Black Lightning
Cast & Key People
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Our Review
Cast & Key People
▶
Our Review
Black Lightning (2018) is a drama and crime series from The CW. Episodes run about 60 minutes. It premiered on January 16, 2018. Viewers rate it 5.8 out of 10. It is currently ended. It runs 4 seasons.
What Black Lightning Is About
Black Lightning centers on Jefferson Pierce. He made his choice: he hung up the suit and his secret identity years ago, but with a daughter hell-bent on justice and a star student being recruited by a local gang, he’ll be pulled back into the fight as the wanted vigilante and DC legend Black Lightning.
What to Expect When You Watch
Episodes run about 60 minutes, which keeps the pace tight, spread across 4 seasons and it leans into its drama/crime roots while leaving room for the quieter character beats.
Performance-wise the series leans on Nafessa Williams, Cress Williams and Christine Adams to carry the emotional weight, with the rest of the ensemble filling out the world around them.
Cast and Creative Team
Nafessa Williams, Cress Williams, Christine Adams, James Remar, China Anne McClain and Marvin "Krondon" Jones III lead the cast.
Key roles include Nafessa Williams as Anissa Pierce; Cress Williams as Jefferson Pierce / Black Lightning; Christine Adams as Lynn Stewart; James Remar as Peter Gambi; China Anne McClain as Jennifer Pierce.
Why It Stands Out
Fans of drama, crime and science-fiction have a clear reason to give this one a shot. It sits comfortably alongside The CW’s other originals, a 5.8/10 audience score puts it in steady company and it commits to its premise instead of hedging between tones.
Released in 2018 and carried by The CW with the series still ended, it lands hardest with drama and crime viewers.
How Black Lightning Compares
If Black Lightning lands for you, the next stops are Breaking Bad, Firefly and The Wire, which share its drama/crime lean.
Each of those sits at a different point on the same spectrum, so they make a natural follow-up once you finish the run here.
Where to Stream
Black Lightning comes from The CW. Check your preferred platform for current availability, since regional rights move around.
Disclosure: We may earn a commission if you sign up for a streaming service through links on this page. This helps support our independent reviews.
On the whole Black Lightning is the kind of series that rewards a patient watch, with Nafessa Williams and Cress Williams doing the heaviest lifting, a tone that stays true to its drama/crime roots, It has held up since 2018 and so if the premise sounds like your lane, the execution holds up.
The Bottom Line
Black Lightning is a safe bet for anyone already inside the drama and crime lane, the audience score holds around 5.8/10 and so there is little risk in starting it tonight.
Verdict: 5.8/10. Watch it if you want drama/crime you can settle into.
