If you tuned in for the premiere of Black Lightning, you know that the show has already separated itself from the other superhero series on The CW. It's a show about community and family first, with a tinge of superheroics thrown in after the fact. It's a show that's incredibly relevant at present, and yet timeless for all the injustices it aims to tackle. And it's a show that actually has something to say beyond simply bringing comic book adventures to life and folding in some soap opera drama along the way. There's plenty to love about The CW's Arrowverse, but Black Lightning feels like a show that has learned from previous series' growing pains and brings a maturity level rarely seen on network television.

So it's with great anticipation, excitement, and even this weird, unfamiliar feeling of hope that I look forward to the next installment of Black Lightning. I'm hoping the show can make good on the promises laid out in the premiere. As the trailer for Episode 2 "LaWanda: The Book of Hope" makes clear, Black Lightning will carry actions over from episode to episode and will not shy away from the reactions and fallout that result from them. This storytelling approach goes a long way toward making the show feel less episodic and much more dire when it comes to stakes and circumstances. A high bar, indeed; let's hope Black Lightning continues to raise it.

Check out the preview for Black Lightning "LaWanda: The Book of Hope" below:

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.

For more on Black Lightning, be sure to check out our recent write-ups below:

• ‘Black Lightning’ Premiere Recap: “The Resurrection” – Welcome to Freeland
• ‘Black Lightning’ Review: The CW’s Latest Superhero Series Sets a New Bar
• New ‘Black Lightning’ Trailer Teases a Whole Family of Superheroes
• New ‘Black Lightning’ Trailer Makes Crime-Fighting a Family Affair
• New ‘Black Lightning’ Trailer Reveals the Hero’s Origins