
Scripted series · The CW
Black Lightning
High voltage action
Who's in it
Cast
The principal ensemble across the run of the series.
The Nutevio profile
TV DNA
How Black Lightning actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.
Signature profile
Black Lightning reads strongest on Spectacle, Character Depth and World Building.
Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.
How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.
The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.
How hard it is to stop after one episode.
How much the series is designed to affect you.
How much each hour depends on the one before it.
How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.
The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.
How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.
The story
What it's about
Jefferson Pierce 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 New Orleans neighborhood overrun by gang violence, he is a hero to his community.
The run
Seasons
4 seasons · 58 episodes.

Season 1 · Complete
Season 1
201813 episodes
6.2IMDbSchool principal and retired superhero Jefferson Pierce leaps back into action as the legendary Black Lightning after a gang threatens his family.
Best episode · S01E01 The Resurrection

Season 2 · Complete
Season 2
201816 episodes
5.6IMDbAs Jefferson and his family wrestle with shocking revelations and new threats from Tobias, Freeland demands justice for the "pod people."
Best episode · S02E16 The Book of the Apocalypse: Chapter Two: The Omega

Season 3 · Complete
Season 3
201916 episodes
6.2IMDbMarkovian attacks prompt the ASA to put Freeland on lockdown, Anissa adopts a new secret identity, and Green Light takes a toll on the Pierce family.
Best episode · S03E05 The Book of Occupation: Chapter Five: Requiem for Tavon

Season 4 · Complete
Season 4
202113 episodes
3.9IMDbWracked with guilt, Jefferson vows to leave his hero days behind. But new threats to Freeland — and metas — draw all the Pierces back into the fray.
Best episode · S04E13 The Book of Resurrection: Chapter Two: Closure
Where the series peaks
Best Episodes
The hours that define the show, ranked by audience response and editorial signal.

S03E05
The Book of Occupation: Chapter Five: Requiem for Tavon
Jefferson struggles with the effects on his family, leading to a decision with tragic consequences. Meanwhile, Anissa's identity is threatened. Lastly, Agent Odell takes an important step toward winning over Jennifer.

S03E07
The Book of Resistance: Chapter Two: Henderson's Opus
Anissa and Jefferson have a heart-to-heart and she tells him she needs Black Lightning’s help in escorting meta refugees out of the perimeter. Meanwhile, Gambi implores Lynn to help get him access to the Pit. Lastly, Jennifer grows closer to Brandon.

S03E13
The Book of Markovia: Chapter Four: Grab the Strap
Black Lightning and his team descend upon Markovia on a mission to rescue Lynn who finds herself in even more trouble when she meets Gravedigger, a metahuman on the Markovian side.

S01E01
The Resurrection
Jefferson Pierce is a man wrestling with a secret. As the father of Anissa and Jennifer, 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, but he left the Superhero days behind. Almost a decade later, Pierce’s crime-fighting days are long behind him…or so he thought.
- Directed by Salim Akil
- Written by Salim Akil

S01E04
Black Jesus
Black Lightning is recruited to rally against The 100 gang. Anissa investigates the new drug hitting the streets. Meanwhile, familiar faces begin to reappear.
- Directed by Michael Schultz
- Written by Pat Charles

S01E11
Black Jesus: The Book of Crucifixion
As suspicions grow that Jefferson Pierce is Black Lightning, the ASA arranges to have him arrested. Lynn seeks help from Detective Henderson. Meanwhile, as Jefferson is in custody, Gambi and Anissa work together to show Black Lightning is still running around the streets of Freeland.
- Directed by Michael Schultz
- Written by Melora Rivera
Recently aired
Latest Episodes

S04E13
The Book of Resurrection: Chapter Two: Closure
- Directed by Salim Akil
- Written by Charles Holland

S04E12
The Book of Resurrection: Chapter One: Crossroads
- Directed by Benny Boom
- Written by Brusta Brown, John Mitchell Todd

S04E11
The Book of Reunification: Chapter Two
- Directed by Bille Woodruff
- Written by Asheleigh O. Conley

S04E10
The Book of Reunification: Chapter One: Revelations
- Directed by Benny Boom
- Written by Jamila Daniel

S04E09
The Book of Ruin: Chapter Four: Lyding
- Directed by Keesha Sharp
- Written by Jamon Allen Brown

S04E08
The Book of Ruin: Chapter Three
- Directed by Bille Woodruff
- Written by André Edmonds
Behind the series
Created by
Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.
- Photo unavailable
Salim Akil
Showrunner

Mara Brock Akil
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Charles Holland
Executive producer

Greg Berlanti
Executive producer

Sarah Schechter
Executive producer

Oz Scott
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Lynelle White
Writer

Keli Goff
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Asheleigh O. Conley
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Jamila Daniel
Writer

Adam Giaudrone
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Jamon Allen Brown
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Melora Rivera
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Jan Nash
Writer

Lamont Magee
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Pat Charles
Writer
- Photo unavailable
André Edmonds
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Brusta Brown
Writer
- Photo unavailable
John Mitchell Todd
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Jake Waller
Writer
The craft
Key Crew
Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.
Executive production
- Mara Brock AkilExecutive Producer
- Carl OgawaProducer
- Jennifer LenceProducer
- Charles HollandExecutive Producer
- Greg BerlantiExecutive Producer
- Adam GiaudroneProducer
Writing
- Lynelle WhiteWriter
- Keli GoffWriter
- Asheleigh O. ConleyWriter
- Charles HollandWriter
- Jamila DanielWriter
- Adam GiaudroneWriter
Direction
- Rose TrocheDirector
- Rob HardyDirector
- Benny BoomDirector
- Bille WoodruffDirector
- Robert TownsendDirector
- Salli Richardson-WhitfieldDirector
Cinematography
- Ana M. AmorteguiDirector of Photography
- Fernando Reyes AllendesDirector of Photography
Music
- Kurt FarquharOriginal Music Composer
Where to watch
Streaming
Availability verified against regional listings.
- NetflixStreaming
- Amazon VideoBuy
- Apple TV StoreBuy
- Google Play MoviesBuy
- Fandango At HomeBuy
- Netflix Standard with AdsStreaming
If you liked this
Similar Series
Series that share this one's texture, not just its genre tags.
Where to go from here
Watch Next
Our editors' suggestion for the show you should start tonight — and why.
Never stop watching
Related Collections
No related collections yet
This title isn't in a published Nutevio collection yet. It will appear here automatically as soon as it is.
Join the conversation
































































