Courtney A. Kemp, the talented creator behind the “Power” franchise, brings her work to Netflix with the new series “Nemesis.” Co-created with Tani Marole, the show consists of eight episodes and features directors Mario Van Peebles and Milencet Shelton. Set in Los Angeles, it follows detectives Isaiah Stiles (Matthew Law) and Coltrane Wilder (Y’lan Noel), two men on opposite sides of the legal system who continually try to outsmart each other.
Episode 1, which begins organically, introduces us to Coltrane and his wife, Ebony (Cleopatra Coleman), at a Halloween party. The opening scene features a great homage to Van Peebles 1991 classic “New Jack City”. Coltrane and Ebony quickly concoct a ruse for Coltrane’s crew, which includes Deon (Quincy Isaiah), Stro (Tre Hale), and Choi(Jonnie Park), to pull off a robbery.
The robbery creates a domino effect, putting the crew on the radar of Isaiah and his partner, Cruz (Ariaba Guerra). Isaiah has his own personal vendetta against Coltrane, but his superior, Chief Sealey (Michael Potts), won’t assign Isaiah to the case, as it’s already assigned to Detective Viggiano (Mike O’Malley).
Naturally, Isaiah can work his way into the case with the addition of rookie Jamal Brinkley (Jay Reeves) and seasoned vet (Domenick Lombardo) to his team. What follows are eight gripping episodes putting viewers in the lives of both Coltrane and Isaiah.
One of the best things about “Nemesis” is seeing Matthew Law abandon his nice guy persona from “Abbott Elementary” and fully embrace an alpha male. Law not only gives off authority vibes but also originally taps into the trope of a cop who puts the badge before his family. The role gives Law a chance to show a ton of range, and I hope it opens up more doors for him.
Y’lan Noel also shines as Coltrane. One thing I respect about the show’s angle is how it humanizes him. While he is a criminal, Kemp doesn’t fully turn him into Ghost 2.0. While they have similar traits, Noel commands the screen as Coltrane, and despite his illegal activity, we generally want to see his character outsmart Isaiah
The supporting cast who make up both of Isaiah’s and Coltrane’s teams are good with their material, while the stunning Gabrille Dennis has a solid B-storyline as Isaiah’s wife. There’s also some great guest appearances from the likes of Shane Johnson, Dawnn Lewis, and Chris Bauer. If I had one gripe with the show, it’s the motivation behind Isaiah’s beef with Coltrane. I won’t spoil it, but it gives one of my favorite actors merely a five-second cameo.
Mixing an engaging story and a committed cast, “Nemesis” is another binge-worthy winner from Kemp.
Final Grade: B+
All Episodes of Nemesis premiere globally on Netflix today.
