User Reviews

Black Lightning's final season continues to impress. There's still a lot of callbacks to season one, which is great.

I think my favorite part of the episode was when Tobias showed up at Garfield just because he wanted to remind Jefferson that he still knew he was Black Lightning. That was so in character for him, and I loved it.

Not only that, but seeing Lynn's addiction keep getting worse as she has to keep using more and more different powers is a good way to take her character. Plus, when the couples counselor straight up asked if she had any friends, I busted out laughing, because she doesn't. It all works though, and it's in character for her.

Gambi is totally using his connection in Monovista. I was able to tell because we still don't know his, for lack of a better word "girlfriend's" name. Seems just like him to be honest. All he wants to do is protect the Pierce family. After all, they're his family too. This show's always been a show about a family at heart, which is why they're able to do certain storylines, and how they've been able to introduce this web of complex, well developed characters.

The name of the episode also fits. "The Book of Reconstruction: Chapter Two: Unacceptable Losses" is all about how much these characters have lost in the last three years, and how they're probably destined to lose more and more as the series approaches its final episode.

8/10 seems like a fair score for this episode. I can see the writers doing more with the 100 vs Kobra Cartel storyline, as well as the possibility of Anissa getting back out there and making more friends while Grace is in a coma. Plus, Tobias has access to the Katie AI that used to belong to Odell now, so there's no telling what he could use that for!

If I could ask the writers for one thing though, don't make the season much slower than this episode. When you have a string of slow episodes back to back to back, you get season two, and we all know how many people stopped watching in the middle of season two. Don't bury your head in the sand before the finish line, guys. Finish this series off strong!

I like 'Black Lightning', really I do. But the show moves so damned slowly. Which wouldn't be bad by itself. But it keeps hitting the same points over. And over. And over again. Jeff is depressed because Bill died. Got it. Lynn is abusing a new drug. Which even the production staff gaslights when they have Jeff point out that she's traded one drug for another. Got it.

Tobias is lurking in the shadows not doing much of anything except building up his reputation while being eeevvvilll. Got it. Jennifer and Anissa have their own issues. Got it. Grace is still in a coma. Someone is bringing in weapons to deal with the metas, because that always works well. Got it.

It just feels like the production staff keeps hitting the same plot points over and over. Which gets a bit monotonous. Yes, it's only two episodes in, but they've done the same thing most of the last three seasons. And it doesn't help that the show itself is kind of a downer. Yes, I get it that Jeff is down and out, and nobody is handling the "new" post-war Freeland well. But the other Arrowverse shows don't seem like such downers.

And with all this repetition, there's some things that they still haven't explained. Where is Peter hanging out these days? Is the new set an enhanced Lightning Lair from the last three seasons, or part of Lynn's facility, whatever and wherever that is. Or what?

It's nice to see James Remar getting a bit more attention. But his plot and his job offer are making him forget his role as sidekick to the Pierce clan. So the entire things presents him as hypocritical: Peter lectures Jeff about giving up on being a hero, while Peter is doing the same thing. to Jennifer.

And I like most of the cast. Remar is good. Cress Williams is good, although the production staff can't seem to give him more than one note to play at a time. McClaine and Nafessa Williams are good. Jones III is really good, although is it just me or has anyone else noticed that Tobias seems to get more of the racist dialogue. I could live without that.

I've never been a big fan of Christine Adams. Particularly on 'Black Lightning', she seems kind of... brittle? Maybe it's the character she's playing. I've never been a big fan of Lynn, and giving her (borrowed) powers isn't a solution. Maybe Lynn is supposed to be some kind of statement on black women who have to hold things together. You don't see Jeff reminindingJennifer about her college exams, do you?

But it doesn't add up to a very interesting character. You wonder what Jeff sees in her. Even the therapist noted that Lynn doesn't seem to have any hobbies or friends, outside of her job and her family. Lynn is a very... two-dimensional character. She seems to be there to spout medical-babble about the metagene, or nag the other characters, or both. And it gets really old after a while when that's 95% of what they give her to do.

This season's letting her use borrowed powers is a good example. She's getting her "powers" from someone else, which doesn't give her a lot of agency. Lynn is still nagging people, and she seems awfully short-sighted, barely acknowledging what Jeff is going through. Peter seems more sympathetic toward Jeff and his losing his friend, then Lynn is.

And what's with all the respect for Bill? They didn't even use him some episodes in previous seasons. Now his death is some big tragic dent in Jeff. Wish they had given Bill (and Gupton) more to do in previous seasons before he died. It would have made his death more impactful.

Overall, 'Black Lightning' is the gloomiest of the Arrowverse shows. I understand that a show that deals with real-life issues like police brutality and racism isn't going to be sunshine and unicorns. But sheesh: Jeff almost never seems to get a break.

But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?

This was another good, albeit, mostly uneventful episode. I'm glad the writers are allowing Jefferson to properly mourn Henderson's death in a realistic way, rather than trying to pretend everything's fine. I'm interested to see where they're going with Lynn and the meta boosters; maybe she can even become part of the team. However, I'm not super interested in the war between The 100 and the Kobra Cartel, and I hope that it's just a side plot to keep things moving while we catch up with the characters and not the main focus of the season. Also, I want to see more of Grace, Brandon, and TC. Both Grace and TC made brief appearances, but we haven't see Brandon at all this season, which is a shame because I really like all three of their characters. Overall, while I am still enjoying this season so far, I hope it picks up the pace sooner or later so it can end up being a worthy finale to this show.