#CW Stargirl

[phoenix]

Perhaps the *real* Arrowverse was the friends we made along the way

[groundrunner100]

A bigger debate than real world politics.

[leechlets]

watching cw's stargirl and this is better than most of the arrowverse shows. maybe bc it doesn't desperately want to be a show for another character, I'm about half an ep in so you never know

[milesonthenet]

Six Starry Reasons why DC's Stargirl works!

Hello, and welcome to the House of Milesverse. Today, our subject is DC's action television series, Stargirl. It premiered on May 18th, 2020, and ended on December 7th, 2023.

I think Stargirl stands out as an underrated gem in the live-action catalog. It's a fun, cheesy series that isn't afraid to embrace the silliness of superheroes. In addition, it has some surprisingly heartfelt moments that just work.

The Justice Society is full of personality.

The Justice Society is traditionally known as the world's first team of superheroes. Even in real life, they hold that title. The JSA are golden-age heroes who just have this authentic feeling about them. It is what I enjoy about them because they just feel like classic heroes.

The JSA of this series is based on the younger mantle-holders. They are the next generation working to fight against crime. Naturally, they still show their inexperience at times.

Our roster includes:

The brave Courtney Whitmore, whose chosen by the Cosmic Staff to become Stargirl.

The once-popular student Yolanda Montez, who after a life-ruining scandal, becomes the heroic Wildcat.

The talkative and tech-savvy Beth Chapel, who becomes the latest Dr. Mid-Nite after stumbling upon a pair of hi-tech goggles.

The angsty Rick Tyler, who takes on an hourglass that belonged to Hourman, his father, and succeeds him.

The team is also led by Pat Dugan, a veteran hero and sidekick to the Star-Spangled Kid. He pilots the S.T.R.I.P.E. armor, a large mechanical robot. With it, he's able to overpower the villains with super strength.

Overall, the team all has their own quirks and interesting gimmicks. What I love about them is that they are all very different in their own way. Yet, they come together when it matters most to save the day.

The Injustice Society is too cool.

Well, we talked about the heroes, should we just avoid talking about the villains? I think not, the Injustice Society is a fun cast of antagonists. They bring a lot to the series through their impact.

When we look at the Injustice Society, we really have to look at the most instrumental player. Icicle is a chilling antagonist whose goals would create complete utopian rule over the country. He is scary in the way that he presents himself. As a cold-hearted businessman, he's not above using his powers to ice his teammates.

Icicle's best-demonstrated scene is his murder of Joey Zarick. William Zarick was his father, and he was unwilling to battle against Stargirl. He abandoned his post, and because of that, Icicle chose to punish him. He killed his son, and then killed him afterwards.

Icicle's personality is almost indistinguishable from a monster. Beneath his pleasant veil, he's willing to make America better by changing their minds - literally. However, he's also willing to kill as many men, women, and children to do this.

The other members of the Injustice Society of America are also standouts. Characters like Brainwave and Dragon King can be genuinely unnerving to look at. Then we get The Gambler, who proves to be a dangerous threat when it comes to technology. He's also got a very fun accent to listen to.

I think the second-best performance from the Injustice Society are Tigress and Sportsmaster. They are genuinely fun villains who really love each other. Heck, they love their daughter enough to escape prison and see her game. More than that, they even try to become heroes in season 3... It does not go well for them.

Either way, the Injustice Society makes for a gang of fun, villainous personalities.

The family element is just TOO heartwarming

It's on the CW, of course, there would be drama. This appeals to teenagers after all. However, with drama there also comes a dozen heartwarming moments.

The episode where Courtney Whitmore actually meets her dad is beautiful. This entire time, Courtney believed that her dad was the original Starman. This was because Sylvester Pemberton died on the day that her dad had gone missing.

In actuality, this is not the truth. Courtney's real dad is Sam Kurtis, the man who abandoned her and Barbara. He only returns to reconnect with his daughter and regain her locket. All he wanted to do was just sell the locket and gain some easy cash.

Naturally, Pat sends him on his way out with a parting gift - his fist. I love Pat because he treats Courtney as more than just a stepdaughter. He cares about Courtney's well-being, and he's demonstrated this numerous times.

In general, the family cares deeply about one another. More than that, they also care about the rest of the JSA kids. They really do represent the best in people, and I love that for them.

Eclipso is scary as all hell

I'm not lying to you here; Eclipso really IS scary. He's a demented otherworldly entity who feeds on fear and hatred. Eclipso spends most of the arc actively taunting the heroes.

He's a lot like Freddy Krueger because he spends his time using your fears against you. He mocks you and makes you feel weak. I love him for it because it also makes him memorable. Unlike the Injustice Society? Eclipso is far more out of the heroes' power range.

I also love how Eclipso regularly alternates between forms. Most of his appearances are through either his true state or as a little child. It really sells the demonic Pennywise-esque angle that they were going for.

Pat Dugan is STRIPE, and that's cool.

Remember when I said that Pat Dugan punched out Courtney's real dad?

Yeah, he gets to do a LOT of other cool stuff as well. Pat Dugan is a hero throughout the entire season. You can doubt it all you want, but you can't disagree that Pat Dugan is one of the best in the series. He may not have started out as a hero, but he has the heart of one.

What I love about Pat is that he's the underdog. He's seen as the sidekick, but he's actually a capable fighter. Heck, he's a mechanic with a penchant for technology. He created the S.T.R.I.P.E. suit all by himself, and somehow modified it from a car.

And? He's a cheerful bumbling dad who tries his best to help people. He's an interesting character in his own way, and I think the show does right by him. I wish that his car was real because I would love a giant robot mecha.

The Staff is just full of personality

And last but surely not least - the COSMIC STAFF itself. It's full of personality, and it radiates kindness. Also, it practically radiates in general since, yeah, cosmic radiation. Poor Cosmo here was left in a crate for who knows how long.

Ever since he met Courtney, he's been standing right by her side. While she may have doubts about herself, the staff chose her for a reason. She is a brave, compassionate leader who never stops fighting the good fight.

What I love the most about the staff is its general expressiveness. Unlike the comics, it is a sentient piece of technology that has its own feelings. It can move of its own accord, and interact with the world. Naturally, we also get scenes where it pulls Courtney into the action itself. I like how this idea has so much potential for comedic effect.

Consensus: Stargirl is sure to leave you seeing stars!

What's not to love about Stargirl? It's a series with nice costumes, emotional stakes, and great action. Our main characters are fairly fleshed out and capable of bouncing off of each other. It really is a series for kids, and I like that about it.

Stargirl shines brightest when it's a mix of superhero action and family entertainment. I ended up binge-watching this series a few months ago. I was quickly blown away by the level of quality, and I have become a fan of the series since.

I am sad that Stargirl came to an end last year. Although, I think it's better if the show did end at this current stage. I would not want to see the show rot into something worse.

NEXT TIME: Let's get Dangerous with Devil Dinosaur!

I hope you enjoyed this Star-Spangled lesson about the Stargirl series! I'll return once in a blue Moon - Girl. If you didn't know it then now you know, I'll be tackling a neat review for Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur!

[multifandom-lesbian09]

Pat Dugan, all the time: Court, you’ve gotta listen to me because what you’re doing could endanger everybody. You, me, your mom, Rick, Beth, Yolanda, the dog… oh, and also Mike.

[becharm-27]

Happy belated birthday, Turi Meyer!

Here are some edits inspired by quotes from episodes penned by the writer and producer.

What are your favorite quotes from Summer School chapters 3 & 9 and Frenemies chapters 6 & 12?

[lands-of-fantasy]

DCTV x The CW/WB (2001-24)

Smallville (2001–11)

Birds of Prey (2002-03)

Arrow (2012-20)

The Flash (2014-23)

iZombie (2015-19)

Supergirl (2015-21)

Legends of Tomorrow (2016-22)

Black Lightning (2018-21)

Batwoman (2019-2022)

Stargirl (2020–22)

Superman & Lois (2021-24)

Naomi (2022)

Gotham Knights (2023)

Smallville and Birds of Prey used to air on The WB, but as the network merged with UPN on 2006 to form The CW, Smallville continued its run on the new network.

Supergirl started on CBS but moved to The CW on its second season.

During its first season, Stargirl premiered its episodes on DC Universe streaming service, airing the next day on The CW. With the end of the service, the series aired its following seasons exclusively on the broadcast network.

[dcshowsonthecw]

2024 - the year we said goodbye to DC shows on The WB/CW.

[arrow-v-flash-polls]

Out of curiousity what was the reason you began watching any of Arrowverse and later related shows?

[fandomnerd9602]

Courtney knocks on Y/N’s window…

Y/N: Courtney? What’s wrong?

Courtney: my disguise clothes got destroyed. Can I borrow something?

Y/N hands her their hoodie…

She puts it on…

Y/N: wow

Courtney: what?

Y/N: nothing. it’s just you look good in my clothing

Courtney blushes…

[lizardwoman-from-earths-core-2]

Throwback to when I wrote, like, one chapter of a Doom Patrol/Stargirl fanfic before the finale episode for DP pissed me off so much I abondoned it.

Just found the original drafts so I might play around with it again. Idk.

[sassylittlecanary]

No thoughts, just the iconic JSA painting/photo in live action

Smallville (2001-2011) // Stargirl (2020-2022)

[there-are-many-ways-to-smile]

The CW really shot itself in the foot by canceling Legends of Tomorrow, Stargirl, Nancy Drew and Kung fu. Those were some of the networks strongest shows, they all had a good amount of seasons and strong loyal fan bases.

The network only has two good shows now: All American and All American Homecoming

[valorianknights]

Starvel W.I.P.

[multifandom-lesbian09]

in my Mike Dugan era for real

[evilhorse]

Stargirl TV show ad circa September 2021