Channel Surfing: Black Lightning - "The Resurrection"

Scene from Black Lightning
Welcome to a new column called Channel Surfing, in which I sporadically look at current TV shows and talk about them. These are not ones that I care to write weekly recaps for and are instead reflections either on the episode, the series, or particular moments. This will hopefully help to share personal opinions as well as discover entertainment on the outer pantheon that I feel is well worth checking out, or in some cases, shows that are weird enough to talk about, but should never be seen.
The year 2018 will mark the 10th anniversary of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In a lot of ways, it set the precedent for modern blockbuster entertainment. Suddenly any superhero under the sun could become a household name and lead an obscure sci-fi movie to international success. However, it's brought with it a different kind of fatigue. Because superhero stories are so popular, there's no excuse to not green light shows that maybe were bad ideas. MCU hit a snag with this in 2017 with Iron Fist and Inhumans TV series. It's raised the question as to whether superhero fatigue is a real thing, especially as the C.W. is now producing its FIFTH D.C. property, and one allegedly not attached to its Arrowverse: Black Lightning.
On the surface, it reads like a desperate plea for attention. It's about an aging superhero drawn back to fighting crime when his family is placed in the way of danger. It's not a terribly complex concept, but it's staggering to compare the show to The CW's Supergirl or The Flash. Those are comparatively kiddie fodder compared to Black Lightning, who has more of a socially conscious approach to their story. They're darker and possibly more graphic than any recent CW show. It shines through as a sociopolitical drama first about family, capturing a better understanding of what inspires crime than any other recent superhero show. In some ways, it succeeds where shows like Luke Cage falters by creating a universe that feels heightened, but also grounded in something familiar. This is a world where the hero is profiled by police officers, even as he's a figure of high regard. Black Lightning may not set out to be the icon for Black Lives Matter, but it's woven into the themes, whether it be in the father character or the daughter whose troublesome ways kicks events into gear.
This is part of what gives the series an immediate distinction. Most of The CW's brand has been reliant on teen angst narratives, and Black Lightning chooses to explore the ravages of age. This is a man who has put in his hours and is contemplating the importance of justice. He has found a way to fight crime in a more civil environment, but it will only get him so far. His daughter, of whom develops superpowers by the episode's end, is the familiar rebel who hangs around shady individuals and creates the concern that even in typical dramas would get the parents upset. As much as the return of the eponymous character is a triumph over a local gang, it's about understanding the vulnerability of a community that designates areas forbidden due to gang violence. It knows that these circumstances could come back to haunt them. In that way, it's a compelling study of a society needing to restore order, of which Black Lightning suggests had been done pretty well before.
On the plus side, the fight choreography has the benefit of an excellent soundtrack. The hero's first big fight scene is set to Jack White's "Lazaretto" as he destroys a gang at a local motel. It's like a scene out of The Raid, ending in a character injured over the roof of a nice car. Even as the hero saves the day, there's a sense of aging vulnerability and the concern that he might not be able to old this up for long. It isn't just because his age has made him slower, it's that he has too much emotional attachment to his family, and he's known within the community. He's more of an easy target, and it will make his return all the more complicated. The bigger issue is how he's going to raise a daughter who is just discovering her powers. It's intriguing to see this dynamic on a main channel superhero series, and one can wonder where things will go from here.
Black Lightning manages to distinguish itself from the other superhero shows by exploring the idea of a hero within a community as a force for change. He doesn't fight for most of the episode, yet the drama is just as riveting and builds to an excellent finale that sets up the season's struggles. It may be an obscure character, and its darker themes may make it less marketable than the other C.W. shows, but it definitely has an earnestness and heart already that helps to make it compelling beyond a simple gimmick. It's tough to tell how well the show will do compared to its successful, younger comic book shows. However, it has enough of an angle and a compelling lead performance that would suggest that, if just for one season, it will manage to tell a unique superhero story largely because it feels secondary to the drama of society and family - and it all feels more prescient to modern times in ways that could give it an overall edge.

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