Serie - Black Lightning brings another earth to the multiverse of DCTV

Par Lola, 20 janvier 2018

Based on the characters from DC, Black Lightning is from Berlanti Productions and Akil Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, with executive producers Greg Berlanti (“Arrow,” “The Flash”), Salim Akil & Mara Brock Akil (“Being Mary Jane,” “The Game,” “Girlfriends”), and Sarah Schechter (“Arrow,” “The Flash”). The Black Lightning character was created by Tony Isabella with Trevor Von Eeden.

Last week, a new show from Warner Bros. TV based on the superhero from DC Comics, Black Lightning was premiered on the United States. The pilot episode of the show does not shows us an origin story of the hero, like Warner has done with the rest of the DC shows, instead is placed in its own universe where there have been heroes before, in Freeland, and in an earth where there are the same insecurity, gang violence, discrimination among other social problems, as the one we live right now. In this very first episode, we get to see that the work of a superhero doesn’t ceases, and that one person can do a lot for their community regardless of having superpowers or not.

Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams) has hung his suit for the last 9 years. He’s a divorcee Principal of Garfield High and lives with his 2 daughters. Jennifer Pierce (China Anne McClain) is the youngest, an independent-top of the class-athlete and Anissa Pierce (Nafessa Williams), a med school student, teaching part time at hers father’s school. Lynn Pierce (Christine Adams) and Jefferson were married but the dangers of being a hero put at risk their relationship and ended up divorce.

Why a superhero does what he does? Family, as simple as that. Jefferson retired because he was afraid of losing his family and now he reacts to his family being threatened. The times may have changed, but the situations remain the same. The people of Freeland is still need help and it isn’t coming from the Police Department as efficiently as expected. This citizens are in need of someone who makes a difference and fights crime, but mainly gives hope like when Black Lightning was still active.

“Resurrection” is the name of this episode and is narrated by one the daughters of Black Lightning, showing us the impact that a parent make in their children life. Also this episode shows the lack of real representation in TV and their daily-life problems with discrimination just for having a different skin color.

Black Lightning premiered with record ratings for a DC Comics show in two years, leaving us with a lot of reasons to watch the following episodes. It airs Tuesdays on The CW in the United States, with Cress Williams as Jefferson Pierce / Black Lightning, China Anne McClain as Jennifer Pierce, Nafessa Williams as Anissa Pierce, Christine Adams as Lynn Pierce, Damon Gupton as Detective Henderson and James Remar as Peter Gambi.

Synopsis:
Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams) is a man wrestling with a secret. As the father of two daughters and principal of a charter high school that also serves as a safe-haven for young people in a neighborhood overrun by gang violence, he is a hero in his community. Nine years ago, Pierce was a hero of a different sort. Gifted with the superhuman power to harness and control electricity, he used those powers to keep his hometown streets safe as the masked vigilante Black Lightning. However, after too many nights with his life on the line, and seeing the effects of the damage and loss that his alter ego was inflicting on his family, he left the superhero days behind and settled into being a principal and a dad. Choosing to help his city without using his superpowers, he watched his daughters Anissa (Nafessa Williams) and Jennifer (China Anne McClain) grow into strong young women, even though his marriage to their mother, Lynn (Christine Adams), suffered. Almost a decade later, Pierce’s crime-fighting days are long behind him…or so he thought. But with crime and corruption spreading like wildfire, and those he cares about in the crosshairs of the menacing local gang The One Hundred, Black Lightning returns – to save not only his family, but also the soul of his community.

Black Lightning
Based on Black Lightning by Tony Isabella, Trevor Von Eeden
Developed by Salim Akil
Starring Cress Williams, China Anne McClain, Nafessa Williams, Christine Adams, Marvin "Krondon" Jones III, Damon Gupton, James Remar
Opening theme "Black Lightning" by Godholly
Composer : Kurt Farquhar
Executive producers: Sarah Schechter, Greg Berlanti, Mara Brock Akil, Salim Akil, Oz Scott, Pascal Verschooris
Producer : Robert West
Running time 42 minutes
Production companies : Berlanti Productions, Akil Productions, DC Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television
Distributor : Warner Bros. Television Distribution Release
Original network The CW (USA), Netflix (France)