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DVDs and Downloads: Black Lightening another flawed but fascinating hero

Cress Williams as Jefferson Pierce in Black Lightning. Pictured
Cress Williams as Jefferson Pierce in Black Lightning. Pictured Cress Williams as Jefferson Pierce in Black Lightning. Pictured

BLACK LIGHTNING (13 episodes, starts streaming from January 23 exclusively on Netflix, Action/Fantasy/Adventure)

THE DC Comics television universe, which includes Arrow, The Flash and Legends Of Tomorrow, expands with the arrival of another emotionally flawed yet fascinating superhero. Several years have passed since Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams) waged war against the criminal fraternity in New Orleans in the guise of Black Lightning, a masked avenger with the ability to harness and manipulate electricity.

Now retired, Jefferson operates as principal of a community high school where his youngest daughter Jennifer (China Anne McClain) is a student and his oldest child Anissa (Nafessa Williams) teaches.

When a gang of thugs called The 100, led by Tobias Whale (Marvin Jones III), threatens everything that Jefferson holds dear, he dusts off his hi-tech cowl and armour in the name of justice.

Trusted friend and confidant Peter Gambin (James Remar) helps Jefferson to juggle dual lives as a doting father and crusading crime-fighter. Let battle commence.

GRACE AND FRANKIE – Season 4 (13 episodes, streaming from January 19 exclusively on Netflix, Comedy/Drama/Romance)

TWO'S excellent company in the Emmy Award-nominated comedy drama headlining Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin as buddies Grace and Frankie, who find solace in growing old disgracefully under the same roof after their respective husbands (Martin Sheen, Sam Waterston) fall in love with each other.

Three's most definitely a crowd in the fourth series as Friends alumnus Lisa Kudrow arrives, swathed in rhinestones, as Grace's long-time manicurist Sheree, who is envious of the sisterly bond between the two women.

Allegiances are tested as the titular twosome glimpse fractures in their former spouses' marriage. Robert (Sheen) and Sol (Waterston) are persuaded by their therapist to consider foregoing monogamy in favour of an open relationship.

While the men's hearts are breaking, the women's are aflutter thanks to amorous overtures from handsome chief executive Nick (Peter Gallagher) and yam man Jacob (Ernie Hudson).

GOD'S OWN COUNTRY (Cert 15, 103 mins, Spirit Entertainment, available from January 22 on Amazon Video/BT TV Store/iTunes/Sky Store/TalkTalk TV Store and other download and streaming services, available from January 29 on DVD £15.99/Blu-ray £19.99, Drama/Romance)

Shot on location in West Yorkshire, writer-director Francis Lee's heart-breaking love story draws comparisons to Brokeback Mountain – albeit in chillier surroundings – for its tenderly observed coupling of a disenchanted farmer's son and a Romanian migrant worker.

John Saxby (Josh O'Connor) bears the heavy burden of running his family's farm now that his father Martin (Ian Hart) is partially paralysed following a stroke.

John's grandmother Deirdre (Gemma Jones) tends to Martin and puts food on the table while John carries out various daily chores then drowns his sorrows to excess at the local pub.

Adding to his woes, John is wrestling with his sexuality and he engages in fumbling encounters with local men, without any emotional engagement. As the lambing season approaches, Martin hires a casual worker, Gheorghe Ionescu (Alec Secareanu), to help John repair damage to a stone wall. The two men bed down in an old outhouse and sparks of passion fly.

John and Gheorghe seek comfort in each other's arms but the farmer's son is petrified of publicly displaying his feelings.