BLACK LIGHTNING: BLACK JESUS (TV)
Summary
One in this action-adventure series, based on the DC Comics character, about a superhuman schoolteacher who moonlights as a crime-fighting vigilante.
In this episode, Jefferson is forced to use his powers to subdue a student, Bernard Lewis, who is dangerously high on the new street drug known as "Green Light." Anissa has her own encounter with some belligerent drug dealers as Jefferson, resolving to aggressively crack down on the 100, interrogates a petty criminal and learns that a dealer known as Two Bits is behind the Green Light sales. Elsewhere, Lady Eve warns Tobias that his gang is "making a lot of noise," including the shootings of Reverend Holt and Khali. She instructs him to kill Black Lightning, as he claimed to have done nine years earlier, in order to maintain his fearsome reputation. Jefferson promises to prevent Bernard's expulsion if the boy names his source, but Peter soon reports that the dealer, Ronald Wright, has already overdosed on Green Light. Jennifer supports a determined Khalil as he struggles through physical therapy, and Tobias brutally executes the coroner who falsely assured him of Black Lightning's demise, stating that he "owes him a death."
Jennifer returns home late from the hospital and informs her surprised parents that she intends to quit the track team. Over dinner, Anissa firmly defends Black Lightning's actions when the Hendersons denounce his vigilantism; she later uses her own abilities to attack the drug dealers encountered earlier, then calls 911 to report their injuries. Jefferson approaches Two Bits, who is in fact an old friend of his, and urges him to leave town to avoid serious trouble with the police regarding Green Light. When Two Bits dismisses him, Black Lightning pays him a rather less friendly visit and, knowing that his "third strike" will land him in prison for 30 years, demands information and orders him to stop selling for good. Khalil considers giving a TV interview about his tragic injury and fight to walk again, and Jefferson worries that his continued defense of Bernard will eventually lead to the loss of his job.
Black Lightning uses his new "electric vision" to inspect the drug stash house named by Two Bits, though he is soon distracted by a nearby explosion – caused by Anissa, angrily defending herself and Grace outside of the Ruby Red Lipstick Bar when some homophobic men begin harassing them. Peter investigates the strange scene as Anissa muses seeking revenge against "people who did bad things." Elsewhere, Tobias' sister Tori advises him to turn the public's opinion against Black Lightning via Khalil. Khalil is soon delighted by a number of gifts from "an anonymous donor," but Jefferson visits him to break the bad news that his paralysis is apparently irreversible. Back at school, he reluctantly agrees to relinquish his "final say" on all future disciplinary cases in order to save Bernard; he confides in Lynn about his guilt over the "collateral damage" from his well-intentioned actions. Later, Bernard's father calls Jefferson in a panic and explains that his son, now hooked on Green Light after one use, has gone in search of more drugs; Black Lightning bursts into the dope house and saves the teen, later delivering him to a rehab facility. Tobias pays Khalil a late-night visit at the hospital and points out that Black Lightning is to blame for his devastating injury, offering to show him "how to kill his pain." Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CW, The
- DATE: November 30, 1999 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:42:24
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 136768
- GENRE: Drama, fantasy/science fiction
- SUBJECT HEADING: LGBTQ+ Collection - Drama; African-American Collection - Drama; Drama, fantasy/science fiction; Drama, action/adventure
- SERIES RUN: The CW - TV series, 2018-
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Greg Berlanti … Executive Producer
- Mara Brock Akil … Executive Producer
- Sarah Schechter … Executive Producer
- Salim Akil … Executive Producer, Developed by
- Charles D. Holland … Co-Executive Producer
- Jan Nash … Co-Executive Producer
- Oz Scott … Co-Executive Producer
- Pat Charles … Co-Executive Producer, Writer
- Robert West … Producer
- Melora Rivera … Co-Producer
- Jennifer Lence … Co-Producer
- Adam Giaudrone … Co-Producer
- Carl Ogawa … Co-Producer
- Joanie L. Woehler … Co-Producer
- Elvis Mitchell … Consulting Producer
- Michael Szczurko … VFX Producer
- Michael Schultz … Director
- Tony Isabella … Based on characters created for DC by
- Trevor von Eeden … Based on characters created for DC by
- Kurt Farquhar … Music by
- Godholly … Theme Music by
- Cress Williams … Cast, Jefferson Pierce / Black Lightning
- China Anne McClain … Cast, Jennifer Pierce
- Nafessa Williams … Cast, Anissa Pierce
- Christine Adams … Cast, Lynn Pierce
- Marvin 'Krondon' Jones III … Cast, Tobias Whale
- Damon Gupton … Cast, Bill Henderson
- James Remar … Cast, Peter Gambi
- Jill Scott … Cast, Lady Eve
- Jordan Calloway … Cast, Khalil Payne
- Skye P. Marshall … Cast, Kara Fowdy
- Edwina Findley … Cast, Tori
- Jason Louder … Cast, Frank 'Two Bits' Tanner
- Chantal Thuy … Cast, Grace Choi
- Amanda Davis … Cast, Joan Lincoln
- Al-Jaleel Knox … Cast, Lashawn
- Kat Logan … Cast, Neema
- Eric Mendenhall … Cast, Joey Toledo
- Taylor Polidore … Cast, Lisa
- Karen Ceesay … Cast, Veretta
- Michael King … Cast, Bernard Lewis
- Derrick Lamont … Cast, Mr. Lewis
- Estes Tarver … Cast, Leonard
- Jennifer Van Horn … Cast, Rose
- Yolanda T. Ross … Cast, Khalil's Mother
- Darone Okolie … Cast, Bam
- Alex Phipps … Cast, Block
- Michael Finn … Cast, Man
- Derrion Elmore … Cast, Student #1
- Scarlet Olivia Dunbar … Cast, Student #2
- Chan Ta Rivers … Cast, Nurse #1
- Jennifer Martin … Cast, Nurse #2
- Aaron Nelson … Cast, Security Officer