, but the premiere didn't exactly give them the cutest of meets or start them on a clear path toward a love connection. In fact, the two characters have barely interacted as of the end of the premiere event.
That said, we can probably expect a lot of what fans have been hoping for. Marvel Television head Jeph Loeb revealed why the Cloak and Dagger characters were the latest to get a TV show, stating this:
The real inspiration was the fans. When Marvel TV first started the interweb (this means YOU) posted LOTS of top 10 shows we want to see and C&D was always in the top 3. So... We aim to please!
Jeph Loeb participated in a Reddit AMA ahead of the big Cloak and Dagger premiere, and his response to the question of what inspired the show beyond the comics indicates that there has been Marvel fan interest in a series about Tyrone and Tandy for a long time. There's a vast number of characters in Marvel Comics lore, so it's saying something that one of the most popular shows fans wanted to see followed Cloak and Dagger.
Sure, fans have gotten shows like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, The Defenders and more over the years, but it seems the clamor for Cloak and Dagger never died down to the point that Loeb and Co. would decide against pursuing a series. Way to go, Cloak and Dagger comic fans!
Now, given the scope of Marvel Television nowadays, the next question has to be whether Cloak and Dagger will cross over with some of the other series. The new show hasn't firmly placed itself in the MCU at this point, so it could technically be more of a Legion than an Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., but it would be a great fit for a crossover with at least Runaways. The comic versions of the Runaways kids and Cloak and Dagger had some fascinating arcs in Marvel Comics, and the ages of Cloak and Dagger on the Freeform series would mean that they could fit right in with the Runaways. Teens with bizarre powers and parental issues can totally bond, right?
Fortunately, Jeph Loeb has not ruled out the possibility of crossovers between Cloak and Dagger and other Marvel series, although he has been clear that crossovers should only happen if they're appropriate for the story. We'll have to wait and see. Hopefully enough people tune in to Cloak and Dagger to keep it on the airwaves indefinitely.
Tune in to Freeform on Thursdays to catch new episodes of Cloak and Dagger. For some additional viewing options now and in the coming weeks, be sure to swing by our summer TV premiere guide. If streaming is more your style, we have a handy 2018 Netflix premiere schedule and rundown of important 2018 Amazon Prime dates.
