‘Cloak & Dagger’ Boss Makes His Directorial Debut With a Huge Episode (VIDEO)
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For the last two seasons, Joe Pokaski has been running the show at Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger. He’s the creator and executive producer of the Freeform hit and has written several episodes.
With this week’s episode, “Vikingtown Sound,” he adds “director” to his credits and, according to Pokaski, he now sees just how super-powered his C&D team really is.
“It was a great experience,” he says. “As a showrunner, I am generally allowed to drive a lot of our aspects storytelling but directing was something I wanted to know more about in detail.”
Adding that the gig “was a learning process,” the former Underground and Daredevil EP was blown away by his front-row seat to the hard work that goes into each episode. “Boy, did I gain in a lot of respect for what our crew and our directors have to do every day.”
Olivia Holt as Tandy (Freeform/Alfonso Bresciani)
The episode, which deals with the fallout of Tandy (Olivia Holt) giving away her powers, “treads on some sensitive areas” for both the character and actress, continues Pokaski. “So it was nice having the extra time and one less layer of playing-telephone when we were working out her approaches to the emotionally taxing scenes.”
In addition, he says the hour also features a double challenge for Aubrey Joseph — his Tyrone gets his “most vulnerable scene and his toughest stunt” — as well as what he calls Gloria Reuben’s “meatiest story to date.” And he’s so not kidding. Just take a peek at this exclusive clip of Reuben’s Adina facing off with Connor (J.D. Evermore), the dirty cop who fatally shot her other son Billy in the pilot:
Most importably, Pokaski hopes the fateful episode will give viewers a deeper understanding of the show’s characters. “Hopefully if we did our job right, [fans will] learn that Tandy Bowen without superpowers can still harness the power of hope in a place where no light shines,” he notes. “That Tyrone will scour an entire city if he thinks his best friend is in trouble, and that a mother is always a mother regardless what a horrible things you put her through.”
So, did the cast behave for the bossman’s directorial debut? “They always do. I’m blessed in that way,” he offers. “But it was nice to be in the foxhole with them on this one.”
Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger, Thursdays, 8/7c, Freeform
