Stargirl Season 2 - Discussion ( Spoiler Warning)

[Dick Whitman]

I thought it was ok or good. This season illustrates that a shorter episode count does not equal better writing. I felt like there was about 6 episodes worth of story this whole season. Stretched out twice as long.

It feels like all these network series with yearly arcs are being written for bing viewing not for weekly broadcast. This has been a slow trend but it’s gotten worse. If done well you are still engaged every episode, even when aired over months. This felt like watching a long movie cut up into small segments stretched way out. With this year being in horror genre any threat or tension feels flat after so long. It was hearing the same drum beat - over and over again. Week after and after Week...

I say all that and I not hate it. Kinda of liked it. But the style of writing does not fit a weekly format. Now that I saw Eclipso resolved so easily no real desire to rewatch and see if it plays better in bing. More of a numb... well that’s over.

 

[Guy Gardener]

I thought it was ok or good. This season illustrates that a shorter episode count does equal better writing. I felt like there was about 6 episodes worth of story this whole season. Stretched out twice as long.

It feels like all these network series with yearly arcs are being written for bing viewing not for weekly broadcast. This has been a slow trend but it’s gotten worse. If done well you are still engaged every episode, even when aired over months. This felt like watching a long movie cut up into small segments stretched way out. With this year being in horror genre any threat or tension feels flat after so long. It was hearing the same drum beat - over and over again. Week after and after Week...

I say all that and I not hate it. Kinda of liked it. But the style of writing does not fit a weekly format. Now that I saw Eclipso resolved so easily no real desire to rewatch and see if it plays better in bing. More of a numb... well that’s over.

Every time I reinstall my browser the default search engine is Bing, and I have to change it.

 

[Dick Whitman]

lol I am not correcting that. I am going to follow the trend of needlessly shortening every word.

 

[LaxScrutiny]

If you don't like horror, then don't watch it. I honestly can't imagine doing a season with Eclipso as the big bad and not delving into every character's personal horror. The season was also about exploring Eclipso, which meant horror, and while he wasn't exactly a person, he was fully developed as a character (and a pretty good impression of Joker ). I think our view of each character, including Eclipso, grew during the season. In any case I enjoyed it.

I think each of the main characters grew during the season, dealt with some issues and opened up to other issues, which was a direct result of the horrors (cue Marlon Brando.) We also explored more of this show's multiverse, reconnected with some old JSAers, and had a satisfying set-up for next season's "Frienamies."

Overall, while I knew our heroes would prevail, I didn't know how they would so I enjoyed the ride. It was fun.

I ended the season adoring Shade, and more than happy Grundy will likely return. Bonus points for those.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[thribs]

Beth is probably a sexy twenty something in real life.

They have to hide that.

They don’t hide it with Courtney

 

[Dick Whitman]

The only thing that really bugged about last night was Pat having to be told that fighting his himself was not real…

the others fighting different characters, is playing on their own fears. It could be those other people. But is not. Pat does not need to be told…. He is not facing himself!

A case of going through with the cliche even if it does fit every character.

 

[LaxScrutiny]

The only thing that really bugged about last night was Pat having to be told that fighting his himself was not real…

the others fighting different characters, is playing on their own fears. It could be those other people. But is not. Pat does not need to be told…. He is not facing himself!

A case of going through with the cliche even if it does fit every character.

I get what you're saying, but when you're having a nightmare it's as real as anything. The trick is waking up.

 

[Christopher]

The only thing that really bugged about last night was Pat having to be told that fighting his himself was not real…

the others fighting different characters, is playing on their own fears. It could be those other people. But is not. Pat does not need to be told…. He is not facing himself!

It was worse than that. They all knew by then that Eclipso's power was illusion. They all should've known that none of it was real, but they spent a whole long scene engaged in an obviously futile attack like a bunch of idiots. Stargirl in particular kept blasting at "Eclipso" no matter how many times it turned out to be an illusion. It was ridiculous and tedious.

The editing was inconsistent too. We saw Beth and McNider standing outside the office where Beth's parents were trapped, trying to get in to them. A few minutes later, we saw Beth and McNider come out front, helping the others. Then a minute after that, they were standing back outside the office still reacting to Beth's parents being drained, as if it were a continuation of the earlier scene. So, they just... abandoned Beth's parents for a few minutes, then went back to them? Or were the scenes meant to fall in a different order?

 

[Guy Gardener]

Beth and Chuck in the same costume was sus.

Mom and Dad saw that some 40 year old white dude they had never met before, was buying clothes for their 15 year old daughter.

We know it was innocent, but as far as mom and dad were concerned, Charles also may have bought little Beth underwear, and helped her put them on, one dainty foot at a time.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Beth and Chuck in the same costume was sus.

Mom and Dad saw that some 40 year old white dude they had never met before, was buying clothes for their 15 year old daughter.

We know it was innocent, but as far as mom and dad were concerned, Charles also may have bought little Beth underwear, and helped her put them on, one dainty foot at a time.

Hasn't Beth been wearing an altered version of Chuck's costume since taking the mantle? Pretty sure that's what was in the bag.
Mom, OTOH does have some costume ideas. Black and gold like the comics version.

 

[Thestral]

Please let that just be a throwaway gag, the comics version of the costume.

Overall I was... underwhelmed by the finale. I think Eclipso is a fantastic villain and overall I absolutely loved the horror theme they were going with throughout the season. The whole vibe is perfect for the fallen Wrath of God (granted they didn't go into that, but fair enough), perverting and playing with the fears of all the heroes. So I was really jazzed going into this finale that a full-strength Eclipso was going to effectively wreck our team of heroes. And that it might come down to Court vs a corrupted Jennie in some way, or vice versa.

But then... that was... meh? There were bright spots, Yolanda vs "Ted" felt quite brutal and intense, but I have to admit this has been my favorite live-action Ted anyway - not just the physique, but the voice is so good, plus I quite like Yolanda of course. It kind of stunk that Rick got basically nothing to do and that S.T.R.I.P.E. and the Thunderbolt were knocked out so quickly, but I get it I suppose.

But Sylvester showing up randomly after Courtney was possessed was kind of meh, I would have preferred somebody else - Jennie? Her friends? Pat? - to break through. And then the final moment was just goofy as hell. Shade and Jennie basically had nothing to do sadly; I suppose Shade did siphon away the shadows affecting Beth's parents but even so. And after spending an episode and a half writhing in bed Jennie just... fires her flame? Not even a conversation about seeing a corrupted Courtney or anything? Weak. And they just shouldn't have bothered having the Crocks show up, save that for the "Hi neighbor" reveal at the end.

That said, I did love the ending, and I'm curious where it's gonna go. Between the Crocks moving next door and Mr. Bones showing up, they've got a lot of balls in the air. Glad Shade is sticking around.


Oh, and a minor note. I love that they went with making Paula Asian (not sure if Vietnamese though) and Artemis thus half-asian like in Young Justice. I wonder if they'll make the similarity go as far as bringing in Cheshire as a sister? (Unlikely I know)

 

[theenglish]

I think each of the main characters grew during the season, dealt with some issues and opened up to other issues, which was a direct result of the horrors (cue Marlon Brando.) We also explored more of this show's multiverse, reconnected with some old JSAers, and had a satisfying set-up for next season's "Frienamies."

I ended the season adoring Shade, and more than happy Grundy will likely return. Bonus points for those.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

I agree with all of these points. I really enjoyed the character growth this season and enjoyed the low key episodes that explored them and that gave us some backstory and world building. The Shade was definitely a highlight, as was Grundy. I also liked Jakeem and Jennie. I consider this show to actually be a version of Infinity Inc as much as Stargirl, so I thought it was a lot of fun to show the whole team in the finale--and I did enjoy the final take down of Eclipso. It was also a lot of fun seeing Mister Bones at the end.

I do hope that next season spends a little time exploring the JSA's extended lifespan. This season seemed to imply that they broke up in the fifties and didn't really get back together as a team until the ISA showed up.

This show is not up to the same quality as S&L or BL, but it is definitely a lot of fun. Even with the horror and suspense elements this season, it never felt bleak and dark.

 

[Christopher]

Please let that just be a throwaway gag, the comics version of the costume.

I hate the current costume, so I'd like to see some kind of update -- not a copy of the Infinity Inc. Beth's costume, but maybe something loosely inspired by it.

Oh, and a minor note. I love that they went with making Paula Asian (not sure if Vietnamese though) and Artemis thus half-asian like in Young Justice. I wonder if they'll make the similarity go as far as bringing in Cheshire as a sister? (Unlikely I know)

I'm kind of hoping the head mercenary from last week's Batwoman will turn out to be Cheshire, but this could work too.

Joy Osmanski (Tigress) is Korean-American (IMDb just says "Asian-American" for Stella Smith, who plays Artemis), but that doesn't mean her character is, since American productions' casting usually treats Asian nationalities as interchangeable.

 

[Marc]

This season seemed to imply that they broke up in the fifties and didn't really get back together as a team until the ISA showed up.

I thought what Beth said to Dr McNider contradict this idea unless his "death" occured much later than his daughter's death.

 

[LaxScrutiny]

The whole thing about how old the original JSA are is pretty muddled. Personally, I'd like the idea that they originated in the 50's, give or take a few years, got caught in some time jump and ended up the early 21st century, encountering the ISA then. I think this would have made for a good series on it's own, but c'est la vie.

I would have a problem if they never address this, but I'll happily look the other way as long as I'm getting good stories. I mean, when I was kid watching Adam West's Batman and reruns of George Reeves' Superman, I would have killed for a series like this.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[Commander Troi]

I fall somewhere in between opinions here. I loved the character development this season, especially with Beth. I love that Shade isn't dead or leaving. I like that we now know the Staff chose Courtney because of who she is at her core, and also that Courtney has learned that everyone has light and shadows within. And yes, even though we saw it coming, I still laughed at the Crocs moving next door.

BUT, I also agree there were some writing holes a mile deep (Jade) and some things that were just unsatisfying (Sylvester being the one to help Courtney break out of her Shadows). Also, *please* don't put Beth in her Infinity Inc. outfit!

Things I'm excited about for next season:

• Cindy! She's realized that her view of the world is incomplete (at best!). It should be fun to see her try to fit in with the existing crew. Side note: the fight choreography with her and Courtney against Eclipso was excellent.
• I think Beth is going to wish her parents were still ignoring her.
• Cameron! His grandparents are going to Tell Him (and us) The Truth. I'm guessing Frost Giants. I also don't think Cameron is going to be happy about it.
• Mr. Bones! Yeah baby! He looks great! And he's being voiced by Keith David, who I *adore*.

It does seem a tad crowded in Blue Valley. I hope that doesn't become a problem.

 

[Aragorn]

Crowed in Blue Valley? But it'll be a great finale when Mr. Bones fights all 45 of the show's heroes and antiheroes.

 

[LaxScrutiny]

Beth is probably a sexy twenty something in real life.

They have to hide that.

It's amazing what you can find on the internet...

 

[Guy Gardener]

Under 30 looks like a child to me.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Wow, looks like those zebra overalls weren't doing her any favors.