TV Reviews: FTN Reviews Black Lightning Season 4 Episode 2: Unacceptable Losses

I really don’t know what’s happening with Black Lightning this season…but I’m not a fan.

“Unacceptable Losses” went and did some very weird things that not only made this season lose focus even more in some ways, but also, just have bouts of lazy or just plain stupid writing.

For example, we find out that Jennifer hasn’t signed up for her SATs and such so that she can go to college. A nice storyline. But the reason Jen gave for not doing it was “we just got out of a war…”, except, that’s not true. Don’t forget, Season 4 takes place a year AFTER death of Henderson and the end of the Markovia War. So that excuse doesn’t fly. What’s more, she thinks that “being a superhero is enough” even though her very parents can oh so happily say that doesn’t work. Superhero work doesn’t pay the bills, especially when the police don’t like you. Speaking of…

This new police chief is all kinds of weird. Rallying the tropes to go and stop a gang war? Perfect. But saying “it doesn’t belong to the freaking metas”, even though it was THREE metas who saved Freeland AND exposed racism and oppression on the city to Senate…kind of sends a conflicting message. Especially when Gambi reveal that the new weapons they’re getting to “fight metas” are 600% more lethal. How does that work with the “protect and serve” mantra? Exactly.

Continuing on with lazy writing. Jen going into that gang fight and stopping it herself without hurting anyone? Brilliant. Loved that, very Superman/Supergirl. However, her not seeing the thug, and then not HEARING her mom not only touch down but use her wind powers to stop said thug…really? She only reacted when the gunshot went off, and that was a SERIOUSLY delayed reaction. And then Lyn getting called out on her actions and then her redirecting it to pass blame is just so confusing especially her part about saying Jefferson “sees the worst in everything” when that was literally Lyn for Seasons 1-3 and it just gets so maddening.

And we haven’t even gotten to Tobias Whale doing…things…Blackbird mysteriously capturing both Destiny and Lala (because “reasons”) and so on and it’s just…not good. Where’s the focus? Where’s the pushing things forward that this show is known for? It’s dragging its feet and the only one growing in any meaningful way is Gambi because he’s going secret agent! God bless Gambi, but it’s not enough!

“Unacceptable Losses” should’ve been called “unacceptable storytelling” because it was lazy, confusing and just retreading ground. I pray this gets better soon because I want the quality of Black Lightning back.