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

4. Its Strong Messages

"I'm probably the angriest black man in Hollywood right now," Black Lightning co-creator Salim Akil told press at a launch event recently (he created the show alongside his wife Mara Brock Akil, and wrote/directed the pilot). He admitted that the crazy things going on in the world can't help but make it into his work, and that shines through in this episode.

It is, however, all very well done. At one stage, Pierce is pulled over by the police as they're looking for a robbery suspect. The only similarity between him and the robber, of course, is that they're both black. These commentaries, which highlight the Black Lives Matter movement, run throughout the first episode, and when it affects him or his family we see how Pierce lights up (quite literally) with anger.

The show also turns its gaze to gang violence, to broken down communities, and to kids at inner-city schools, where a teacher prepared to look and listen can make it a safe refuge. It has a strong voice and something important to say, never painting anyone or anything as a caricature or oversimplifying the process, and certainly not losing its sense of fun in the process.