Again, Stargirl kicks off an episode delving into more of the history of the characters and world. In this case it’s Artemis, who was mentioned as a potential member of the new Justice Society in the previous episode. It’s an interesting opening as it’s clear where her parents stand but not so much with her (there’s a lot of kids who are clearly going to take over as villains though the comics give a hint). The opening also keeps up the show’s willingness to keep things adult at times with yet another death. Seriously, how many people have died on this show?

This episode is pretty key as there wasn’t a screener available which usually is a sign that there’s big moments they don’t want to come out. That seems to be hinted really early as Pat and Courtney debate the need for a new Justice Society and who Courtney has recruited.

It’s an interesting discussion between the two as you can see where each are coming from in their arguments. Pat is haunted by the death of the previous team. He’s afraid history will repeat itself with a bunch of kids dying instead. It’s understandable the motivations. Then there’s Courtney who is finding purpose and in some ways closure of her past by channeling her idealism through this route. It too gives us character motivations that make sense and are clear.

The episode definitely delivers heart as Courtney sees Beth and Yolanda with their new powers/abilities and we can see how important it is for them in such a short period of time. This is more than just stopping evil to them but it’s an opportunity to redefine who they are, take back their control, and even just find friendship.

The episode also gives some solid time between Barbara Whitmore, played by Amy Smart, and Trae Romano‘s Mike Dugan, her step-son. The two characters haven’t had the screen time that Courtney or Pat’s relationship has and thought it’s maybe a few minutes, it adds a lot to the two’s relationship.

Continuing the series’ pattern, the team gets to fight yet another villain, this time the Gambler as he continues the Injustice Society’s plan, whatever that might be. Enough has been teased about their plot to keep viewers guessing and makes the show a bit more entertaining. What’s going on is both clear and not and allows the viewer to run with their imagination. But one confrontation leads to another. We also get Sportsmasters and Tigress as the Justice Society features their first battle as a team. It goes about as well as you’d expect with not so much teamwork as individual battles. We get to see powers used and some entertaining moments for the team. They’re definitely green and don’t automatically gain lots of experience with their powers. You can see them learn, and fail, as the battle goes on. They make mistakes and fail hard at times but they also progress.

The episode is another solid win for the series expanding on characters, the mythology, and adding some solid depth to some of the secondary characters. You also can’t help but enjoy those final minutes as the team comes together. It’s the “hell yeah” moment we’ve expected and brings the team together. It’s that moment where the series begins to get really rolling from the setup and heads into the direction we’ve been expecting. This is a pretty key episode in that it takes everything that’s been building and sets the series up for the rest of the season and the eventual clash between the JSA and Injustice Society.

Overall Rating: 8.5

Again, Stargirl kicks off an episode delving into more of the history of the characters and world. In this case, it’s the history of Hourman, and his son Rick Harris. The details are danced around teasing what’s to come and a new character we know will be key down the road.

In “Hourman and Dr. Mid-Nite,” we get dual origins as a new Hourman and Dr. Mid-Nite are the focus. The episode does a great job in balancing the seriousness of the show and the humor. What it does really well is bringing these two new heroes together and does it in an intelligent way.

The show has done an excellent job of bringing together varied personalities and the actors really play off of each other well. Beth, Yolanda, and Courtney all are very unique in character and background. Each bring something different and interesting to the show and add things in their own way.

And we get a double dose in the episode with Rick. He’s the least like the rest without the enthusiasm and want to do what’s right. You get extremes in the episode with Beth’s positive enthusiasim to the point of anoyance and Rick’s less than altruistic viewpoint. Either could easily have been the focus of their own episode but the two together creates an interestying dynamic and juxtaposition.

And what it does really well is giving us more about the two. Though Rick and Beth are different, they both have issues regarding their parents and are abandoned in their own way. One whose parents have died and the other whose parents are too busy. Their motivations are both understandable and relatable to different viewers in different ways.

The episode also keeps hinting at things to come with another kid of a villain, connecting the dots. If there’s a second season, there’s absolutely going to be a clash of generations. That’s pretty clear and the the show doesn’t do a good job at hiding this direction but that’s not a bad thing at all. It works and works well. Predictable but also done in a way that feels natural.

Where the show really shines is being able to take the viewer deep into DC Comic history but educate. It’s not a name drop where the viewers in the know can be excited, things are explained and play into the plot of the show. Here we get one name drop which isn’t explained, and harkens back to the first episode, but beyond that we get deep explanations of Hourman and Dr. Mid-Nite in natural ways that keep the flow of the show.

It’s an interesting episode as it focuses more on the heroes as opposed to balancing things. We get a little bit of whatever the Injustice Society is up to but that’s just a few scenes in the episode. Instead it really sets up the dynamic of our new heroic team and the good and bad that brings.

It’s not the best episode of the series but it’s the most intriguing so far in what it sets up and who it introduces.

Overall Rating: 8.0

The fourth episode of Stargirl delivers more in the first four minutes of the episode than many series do the entire season. In the episode, Courtney sets out to recruit new members to the Justice Society of America. Pat’s suspicion is piqued following a bizarre conversation with one of the town’s residents.

Stargirl‘s first three episodes have really focused on setting up the world and characters. Courtney, played by Brec Bassinger, has been the clear focus with her gaining her new role and her relationship with her stepfather Pat played by Luke Wilson. The series has teased other characters in Courtney’s life with a table of misfits. We’ve gotten hints about them but not much as far as details.

That changes this episode. The opening focuses on Yolanda Montez played by Yvette Monreal. We know very little about her beyond some of how she’s gotten bullied, we don’t know the “why.” Now we do as we get a runup to school President election and a revealing picture. It’s a real-world issue that many kids will face and shows the series willingness to deliver some reality to its fantastical elements.

And the episode has no problem diving into those fantastical elements like the hints we get about the items Courtney grabbed from the Justice Society of America’s base. But, there’s also Dragon King played by Nelson Lee who makes an intimidating appearance. The way that introduction ends… well, it’s pretty dark for this show.

But, the episode really comes down to its heart and how grounded it is. A scene between Courtney and Yolanda is heartbreaking. It draws a line in the sand with Courtney making a hell of a definitive statement and showing she’s clearly on the sign of right. It also delivers some solid emotion and Yvette’s acting is fantastic. The scene is something that should really connect with teens watching the series and hopefully will get parents to rethink their position on what happens in the episode.

The interaction between Courtney and Yolanda is great as the episode continues and Courtney reveals her secret identity and attempts to recruit Yolanda. The interaction is great and where the two go from there is fantastic. It’s a great segment of learning powers in the modern age that feels like it was inspired by the film Shazam!. The humor is great and in the end there’s a solid lesson in the episode.

Yolanda gets the spotlight and a voice discovering herself in a way and standing up. The episode is full of moments of strength and one that kids will see differently from their parents. Hopefully, parents may see things differently by the end as well.

And then there’s that ending. It’s rather messed up and leaves a lot to the imagination which is often more scary and twisted than anything that can be written. It’s a great ending and one that’s again unexpected showing Stargirl is willing to go that extra step and deliver moments that it’s generally happy exterior hides. The series continues to impress with an episode that expands the cast, delivers some solid emotion, and builds upon the mystery.

Overall Rating: 8.25

The third episode of Stargirl shifts a bit with an opening that feels more in tone of the original X-Men film. It focuses on Icicle and the loss of a loved one. It also gives some motivation to the character which should be interesting to see how it’s used. The focus is on fighting “injustice,” so to see how that’s warped should be interesting.

And from that, we get to Stargirl and S.T.R.I.P.E., Pat and Courtney, and their balancing their regular and superhero lives. Compared to the opening, it’s night and day in tone and emphasizes Stargirls’ saccharine nature. The relationship between the two is interesting two and as a duo, it’s a solid paring, especially how they play off of each other.

The episode too focuses a bit more on Courtney at school expanding on plotlines and characters that have only been teased a little in the first two episodes.

What Jordan Mahkent/Icicle’s plan for the town is an interesting one that I can’t quite put my finger on. It feels like Cobra plan and something we’ve seen on G.I. Joe.

We also get a confrontation between Stargirl, S.T.R.I.P.E., and Icicle which feels a bit sooner than expected. The segment is surprisingly good with an ending that’s shocking an unexpected. It really makes the show stand out even further delivering real emotion not just with what happens but also the moments the follow.

It impacts William Zarick/The Wizard and leads to an amazing segment between Pat and Courtney. We learn more about the Justice Society and Luke Wilson really shines. He goes to the next level from the actor we’ve seen so many times before in other roles. It feels like Wilson really becomes his character in this moment and episode and breaks from what we expect of him.

But, even with the episode taking a dour turn, it still delivers hope. The episode still delivers a sense of wonder and a positive outlook. It hints as to what’s to come. And then delivers another surprise showing the series has no issue delivering twists and turns.

But, the episode doesn’t really just stand on those surprises, it’s the small details and character interactions. An empty chair at a table for dinner says so much. A hug and a picture tell a story. There’s so much in this series that’s clearly been thought through creating a full package.

Overall Rating: 8.5

Stargirl featured a solid debut that dripped with nostalgia and saccharine sweetness. The second episode picks things up quickly as Pat explains to Courtney about the Injustice Society of America and we get hints as to why the Injustice Society is all in one small town.

What’s briefly mentioned feels like something we’ve seen so many times before but it works and explains a Pollyanna-ish town.

What the episode does right, and right away, is to continue the dynamic between Pat and Courtney. There’s something that really clicks and works between Luke Wilson’s Pat and Brec Bassinger’s Courtney. They’ve got a timing that plays off each other and moments, like when they both say they hurt themselves on the stairs, really plays off their dynamic which relies heavily on humor.

And that goes into the humor of the show. Much like the debut episode, the second has a lighthearted sense about it. That’s best shown in Pat getting S.T.R.I.P.E. to work in a sequence full of fantastic moments. We also get the segment of Courtney creating her costume which breaks the mold of the sequence going smoothly, takes on stereotypes of women, and also is just funny. Both segments really set up the tone of the show which tends to be a bit less serious than other DC live-action shows.

That sequence, like so much else of the show, really highlights the production value of the show. S.T.R.I.P.E. looks really great, so much so I’d love to see segments in how they put it together. There’s also something very “Iron Giant” about it, again tapping into nostalgia.

What the episode also does it set up the future. There are moments that feel like they foreshadow future threats once the Injustice Society is defeated. It’ll be a while before we see how that plays out and most likely won’t happen until a second season.

The episode continues the solid start of the pilot delivering humor and entertaining moments. There’s a good blending of the superhero genre with that of a small town setting. And, while it hints as to why everything has come to this one point, what is teased works and makes sense.

In the end though, what the episode really does is surprise. While there’s so much nostalgia, Stargirl flying by the moon is very ET, what’s said and where the episode goes is unexpected. The finale of the episode isn’t the direction that one would think the series would go. It ends on an interesting moment, not just for Brainwave, but also for the relationship between Courtney and Pat.

Stargirl isn’t the best comic adaptation that has been done for live-action but there’s an enthusiasm and innocence about it that’s unmatched. It’s hard to not just smile and enjoy the series.

Overall Rating: 8.5

Stargirl is the newest DC comic hero to make it to a live-action series and it’s one that’s a bit unexpected. But, from the first few moments of the show beginning, the show not only stands out from what has come before but feels like a welcome improvement.

The show has an almost Disney like feel about it evoking a style and special fx look that’s reminiscent of the string of films based on their popular rides. Through the action, and a brutal fight, we’re delivered an opening that’s exciting and fun with a style unto its own. There’s a “retro” aspect to it with that Disney feel and a bit of Rocketeer thrown in.

The opening is impressive with what feels like high production values and an attention to detail. There’s a lot going on in the chaotic battle but no detail of the costumes falls short and everything looks high quality and well designed evoking the classic designs they’re based off of.

There’s a lot thrown in there to start with the Justice Society of America getting torn apart and destroyed. And despite the seriousness of it all, there’s levity with Joel McHale as Starman delivering some laughs in an otherwise serious moment.

It sets the tone of the show and what’s to come and it’s clearly intentional. From that serious moment the show pivots a bit and Darlene Love’s “Christmas” plays which brought back memories for me of Gremlins and from there some Hanson and “Mmmm Bop.” The show’s playing with some interesting tones and it doesn’t end there.

The show follows Brec Bassinger‘s Courtney Whitmore whose mother, Barabra played by Amy Smart, marries Luke Wilson‘s Pat Dugan, the former partner of Starman. They move to Nebraska where the town is very “white” and mysterious. It sets up an interesting family dynamic and some familial friction. But that white bread vibe of it all also helps the eventual discovery by Courtney of Pat’s past and what he’s been hiding, Starman’s staff.

It too evokes a familiar emotion, one from my childhood of the hero discovering their power or the excitement of meeting that friendly alien. It’s saccharine in a way evoking an innocence that feels almost needed in these rather dark and ominous times. It’s a feel good start that makes all that’s recently come before feel a bit jaded and missing that childlike excitement. It’s a clear goal with hints like the use of the film The Goonies at a drive-in which also shares many of these qualities.

But with that also comes some predictable moments and tropes we’ve seen numerous times. The discovery of the power and its misuse to take on bullies is reminiscent of Peter Parker fighting Flash Thompson in the original Spider-Man. The school bullies and what’s revealed about them too is not too surprising and a bit predictable in many ways.

What’s so interesting about the show is the tone it delivers having as much in common with films like ET and the animated Transformers movie as it does Spider-Man and other teen-focused heroes. There’s a fascinating tone about it all and one that feels like it’s been missing in the current superhero genre.

Stargirl feels like a bit of a throwback in many ways with an innocence about it that’s missing from today’s superhero live-action releases. It really goes for a throwback 80s feel in so many ways and it nails it in so many ways. It’s a show that wants to deliver fun and wonder

Overall Rating: 9.0