C+
Freeland burns, but Black Lightning loses some of its fire
This has been a curious season of Black Lightning. Whether it’s the extended episode order or simply a sophomore slump,…
Black Lightning
B+
Two villains represent the best and worst of Black Lightning
Let America be America Again
Let it be the dream it used to be.
Let it be the pioneer on the plain
Seeking a home where he…
B-
Black Lightning gets bogged down by its own ambition
In the first scene of this week’s episode of Black Lightning, the titular character is seen lending a hand to a fellow…
B
Black Lightning expands its universe, for better or worse
It was inevitable that at some point Black Lightning would expand its scope. The show could only stick to telling the…
A-
Black Lightning is back, and it's bleaker and better than ever
Crime is increasing / Trigger happy policing
A
Black Lightning closes out a strong debut season with a perfect, stirring finale
It’s appropriate that Black Lightning, a show that probes how the weight of history is felt across generations, and the…
B-
Before the season finale, exposition is the unfortunate star of Black Lightning
For weeks now Black Lightning has been firing on all cylinders, offering up one stunning character-based episode after…
A-
A visceral Black Lightning confronts corruption and the fear of black bodies
Jefferson Pierce knew that when he donned his Black Lightning gear again, he was putting a target on his back. He’d…
B+
The weight of history is deeply felt on Black Lightning
History plays a big role in Black Lightning. The weight of it, the constant presence, the reverberations, the…
A-
Black Lightning is at its best when using superhero tropes to explore family dynamics
Last week’s episode of Black Lightning saw the show finally come into its own. “The Book Of Revelations” shifted the…
A-
“Revelations” lead to the best Black Lightning yet
After a few weeks of failing to really hit the mark when it comes to the season’s larger stories, “The Book Of…
B
Collateral damage leads to a moral reckoning on Black Lightning
The characters that populate Black Lightning love to talk. More than any other superhero TV show, this one spends a lot…
C+
A familiar, formulaic story bogs down Black Lightning
What made Black Lightning so compelling right out of the gate was its unique voice and perspective. Musing on various…
B-
An overstuffed Black Lightning revels in the shared past of its characters
One of the pleasures of watching Black Lightning has been its approach to storytelling. Through four episodes the…
B+
Black Lightning reckons with the violence of revolution
One of Black Lightning’s greatest strengths in the early part of this season is its ability to take the larger issues…
B-
Black Lightning falters by being too neat and tidy when things get messy
Right out of the gate, Black Lightning had an understanding that every superhero drama needs, well, both its superhero…
B+
Black Lightning expands its scope, and challenges Jefferson in the process
Black Lightning may not have a time-travelling superhero, but it does have a thorough understanding of the past. The…
B+
Black Lightning’s series premiere gives us the mature, nuanced superhero show we need
There are a lot of superhero shows on The CW, and there’s a lot of superhero stories out there in general. You can’t…
A-
Don’t worry about the crossovers—Black Lightning doesn’t need any other heroes
Crackling with conflict and potential, Black Lightning swoops in to save the midwinter TV season, reinvigorating the…