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 himself is free.

In the first scene of this week’s episode of Black Lightning, the titular character is seen lending a hand to a fellow meta who’s scared and lost. Jefferson resurrected Black Lightning in order to kill Tobias Whale, but he’s found a new purpose since that man disappeared; where Tobias hides while still managing to…

It was inevitable that at some point Black Lightning would expand its scope. The show could only stick to telling the story of the Pearce family for so long. The very nature of the superhero show demands an expansion of the universe; explanations about where powers come from and what they mean within a larger social…

Crime is increasing / Trigger happy policing

We’re now in upfront season, the time of year in which the networks and streaming outlets preview their fall lineups. These announcements are usually preceded by some bloodletting, so as we await the decisions from on high—and the inevitable petitions to save this drama or that comedy—The A.V. Club is checking in on…

It’s appropriate that Black Lightning, a show that probes how the weight of history is felt across generations, and the way it manifests itself in oppression and violence, begins with a flashback. “Shadow Of Death: The Book Of War” starts with Gambi and Alvin Pierce, Jefferson’s father, having it out on the street.…

For weeks now Black Lightning has been firing on all cylinders, offering up one stunning character-based episode after another. Leaving behind the contrived mysteries and secrets of the first few episodes, the show’s found another gear in the back half of the season, rooting its superhero stories in familial drama and…

Jefferson Pierce knew that when he donned his Black Lightning gear again, he was putting a target on his back. He’d spent years working to strengthen his community through his work as a principal, and that was supposed to be enough. But then Green Light, Lala, and the kidnapping of his daughters necessitated the…

The CW is a network that gives fans exactly what they want, which is why The Flash and Supergirl had a musical crossover and why Riverdale is actually somehow really good, so in that spirit it has now decided to renew pretty much every one of its shows with a dedicated following—even if those shows don’t have a huge…

History plays a big role in Black Lightning. The weight of it, the constant presence, the reverberations, the reminders. History doesn’t let up. It’s a part of and informs nearly every interaction in Freeland. The show’s patient approach to storytelling, taking its time to fill in the backstories of characters before…

Last week’s episode of Black Lightning saw the show finally come into its own. “The Book Of Revelations” shifted the season’s arc, providing a number of emotional and narrative revelations that also served to snap the season’s overarching story into focus. Up until last week, Green Light didn’t feel like anything more…

After a few weeks of failing to really hit the mark when it comes to the season’s larger stories, “The Book Of Revelations” sees Black Lightning get right back on track. The problem with the last few episodes has been the purposeful withholding of information in order to build up the season’s biggest mysteries, from…

The characters that populate Black Lightning love to talk. More than any other superhero TV show, this one spends a lot of time discussing the various ethical conundrums that come with being a vigilante. Arrow, The Flash, and plenty of others have explored similar territory, but Black Lightning’s string of episodes to…

What made Black Lightning so compelling right out of the gate was its unique voice and perspective. Musing on various issues and triumphs related to being black in America, the show quickly established a tone that found the right balance between being a family drama and a fun superhero show with a more political bent,…

One of the pleasures of watching Black Lightning has been its approach to storytelling. Through four episodes the show’s been patient in unraveling the story of Jefferson Pierce once again donning his mask as Black Lightning, while also taking its time filling in the details of the world he occupies. Where so many…

One of Black Lightning’s greatest strengths in the early part of this season is its ability to take the larger issues affecting Freeland and use them to tell small-scale stories about various communities. Whether it’s the Pierce family, the student body at Garfield, or the various neighborhoods that make up Freeland,…

Right out of the gate, Black Lightning had an understanding that every superhero drama needs, well, both its superhero aspects and its drama aspects. The first two episodes of the series made it very clear that Jefferson Pierce—the father, the ex-husband, and the community leader—was, in many ways, more important than…

Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Tuesday, January 30. All times are Eastern.

Black Lightning may not have a time-travelling superhero, but it does have a thorough understanding of the past. The past, with its influence on the present, its ability to contribute to a rosy nostalgia, and the way it creates wounds that never truly heal, is an integral part of the show, even with only two episodes…

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 log in to Netflix without seeing a new Marvel show promoted, and you can’t go a few weeks without seeing a new trailer or cast announcement for a Marvel or DC film. Standing out from the crowd is no…