So here we are, three episodes into Stargirl, and I’m honestly…right where I was with the first two episodes. The show has potential, great potential even. But they’re just not using it in ways that make sense, and it hurts the show as a result.
The best example was one of the ending scenes. Pat takes Courtney to the home of the JSA (which was freaking awesome in terms of set design) and explained to her how everyone one of them was special. Even when they didn’t have powers like Wildcat. He noted that they had all the powers, all the abilities, all the gear, and all the experience, and the Injustice Society wiped them out…somehow. Yes, I know we saw their deaths, but it wasn’t explained how ALL the members (save for Hourman as we would find out) died on that night.
Anyway, he’s trying to warn Courtney about the cost of living this life, and the toll that it takes on a person when you lose someone you called a friend or family. And Courtney’s response? “Let’s go recruiting!” This drives me batty, almost literally. Especially when this scene occurred in the timeline of the episode.
Courtney is 100%, full throttle, we have to stop the Injustice Society, and yet even when she fails to save a life, a life that she (somewhat) knew, she had all of one mourning scene and then she’s back in action. She barely took a breath! And as Pat REPEATEDLY noted, she doesn’t listen to him, at all! He’s the one with experience, he’s the one who saw the JSA wiped out, HE is the one who is her greatest resource…and she only “needs” him when he’s in STRIPE. That’s just…wrong.
Meanwhile, the Injustice Society continues to be the best part of the show ironically enough. Brainwave was the star of the first two episodes, and Icicle proves to be just as good a replacement for him in terms of personality and story. Granted, some of the things they did to flesh out his character were heavy-handed, like his wife’s death and her “destroy them all” final words, but for the most part it worked. Even the brief arrival of the second Wizard was a good sequence that proved how ruthless the IJA was in their mission to…save the country? I’m still a little iffy on that one.
And also a problem is the side characters. The ones who will be Wildcat, Hourman and Dr. Midnite are only lightly shown, and the new kid, Jesse, who dies, was more fleshed out than them! AND DEAR GOSH…THE TROPES!!! The “I’m a somebody and you’re a nobody” line was so cringe. The Hourman/Icicle Jr. reveal was nicely handled though, and I look forward to that. As well as Barbara becoming an unintentional player in Icicles long game.
On the other hand? Matt needs to go! Dear gosh this kid is annoying. Granted, Pat isn’t the most forceful of a father, but Matt’s mouth is a problem and I’m tired of listening to him. Plus he insulted Atari by claiming to be a gamer and never hearing of it. He’s slowly falling into the same vein of Gary Green…and you know how I feel about Gary…
I’m sure some of you are wondering, “well if you don’t like the show why don’t you jump off?” And I might. But, not unlike Supergirl, I want to give this show a chance. I gave Supergirl a whole season and a half before I jumped off, and I want to give Stargirl the same courtesy. But if it keeps up like this? Then the show has a major problem.
“Icicle” did a good job of building up the ISA, but everything else? Still struggling. I really hope this show picks up soon.
Todd Black
Todd Black is reader of comics, a watch of TV (a LOT of TV), and a writer of many different mediums. He's written teleplays, fan-fictions, and currently writes a comic book called Guardians (guardians-comic.com). He dreams of working at Nintendo, writing a SHAZAM! TV series, and working on Guardians for a very long time!
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