Spoilers Black Lightning - Season 4: The Final Season

A lot of people mention PK's voice but I didn't have that issue but maybe it's because I have more problems with higher frequencies with my hearing?

I have mixed feelings on the CGI because yes it was quite noticeable but I liked that world that was presented. I know sometimes when watching BL that I get distracted sometimes at how slick and stylish everything is and with Akashic Valley now they have an excuse for it where the visuals match the environment. I may be more forgiving than I should be because the episode caught me off guard and really surprised me and I really enjoyed that.

 

Normally, I reply directly to @ tr well organized reviews, but thought I would take a different approach, typing up my own first, before reading in detail (I glanced at the replies so far, so I might touch on a couple of things now, but will reply later)


First, let me reiterate that I think Jordan Calloway is DEFINITELY the next generation action star, and this pilot should be “proof of concept” of that to any Hollywood executive. Whether or not this show makes it past one season, his agents had better be lining up some major action movies for him to star in.


I am surprised no one mentioned the blatant (and overused) Matrix line “I need guns. Lots of guns.” (A movie which was released before Khalil was born!). But again, Hollywood producers, if you wanted the next Neo, here he is. (And the costumes for his friends also look Matrix’y. Cool-looking, but seems “unreal”

but then he turns around and barely uses those guns, and bows down with his katana before fighting. The security must have been laid off workers from STAR Labs, because it is ridiculous that they didn’t shoot him on sight, especially coming in like that. Again, great display of his skills and movie potential, but the scenario is silly.


Also, I did Not notice either that anyone has mentioned Khalil’s age. In this pilot, he comes across as mid to late 20’s, at least. But in terms of the show, he can’t be more than 19 or so. (Assuming Khalil was 1 or maybe 2 grades ahead of Jen… and I am not sure if she is a junior or senior, since she is taking the SAT, normally a junior year activity, with fall of senior year as your “last chance”). For the spinoff show, which presumably will draw in many more viewers than Black Lightning,

The dual personalities thing worked as a story arc in Black Lightning, but it’s gonna get old after 1 season of the show. I mean, Bucky has the same thing, but he seems to have it reasonably resolved during Falcon and Winter Soldier. I did pick up on the voice change comments… previously, it was Khalil the teenager vs. cold hearted Painkiller. But this version of Khalil, with his “meditation” and such, is acting more “logical”, and since they don’t want to have a “savage” Painkiller personality, the voice difference will be the only way to make them distinct.

And speaking of that “meditation” – it kinda has that “Last Dragon” feel where the black character takes on what the Asian character is “supposed” to teach. Not quite sure yet if they are on the respect side (like Man with the Iron Fist) or closer to cultural appropriation.


His back up crew seems cool…. But seems like he rescued them pretty quickly within a year (is that how long he has been gone from Freeland? BL’s weakness is its timey-wimey chronology). Other than the advisor & Mya, it seems like a mostly male show.

The setting just feels weird, and disconnected. The futuristic stuff of the Valley seems so out of line with the real world feel of Freeland. I mean, the holographic phone booth would have seemed cool and futuristic 25 years ago… but today, the Global from Earth Final Conflict feels more realistic. I understand for private offices, but as a public “phone booth”?

Or, as another comparison, the difference between seasons 1 and 2 of War of the Worlds form the 80’s


They DID do a good job connecting with the old series, with Khalil calling Anissa “Harriet.” But other than the vague references to Jennifer’s “changes”, it still seemed disconnected. It’s almost like an Earth-BL-b as opposed to the “prime” show’s earth.

And Odell as the behind the scenes villain? Bill Duke portrays an EXCELLENT antagonist… but he seemed more like an overzealous government agent IN Black Lightning than daddy/advisor to a Next Gen mafia head. Why would she have a British accent (other than perhaps a divorce, and immigration by his ex wife)? Perhaps we would see the connection later, but it just seems forced to me. Shoot, Lady Eve would be more realistic (especially since she isn’t “really” on Black Lightning it seems this season).


I would give this a B… worth trying out, but not sure if it would draw me in (I recall a different reaction with the 1st episode of BL)

 

I rewatched it last night, and it still really worked for me -- better than I actually wanted it to, since I'm trying to wean myself off most of the Arrowverse shows, and would just as soon Painkiller looked like a dud. Truth be told, I enjoyed it more than I have most of this season of Black Lightning so far, which has struck me as the show's least exciting and most uneven to date.

You're right about the bit with Khalil bowing over the sword while the guards surrounded him, though. A criminal stronghold like that, anybody walking in with a weapon should have been Swiss cheese before he got past the threshold.

 

Didn't really work for me. Just a collection of action tropes. Actors were very personable.

 

I was thinking the exact same thing.

They will often times add more characters after these kind backdoor pilot episodes, so there's a chance they could add more women to the cast if it gets picked up.

 

I read a post on another board that talked about the fictional DC cities having real world analogs with exaggerated, branded 'personalities'. So would the Valley be DC's Las Vegas counterpart? Is there a Vegas like city already used in the DC verse?

 

Yes, it's called Las Vegas.
I'm sure at some point in the Silver Age they had a city called "Casino City" or something.

 

I didn't think it was very Vegas-like at all. It wasn't just glitzy lights, it was a hyper-futuristic techno-utopia, like a slicker Blade Runner. If anything, the closest real-world equivalent is probably something like Tokyo or Singapore.

I thought the name "Akashic" sounded vaguely Native American, but I looked it up, and it turns out that it's a weird idea from theosophy, derived from a Sanskrit word: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akashic_records

 

I think Akashic Valley is supposed to be like some of the Asian cities today.

 

The opening with mister CGI Owl flying over and Anissa and Grace in the driverless car, traveling thru uninhabited desert and mountainous region, had me thinking more of Vegas rather than today's modern Asian cities (despite of the use of heavy Blade Runner Asian aesthetics).

 

Yep, Shinjuku is just the sort of thing I was thinking of. The closest equivalent I know of in the US is Times Square.

It's not about "Asian aesthetics," it's about the level of cutting-edge technological advancement, of futurism made real in the present.

 

I tried to Google a bit but there's not much out there. Did find this from Jordan Calloway talking to EW:

Still doesn't say where it's positioned, does seem kind of out west somewhere though the multilingual welcome (English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese(?)) and the whole "where the past, present, and future flow through" is evocative of someplace more exotic though the signage is all English.

 

There are a lot of Spanish-speaking people and a fair number of Chinese-speaking people in the Western US. Perhaps it's in California, the Arrowverse answer to Silicon Valley.

 

Calloway is a solid actor, one who had to believably take the Khalil character from hopeful high school student, to defeated, injured and making the unwilling journey into a killer for two corrupt individuals, and now a mature man trying to suppress said killer. Many actors would approach this evolution in a hard, turn one character on / shut the other one down manner, being nothing more than a line-reader. Calloway guided Khalil every step of the way, never allowing him to be a stereotype (of any kind) or a one-note villain.

In the pilot, he was still in high school, so in the series timeline he cannot be older than 22 at the most (adding in the stated year in-between seasons 3 and 4).

His programmed side will be a factor, in the event this goes to series, since there's no doubt Odell and his daughter will want to gain control over Painkiller. The way he would be used is the question, since plots involving a certain family in Freeland (for example) will not be a factor once Black Lightning is off air, and I doubt the showrunners are going to keep bringing back characters they decided to axe.

That's the point--to avoid the sameness of many Arrowverse shows and place it in a very different, less domestic setting fitting the more exotic, dangerous edge of places were the structure of Western justice does not exist.

Errg. Don't remind me.

I took the brief scene with Anissa to be the pilot wrapping up any loose threads to the parent series, capped off by Khalil asking Anissa to keep knowledge of his whereabouts a secret. In other words, he's closed the book on Freeland, so the audience should (if the series happens), as well.

 

FWIW, Salim Akil has suggested Anissa and Jennifer would likely put in appearances if Painkiller goes to series.

https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/black...-season-painkiller-spinoff-and-teases-ishmael

 

Given that BL and SG are finishing after the current seasons depending on what else CW has in development could be a good chance that Painkiller goes to series.

Though would it be Jennifer Mk1 or Mk2? (China Anne McClain might be for a couple of eps rather than a regular on a series if she's not otherwise committed).

 

I assume it would be new Jen. They've written McClain's version out rather definitively, and it would involve even more tortured narrative convolutions to bring her back at this point (not to mention it would be pretty insulting to the new actress). Plus there's drama to be mined from Khalil having to accept his love in her very different form.

 

Black Lightning - The Final Season
Season 4 - Episode 8 - "The Book of Ruin- Chapter Three: Things Fall Apart "

Jefferson Pierce / Black Lightning / Lynn: Lynn immediately suspected Tobias of the false embezzlement charges--seems logical. Once again, Jefferson finds himself on the losing end of Tobias' game, which is played on the most dangerous stage in today's world: digitally controlled money and social media. At present, Jefferson does not stand a chance against Tobias.

Gambi / Monovista International / Lauren Caruso: Gambi being the host for the sample...how is that going to work out?? Regarding his romance with Lauren...I get the impression that she's suspicious about Gambi (knowing his darker background), but will use him as long as possible. Essentially the same thing he's doing.

Jennifer / Anissa / Grace: Anissa said, "Pierces handle anything that is thrown at them." With the growing influence Tobias is having over their lives, living up to that family belief might not be doable, and sure enough, the two-on-one fight with Ishmael barely ended in a stalemate, with Anissa suffering a serious cut to her thigh. It says much that Anissa and Grace did not feel too confident about running into their hunter for a second time.

"The sisters are looking for more sisters"--was Jennifer's quick reference to real world Catholics seeking to recruit more black people.

Jennifer's new friend mentioned being tired of the cancel culture time they're living in--he's not kidding, and the showrunners are making a statement that contrary to the beliefs / wishes of mainstream media, there are black people not on board with cancel culture.

Jefferson noticed Jennifer called him "daddy"--a term she has not used in years. It make me wonder if the change into NuJennifer has drawn elements from her own past self leading to its influence on her current mind...
At the time I was noting that, the scene with Lynn revealed that NuJennifer's Particle Form Sustainability registered as "Uncertain"--unlike her original self. Why Lynn did not share this startling news with Jefferson could be explained as Lynn not wanting to worry Jefferson when his life is being destroyed by Tobias, but as Jefferson has said time after time, nothing is more important than his family. That uncertainly might be the showrunners way of leaving the door open for China Anne McClain? Who knows.

Tobias: When Tobias sets his mind on destroying someone, he goes all out--now targeting Jefferson's father's home to be demolished for a hospital. Jefferson--obviously incensed--also spoke to the legacy of a black man owning something, and building generational wealth. To that point, I do love how so many of the concerns we constantly discuss in the real world are brought to light in a series in ways few other series will ever have the interest or will to pursue.

The nullifying effect discovered by the heroes might explain why/how Tobias claimed to be immune to Black Lightning's power, which would give him permanent protection from metahumans unwilling to use traditional weapons against him.

NOTES:
Khalil / T.C.: Wise follow-up to the "Painkiller" episode. Earlier, I posted that took the brief scene with Anissa was the pilot wrapping up any loose threads to the parent series (Khalil asking Anissa to keep knowledge of his whereabouts a secret), but in a nice surprise, he's now aware of the situation with Jefferson and Tobias, which might place him on the road back to Freeland (provided Odell & his daughter do not complicate his life in the near future), and perhaps (as I wondered a few weeks ago) he might be the one to give Ishmael trouble he cannot handle.

GRADE: A+.

 

I’m in a mood today so just some random dumb thoughts

- “Red” sure looks a hell of a lot like Zsasz on Gotham
- Anyone get slight Sho Nuff vibes from Ishmael?
- Can’t imagine JJ ever getting picked on as a new girl
- Tobias is going to be drawing mustaches and missing teeth on Pierce family pictures before this series is over
- I’ve forgotten what Gambi’s flame is up to so it just seems like he’s being mean to her for no reason lol

 

I don't think so, since BL still had his powers, they just didn't affect Tobias. Val's nullifying power would've shut down Jeff's electricity completely, as Gambi's proximity did here.

Making directed energy guns that can kill metas, and providing them to the racist-against-metas police chief. Possibly other corporate evilness, but I can't recall, and the Arrowverse Wiki is lagging behind on updating its BL entries.