DC’s Stargirl’s first season was a pleasant surprise, even given how much I tend to like the DC universe’s TV adaptations. While Green Arrow and the members of the Legends of Tomorrow are certainly less famous than Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman, Stargirl is one of the more random DC characters to get a show. However, the show turned this into a positive as it was allowed to craft a character without the shackles of years of well established canon.
Stargirl always strikes a balance between humor and action that skews towards a lighter tone (think Legends of Tomorrow instead of Arrow), so Stargirl fans might feel like they accidentally picked the wrong show during the opening sequence, which feels more like a creepy horror movie. However, the episode soon returns to its regular tone – the main remaining noticeable difference is how much Mike has aged.
When we return to our main characters, summer break is approaching and the new JSA is adjusting to life without anyone to fight. Like the characters, the show takes some time to reset the pieces for the new season. It starts a bit slow, but highlighting the individual fallout from last season is a good way to reintroduce us to the characters after a long break. The end of the episode does feature a standout fight scene, which pays off on a tease from early in the episode and introduces a new character. The premier also introduces a funny new character named Zeek. I’m not sure where the writers are going with him, but he is given great lines and his delivery is perfect. With the pieces all set up, it feels like Season 2 can start in earnest in the next episode.
One of the strengths of the show is the relationships between the characters, which can really only be appreciated if you see the first season. There are many references to last season (especially the stinger scene at the end), so I do recommend watching the first season before embarking on the new season.
DC’s Stargirl S2 E1 ‘Summer School: Chapter One’ is now available on the CW streaming service with new episodes premiering every Wednesday!
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