Black Lightning

:

Season 2
Season #: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
User Score
6.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 32 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 32
  3. Negative: 7 out of 32
Watch Now

Where To Watch

Stream On
Stream On

Review this tv show

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling

User Reviews

view
per page
  1. gmonster320
    Apr 7, 2019
    8
    Despite the story line in season 2 wondering a bit there is still enough to keep me coming. back. The Pierce family is now a united front with three superheros-- Black Lightning, Thunder and Lightning. There were so many deaths/resurrections its hard to keep tack. I still think Tobias Whale (portrayed by Marvin "Krondon" Jones III) is one of the best villains on TV. And good news, "BlackDespite the story line in season 2 wondering a bit there is still enough to keep me coming. back. The Pierce family is now a united front with three superheros-- Black Lightning, Thunder and Lightning. There were so many deaths/resurrections its hard to keep tack. I still think Tobias Whale (portrayed by Marvin "Krondon" Jones III) is one of the best villains on TV. And good news, "Black Lightning' has already been renewed for a season 3 so the story will not stop here.… Expand
  2. Ahkman
    Jan 1, 2019
    6
    So far i’ve watched up to episode 4 of season 2. The frustrating thing about this show is that it could be great with a few fixes. There’s some great elements and some frustrating ones. The good: the main cast are all really likeable especially Jefferson and his daughters and the guy who plays Tobias is a great find as the villain. The look of the show has also improved in series 2.

    The    So far i’ve watched up to episode 4 of season 2. The frustrating thing about this show is that it could be great with a few fixes. There’s some great elements and some frustrating ones. The good: the main cast are all really likeable especially Jefferson and his daughters and the guy who plays Tobias is a great find as the villain. The look of the show has also improved in series 2.

    The bad: First minor stuff, as with season 1 the music is variable in quality and poorly used. Black lightning’s super suit looks extremely silly (in a “trying to be cool” way). They need to scrap it and start again, though the daughter’s suit is a bit better. A bigger issue is that the director(s) cannot shoot action. Action scenes usually involve black lighting and/or daughter standing still absorbing bullets and lazily picking off enemies from a position of invulnerability. Rarely is there any feeling of jeopardy and the staging of these scenes is usually unimaginative. That’s a huge problem for a show about super heros. A few of the new actors in season 2 are poorly cast and it’s a little early to tell but four episodes in the plot seems a little silly.
    Then we get to the politics - There’s much more of it in season 2 (so far) and thats a bad thing. Put aside for a moment whether you agree or disagree with the views of the writers as its besides the point. Politics in fiction can be written well or written badly and in this case I think it’s the latter.
    Some of the themes addressed by the show are extremely important social issues but the show’s writers do not have a mature understanding of the subject matter. The show is rife with name drops of political figures and endorsement of radical politics (with no exploration of the relative merits of such). This sometimes gives questionable morality to the show’s heros. An example is Jefferson’s motto in his day job as headmaster “by any means nessecary” this will go over the heads of most of the audience but this phrase is a political dog whistle associated with fringe left groups - meaning endorsement of political violence. The hero is teaching this phrase to school children as an unquestioned good - in some cases he makes them collectively chant this.
    You could write an interesting show about the pros and cons of vigilanteism (including in politics) and that would fit with the super hero theme nicely, but the show’s writers aren’t smart enough for that. They dog whistle and move on. The smartest thing this show could do is tone down the political aspect or at least rethink its approach.    … Expand
  3. Davrosdaleks1
    Mar 24, 2019
    7
    Although there's still plenty to enjoy, I'm afraid that this show lost steam after the first season. I think it's the increased episode that's responsible. Although I originally admired the show for not relying on the villain of the week like the Arrowverse shows, the season is no longer compact ends up with too many stretched-out story lines. To make matters worse, the show goes for aAlthough there's still plenty to enjoy, I'm afraid that this show lost steam after the first season. I think it's the increased episode that's responsible. Although I originally admired the show for not relying on the villain of the week like the Arrowverse shows, the season is no longer compact ends up with too many stretched-out story lines. To make matters worse, the show goes for a long game multiple seasons approach. A couple of mysteries setup half way through don't even get answered this season.

    Superhero Black Lightning's friends and family end up getting upset with each other's choices way too much, and that was already getting old last season. Villain Tobias Whale (played by Krondon Jones) kind of goes through the motions and I got so tired of him spouting out racist remarks about a billion times.

    However, these issues lie mostly in the first half. Things get a lot more entertaining when the setup is put out of the way. There are lot of interesting ideas and characters and when the show entertains, it really entertains. Highlights include the continuing tragic path Kahlil, who Tobias manipulated into evil last season, the interestingly weird South Freeland episodes, and Lynn Pierce's new rival Dr. Helga Jayce (played by Jennifer RIker), and the show's ability to feature strong emotional scenes. (Although, I don't understand at all why they decided to make the superhero Looker from the comics (played here by Sofia Vassilieva) a racist supervillain.)

    Overall, yeah this is kind of a slog at first but if you liked the first season you may probably still get something out of this.    … Expand
  4. DunyG
    Mar 8, 2021
    10
    I loved this season very much and I loved the very skillful acting from each main cast member. I thought the villains were very interesting and great, with the most interesting being Tobias Whale. I found myself really excited for what each character would do next, especially Anissa, Jennifer, Khalil, and Tobias.

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
tbd

No score yet - based on 2 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. Salon
    Reviewed by: Melanie McFarland
    Oct 10, 2018
    80
    In the second season, the continuing adventures of Jefferson Pierce, the show’s eponymous hero, may not be as interesting as the development of his daughters’ separate journeys as they mature into their powers. ... The new season also puts [Nafessa Williams’ Anissa Pierce] in a role enabling her to balance the scales in ways that her lawful father cannot, which should prove interesting as the season develops.
    Read full review
  2. Collider
    Reviewed by: Allison Keene
    Oct 8, 2018
    80
    Black Lightning is not without its own flaws, including occasionally disjointed or abrupt storytelling, but its clear desire to educate and inspire through compelling family drama continues to make it a show of consequence.
    Read full review