TV REVIEWS: FTN Reviews Stargirl Season 3 Episode 6: The Betrayal

Something that just about every DC Comics show has had in one form or another is “in-team fighting,” which feels totally forced and non-sensical. We just had it with The Flash with the “you’re asking us to believe the impossible!” line that I’m still fuming about. There’s also the instantly infamous “Felicity Walkout” scene that fans still loathe, and so on. Now, we have the “Cindi Berman Incident,” which started out bad and only worsened when the “blow-up” happened later. #NotMyJSA.

Let’s get the good out of the way, as little as there was. First, Starman’s speech to Courtney? That was great. At times, I was worried about where it would go, but he gave some valuable mentor advice to Courtney. About the line between hero/normal person (something all the CW heroes struggled with in one form or another), about wanting to believe in everyone and “doing everything yourself.” This was the best we’ve seen Starman since his return, and I want MORE OF THIS versus what we had in the last five episodes.

Second, Courtney’s training session with Cameron was nice. THIS was the Courtney we needed since Season 1. The one who cares 100% and wants to make everyone better versus the “I’m always right” and “I can do this all by myself because I’m Stargirl” that we had in the first two seasons. Even during the blow-up scene, she tried to make amends in multiple ways, and I appreciated that. Even the overjoyed moment when Beth suddenly showed up was great because you could tell she was so happy her friend was back.

Also, while the precursor and the aftermath were bad, the fight with Yolanda, Cindi, and Rick was good. I was just happy to have actual action in this show again. What a concept. Oh, and Barbara and Pat trying to learn whose side the grandparents were on? Totally believable, especially given how much they know about things. That “old people scare me” line was classic Pat.

As for the bad…it was everything else. Starting with how once again…the mystery went nowhere. Again…again. Sure, they found out about the cameras, but that’s not much at all. The next episode better ramp that part of things up else it’s just dragging again.

Second, there’s Mike…again. Seriously, he’s the worst, and he keeps trying to convince everyone he’s not the worst, AND YET HE IS! He admitted that he only wanted to not work with the others because he “wanted to win.” A) not heroic. B) stupid. C) YOU’RE NOT A HERO!!! Also, after all that happened with The Gambler and Starman, you’d think that he’d be more fearful about facing A KILLER, but not only is he not that way, he’s more than willing to bring in Jakeem to help him die. Classy.

Third, Beth’s parents are still terrible. They only care about Beth shutting them out because she has only just shut them out! They shut her out for the first two seasons and didn’t care! But now she flipped the script to legitimately protect them, and they’re ticked? Just plain wrong.

Next, let’s talk about the Yolanda/Cindi fight. Let’s list all the ways this was terrible. First, the “forgive me for what I’m about to do” part? Wow, just…wow. Then, it was pretty stupid of the entire JSA to think that Cindi wouldn’t instantly realize the laptop was gone. Did they really think she wouldn’t notice it missing within an hour of it being gone, let alone a whole day? This was another case of “loose time” rules that the show seriously needs to stop. When she did return the laptop, I’m glad Cindi called her out for it, and tried to explain everything. And then…it all fell off a cliff.

Yolanda starting the fight? That was bad enough. Then she straight-up tried to kill her! Then Rick joined in that without skipping a beat! Aren’t you supposed to be heroes? Not killing unless it’s absolutely necessary? Didn’t Yolanda go through PTSD last season because she killed someone, but she doesn’t mind killing Cindi now? Wrong, just wrong. #NotMyWildcat. Then when Stargirl arrived, I thought things would get better, but then Cindi all too easily convinced Courtney’s “friends” that she was “training the next Icicle.” Really, that’s how you want to define it? Oh, and despite almost killing her, and seeing what she was becoming, Yolanda was more than happy to let Cindi walk just because “she was madder at Courtney.” Really?

Then, in the “blow-up scene,” all of them (save Beth, but even then it was bad) acted like Courtney’s “betrayal” was the worst possible thing. How? How was that their line of thought? Rick hated Cameron because of that stupid teacher scene, so he was biased. Yolanda and Beth had no such excuses. Courtney told them multiple times that he’s not like his father, and Cameron (unlike Cindi) doesn’t have a past that should worry them yet. Instead, they’re making him the bad guy before he’s even reached anything close to that (no, the tire thing doesn’t count.)

Also, them saying Courtney shouldn’t “keep secrets” when Yolanda and Rick are keeping them? Pot calling the kettle black? Yolanda was going to straight-up kill Cindi without hesitating, that WASN’T part of the plan. And Rick removed the limiter, and now he’s “Rick Smash!” 24/7 now. Why didn’t he tell the others that? Exactly.

It’s sad when the most inconsistent character in Starman was the one who actually gave Courtney a chance to explain herself. And remember, he was killed by Icicle.

In the end, “The Betrayal” was anything but. Plus, since next episode is about finding the cameraman, they’ll have to team up. So everything that happened was pretty much meaningless. Again.

2.5/5