When DC’s Stargirl debuted last year, we were skeptical. So many of DC’s live-action television efforts lacked the passion and vigor they needed to resonate, and Stargirl was unlikely to be the show that broke that trend. But that’s exactly what it did. Showrunner Geoff Johns brought levity, camp, and heart to a franchise that, up until that point, had been defined by the least flattering of those three elements. Now, with the premiere of its highly anticipated second season, one thing is clear: Stargirl is leagues better than almost anything else DC has released on television in years.
Subtitled Summer School, the second season of Stargirl sees Courtney Whitmore (an immensely likable Brec Bassinger) struggling to juggle her duties as a superhero and her responsibilities as a high-schooler. The Injustice Society is gone (mostly) and life in Blue Valley once again resembles “normal.” But evil lurks nearby, and it won’t be long before Stargirl and her Justice Society must once again defend their home.
Summer School: Chapter One gets a lot right, but its most appealing aspect is its cast. We’re only an episode in and the performances are already outstanding. Luke Wilson is a showstopper, but other players who had been benched for most of Season One are stepping into the spotlight. The premiere showcases Yvette Monreal’s strongest performance yet as Wildcat, a focus that may serve as a hint at darker, more dramatic developments for the character. Of the current JSA members, she has suffered the most, and it looks as if Johns and company are building toward a reckoning. The episode is bookended by villainy, but everything in-between is stuffed with the charm that made the first season so much fun.
Stargirl Season 2 is off to an astoundingly great start. It gets straight to the point, follows up on last season’s promises, and delivers a final scene that’ll chill you to the bone. If this episode is anything to go by, the sophomore season of this irresistible series is sure to be one for the books.
New episodes of STARGIRL premiere every Wednesday in the UK on Amazon Prime Video
