Black Lightning

:

Season 1
Season #: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
User Score
5.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 232 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 105 out of 232
  2. Mixed: 36 out of 232
  3. Negative: 91 out of 232
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User Reviews

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  1. D3athsW4k3
    Feb 15, 2018
    6
    I'm enjoying the plot so far however the soundtrack is really ruining the experience for me. There is no build or climax and it interjects almost randomly at points drawing your attention away from the story.
  2. GraXXoR
    Mar 2, 2018
    5
    The first episode was so hackneyed that it was painful to watch... "I am sorry I'm not a black person," is the opinion that the show seems to be trying to foist upon their viewers... oops, did I say black, I meant a person of colour.
    The characters are so unlikeable and flat that they could just as well have not been there...
    The 20 minutes I managed to get through were poorly acted and    The first episode was so hackneyed that it was painful to watch... "I am sorry I'm not a black person," is the opinion that the show seems to be trying to foist upon their viewers... oops, did I say black, I meant a person of colour.
    The characters are so unlikeable and flat that they could just as well have not been there...
    The 20 minutes I managed to get through were poorly acted and clearly just aimed at making us all pissed off at dem white boiz. Did I mention, my wife and children are of colour but they did not find this show amusing or entertaining and we decided to continue watching Luke Cage....

    Basically, we all agreed that this show merely played cheaply on those monochrome stereotypes without adding any depth to the interactions, whatsoever...

    Hence the Meh rating.... Marvel still seems to have it where it's needed...

    Good luck, DC, let us know when you have a production that doesn't suck.    … Expand
  3. gstkein
    Mar 15, 2018
    5
    While it is fun to watch and has decent sfx, the characters and reactions are a bit of a cliche, it emphasizes too much in the fact that the hero is black, and the police reactions towards black people is just too forced, I mean one or two out of line officers is understandable, but it just happens every time, it feels forced, I apreciate what they try to do, but it feels poorly written.While it is fun to watch and has decent sfx, the characters and reactions are a bit of a cliche, it emphasizes too much in the fact that the hero is black, and the police reactions towards black people is just too forced, I mean one or two out of line officers is understandable, but it just happens every time, it feels forced, I apreciate what they try to do, but it feels poorly written. Luke cage showed discrimination and a black hero fighting for the people, but it didn't force that, it didn't keep talking with words about that, it just showed that. Black lighting is fun but poorly written.… Expand
  4. Ripandread
    Feb 16, 2018
    4
    This show has potential but the main character needs some work. Mild-manner principal by day and angry avenger by night. That scenario has been played to death. The criminals are so stereo-typical from those awful 1970's black exploitation movies. I tried to like this show...I really did; but unfortunately I just cannot watch it anymore.
  5. bigdeoz
    Jan 25, 2018
    5
    ---ENG
    Just saw first episode; honestly I would've expected more. I mean, I get it, the "racial factor" and everything but I would've liked best a darker shade, like a "black batman".
    On the acting side I would say that, except for the superhero acting, it could easily pass as a general drama experience. Average, so far. PS I haven't checked Luke Cage yet. PPS Sorry, I forgot. I liked    ---ENG
    Just saw first episode; honestly I would've expected more. I mean, I get it, the "racial factor" and everything but I would've liked best a darker shade, like a "black batman".
    On the acting side I would say that, except for the superhero acting, it could easily pass as a general drama experience. Average, so far.
    PS I haven't checked Luke Cage yet.
    PPS Sorry, I forgot. I liked Tobias.
    ---ITA
    Ho appena finito di vedere il primo episodio; onestamente mi sarei aspettato di meglio. Capisco, c'è il "fattore razziale" e compagnia bella ma mi sarei aspettato un tono più dark, tipo un "Batman nero".
    Sotto l'aspetto dell'interpretazione direi che, a parte nelle sezioni supereroe, potrebbe tranquillamente passare per un normale telefilm moderno "da pomeriggio tardo". Mediocre, per il momento.
    PS No, non ho ancora visto Luke Cage
    PPS Perdono, me l'ero scordato. Tobias mi è piaciuto.    … Expand
  6. Queen7
    May 20, 2018
    6
    Medium, just like other ""hero" tv shows from comics. Same thing happens in every episode, people with superpowers dress in letheat and fight with crime. Alos, Black Lightning's costume is a joke.
  7. MrNonono
    Feb 15, 2018
    4
    Another Marvel show with a generic storyline, replaceable characters, bad CGI and a silly suit. This time with a black, middle-aged hero that can shoot sparkles. This has nothing to do with being overly sensitive about racism or political issues. I wish this show was like Atlanta with superhero action. But it's just generally boring.
    I'm not a big fan of the whole Marvel television shows.    Another Marvel show with a generic storyline, replaceable characters, bad CGI and a silly suit. This time with a black, middle-aged hero that can shoot sparkles. This has nothing to do with being overly sensitive about racism or political issues. I wish this show was like Atlanta with superhero action. But it's just generally boring.
    I'm not a big fan of the whole Marvel television shows. I think they're overrated, uncreative and only reason for their existence is that they carry the same brand as the excellent Marvel movies. If you think likewise, skip this show. Go watch The Tick if you like something fresh.    … Expand
  8. Mesenkuk
    Jun 27, 2018
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A lot of comic book shows suffer from lazy writing. Some, such as Supergirl, more than others. Obviously, even favorites like Arrow or The Flash have their moments. Nearly every episode I'll find myself rolling my eyes at Felicity's magical hacking or Wells', Cisco's, & Caitlin's magical "algorithms." I'm pretty sure, by now, that word has lost its meaning.
    I used to think Supergirl was the worst perpetrator of lazy writing. I don't anymore. I tried to give this show a fair shake, I really did. I've gone 10 episodes in, so far. I like the main characters, with the exception of the wife. I think she's a bee-yotch. I don't mind the story in & of itself. I mean, I liked it the first time I saw it when it was called Luke Cage, after all. When every, single character of a particular race is just terrible...that's lazy writing. When every single person of a particular race is a caricature...that's bad writing. Iron Fist face-planted for pretty much that reason. Every single white person, in this show, is a terrible person. The laziness really comes out when the "government agency" that's apparently a clandestine government agency made up entirely of white people somehow, goes to a city that is apparently all black (again, somehow), & has been going unnoticed performing secret experiments on the populace for thirty years! A bunch of shady, white people in suits are going unnoticed in a black city. Somehow. That's lazy out of universe. In universe, it's incredibly stupid. Another piece of lazy writing: Thunder goes from total unknown one day to everyone somehow knowing she's a thing & her codename the very next episode with no explanation as to how. That's lazy as **** Seriously, if you want to watch a really good black superhero show, stick to Luke Cage. Also, this dude's costume has ground effects on it. It's dumb. I'm gonna try to finish out the season, maybe give the second season a shot to see if the writing gets better, but i'm not holding my breath    … Expand
  9. Cisar
    May 15, 2018
    4
    This shows try to be a lot of things at the same time and it fails because of it. It just feels really artificial and not very realistic (apart of being superhero show).
    UPDATE:
    So I've finished series and have some things to add. It gets enjoyable sometime, but then it's all destroyed with overacting and cliche. I really wanted to enjoy the show, but it feels like some kind of    This shows try to be a lot of things at the same time and it fails because of it. It just feels really artificial and not very realistic (apart of being superhero show).
    UPDATE:
    So I've finished series and have some things to add. It gets enjoyable sometime, but then it's all destroyed with overacting and cliche. I really wanted to enjoy the show, but it feels like some kind of Venezuelan soap opera. And really? Trump-like villain? With all "I want to make America great again!" shtick.    … Expand
  10. bkristman
    Mar 5, 2019
    4
    If i was black maybe i'd give this a higher score but i'm not. Simplified race driven show with simplified cliche characters that spell everything out bluntly in unsophisticated plot lines.
    Gave up trying to count the number of times the word 'black' was used in the dialogue.
    The police in this are almost comically useless and the kids are comically un-streetsavvy for having lived in    If i was black maybe i'd give this a higher score but i'm not. Simplified race driven show with simplified cliche characters that spell everything out bluntly in unsophisticated plot lines.
    Gave up trying to count the number of times the word 'black' was used in the dialogue.
    The police in this are almost comically useless and the kids are comically un-streetsavvy for having lived in this area all their lives.
    Black lightning's powers are cool but it's not enough to make me keep watching.    … Expand
  11. KR23
    Dec 4, 2018
    5
    Basically for the overall season:

    There's nothing in this show but racism and racism. Can't have a single episode where I don't hear "black lives matter marches", **** white cops", and "white people are the problem" (even though they might not have said that exactly). They need to get it back on track. Season 2 started a while back but it's just looking to be the same. Same old    Basically for the overall season:

    There's nothing in this show but racism and racism. Can't have a single episode where I don't hear "black lives matter marches", **** white cops", and "white people are the problem" (even though they might not have said that exactly). They need to get it back on track.

    Season 2 started a while back but it's just looking to be the same. Same old racist remarks and nothing focusing on the actual story. I think I'm going to quit watching this show all together.    … Expand
  12. CoKronakan
    Mar 30, 2019
    6
    This fresh IP of a series feels like it is an over reaction of racism, and manipulating characters to do their ultimately intended purposes. It had an interesting point and scenes and emotional moments that where worth something. The directing style is too simple and it gets boring real fast. The acting was mostly off, and the only scenes when the acting was worth something it wasThis fresh IP of a series feels like it is an over reaction of racism, and manipulating characters to do their ultimately intended purposes. It had an interesting point and scenes and emotional moments that where worth something. The directing style is too simple and it gets boring real fast. The acting was mostly off, and the only scenes when the acting was worth something it was repeated to a time when it became repetitive. The music was one of the best parts in the whole series, which was original and really well paced. The plot was too simple and event less at times and to complex at times which made it hard to understand and to keep up with it after the slow paced events.
    Overall it's an above average series at best, but maybe in the future without all the exaggeration and senseless plot and average acting it can be a lot better.    … Expand
  13. kylesare57
    Jan 27, 2020
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. most of the interactions are good enough however their attempts of racism fall flat, The replacement principals surface level racism falls flat, screaming "racism" feels like a half hearted jab at critics to make them look bad for not liking our social climate, oh and the "music" "I saw black person yay" sums it up… Expand

Awards & Rankings

30
#30 Best TV Season of 2018
19
#19 Most Discussed TV Season of 2018
33
#33 Most Shared TV Season of 2018

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. The New Yorker
    Reviewed by: Troy Patterson
    Mar 30, 2018
    70
    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.
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  2. The Lincoln Journal Star
    Reviewed by: Jeff Korbelik
    Jan 29, 2018
    75
    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.
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  3. The Daily Beast
    Reviewed by: Ira Madison III
    Jan 17, 2018
    80
    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.
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