Black Lightning strikes as new favorite superhero

Jon Kealey, Staff Writer

The CW network is no stranger to providing viewers with captivating shows filled with action, drama, comedy, and more often than not, superpowers, as seen in “Arrow” and “The Flash”. These shows have always shown success by winning multiple teen choice awards and quite frankly, Black Lightning just may be the best out of all of them.
Black Lightning follows the life of Jefferson Pearce, a father of two, a high school principal, and oh yeah, a retired superhero. When a gang known as “The 100” starts to threaten the safety of his students and daughters, he decides to put the mask back on and be the hero his city and his family needs.
Cress Williams is brilliant in his portrayal of the title character, pouring his heart into the role of a father who seems to have the world resting on his shoulders. The family dynamic of the show is what truly stands out above all else. Whether it be the chemistry between the cast or simply the realism behind the writing, we can all see a little bit of ourselves somewhere in the Pearce family.
Yes, Black Lighting is indeed the typical superhero show, following the formula of a bad guy placing someone in danger, followed by Pearce suiting up to save the day, but in reality, the show is so much deeper than that. While other shows will focus on the action and special effects, Black Lightning focuses on the heart and the message that hope can be found in the hardest of situations.
Pearce is a man who’s lost his father to murder, his wife to divorce, and is in risk of losing his school and children to the threat of “The 100”. Pearce is also a man willing to take the extra step to ensure hope stays alive for the people around him.
Black Lightning, simply put, is one of the highest quality shows I’ve seen on television in quite a long time. It’s not a surprise that it’s currently rocking a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. Every Actor is tremendous, every scene is well designed, and despite the main character being able to shoot lightning from his hands, it still feels real and genuine.
Taking everything into account and comparing it to other shows of its kind currently on television, I’m giving Black Lightning 5 out of 5 stars. Viewers can get to know Jefferson Pearce for themselves every Tuesday night at 8 p.m. on the CW network.