Black Lightning Premiere Review: 6 Ups And 1 Down From 'The Resurrection'

Lightning strikes.

Black Lightning
The CW

The CW has a new superhero.

The network may already have Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Supergirl, but they've added to that already impressive roster with Black Lightning, based on the DC character of the same name. The midseason series, which will run for 13 episodes, was originally slated to air on Fox (which has DC shows of its own in Gotham and Lucifer) before moving to The CW.

Although he too hails from DC, the setup here is quite different from the other shows: Jefferson Pierce (the alter-ego of the titular hero) has already been in the superhero game and retired. But just when he thought he was out, it's pulled him back in.

The story starts nine years after Pierce hung up his lightning bolts, and finds him now working as a high school principal in the fictional city of Freeland, with a divorce and two grown kids as well. A local gang, The 100, is terrorising the community, forcing him back to Black Lightning.

With its first episode in the bag, has lightning struck yet again for The CW? Let's take a look at how its pilot episode, The Resurrection, shaped up.

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Contributor
Contributor

NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.