Tv Tuesday: Black Lightning Season 1 finale

Readers, I was given an extension on my post so I could write about the finale of Black Lightning which aired last night. We are still out of town and since I'm writing this post on my phone, I will not have the ability to post pictures. I'm a little of two minds about that, I want you guys to be able to see some of the beautiful images from the Black Lightning season 1 finale, but they are mostly spoilery and I'd rather you not see them out of context.

Let me start by saying this has been a fantastic season of tv. All the props in the world to Salim and Mara Brock Akil for telling such an emotional and fresh story within the super-hero context. This was not the story of an emotionally messed up orphan discovering their budding powers. This was the story of a father who decides to reenter the world of vigilante justice to save his community. This was the story of a family comming together to make the world around them better. This was the story of two sisters growing up and discovering their own power.

The second thing I want to talk about is the women of this family. Anissa and Jennifer are amazing and comples characters who have their arcs for the season centered around coming into their own in two very different ways. They are both engaging and tough and their stories work together in really interesting ways. And their mom, Lynn, is no less intriguing. She is the clear bedrock for the Pierce family and her role in the finale was the perfect cap to the season.

With all the amazing women in this sjow, it's saying something that the character of Jefferson Pierce is my favorite thing about this season. He makes mistakes, he has flaws but he is driven by this extrodinary desire to defend and protect the peolke of his community. I think part of why this makes his so unique is that his focus is relateably narrow. He's not saving New York or the universe. He just wants to improve this community that means so much to him and his family. And while his first instinct is to protect his daughters no matter what, he's in the process of letting them grow up and teaching them how to protect themselves. We so rarely see examples off good parents who are also superheros. But Jefferson is a great father and you see that both in his actions and in the incredible women he has raised.

Ok slight spoiler alert in effect for this paragraph. This episode features Jefferson having a near-afterlife conversation with his father. Very much in the vein of Black Panther. But Jefferson's conversation with his dad about the nature of justice anf peace was not only extremely culturally relavent but deeply moving. I don't want to say that I cried like a small child but I for sure paused the episode for a little while I pulled myself together.

The whole season of Black Lightning will be up on Netflix in another week or so. If you haven't already, I highly recommend giving this show a chance.

Little C