The CW made huge waves with the first live-action DC superhero show with a black lead when it announced a Black Lightning adaptation back in September 2016. Operating outside The Arrowverse (sorry, we're not calling it The CWverse) for its first two seasons, the show eventually joined the shared continuity of the various Arrow spinoffs in its third season following the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event.
Earlier today, the network confirmed that the show's upcoming fourth season would also be its last.
The series premiered with Cress Williams playing an older, retired superhero who lived a civilian life as the principal of Garfield High School in the city of Freeland, Georgia. However, he's forced to come out of retirement when ruthless crime boss Tobias Whale threatens to take over the city.
To date, there have been 45 episodes released across three seasons since the show premiered on January 16, 2018. While not a ratings juggernaut for The CW, the series enjoyed high praise from critics, garnering a 96% Rotten Tomatoes score for season 1, 91% for season 2 and 100% for season 3.
Recently, it was announced that a spinoff starring Jordan Calloway's Khalil Payne aka Painkiller, was in development at the network.
Black Lightning's fourth and final season is set to premiere on The CW on February 8, 2021.
Jefferson Pierce is a man wrestling with a secret. Nine years ago, Pierce was gifted with the superhuman power to harness and control electricity, which he used to keep his hometown streets safe as the masked vigilante Black Lightning. However, after too many nights with his life and his family on the line, he left his Super Hero days behind. Almost a decade later, Pierce’s crime-fighting days are long behind him…or so he thought. But with crime and corruption spreading like wildfire, Black Lightning returns — to save not only his family, but also the soul of his community.
ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.