- Title: Black Lightning – Lawanda: The Book of Hope
- IMDb: link
With his daughters momentarily safe Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams) considers hanging up his costume again. However, with the inept police department unable to prosecute the gangbanger kidnapper (William Catlett) followed by the man’s murder of one of Pierce’s former students trying to save her own daughter, Black Lightning emerges from the shadow one more time. And this time it looks like he’s here to stay (at least as long as the show stays on the air). Even if the 100’s reach at times borders on the ridiculous, the show does succeed in presenting a better look at street-level gang activity than either Luke Cage or Daredevil. Of course it does help not having to half-explain a bizarre cult like the Hand.
Because of his desire to put his family back together and use his powers for good, the show’s second episode continues to play on the character’s conflicted nature about whether or not to suit up for battle. “Lawanda: The Book of Hope” also continues to develop Anissa Pierce (Nafessa Williams) and her discovery of a newfound strength as well as play on the romantic relationships of both Pierce’s daughters with Anissa’s hush-hush girlfriend (Shein Mompremier) and Jennifer (China Anne McClain) getting together with her best-friend. I don’t think I’m going too far out on a limb in guessing Anissa’s coming into her powers will parallel her coming out to her parents. As for Jennifer, the show still hasn’t sold me on the more irresponsible younger Pierce as anything more than a plot device to bring new trouble to the family.