Black Lightning
The CW has another hit on its hands -- or a hit, if you prefer -- with Black Lightning. I'll skip the "striking twice" or five or six times cliches. And it's a self-contained show, so you don't need to watch any of the other shows on the network, which will make many of you happy.
First off, my knowledge of Black Lightning comes from reading a few comics back in the early 80s (maybe late 70s). I remember him appearing with Superman, in one comic or the other. And I remember that the Justice League invited him to be a member, and he turned them down because they had forgotten the little people that he was trying to protect in his neighborhood.
The show takes the same approach of protecting the people of the neighborhood, but it's Freeland, instead of Metropolis. Still, there are some holdovers. The two that jumped out at me were Inspector Henderson and The 100, which is not a reference to another CW show, but to a criminal organization from the comics. (That was an ongoing story line back then, and I really don't remember much about it.)
The other change is that Jefferson Pierce has aged up a bit, and is old enough to be the father of an adult child, with another still in high school. It's nice to have a hero who isn't a whiny twenty-something. (Granted, I don't mind the twenty-somethings so much when they aren't whining as much, but it's the CW.) The one curve ball that's thrown at you is that he was already a hero a decade ago, but he retired because of the toll it was taking on the family. Some of this is told in flashbacks which are so well done, you may start to wonder if there wasn't another show attempted that this was a follow-up to. Circumstances require him to make a comeback, which he does with the help of Gambi, who developments gadgets and designs Black Lightning a new suit and seems to have a colorful, clandestine past. More about him comes out as the series progresses.
If there was one thing that I thought was going to worry me, it was the team format of those other shows. Arrow has its "Team Arrow" and Flash has its "Team Flash". (Thankfully, Supergirl has a government agency, which just happens to have the Martian Manhunter working for it, but it isn't quite the same thing.)
Pierce's two daughters both develop powers, but in this case, it's part of the plot. Someone is actually using a drug to create powered individuals (or, in comic book terms, if I understand correctly, activate meta-humans who potentially have powers which can be unlocked.)
The show doesn't shy away from issues and current events. When Anissa realizes her powers are manifesting, she stomps a foot and destroys a statue at the center of a protest. And while the social justice issues won't totally go away, they will take a back seat to the 100 and an old enemy, the albino, Tobias Whale, who is a very "Kingpin"-like villain, who isn't the kingpin of Freeland ... yet.
As of this writing, the show is building up to its first season finale, and I'm sure it will be renewed for a single. If Black Lightning ever shows up in a crossover on another show, he'd be a happy addition, but I'd prefer that they leave all that Arrowverse stuff out of this show. It's great as it is, and getting better.
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