The Series
It’s hard to talk about Black Lightning Season One without at least mentioning Marvel’s Luke Cage Season One, if only because both series take very similar stylistic paths to telling their respective stories. Both series use color, iconic imagery, and specifically music and literature, to craft realistic worlds that refuse to fall back on clichés and stereotypes. The difference here is that Black Lightning doesn’t make the mistake of killing off its most interesting character halfway through the season and it gives Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams) an actual arc. He is a different person at the end of the series than he was at the beginning.
For those who don’t know, Pierce is the principal at Garfield High School, but years earlier, he was the electricity-slinging costumed vigilante, Black Lightning. After hanging up his costume, he and his wife Lynn (Christine Adams), a neuroscientist at nearby Bowman College settled down to raise their two girls, Anissa (Nafessa Williams) and Jennifer (China Anne McClain). As the series opens, though, Jefferson and Lynn are divorced, but still splitting parenting duties, Anissa is in medical school and teaches part-time at Garfield High, and Jennifer is trying to balance her social life and her education at the school.
Enter Black Lightning’s long-thought dead nemesis, Tobias Whale (Marvin ‘Krondon’ Jones III), the leader of local gang / crime organization the 100. Jill Scott also appears as the owner of the local funeral parlor, Evelyn Stillwater-Ferguson, who is secretly Lady Eve, one of a secret group who gave Tobias his job.
From the very beginning, Black Lightning refuses to shy away from social criticism and features some of the best writing of any CW show. There are missteps here and there, but never anything that derails an episode for longer than a scene or two, and the overall plot evolves naturally from Jefferson trying to get his wife back and raise his kids in a dangerous world, to Jefferson and Lynn embracing his Black Lightning persona and helping to inspire and train his superpowered kids in a dangerous world.
Yup. Both girls have powers that awaken over the course of the series, and that plot detail becomes central to the larger scale story arc that stretches throughout the first season.
All in all, Black Lightning is the best live-action superhero series that DC has to offer.
The Extras
Art Imitating Life: The Pilot Episode – This feature is a very interesting look at the making of the pilot episode, as executive producer / writer Salim Akil discusses how the police stop in this episode was inspired by his own experiences getting pulled over repeatedly. The focus on Jefferson taking a breath and calming himself was in reference to Akil’s realization that by arguing about a pointless stop could have gotten him killed. There’s also good discussion of the psychological effects of these sorts of stops, particularly the way law enforcement can steal one’s manhood, forcing men, particularly men of color, to submit under threat of death.
A Family of Strength – One of the purposes of Black Lightning was, according to the producers, to show “an untraditional family that could still parent” and Akil and co-executive producer Pat Charles have succeeded. This feature basically serves as an introduction to each of the main characters, Anissa, Jennifer, Jefferson, and Lynn.
Gag Reel – Someday I’m going to find a gag reel that is actually funny.
Deleted Scenes – There are more deleted scenes on this disc than on any release I’ve reviewed in ages. Unfortunately, none of them are very engaging. Most scenes appeared to probably have been cut for time (although there are one or two that just aren’t very good and didn’t add anything to the show).
Black Lightning: 2017 Comic Con Panel – This is the San Diego Comic Con that introduced the actors to the world before the series had premiered. You would think that would mean no spoilers, but there are quite a few series twists that are discussed openly. Everyone is very happy to be there and despite the usual panel hype, this is one of the better Comic Con clips that I’ve seen. It’s a little short, though.