Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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The Book of Consequences arc continues to be about building up to something bigger than starting things off with a bang.
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| Network | ||
| CW | ||
| Director(s) | Rose Troche | |
| Writer(s) | Jan Nash | |
| Air Date | 10/23/2018 | |
| Characters Introduced | ||
| Mr. Lowry | P.J. Byrne | |
| Perenna | Erika Alexander | |
| Dr. Jace | Jennifer Riker | |
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A New Kind of Therapy & Different Kind of Therapist: Perenna, Jennifer
Erika Alexander arrives on the show as Perenna. She seems to be able to teleport people either into their mind or made up worlds and seemingly has used this power to craft a sort of therapy. One which she plans to use on Jennifer. Someone who has been training on her own, so that she doesn’t have to be trapped in her own house, but she hasn’t made the kind of headway her parents need.
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Commentary
Perenna’s arrival brings up the need to ask, what took Jefferson and Gambi so long to bring her up? Much less, why wasn’t she talked about beforehand? Not to say I don’t welcome Erika Alexander being part of shows I watch, but her entrance into Black Lightning wasn’t that smooth and brings about a litany of questions. Of which can be answered in future episodes, but I think she, the actress, was made to be a bigger deal than her character.
Navigating Uneasy Waters: Anissa, Reverand Holt, Grace, Mr. Lowry, Jefferson, Gambi, Lynn, Dr. Jace, Agent Odell, Jennifer
Things at work aren’t easy for Jefferson or Lynn. For Jefferson, his fears about the type of Principal Lowry would be come true. Mr. Lowry isn’t personable, has metal detectors being put in, and is a bit curt. As for Lynn? Agent Odell continues to be a mix of helpful and an obstacle as he pushes a talented convict, Dr. Jace, to join Lynn’s team since she says she needs help. Problem is, Dr. Jace’s ethics are questionable to get the results she wants and, likely, with all these kids being Black and Brown, Lynn doesn’t want this woman seeing them purely as test subjects. Especially since her last experiment led to people losing their feet and one their life.
To a lesser extent, Anissa is going through some things as well. With Jennifer making Zoe sound like candy, something which wouldn’t be a good look for Anissa, she finds herself drifting back to Grace and seemingly trying to build a roster. On top of that, with Gambi’s assistance, she decides to, once again, rob gangsters, this time a mob, to prevent a clinic from being bought and shut down for new development. Thus leading to over $800,000 going through Reverend Holt’s hands between the lawsuit his parishioners have and now money to save the clinic.
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Here is hoping he hasn’t been taking any off the top.
Commentary
There is going to come a point where these gangsters are going to put a hit on Anissa. Black Lightning, can be seen as good for business since he handles snitches and anyone who steps out of line – leaving the gangs’ hands clean. However, Anissa’s Robin Hood alter ego? She is taking money. Also, she keeps escalating who she is taking money from. Making it seem, eventually, she is likely going to steal from the wrong person, like Tobias, and she is going to be so screwed. For while she is the reason Tobias didn’t get to kill Jefferson, and she handles being jumped pretty well, she hasn’t fought meta-humans much.
But, I gotta say, something about Reverend Holt don’t seem right with him bringing up these high ass numbers. $500,000 here, $300,000 here. Why would a plot of land in Freeland cost that much? Granted, as seen by where Jefferson lives, there are either nice areas in the city or surrounding it. However, you telling me the location of a clinic, which isn’t touted to be all that nice, is worth that much? How the church pay for it all these years? Assuming I’m correct in the understanding that the church runs the place.
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Anissa aside, I don’t think I can repeat enough how much I love Agent Odell. His dry sarcasm is such a highlight of this show to me. But with this Dr. Jace character, and how this show is, I wonder if there is going to be commentary about how Black people supposedly have a higher tolerance for pain and all that? Which led to modern gynecology. Because, as seen with Perenna dropping some knowledge, and the way this show is period, there aren’t a huge amount of f***s given. So Lynn being wary about Dr. Jace’s tests I don’t just think, but know will become an issue.
When It All Falls Down: Khalil, Henderson, Jefferson, Tobias
With Tobias losing Syonide, and not having much in the way of lackeys anymore, Khalil is expected to pick up the slack. He isn’t a child anymore and has to pull his weight. After all, Tobias is the main reason this boy is even walking anymore. Thus leading to Khalil taking on protection money pick up and what likely is the formerly fearsome 100 giving him trouble. However, with killing whoever is their leader now, so begins his rep.
Which, of course, leads Jefferson to worry for Henderson is starting to make moves against Tobias and he wouldn’t want a good kid swooped up. However, Khalil saw Black Lightning get his behind handed to him by Tobias so he doesn’t trust him. Add on Jefferson decides to call Khalil a b****, which Khalil has a thing about, and pretty much any seeing eye to eye is over.
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Though, with Tobias being arrested by Henderson, so comes the question of what Khalil may do when his master is away?
Commentary
You really got to feel for Khalil. Thanks to Tobias, he has come to a point where Painkiller is his life and Khalil is starting to become a fantasy. If not who he was as a child and Painkiller who he is as a man. For between him owing Tobias and now killing someone, there isn’t any going back. There isn’t any date nights with Jennifer or just hanging out with his mom anymore. He is now caught up.
Yet, with Tobias in prison, for who knows how long, so comes the question of whether he may use this as an opportunity to get out or a chance to prove himself? Following that, with a murder on his rap sheet, what will Henderson do? Heck, considering how Green Light kids are being rounded up, could Khalil end up in a pod or worse?
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Question(s) Left Unanswered
- Is Tobias really just down to Painkiller for his go to people?
Highlights
- Agent Odell’s sarcasm and dry delivery.
- Jennifer getting some kind of therapy.
- What Dr. Jace could bring to the show, in terms of Lynn reacting to her work and giving us some Black history.
On The Fence
- Anissa’s whole Robin Hood act and her dating life in a way as well.
- I know I should feel bad for Khalil on a consistent basis, but it comes and goes. Thinking about his life, I wanna feel bad, but the way the actor performs the role? Maybe the writing sometimes? It just takes me out of whatever emotions I could have.
- This show needs a villain to be established. Not an annoyance, like Tobias or Khalil. I’m talking about a formidable opponent to be scared of. At least in terms of what they may do towards Jefferson and his family.
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