Black Lightning

The Pierce family dynamic is so compelling that even if Jefferson Pierce had no powers beyond great motivational speeches, this show would be a worthwhile watch. Black Lightning balances humor with all-too-necessary social commentary (why are white masked crime-fighters “heroes” when Black Lightning is called a vigilante?) to make a refreshing addition to the superhero TV pantheon.

[Cress Williams] delivers the goods in Black Lightning as a title character of steely intent whose vulnerabilities are also a major part of his makeup. Are his powers a curse or, as he prefers to see them, a “blessing from God?” However things turn out, it’s already quite electrifying.

Not nearly as bright as “Supergirl,” as angst-ridden as “Arrow” or as campy as “The Flash,” “Black Lightning” lights its own path--by being a story about the debt we owe to our community and the importance of inspiration.

The Akils have added an exciting new entry to the superhero genre, one that quickly strikes a balance between its light and heavy storytelling. And they’ve found a truly compelling lead in Williams, while keeping an eye on the future (and franchising) with its younger stars.

Jefferson Pierce isn't just a superhero. He's a social justice warrior. He quotes Martin Luther King Jr. AND beats up bad guys. This instantly makes him one of the most interesting heroes on television.

The series juggles police brutality, systemic racism, black youth culture, gang violence, and black parenting with aplomb, and all topics feel entirely new to The CW but also necessary for the network, where it can be paired with an equally pulpy series like Riverdale.

Ultimately, though, “Black Lightning” fulfills its most important role of providing fun escapism that stands out in a genre flirting with the upper limit of saturation. Part of the credit for that is due to Williams’ charisma and the winning dynamic displayed between his character and Adams’ Lynn, in addition to the strong familial chemistry they have with Williams and McClain as their daughters.

Black Lightning successfully walks the line between advocacy and entertainment thanks to deft storytelling and a sense of when to be obvious and when to pull back.

Lightning is distinguished by its instantly distinctive blend of social realism and sense of humor--it is simultaneously the most relevant and the funniest of The CW/DC Comics shows.

Black Lightning, based on yet another DC Comics property, is smart and relevant and full of an attitude that's all its own. It takes its characters and their world seriously, but thus far doesn't take itself too seriously. And, best of all, it's ostensibly entirely separate from Legends of Tomorrow, The Flash, Arrow and Supergirl, so the risk of time-consuming crossovers or key plot points delivered on a different show is currently nil.

Like every superhero show, Black Lightning delivers energizing fight sequences and intriguing nemeses that our protagonist must confront. But as developed by husband-and-wife producing team Salim Akil and Mara Brock Akil (Being Mary Jane), alongside co-producers and Arrow-verse veterans Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter, it is more organically substantive than much film and TV comic-book fare. It’s also deeply aware of its black popular-culture roots, with a soundtrack that swings from hip-hop to Nina Simone to ’70s soul.

The show is a fine example of what television might look like once we move past the more ceremonial aspects of diversity. This is a black show on a network filled with white superheroes, and it displays no insecurity or self-consciousness about that. It feels strong and confident, at least in the first two episodes.

The series doesn’t always tackle these ideas gracefully--or, at least, subtly: its fictional city is called Freeland. But the canvas the Akils are painting on feels much richer for looking beyond basic good vs evil, time travel, doppelgangers, and all the other tropes of the genre. ... But it’s a promising start, and a long-overdue showcase for Williams.

This show’s race-forward sensibility and its older protagonist, conflicted about getting back into the game, give Black Lightning its spark.

To its credit, this young series has done a phenomenal job of finding its footing with the first two episodes, and trust me, it’s the second that’ll really hook you. Capable of warming hearts just as The Flash does while being more similar in tone to Arrow, Black Lightning stands as one of the more sophisticated additions to the DC TV landscape.

The main storyline involves a nefarious crime lord, played by Marvin “Krondon” Jones III, whose gang, The 100, is terrifying the city, but it's Black Lightning’s journey into social issues--the character quotes Martin Luther King Jr. at one point in the premiere--that separates him from the rest of the superhero pack.

As Black Lightning gradually veers away from flashbacks and dwelling in these characters’ pasts to filling in what we never got to see, the present offers some exciting opportunities.

The series' tone ably walks a fine line between being relevant and pedantic. Its themes are a bit heavy for a superhero show, but it still features fun, dazzling action sequences. The show makes great use of light and dark visuals and vividly brings Jefferson's powers to life.

The pilot’s tropes are overly familiar, the action sequences predictable. But this is absolutely a welcome addition, potentially a valuable one, and indisputably a long overdue one.

An entertaining, edgy piece of escapism that adds some much-needed diversity to the network’s lineup of white-bread soap operas.

The violence does not rank as gratuitous because, as an action show, Black Lightning very much needs it. The hero’s own fight scenes can feel restrained, even cramped, perhaps because he devotes a lot of energy to anguishing about violence begetting further violence, and also to fretting that his return to duty will jeopardize a chance to reconcile with his ex-wife.

Despite a somewhat slow pace at the outset, the show steadily builds a promising framework, throwing off some sparks, without quite catching you-know-what in a bottle.

Better late than never; Black Lightning--with its promise of Anissa becoming Thunder in short order--is a good, satisfying, layered addition to the CW canon.