Stargirl - So Harlequin finished but I still had my subscription...

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Season 3 Trailer.

Gambler's back, original Starman looks like he is doing his best Ryan Reynolds impression (and is almost certainly evil), some of the villains are trying their best to be a little bit less villainous and unsurprisingly that is going to be at least part of the tension this season.

But that CW logo makes my skin crawl.
 
Just watched the first episode of S3 and I am SO happy this is back. I haven't watched the season trailer above. I'm pretty spoiler-averse in general but especially so with this show given the magnificent unexpected direction S1 went at the very end.

So I have to say that like with S2 I have my perennial fears that quality will decline with a new season. But unlike the start of S2 which opened with the unwelcome intrusion of the Green Lantern character (some kind of backdoor pilot?) this show started off with no weakpoints. I love the opening montage of the different characters, I love that The Gambler is back. A seriously underrated villain and I love the natural antipathy that Sportsmaster has for the rotund reprobate. And I love that even when the Gambler is trying to be humble and ingratiating he still can't resist correcting someone's grammar.

If I could pick one tiny instant to capture the greater whole, it would be Artemis Crock ruffling the hair of someone she just saved. It's just such a wonderful tiny character moment that makes her more real. She is absolutely the person you want to watch a story about and absolutely the person you wouldn't want to know in real life. And I love how as far as her mother is concerned, being a good guy changes nothing at all about your behaviour, it just means you're fighting different people..

Also, little exchanges like this:
Shiv: "I have wine."
Hourman: "We don't drink on the job."
Beth: "None of us drink - we're not 21."
Hourman: *discreet glance to the side*

If you haven't seen it and you wonder why I'd pick out a fairly vanilla exchange like that it's because it's an example of just how much every moment is packed with characterisation. It's blink and you miss it but it just shows how Beth is such an innocent still and that yeah - Hourman is definitely buying a beer with a fake ID when all this is done. The whole thing feels so real. Which is awesome in a show with a flying robot built out of car parts.

Scarlett Johansson said:
I originally was interested because I thought Joel McHale was a regular.....boy was I wrong
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Not wrong. Just two seasons early. He's back now.
Polyboros2 said:
I liked Joel JcHale in Community, but he does not work as a super hero. Maybe it was cause it was such a bit part they didn't try to make him fit, but he looked awful.
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Eh, I agree with you. But also it's just a hunch based on the end of S2 and start of S1 that that might not be so out of character as you think. He's already making me uneasy.

Anyway, if anyone is just reading this latest post and hasn't seen the show - it's absolutely great. One of the only comicbook shows that doesn't feel the need to apologise for being a comicbook show. No Whedon quips, no early Arrow style making everything as realistic as possible (though I liked it in Arrow). Wholesome without being tame; mature without being overly sexualised; fun without making everything into a joke.

I love this show.
 
Overly Serious said:
Just watched the first episode of S3 and I am SO happy this is back. I haven't watched the season trailer above. I'm pretty spoiler-averse in general but especially so with this show given the magnificent unexpected direction S1 went at the very end.

So I have to say that like with S2 I have my perennial fears that quality will decline with a new season. But unlike the start of S2 which opened with the unwelcome intrusion of the Green Lantern character (some kind of backdoor pilot?) this show started off with no weakpoints. I love the opening montage of the different characters, I love that The Gambler is back. A seriously underrated villain and I love the natural antipathy that Sportsmaster has for the rotund reprobate. And I love that even when the Gambler is trying to be humble and ingratiating he still can't resist correcting someone's grammar.

If I could pick one tiny instant to capture the greater whole, it would be Artemis Crock ruffling the hair of someone she just saved. It's just such a wonderful tiny character moment that makes her more real. She is absolutely the person you want to watch a story about and absolutely the person you wouldn't want to know in real life. And I love how as far as her mother is concerned, being a good guy changes nothing at all about your behaviour, it just means you're fighting different people..

Also, little exchanges like this:
Shiv: "I have wine."
Hourman: "We don't drink on the job."
Beth: "None of us drink - we're not 21."
Hourman: *discreet glance to the side*

If you haven't seen it and you wonder why I'd pick out a fairly vanilla exchange like that it's because it's an example of just how much every moment is packed with characterisation. It's blink and you miss it but it just shows how Beth is such an innocent still and that yeah - Hourman is definitely buying a beer with a fake ID when all this is done. The whole thing feels so real. Which is awesome in a show with a flying robot built out of car parts.


Not wrong. Just two seasons early. He's back now.

Eh, I agree with you. But also it's just a hunch based on the end of S2 and start of S1 that that might not be so out of character as you think. He's already making me uneasy.

Anyway, if anyone is just reading this latest post and hasn't seen the show - it's absolutely great. One of the only comicbook shows that doesn't feel the need to apologise for being a comicbook show. No Whedon quips, no early Arrow style making everything as realistic as possible (though I liked it in Arrow). Wholesome without being tame; mature without being overly sexualised; fun without making everything into a joke.

I love this show.
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I'm still surprised Joel is in this but I like him a lot anyway lol
 
You know, after the disaster that was She Hulk, I was wondering when this show was coming back cause I definitely am in the mood for some good capeshit. Glad to hear I didn't have to wait long.
 
DDBCAE CBAADCBE said:
0/10 they didn’t call it Stars And Stripes
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Well it's still the single closest thing to the comic you're likely to get. Nearly every other comic book show is so ashamed to be a comic book show that it layers things up with irony and quips as if to say to the audience "we know we're about superheroes which is dumb and for losers, but it's okay because we're doing it mockingly".

I guarantee you're never going to see Megan Thee Stallion (whoever she is) twerking in Stargirl.
Morethanabitfoolish said:
I have a sneaking suspicion it might be a rock of sanity in a sea of shit this September.
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Not just sanity, but morality. You have genuinely good people in Stargirl sincerely doing their best because it's the right thing to do. That's refreshing.
 
So with the 'Farms weathering the storm (all salute Captain Josh) I haven't been able to sperg about Stargirl for the past couple of weeks. How is it going now we're four episodes in? Is Season 3 living up to the previous two? So far, fairly well. It's following the pattern of showing great restraint in its reveals. Enough hooks to draw you along, not blowing things open too early. I don't know who the killer is yet but I'm starting to have a suspicion.

Starman is, if not exactly likeable sometimes, very believable and well acted. Sportsmaster is entertaining as always. The subplot with Tigress and Barbara a little less so - and not exactly believable with Tigress, imo (no fault of the actress).

We haven't seen Director Bones yet since his reveal at the end of Season 2. I'm kind of disappointed by that. He seems a fantastic character. Oh well, I'm sure he'll show up in time.
 
Overly Serious said:
So with the 'Farms weathering the storm (all salute Captain Josh) I haven't been able to sperg about Stargirl for the past couple of weeks. How is it going now we're four episodes in? Is Season 3 living up to the previous two? So far, fairly well. It's following the pattern of showing great restraint in its reveals. Enough hooks to draw you along, not blowing things open too early. I don't know who the killer is yet but I'm starting to have a suspicion.

Starman is, if not exactly likeable sometimes, very believable and well acted. Sportsmaster is entertaining as always. The subplot with Tigress and Barbara a little less so - and not exactly believable with Tigress, imo (no fault of the actress).

We haven't seen Director Bones yet since his reveal at the end of Season 2. I'm kind of disappointed by that. He seems a fantastic character. Oh well, I'm sure he'll show up in time.
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Hoping to catch up on episodes 2-4 this week.

Polyboros2 said:
What you will get to see is a 10 year old boy going off like its a Klan rally.
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Anyone know if there's been much in the way of extra or commentaries on any of the disc releases? I am genuinely curious about a lot of what they did but that scene in particular was one where I almost want to see everyone on set okay about it after, since I'm certain the child in question is a simple child actor doing the best he can who was probably a smidge uncomfortable after.
 
Morethanabitfoolish said:
Hoping to catch up on episodes 2-4 this week.


Anyone know if there's been much in the way of extra or commentaries on any of the disc releases? I am genuinely curious about a lot of what they did but that scene in particular was one where I almost want to see everyone on set okay about it after, since I'm certain the child in question is a simple child actor doing the best he can who was probably a smidge uncomfortable after.
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I don't have S2 on disc yet and nothing on the Amazon page suggests there's a commentary on it. If there is though, I'll let you know.

I don't know if the child actor would be uncomfortable or not. I'm not at all suggesting that he shares the values of the character but playing a Bad Guy is a common thing. He was startlingly effective though.

I guess for completeness I should say I'm not sure if Eclipso is racist per se, but more just trying to wind up Beth and given Eclipso appeared in the... 1920's? Then he could well see taunting her about his race was a way to proceed.
 
Overly Serious said:
I don't have S2 on disc yet and nothing on the Amazon page suggests there's a commentary on it. If there is though, I'll let you know.

I don't know if the child actor would be uncomfortable or not. I'm not at all suggesting that he shares the values of the character but playing a Bad Guy is a common thing. He was startlingly effective though.

I guess for completeness I should say I'm not sure if Eclipso is racist per se, but more just trying to wind up Beth and given Eclipso appeared in the... 1920's? Then he could well see taunting her about his race was a way to proceed.
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Thanks for that. It's mostly curiosity into the life on set as much as anything else.

Oh 100%.

The depiction of Eclipso would suggest that to them racism is a tool. It's a button to push rather than being some sort of moral value they hold. Drop them in any place or time in the world and they will wield the tools to hand. Dump them into Nazi Germany they'll use the values then, Red Scare era of America it's accusations of Communism. Black girl in largely white country let's go with racism.

They're not human. Human logic doesn't apply.
 
Morethanabitfoolish said:
Thanks for that. It's mostly curiosity into the life on set as much as anything else.

Oh 100%.

The depiction of Eclipso would suggest that to them racism is a tool. It's a button to push rather than being some sort of moral value they hold. Drop them in any place or time in the world and they will wield the tools to hand. Dump them into Nazi Germany they'll use the values then, Red Scare era of America it's accusations of Communism. Black girl in largely white country let's go with racism.

They're not human. Human logic doesn't apply.
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The remarkable thing with Eclipso is that they made him genuinely scary. Whether that be as spooky child or demon jester. And that's a pattern I notice with Stargirl is that they take very, very well-worn tropes and do them so well that you remember why they became tropes in the first place. Spooky kid? Seen it a thousand times. This one? Work. Clown/carnival/jester outfit on a supernatural entity? Everything from IT to Spawn has done this. Here? Once again works. Really the whole show has this complete willingness to just do things well. Whilst every other show is bending over backwards to subvert and deconstruct or add twists in a desperate attempt to be original, Stargirl just says "I love superhero comics. Here's a giant robot vs. a sports-obsessed villain for you to enjoy".

Not that the twist to S1 wasn't a doozie, mind.
 
Overly Serious said:
The remarkable thing with Eclipso is that they made him genuinely scary. Whether that be as spooky child or demon jester. And that's a pattern I notice with Stargirl is that they take very, very well-worn tropes and do them so well that you remember why they became tropes in the first place. Spooky kid? Seen it a thousand times. This one? Work. Clown/carnival/jester outfit on a supernatural entity? Everything from IT to Spawn has done this. Here? Once again works. Really the whole show has this complete willingness to just do things well. Whilst every other show is bending over backwards to subvert and deconstruct or add twists in a desperate attempt to be original, Stargirl just says "I love superhero comics. Here's a giant robot vs. a sports-obsessed villain for you to enjoy".

Not that the twist to S1 wasn't a doozie, mind.
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It reminds me of better Doctor Who episodes. You can watch it as a family. But at times you do look at it again and reconsider the horror side might be the reason why the children you watch it with won't turn their back on angel statues anymore.

As you say, it feels like a show where people enjoy what they are doing and try to do it well rather than are thinking how to make it new. And somehow that makes it more refreshing. The fact that there are heavily characterful touches throughout only helps further, minor shit like the Gambler picking up his litter in his reappearance to the show is a simple way of changing his prior depiction but it works. Hell, it would work as a comic panel too. I think part of what helps is it is relatively short too in contrast to things like Flash, Supergirl etc. so it doesn't get as bogged down with filler.

No kidding :)
 
Double post so apologies for that.
Watched up to episode 4 now. I must admit the name Frenemies for the season still makes me smirk a bit.

I really like that they've given the staff more personality this season as a result of having both Sylvester and Courtney around.

For Starman/Sylvester I am torn. His motivations are actually understandable and I think what he is meant to be is a metaphor for people who get too involved in fictional lifestyles. Gamers, obsessive fans, any who have put off interacting with the real world overly long in favour of something detached from it, in his case the superhero lifestyle. It's made very clear that he is not that good outside of the actual heroics, even socially he is worse than either his teenage successor or adult former sidekick. They even spell it out at one point, "the kids are cleaning up my mess." He knows he isn't even necessary for the one thing he can do but at this point that is all he has. As you say, he's often not likeable but I think he can be relatable. For the most nuclear take I can go with on the fellow by mid episode 4 he's debatably a sympathetic take on an incel.

Regarding Sportsmaster episode 4 might have one of the more endearing moments for him, Pat and Sylvester that took less than 3 minutes to say a lot about all three of them, how they deal with failure and how they are willing to reach out without spelling it out. The follow up with Pat and Sylvester alone does well too but that initial exchange is impressively efficient.

I see what you're saying with the plot with Tigress and Barbara @OverlySerious but I actually disagree a little. The big thing about the family seems to be that none of them have a mid-range of emotional reactions. They are against or all in, it's that simple. When they decided that they needed to bond with the Whitmore's they went whole hog on it to the point where they utterly ignore the family's boundaries to do so and that same behaviour ties in to how she's acting around Barbara. Tigress has decided they are friends, the fact that on Barbara's side it's closer to unwilling hostage is irrelevant.
Also the taxidermied gift is amazing.

I wondered if Bones might be the person watching the screens, even while the implication is it's Dragon King. I think given the pace so far we're more likely to get another party as the villains of this season and him heading it up could make sense.

Also is that the first on screen kiss for the show's teen characters? Credit to them for not dropping the romance stuff in earlier save obviously for Yolanda's unfortunate experiences.
 
So with the downtime I couldn't post about this show. And fair dues because there's so little to mock in it and it's just a generally consistent and enjoyable superhero show these threads probably aren't the most interesting.

But three episodes have passed since last time and two of those were an unfortunate back-door pilot for some Green Lantern and Helix / Director Bones kid squad show which I presume is happening - I have no idea. All I know is that it got in the way of the show I enjoyed and dragged Courtney off into some side-quest that all felt a bit weird and forced. On the upside, Director Bones is cool - both the visual effects considering the budget and the casting. Green Lantern remains annoying as an actress. This Green Lantern is the daughter of the original Green Lantern and she has a twin brother who is filled with darkness (and gay). I doubt I'll watch the spin-off if and when it happens.

The last episode gets us back on track with the actual story. Don't think it's a spoiler to say I like the Thunderbolt (as in the actual genie). A nice mix of naive and do-gooding: "I get what you're going for here and technically there's a justification. But it also kind of looks like you're using me to go through the locker of a girl you have a crush on which is sort of stalking." Or words to that effect. Mike and Jakeem having a kind of adolescent crush on Cindy Burman is one of those nice little touches which just makes this show so great.

I don't think this season is going to be as good as 1 and 2 but that's a very high bar. And it didn't help to spend two episodes on this backdoor pilot.

We have finally found out who the villain is this season as of the stinger at the end of this last episode. And all I can say is WTF! Sticking with the old school, I can see!
 
Series was cancelled, unfortunately. I've been waiting for season three to finish so that I can binge it over a weekend like I did S1&2.

Arrow making it to 8 seasons and Flash making it to 9 seasons, plus Titans getting renewed, while Stargirl couldn't get a fourth season is supreme bullshit.
 
Tor Lugosi said:
Series was cancelled, unfortunately. I've been waiting for season three to finish so that I can binge it over a weekend like I did S1&2.

Arrow making it to 8 seasons and Flash making it to 9 seasons, plus Titans getting renewed, while Stargirl couldn't get a fourth season is supreme bullshit.
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Probably not enough wokness sadly.
 
Overly Serious said:
But three episodes have passed since last time and two of those were an unfortunate back-door pilot for some Green Lantern and Helix / Director Bones kid squad show which I presume is happening - I have no idea. All I know is that it got in the way of the show I enjoyed and dragged Courtney off into some side-quest that all felt a bit weird and forced. On the upside, Director Bones is cool - both the visual effects considering the budget and the casting. Green Lantern remains annoying as an actress. This Green Lantern is the daughter of the original Green Lantern and she has a twin brother who is filled with darkness (and gay). I doubt I'll watch the spin-off if and when it happens.
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An episode behind so can't comment on the most recent one. Like you I found the spin-off esque thing a bit odd but I think it was there to wrap up some plot stuff while also being a red herring. Todd wasn't too bad, I could actually probably tolerate a series with him and the Shade. Even new GL was infinitely more tolerable with Shade around to skewer her snark. Director Bones and co I'm less sure on, I could see something like Doom Patrol aimed at a younger audience, more in the vein of something like a live action X-Men Evolution perhaps. But at the moment well...
Tor Lugosi said:
Arrow making it to 8 seasons and Flash making it to 9 seasons, plus Titans getting renewed, while Stargirl couldn't get a fourth season is supreme bullshit.
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I agree, especially so with Titans getting renewed, but in fairness a lot of the DC stuff is getting cancelled. Even the Green Lanterns series, which apparently was both cast and written, has now been changed to a John Stewart focused one. I'm astounded Doom Patrol is getting a 4th season but I guess it's different enough that the superhero fatigue which might be setting in isn't impacting it.
Oats12345 said:
Probably not enough wokness sadly.
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Which is ironic given how diverse the main crew actually are. One guy compared to four girls of a variety of ethnicities. I don't think wokeness will be a factor in this case, I think possibly they're wiping quite a few slates at this point ahead of a new strategy for this sort of stuff. Which is a shame, I hope they use this cast again for other projects.
 
So I learn from this thread that Star Girl is coming to an end. Sad news when, as @Morethanabitfoolish points out, trash like Titans gets a fourth Season. Still, at least that means the show will always be one of those shows that stayed good throughout. I trust the show to deliver at the end of Season 3, though it will be hard to match S1 and S2.
 
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