Black superhero drama Black Lightning is back, and its sophomore season promises to be even more powerful than the first.
Under the bold direction of executive producer Salim Akil, Black Lightning is primarily about family and the sacrifices one makes to keep them safe. The series follows Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams), who had given up his crime-fighting alter ego Black Lightning for the sake of his wife and kids. Nine years later, he’s a high school principal with a tumultuous relationship with his now ex-wife Lynn (Christine Adams), and they co-parent two daughters Anissa (Nafessa Williams) and Jennifer (China Anne McClain). When a dangerous gang threatens the city of Freeland, he’s forced to resume his vigilantism, while protecting his secret identity from a government agency that's hot on his trail and keeping his daughters safe, who might just be superheroes too.
Based on the DC Comics character of the same name, this show's explosive first season proved that it was much more than a stereotypical showcase of good versus evil. The show includes nuanced narratives about drug addiction, police brutality, government conspiracies and unsanctioned experimentation on Black bodies.
Ahead of the season premiere, Shadow and Act traveled to Decatur, Georgia, where Black Lightning is filmed, to speak with Akil, tour the set, and get an inside scoop into the upcoming season.
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