Black Lightning


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Everyone is hoping we will see John in this. I stopped watching because I didnt want to get my hopes up.


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DeathQuaker wrote:
Jeff's characterization seems to be stuck in a little bit of a rut. He seems to have unlearned some lessons I thought he learned last season. Mind, I still like Jeff, but they need to pick an arc/development and stick with it.

This is, alas, not what the CW writers excel at.

DeathQuaker wrote:
Maybe we've talked about this before... but her surname is Stewart. Does she have a relative named "John"?

Pretty sure it hasn't come up in the show so far, but in the comics, yes: GL John Stewart is Lynn's brother.

DeathQuaker wrote:
So Bill knows now...

I get a sort of Easter egg kick out of him. The recurring cop character on the George Reeves Adventures of Superman series was Inspector Bill Henderson.

RPG Superstar 2015 Top 8

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LOL I didn't know that about Bill. That's awesome.

This is above all the best superhero show on broadcast TV. Even with occasional shortcomings the writing's pretty tight and the plotting's good. Freehold, not watching it because of a character it's not about anyway... you're missing out. I think it'll be cool if they reference him (especially if he is Lynn's brother). But the show is amazing and stands on it's own.

Just saw the 2nd episode of the season now. The ending made me cry! (Tears of inspiration.)


Damon Griffin - I haven't seen that show in so long. Thank you for sharing that. Very awesome.

Did anyone else find the last segment of episode 3 to be a bit disjointed?

Near as I can tell, season 2 is a 13 ep order like season 1. This means no filler episodes where Iris/Felicity/Alex doesn't get a chance to Barry/Olie/Kara so a big reveal doesn't happen for another couple eps in order to drag everything out for the 22 episodes.

But it also means they might have to cut scene or glance over things in order to tell the story in the time allotted.

Scarab Sages Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games

GreenDragon1133 wrote:

Damon Griffin - I haven't seen that show in so long. Thank you for sharing that. Very awesome.

Did anyone else find the last segment of episode 3 to be a bit disjointed?

Near as I can tell, season 2 is a 13 ep order like season 1. This means no filler episodes where Iris/Felicity/Alex doesn't get a chance to Barry/Olie/Kara so a big reveal doesn't happen for another couple eps in order to drag everything out for the 22 episodes.

But it also means they might have to cut scene or glance over things in order to tell the story in the time allotted.

No, I agree and was thrown off by all of a sudden Tobias at the tomb and then cops show up with no indication to the viewer as to how or why.

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Jason Nelson wrote:
GreenDragon1133 wrote:

Damon Griffin - I haven't seen that show in so long. Thank you for sharing that. Very awesome.

Did anyone else find the last segment of episode 3 to be a bit disjointed?

Near as I can tell, season 2 is a 13 ep order like season 1. This means no filler episodes where Iris/Felicity/Alex doesn't get a chance to Barry/Olie/Kara so a big reveal doesn't happen for another couple eps in order to drag everything out for the 22 episodes.

But it also means they might have to cut scene or glance over things in order to tell the story in the time allotted.

No, I agree and was thrown off by all of a sudden Tobias at the tomb and then cops show up with no indication to the viewer as to how or why.

I had assumed that painkiller listened to Black Lighting enough to decide to turn on Tobias, but didn't trust Black Lightning enough to work with him, so instead told the cops where to find him.

I'm assuming that we'll find out this week what really led to the tip off.


I was really hoping the new principal wouldn't be an ass.
Either way, more goodness. The relationship between Jeff and Lynn remains a high point of the show, and while there is plenty of drama going on here, like in all the other CW shows, it seems so much more understandable and well-handled/well-acted than in the others.
Jeff and Anissa disagreeing over her stealing, Jennifer's alienation and her parent's quite sensible and understandable concerns about her, Jeff's problems at school and with Henderseon, etc.
I'm surprised to find I'm enjoying the show as much for the soap opera as the superhero stuff, which is absolutely not the case with any other superhero show, Marvel or DC.

RPG Superstar 2015 Top 8

Yeah, I was hoping they wouldn't go with the stereotypical evil principal who doesn't "get it" and who is directly at odds with the teachers/students... that's been in every high school-related drama since the beginning of time. He feels like such a cliche, it's hard to get invested in that part of the story. I'd rather someone obviously well meaning and wanting to do good--and moreover even supportive of/sympathetic to Jeff--but clearly has no experience with an environment like Freeland and screws up because of that. So it would be a real and complex conflict for Jeff to try to convince someone who truly means well but is in over their heads and doesn't want to recognize it, rather than a cardboard powermongering villain who obviously doesn't care about anyone other than himself.

I was disappointed in Jennifer going to Khalil because I thought she had figured out he was no good by now, but I guess that was inevitable anyway.

I'm sad Karen died, I wanted to see more of her. But I'm liking Gambi's plot. Lynn's plot is also interesting and terrifying.

I think Whale's plot would have been more frustrating and jarring if I hadn't just finished watching Daredevil season 3. Now it just feels too Fisk-like... but I know that it will lead to interesting things later.

RPG Superstar 2015 Top 8

Oh, and Dr. Jace's comment got me thinking: "There are 3 people in the world who can do what I do and the other two are nowhere near as nice as I am."

In the DCU, who might the other two be? Lex Luthor? Man-bat? What supervillains could have geneticist backgrounds?


Could be anyone, really. A number of the superbrains are rather good at most anything if they really want to be. DCAU Cheetah would fit the bill. Langstrom is a good choice. Probably entirely new characters, if they ever bother to introduce them.

Jennifer going to Khalil would have worked better if he hadn't temporarily killed her father just a few months ago. She may be frustrated and angry with her parents but I find it hard to swallow that she' OK with that.


DeathQuaker wrote:
In the DCU, who might the other two be? Lex Luthor? Man-bat? What supervillains could have geneticist backgrounds?

Possibly the Ultrahumanite. He can surgically transplant brains (including his own) into another body without transplant rejection, even when different species are involved. His brain was in a gorilla body for a while.

He's not someone I ever expect to see on any of the CW shows, though.


Salli Richardson-Whitfield! I really hope she's going to be recurring. I loved her on Gargoyles and Eureka.


GreenDragon1133 wrote:
Salli Richardson-Whitfield! I really hope she's going to be recurring. I loved her on Gargoyles and Eureka.

And Stitchers.


Not familiar with that one.

RPG Superstar 2015 Top 8

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Thought that last few episodes were quite good, and while I enjoyed this one, I found it lacking for a mid-season finale. I'm used to crazier cliffhangers, I guess.

I am pleasantly surprised by Khalil and Jennifer's storyline. I know intellectually they are still being foolish, but this is the first time their relationship has been really sold to me (though I still think Jennifer can do WAY better... but it's not like most 16 year old girls have good sense for who a good partner should be like). And even in spite of the dangers, there's a part of me rooting for them to keep running and get away. I know that's highly unlikely, but yet I am very sympathetic to both their plights. I also love seeing that being under this pressure is actually what is helping Jennifer learn to control her powers (mind with Perenna's guidance as a foundation), and that it was clear her parents were so wrong to keep her "contained" even if it was for all the right reasons. Love seeing her use her powers in new ways--the "electrosense" is very cool; she is doing naturally what Jeff can only do with his goggles (and she can also see him coming from a mile away).

At the same time, Lynn is breaking my heart. The actress is SELLING a grieving (but still thinking) mother. I love how each member of the family is reacting to the situation in very different but each understandable and real ways.

Damn but Black Lightning and Thunder may as well just walk up to Tobias and the rest of the world and say, "Hi, we're the Pierce Family!" As from the prior ep, it's becoming increasingly obvious that they're not just after Khalil, but Jennifer, and are invested in protecting the Pierces. I know revealing their identities isn't their forefront concern right now, but they are being very sloppy.

I wonder if indeed Black Lightning and Thunder are going to be drawn into a trap while on the search--all Tobias needs to do is create false evidence Khalil and Jennifer are somewhere--and Jennifer will return to rescue them, and that's how she'll reunite with the family.

I *don't* want them to get back together because she has to be rescued from Cutter--I want for her to be respected by her family for what she's capable of (intellectually and emotionally, not just powers-wise), not be seen as a perpetual victim (the exact reason she ran away). (Also, how much time passed by the time Jeff and Anissa got to the barn? Cutter was still out cold when Khalil and Jennifer left, but had not only awakened and freed herself (which doesn't happen quickly) by the time they got there. It seemed like they had not been so far off (especially since they were at the hospital at the same time).

Not really interested in teleport dude at the end--I know that was meant to be the intriguing cliffhanger (along with Tobias hiring genius kid), but it just feels like a distraction from everything else.


If she can TK her knives, then cutting a rope wouldn't take too long.

RPG Superstar 2015 Top 8

Good point! (Is that a pun?)


I believe it counts.

RPG Superstar 2015 Top 8

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Oh COME ON. You have a huge caravan of a bajillion police cars and armored cars, and all of you GET OUT OF THE CAR, ONE AT A TIME to confront the crazy lady who jumps up and attacks the one cop who approaches him? Not ONE thought, "Hey, she just killed a cop and I'm in an armored vehicle, I can just run her over in self defense now." Their lampshading it by having the one guy say, "Just drive past" just made it worse, because it just drew attention to how stupid they were being. While I can see ONE car pulling aside to investigate, they all should not have stopped. That was just STUPID, and totally pulled me out of the whole scenario. (Not to mention, it seems weird that Black Lightning wouldn't have followed just to be sure nothing stupid happened.)

Not to mention, Freeland reminds me of the city I live in, and in the city I live in, the cops definitely would have just drove on by.

They REALLY should have written that whole scene/handover WAAY differently. Hell, just having Khalili leave and be caught would have made way more sense.

Otherwise, I'm glad to see the show return. Lynn FTW. Looking forward to Jennifer slowly developing into Lightning.


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This is an unfortunate TV trope. The driver of the armored car, prisoner transfer vehicle or what have you will always be fooled by a staged accident and abandon his post to try to deal with something for which he probably has no relevant training. (That last might not apply to the SWAT guys tonight, but they should have had more professional focus than to be diverted from a high risk assignment.)

World class martial artist or not, HTF was Cutter able to take out over a dozen heavily armed cops using only knives? She doesn't have super speed; she's not bulletproof. Srlsy, no one managed to shoot her?

Not sure where Khalil was being transferred to, so maybe it wouldn't have made sense for Black Lightning to follow the entire way (I have the impression that he can't fly very fast, or very far without a recharge.) Plus as Henderson pointed out, he's still a fugitive. But yeah, just making the assumption that all was well once Khalil was in the van was stupid.

Lynn did...okay tonight. I'm afraid the scene where she insisted on solo searches and got her way came off as "Don't argue with the crazy lady, no telling what she might do" rather than "Okay, sure, she can handle this." More "hysterical parent" than "mama grizzly."

RPG Superstar 2015 Top 8

Yeah, it seemed like the police just waited for Cutter to kill them. She's supposed to be able to telekinetically control her knives to some degree, but I don't think it's supposed to be like Yondu with his arrow (which is a little too powerful for this show).

While the solo search scene I was shouting "DON'T SPLIT THE PARTY" I didn't read her so much as hysterical when pumping the shotgun as reminding the others she has been capable in a crisis without superpowers, and is able even to kill if she has to. Though my Lynn FTW comment was more about later scenes--I just feel like the actress is good, and her actions, while not always rational (few human beings truly are most of the time), are of a good smart mom and doctor who learns from her mistakes (if slowly). The character feels the most real-person to me in the cast (I mean in terms of breadth of emotion and development, not because she's the "normal human") and the actress plays her very well.


It's a pretty basic superhero trope for badass normal heroes/villains to be able to handle essentially any reasonable number of cops/soldiers/gangsters without any real problems. Named characters beat mooks.

RPG Superstar 2015 Top 8

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While that is a given, the setup was done extremely poorly and implausibly, and therefore doesn't earn a handwave.

If for example, she had attacked after BL left but before they finished transferring him into the van, I could have bought that.

If they had just had him in a normal paddy wagon with little to no escort (with the explanation that a large escort would have drawn too much attention), I could have bought that.

But what they did is have him in a dozen cars and two armored vehicles, and ALL OF THE COPS GOT OUT OF THEIR VEHICLES, ONE AT A TIME, TO FIGHT HER.

That's just impossibly, mindbogglingly STUPID. The precise way in which it was executed doesn't make the character look badass, it makes the writers and director of the show look like idiots. It was painfully immersion-shattering to watch. All the moreso because generally the scripting is tighter on this show than on most other CW shows, so the scene stuck out like a sore thumb.

Not to mention it's also really lame payoff after Khalil being on the run for something like two or three straight episodes. They should have at least given him a fight scene with Cutter before he was captured.

TL;DR the problem has nothing to do with the use of a trope (that all of us geeks are well aware of) and everything to do with its execution.


DeathQuaker wrote:

Oh COME ON. You have a huge caravan of a bajillion police cars and armored cars, and all of you GET OUT OF THE CAR, ONE AT A TIME to confront the crazy lady who jumps up and attacks the one cop who approaches him? Not ONE thought, "Hey, she just killed a cop and I'm in an armored vehicle, I can just run her over in self defense now." Their lampshading it by having the one guy say, "Just drive past" just made it worse, because it just drew attention to how stupid they were being. While I can see ONE car pulling aside to investigate, they all should not have stopped. That was just STUPID, and totally pulled me out of the whole scenario. (Not to mention, it seems weird that Black Lightning wouldn't have followed just to be sure nothing stupid happened.)

Not to mention, Freeland reminds me of the city I live in, and in the city I live in, the cops definitely would have just drove on by.

They REALLY should have written that whole scene/handover WAAY differently. Hell, just having Khalili leave and be caught would have made way more sense.

Otherwise, I'm glad to see the show return. Lynn FTW. Looking forward to Jennifer slowly developing into Lightning.

No defense for poor writing... but I don't think there's ever a legal defense of 'Run her over with a car in Self defense'...

At least I wouldn't want ot be the defense attorney bringing that up :D

RPG Superstar 2015 Top 8

1) I was being somewhat hyperbolic, but did you watch the episode? There's at least a dozen vehicles including a couple very large armored transports. They could have driven past, and there is a line of dialogue that even makes it clear it was possible for them to do so, which only highlights how ridiculous the ensuing scene is.
2) She began by killing a police officer, and I think they have the right to use lethal force in response (or escape in a vehicle, and if they "accidentally" hit her with the car, so be it).
3) Even if that's not true, it wouldn't stop the police in my city. And Freeland's police are not supposed to be very ethical.


DeathQuaker wrote:
I just feel like the actress is good, and her actions, while not always rational (few human beings truly are most of the time), are of a good smart mom and doctor who learns from her mistakes (if slowly). The character feels the most real-person to me in the cast (I mean in terms of breadth of emotion and development, not because she's the "normal human") and the actress plays her very well.

No argument there.


They had at least a dozen vehicles. Why didn't they have one or more advanced scouts? Who's purpose it is to block off cross streets.

The scout(s) spot an "accident", report it, and the caravan re-reoutes.

And I agree, why didn't any of the 20+ cops get back in their armored vehicle, for safety if not to run her over?

RPG Superstar 2015 Top 8

GreenDragon, indeed if the writers knew what they were doing that's how it should have worked. (I recall another show where they were transporting a prisoner, and they sent out a huge convoy... which distracted the bad guys, while the prisoner was transported in a civilian car undetected. Which would have been a good plan to use here.) There should also be fallout from so many police officers dying--Freeland's strained police resources should now be even more strained (though maybe I missed some dialogue to that effect), with some maybe quitting out of fear. It's ridiculous to hear Jeff talk about letting the system take care of it when the population of enforcers in the city has just been, from the looks of it, at least quartered. In other shows I might not notice, but this one usually pays attention to stuff like this. But again, this is Berlantiverse, even if usually well-written Berlantiverse. You're gonna get writers who phone it in eventually.

Tonight's episode was alright; always enjoy the performances, but I felt like the plot was spinning wheels.

When Lynn was arguing for treatments for Khalil, I really thought they were going to go a route of kidnapping him to get him to an ASA facility to try to save him. Seems like some interesting plot potential was lost.

Oh my god that lady with the SUV. Never have I rooted for vandalism so hard. I know it will be unwise and have terrible consequences, but I for one am here for Lightning's rampage across the city.


Jennifer was standing near the hood. Outside a hospital. No possible reason she might be in a parking lot at a hospital that doesn't involve criminal intent. I think that self-absorbed [censored - person] got off easy with an easily covered by insurance issue.

RPG Superstar 2015 Top 8

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Sadly, stuff like that happens all the time.

I saw this week's episode, and missed last week's, and feel like I hardly missed anything, which speaks to some pacing issues. There is SO much I like about this show, but I am starting to get frustrated with it.

Jeff's storyline with Principal Cliche McTrope is utterly boring and I could not care less about it. Let's just let Jeff be a teacher in the background (and not see the principal at all, just know he's there somewhere being in a snit) with some occasional heartwarming or heartwrenching student issues for plot development, and move on to the fun stuff.

Jennifer has gone from one of my least favorite to most favorite characters. I do not think she always does the best thing, but she is a realistic, bright teenager and I like how she's the main member of her family who keeps it real. The revenge kick is a tad cliche but I'm looking forward to it leading to her suiting up.

So team BL has Windfall, and Whale has all of the other Masters of Disaster and the rest of the pod kids. What could go wrong?

As for Todd--we didn't see his face, we didn't see a body, and we show Todd is smart as f+*#. I hope that means he shows up again.


I'm always impressed at how little damage firearms do in these shows.
I wonder about Jeff cauterizing the wound with his lightning - I thought the point was he simply absorbed it; can he turn off the absorbtion power?

Agent whatsisface continues to be an utter prick. I'm looking forward to him getting his comeuppance.


The guy bringing LaLa back. I IMDB'd him, and its interesting.

Regarding who he is: he is credited as:
But his MO sure reminds me of Baron Sin Gaaz.

But the actor! He the Other One. The Doctor's brother. The one that could die.

(For those that don't speak me) Elias Taylor from V and V: the Final Battle. The scene I just referenced, his scene at the end of the first night, that was one of the most powerful moments in the mini-series. And watching him grow as the story continued, Wow!
I'm glad to see Michael Wright in something again. So now I'm hoping he is playing that villain, and he'll be back for season 3.

RPG Superstar 2015 Top 8

CW's scheduling has been so wonky I think I missed a few episodes. Will have to catch up. *checks official Twitter* Oh, I only missed the SEASON FINALE. Jeez, CW.


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Looks like Black Lightning gets to be part of the big CW Crossover this year. Very much looking forward to that

Oh and Kevin Conroy will apparently be playing the live action Bruce Wayne


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Grey,

My understanding is he'll be kind of like Batman Beyond Bruce Wayne. Which, if you think about it, makes sense.


I am thinking the same, for me the first episode is good. Well, I am on Doom Patrol. One can check this out. It has a total of 15 episodes.


Be interesting if Conroy will team with Burt Ward in some way. I also heard a rumor that tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum will take part. Which will be weird, since Smallville did Crisis in Season 10.


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Green,

That rumor has been shot down by Rosenbaum saying he's not part of it.

What I think will happen with Conroy is that he'll play Batman Beyond Bruce Wayne while Burt Ward is the retired Nightwing. That's my take.


Sad about Rosenbaum. Did he say anything about the rumor of an animated adaptation of season 10?


Green,

No but again I heard that second handed...and things might change by the time September rolls around.


They often do.

Liberty's Edge RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16

So CW announced that the upcoming season 4 of Black Lightning will be it's last. But, that they're also developing a Painkiller spin off, and will have one S4 episode be a backdoor pilot for that.

I do hope that with both Supergirl and Black Lightning having their final seasons, that they find a way in the cross over this year to actually use the fancy Justice League room they unveiled at the end of Crisis.


Joel,

I think that's unlikely now. Mostly it will be as much of a one off as the Dominators.

Liberty's Edge RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16

Wow, last night's episode gets the award for the lamest crossover of all time. I get that with Covid they can't actually let cast from one show on the sets of another, but why even bother name dropping Central City, STAR Labs, and his friend who can get the Macguffin there in a Flash, if they couldn't even get a short scene filmed with Barry/Flash on the phone with Jefferson/Black Lightning and then add in some Flash running special effects without having an actor on the Black Lightning set? They could have also sprinkled in a bit of the Flash theme music into that scene if they had done it.

Considering that this was the first post-Crisis mention of any of the other Arrowverse shows in Black Lightning, they should have done better.


They should have...but I'm not sure that's how they're rolling this season.


I've said this before but....Why a Painkiller spinoff?

Thunder and Lightning are right there and you choose to go with Painkiller?


Yeah I can't figure that out either...but I guess they couldn't convinced the actresses to stay on...maybe.


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So...I watched the backdoor pilot for "Painkiller" this week. Didn't like it at all. I don't know, the set design, the lighting, just the whole Akashic Valley thing put me off.

Also wasn't thrilled about the "copycat" nature of the supporting characters as compared with those in Black Lightning (another former ASA guy and a medico, plus a high tech lair under an ordinary business), including the reveal on the villain at the end.

Nope.

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