Stargirl

Recap
Still dealing with the psychological remnants of last seasons events, the New JSA, lead by Stargirl, try to find a balance between civilian life and their roll as superheroes, while also being on the lookout for the next big foe!
Spoiler Level: Very Minor
Review
The second season of the CW’s Stargirl starts off a bit darker, almost like something from a horror movie. It sets the tone for a bit of a more serious episode. It is near the last day of school and Courtney / Stargirl (Brec Bassinger) having failed a couple classes, due to her obsession with finding the next “Big Bad”, will need to take summer school. The rest of the team thinks they should take a break, as everything seems quiet in town, or is it? Each of the new JSA members is battling their own demons. Yolanda / Wildcat (Yvette Monreal) is trying to come to grips with the fact that she killed someone, Beth / Doctor Mid-Nite (Anjelika Washington) discovers some bad news about her parents, and Rick / Hourman (Cameron Gellman) has some feelings of guilt over what has become of Solomon Grundy. Without a foe to fight and focus their attention, the team is a bit lost and left alone with their troubles.

DC’s Stargirl — “Summer School: Chapter One” — Image Number: STG201fg_0078r2.jpg — Pictured (L-R): Brec Bassinger as Courtney Whitmore/Stargirl and Anjelika Washington as Beth Chapel/Dr. Mid-Nite– Photo: The CW — © 2021 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
The thing I liked about the first season of Stargirl was the lighter tone from a lot of other shows currently running. It had a kind of childlike hope, and even when the team had to deal with some very big issues, there was still that “light”. Unfortunately, season 2 begins without that same hope. I knew that this season was going to be a bit darker, with the main foe being Eclipso. But I was hoping that the core of the series would remain upbeat. I know, I know, it is just the first episode, so I won’t judge it too harshly, but I don’t want to see the series travel down the path of so many other series in losing what made it different. Courtney still has that manic energy, but it is hyper focused on her obsession of finding the next foe. The bubbling joy she had has been replaced with a crushing sense of duty. I am hopeful that each of the characters will find a balance between the serious aspects of the show and the lighthearted fun, like it did last season.
All that said, it is still a strong show. Good performances by the entire cast and the new storyline is intriguing. The production value is high with the special effects adding to the show and not overwhelming it. The script was well written, and the plot flowed well, but they show would have done well to include a “previously on Stargirl” segment to remind the audience of what happen in the first season. With the appearance of some new characters, season 2 looks like we will finally get to see some of the beloved DC heroes and villains that haven’t gotten much screen time (if any). The fun will be seeing how these new characters are portrayed and interact with the newly established JSA and where Stargirl fits into the overall DC universe.
Final Thoughts
While season 1 was full of hope and joy, season 2 starts off on a darker side. I hope that the darker tone this season, doesn't steal the light that made this show different from the others.
Stargirl – Summer School: Chapter One
- Writing - 9/109/10
- Storyline - 9/109/10
- Acting - 10/1010/10
- Music - 9/109/10
- Production - 10/1010/10