“Luke Cage” has been a big hit for Marvel and Netflix for many reasons, but one of the big ones is its focus on African-American culture in Harlem, New York. But while Cheo Hodari Coker made many references, from Crispus Attucks to Biggie, over the course of 13 episodes, one fan on YouTube might have topped all of them by turning his superhero series into a parody of the classic 90s sitcom, “Family Matters.”
The parody, made by Zach Ace, has all the trademark qualities of the opening credits of a sitcom from 1992. There’s the opening shot of the skyline of the city the show is set in. There’s a zoom in on each the grinning cast members. The camera shakes ever so slightly every time it moves. The names of the cast are presented in vibrant yellow italic letters while the “Family Matters” theme, “As Days Go By,” plays in the background. If you saw Adult Swim’s viral hit “Too Many Cooks” a couple years ago, you’ll recognize these signposts.
Ace has also picked out the perfect shots from the series to use for this parody. We see Luke giving a hug to Aisha and Pop laughing it up in the barbershop while putting a dollar in the swear jar. Even the vicious Cottonmouth and Shades look like fun guys when their scheming grins and laughs are put to upbeat music. A shot of Pop grabbing Chico by his jacket after he returns from a bloody shootout is an intense scene in the series. Here, it just looks like Pop is goofing off. And of course, Rosario Dawson, who has been in every Marvel Netflix series, gets special credit “as Claire.” Also, since this is a “Family Matters’ parody, Turk gets turned into Turkel.
The video has already become so popular that Ace has posted a side-by-side comparison of his video with the “Family Matters” intro. Even the “Luke Cage” team has noticed, as the video has been posted on the show’s Twitter account. But this isn’t the first time Zach Ace has made this type of mashup. He’s also created a “Full House” intro parody with the Avengers.
Check out the video above, and you can catch “Luke Cage” on Netflix now. The next Marvel Netflix series, “Iron Fist,” arrives March 17.