A subdued Stargirl makes its villains funny, scary, and surprisingly sweet
Tigress and Sportsmaster make a glorious return to the series this week
TV Reviews Stargirl
“You poor deluded child. Don’t you know there’s a difference between bad and evil?”
If there’s one thing Stargirl knows how to do, it’s balance multiple perspectives. That’s true of the way the show divides its point of view between its parent and teen characters. And it’s also true of the way the show splits its time between heroes and villains. Last season the ISA were just as much main characters as the JSA—if not more so at times. And “Summer School: Chapter Four” puts that dichotomy front and center, all while challenging the very notion of what makes heroes heroes and villians villains.
After last week’s big, showy Thunderbolt episode, “Chapter Four” is a simple, pared-back hour without any major fight scenes and only one quick shot of Courtney in her Stargirl costume. But Stargirl’s worldbuilding is strong enough to handle the departure, especially when the character work is as strong as it is here. The main source of tension is that Tigress and Sportsmaster break out of prison and return to Blue Valley. Only it turns out that they’re not there to cause trouble or restart the ISA’s mission. They just want to cheer on their daughter Artemis at her college football tryouts.
It’s a funny subversion that’s also entirely in keeping with who Tigress and Sportsmaster are. Last season made it clear that while the married villains got a kick out of beating up heroes, they were always more devoted to their own family unit than to the philosophical ethos of the Injustice Society—something they reconfirm during a hilarious, surprisingly sweet sequence where they have to make small talk with Pat and Barbara. In fact, the couple’s time in prison seems to have given them a newfound commitment to honesty. They don’t double-cross Pat after he agrees to let them crash at his place and sneak them into tryouts. And they even decide to come clean to Artemis about who they actually are and the fact that their prison time is well-deserved.
The biggest weakness of “Chapter Four” is that it could’ve used a few more beats to explore how the Crocks got to that latter decision. It’s strange that the episode jumps from the genuinely unnerving scene where Cindy tricks Artemis into attacking Courtney to the warm sequence where Sportsmaster and Tigress congratulate their daughter on how well she did at tryouts and the fact that her collegiate future is secure. (Which later turns out not to be the case anyway.) On the other hand, I suppose it’s very in keeping with the Crock family philosophy to assume there will be no consequences for extra aggression. And the trio of performers do such a great job selling the emotion that it’s easy enough to go along with what the episode is going for.
Stargirl also uses the Crock family’s newfound commitment to honesty to draw a fascinating contrast to the Dugan-Whitmores. It turns out Pat knows a lot more about Eclipso than he’s letting on. And after filling in Barbara on all the gory details off-screen, they jointly decide that it’s best to keep what they know a secret from Courtney and her friends. While a lot of the tension of season one came from watching Pat and Courtney keep a major secret from Barbara, this time around, the show keeps its audience out of the loop too, locking us in Courtney’s perspective while teasing the fact that there’s another shoe that’s going to drop. “If we tell Courtney about Eclipso and the [original] JSA, she’ll never be the same,” Pat ominously notes. “None of the kids will.”
Though Pat and Barbara decide it’s their job to protect Courtney and her friends from the truth, they might be underestimating the cost of that choice. Earlier in the episode, Barbara tells Tigress that if she were to deny her kids junk food, they would just go out and get it somewhere else. And that seems to be exactly what happens when Courtney decides to turn to the Shade for the answers that her parents are denying her. But whereas season one Courtney might have made that decision rashly, this time around it doesn’t seem like an entirely unreasonable impulse on her part. She really does her best to research Eclipso in the safest way possible first—including reading about his Diablo Island-based origin story with the JSA at Yolanda’s new diner job. And she’s not totally wrong to think the Shade might be a helpful source of information too.
In a creepy, shadowy scene at the House of Secrets used bookstore, the Shade explains to Courtney that there’s a difference between his everyday level of villainy and Eclipso’s pure evilness. He seems genuinely upset about the fact that Eclipso killed Doctor Mid-Nite’s 10-year-old daughter and promises his only intention with the black diamond is to throw it into the ocean where no one can ever find it again. Though the fact that he tries to play off the whole Eclipso mission as something he’s doing because he’s bored certainly doesn’t feel like the truth, you can see why Courtney might still trust him as a resource. Especially when she’s met with unhelpful radio silence from her own parents.
I really love how committed this season is to depicting a more mature, less impulsive Courtney without losing sight of her inherent sense of gumption. Though “Chapter Four” isn’t the showiest or most exciting episode of Stargirl, it demonstrates the confidence this season has in its slow-burn approach. “Chapter Four” checks in on Beth and Rick’s arcs, gives us a creepy vision of Cindy’s dead mom, and takes major strides towards assembling the new ISA. Plus it introduces the game-changing idea that Doctor Mid-Nite might still be alive and trapped in some sort of shadow dimension. Yet the episode never feels overstuffed or rushed. In fact, it deftly blends suspense, comedy, and pathos. (I may or may not have teared up at Tigress and Sportsmaster cheering on Artemis from the stands.) Though the arc of this season is only just starting to take shape, Stargirl is already raising some intriguing questions about who gets to claim the moral high ground.
Stray observations
- I’m really digging the half-empty summer school setting, which adds to the creepy feeling of the season, but will there be a single scene where the characters are actually dressed for summer? Pat is wearing a puffer vest at one point!
- Sportsmaster notes that Dragon King did something unnerving to the Wizard’s dead body. Could we be getting William Zarick’s zombie-fied return this season?
- There are two simple but effectively edited sequences in this episode: The opening that seamlessly crosscuts between Artemis’ conversations with her parents, and Courtney’s book shop conversation with the Shade, which also features some great sound design too.
- In case anyone else was as confused as I was by that map: Australia was called “New Holland” until the mid-1850s.
- Rick’s suspicious math teacher sure has a lot of clocks on her desk! I’m assuming that’s a clue to a comic book connection of some kind?
- Some incredible small talk from Pat: “How’s prison? Is it scary or is it kind of fun like the Shawshank Redemption?”
61 Comments
I did quite enjoy Sportsmaster & Tigress being good parents though I do wish that they had asked why Artemis had freaked out there. There’s a big difference between being aggressive and what she did.I wonder if Shade had some connection to what happened to Midnighter’s daughter and that’s why he’s doing what he’s doing. Because he brought the daughter up on his own, and not in a way that seemed like it was to drive a wedge between Courtney and Pat.So Starman’s still alive and now Dr. Midnighter’s back. I wonder how much of the OG JSA we’re going to get back before the end.
Help, I can’t post my own thoughts because Kinja craps out after I hit Start the Discussion.
There should be a reply button above that one, next to the sort button.
NOW it’s there. Stupid Kinja.
Also, I’d give you a star, but Kinja won’t let me do that either. THANKS, KINJA!
I am not convince that the Starman we have been seeing is actually Starman.
Oh I think it is him, there’s conflict there if it’s actually him.
I think it’s also confirmed that we’re getting Jay Garrick at some point.
Well yes but I was avoiding posting spoilers. Also there may be more besides him.
I get why they made Sportsmaster and Tigress regulars for next season. That scene with them, Pat and Barbara was a damn delight.
Have they announced who will be regulars next season?
I think they announced it yesterday.
I am sure they are not going to be happy that Cindy is dragging Artemis into a new ISA. That is not the future they see for her. I assume they may pop back near the end of this season. Given that Cindy also wants Mikey in it too I can see some “enemy of my enemy is my friend” bonding. Makes me wonder if they are going to leave the newly formed ISA as a thing for Season 3.
They’re the best characters on the show.
– I know it’s just background detail and not supposed to be focused on, but I’m really curious who business suit man was talking to in the opening scene.
– LOL at the kitchen still not being fixed.
– That freeze shot of Artemis staring at the goal posts lasted way too long. Especially since her actress looked like she was trying to stop herself from laughing. – “Married Felons Break Out of Jail” yet only Sportsmaster is on the front page?
– I absolutely adore Pat’s puffy vest. It suits him so, so much.
– Luke Wilson and Amy Smart have such great chemistry together.
– God, it’s been WAY too long since I had a milkshake. I want one so, so badly. I also get that they were probably fake, but I cringed a little with they didn’t eat the cherries first thing.
– That shot of Bruce Gordon made me think of Kirk Fogg and Olmec.
– If Ms. Woods, the teacher, IS a DC villain, it might be another legacy character. The closest would be Clock King, but as the name implies, they’ve all been male so far in DC comics and any of the adaptations. Could be a new character created to be the Clock Queen.
– That confrontation between Shade and Courtney was pitch perfect.
– I find it a little surprising that nobody recognized Crusher or Paula, given how outgoing they were and how small Blue Valley is.
– I get that Courtney is a gymnast and very athletic, but how did she not get hurt at all being tackled and choked by Artemis? She didn’t even rub her head!- It may not happen this season, but I fully expect that, before the show ends, for Crusher and Paula to show up to bail Stargirl and the others out of some terrible situation and end up becoming permanent good guys. And assuming that she survives this season and doesn’t get written out, I also expect Artemis to join Stargirl’s team, replacing whichever of the main group decides to leave after Season 3 or 4 or whatever.
– Dr. Mid-Nite’s gonna get ‘Norted, isn’t he?
RE: “I find it a little surprising that nobody recognized Crusher or Paula, given how outgoing they were and how small Blue Valley is.”I had the same initial reaction, but then I thought about how few of the parents of my son’s cross country teammates I could identify in a police lineup — or he could. Even if I knew they were infamous, I wouldn’t have made a point to find coverage putting their faces with their crimes. Also, if I actually DID recognize them, I might simply freeze and/or convince myself I was mistaken. How could they break out of prison just to watch a preseason football practice? But yeah, still a huge risk.
– Artemis’ hands are so tiny. How does she hold a football?
– Beth, you can’t solve a divorce that way. It’s just not that easy.
– Really? Cindy is sad about killing her father?
– Boy, Artemis can throw the pigskin.
– I kind of wish that Cindy was a little more of a remorseless killer, but I’ll trust the writers. They’ve done great so far.
– Whoa. Look at that depiction of Artemis.
– The JSA doing research on their target, unlike my former D&D group.
– Haven’t Courtney and Yolanda been eating salads and fruit this entire time at the cafeteria?
– Apples don’t crush like that.
– Not a big thing, but I’m sure that when the rest of the students leave the cafeteria, Courtney and Yolanda are the last out. It’s probably a COVID limited actors on set thing.
– Cindy makes her first move.
– So a straight A, type-A person like Yolanda can’t get an order straight during non-rush hour?
– Courtney: Rick, if you screw up Yolanda’s job, I’ll break you in half.
– I imagine that that explorer guy is a reference I’m not getting. (I was more of a Marvel kid.)
– Hournite milkshake date.
– Maybe Isaac will be the Fiddler II.
– Notice that during that entire scene, Courtney was never intimidated by the Shade. Even when he loomed over her.
– As good as she was, there’s only one person scouting Artemis?
– And now Cindy makes her move on Artemis.
– I’m liking how on this show they’re making the secret keeping a bad thing. On most other superhero shows they make the hero on a morale horse about it.
– Even though he’s still alive, I don’t think that Charles is going to make a comeback as Dr. Mid-Nite. He’s simply too old. But he may train Beth.
They’ve shown from day one that while she’s an awful person, Cindy is also quite miserable too.
I go between really disliking Cindy to feeling sorry for her. Ultimately, she’s just a kid, but she’s a kid who needs a lot of therapy.Meg DeLacy is killing it in that role.
She’s the only character I can’t stand. She’s such an awful, conniving and ANNOYING person. I know that’s by design, but it comes off very cliche
Bruce Gordon — the “explorer guy” — was the original Silver Age secret identity of Eclipso, who was a lot more cheesy back then. Bruce got scratched by the black diamond, and any time he saw an eclipse — even an artificial one — Eclipso would take over temporarily.
So does that mean that he only turns to Eclipso like 2-4 times a year then?
– Apples don’t crush like that.Not with that attitude, kris.
What? It’s an Apple.
Not with any attitude!
I was more annoyed by the fact that Yolanda and Courtney just left the crushed apple on the floor for someone else to clean up.
That scene made me like Shade which I was on the fence about. Did Charles say eleven years when he was talking with Beth?
– Really? Cindy is sad about killing her father?
I don’t think she really is, but she is genuinely sad about killing her birth mother, which they established in Season 1 was kind of an accident. Eclipso is just throwing the dad murder on top as a guilt garnish.
Wherever Mid-Nite is, he may not age.
I was wondering how tiny Artemis could see over the o-line to throw.
I liked that Cindy really didn’t have to try to flirt very hard with Isaac. Just by saying she knew who he was, she pretty much surprised and won him over. Not sure Cindy will find Artemis as easy to charm, though if Artemis finds out that Cindy also hates Courtney, that might be enough
I like the continuity that Sportsmaster & Tigress in fact never got along with the rest of the ISA last year, or probably really cared about the big plan
A lot of the ISA struck me as “hey, in New Amerika, I’ll be an oligarch with whatever I want because I’m friends with the new dictator.” At some point I have to assume, at least in show, the Injustice Society’s etymology (assuming they care about the ISA) was about fighting injustice.
They really were just henching as a side gig.
I felt like the ISA was only loosely associated with each other. Allies by chance, rather than a common brotherhood.
And each with their own motivations and agendas.
And I think they shown that is the reason they failed, was they really could not stand each other and really weren’t a team. They were more like a loose collection of evil people, which seems right
If the new JSA think the Crocks are bad news, wait until they meet Harley Quinn and the Joker. They make Tigress and Sportsmaster look like the Vienna Boys Choir. Heck, I’m looking forward to seeing the likes of Joker and Harley turn Blue Valley into a war zone.
As far as protecting people from the truth goes, Pat, that only works for so long. The truth has a way of making itself known. Look at how Luke Skywalker’s shame came to light:Okay, maybe not like that. But my point remains valid.
I mean, there’s no way Joker and Harley would show up in this. For many red tape reasons but also they simply are a poor fit for the JSA.NOW Punch and Jewelee on the other hand… That’s a clown couple I’d LOVE to see show up.
What kind of red tape are we talking about?
This was probably my favorite episode of the season; it was masterful. “House of Secrets” was a wonderful easter egg, and I hope it portends the introduction of characters from that title. The Grundy nod was delightful, and I eagerly await his return this season. I’m really enjoying where we’re headed, and this might be my favorite DC show currently on (if not, it’s very close to Legends).
I love how supportive Tigress & Sportsmaster are of Artemis. They didn’t really need to hide out the Dugans though, especially as it didn’t appear there was any security chatty Pat had to sneak them through.
Surely there will be other college recruiters who’ll overlook Artemis’s temper?
Despite Sportsmaster’s comment, The Shade doesn’t wear any ascots.
Shade trapped Dr. Mid-Nite in a spooky shadow dimension for eleven years. That could arguably be worse than death.
Is the House Of Secrets used bookstore run by Mark Merlin or Abel?
The teaser had lots of art-horror, so is Mr. Designer going to become Paintball?
I like how the show is delaying the Cindy-Courtney confrontation, though they almost came face to face in this episode. But you know one of them is sure to attack the other one in spite of both trying more reasonable approaches this season
Reasonable approaches? Only Courtney is doing that. Cindy’s teamed up with the corrupted Wrath of God himself to have friends/ an evil team. She’s less petulant, but I wouldn’t call Cindy’s approach more reasonable.
I’m waiting to see Cindy’s game start to suffer now that she doesn’t have anyone at home anymore to serve her meals or do her laundry.
I wonder if moving in with Cindy will be the solution to Artemis’ foster home situation. That might be kind of a bargaining chip. I kept expecting Sportsmaster & Tigress to ask Pat & Barbara to take Artemis in, which would have been extremely awkward but I think helpful
I love how desolate the school feels during the summer, which I’m sure is due to shooting during COVID times, but actually works on both a practical level and driving home the isolation the characters feel. Also it seems like it helps the show to focus more on the core cast & their relationships
This was a very good episodeHow dare this show make me feel for Sportsmaster and Tigress? Barbara and Paula’s scene in that kitchen was so good; I don’t wanna go so far as to say they bonded over their headstrong children, but it’s a start. Crusher and Pat have always had solid chemistry together.Dare I say it, but the Shade seems very reasonable and measured. And kudos to Brec for showing Courtney unafraid of the Shade, even though he towered over her. Can we give Beth some happiness? Please? Yolanda as a waitress? Didn’t see that coming, but I can dig it.
I know that Tigress made a comment about how ‘even the dumb cops’ would be after them in Miami by now, but that doesn’t mean Blue Valley would be completely empty of police – I’m pretty sure some would have kept an eye on Artemis, just in case they tried to make contact.That weird bit of narrative handwaving aside, their scenes were great – I love that Crusher’s intense jovial attitude is only ever a moment away from turning dangerous, and that Tigress bonded with Barbara. I wonder if she liked the coffee?Definitely the standout scene was The Shade in the store – his body language was like a predator sizing up its prey. Proper sinister. And I know his revelations were suggested here in the comments a couple of weeks ago, but I still found myself going “Huh” out loud. Very intrigued to see where things go with him from here.So why would he trap/save Dr. Mid-Nite? I’m now wondering if he did it as a ‘backup’ plan – maybe Dr. Mid-Nite has the knowledge to defeat/stop Eclipso, and he (Shade) knew he’d need that insight at some point…?
Such a good episode. I love that they are not wavering from the “some of the bad guys WILL MURDER CHILDREN” thing they had going in the first season – it is very effective.Mike being on the ISA poster Eclipso shows Cindy is very creepy to me because he still just looks like Mike – no villain outfit, no mask, no weapon – but I assume he’s going to be the deadliest one of the group.Very much looking forward to the Eclipso encounter next week, because the JSA kids are surely going to lose or run or both.
Rick’s Hourman and Geoff Johns is not a subtle writer, so the clocks are probably a nod to that.Or the teacher’s the Clock King.
How are Tigress and Sportsman in prison. Ignoring that fact they were arrested, tried and sent to prison in such a short time, but what were they charged with? Wouldn’t a trial also out Stargirl and the rest?
The delivery on “Poor deluded child” was absolutely perfect! The way he paused after deluded as if he realized he was about to spout a cliché, but carried on anyway, just glorious. And I love the implication that the JSA lives in a world where the Adam West Batman show exists.I feel like my comments this season are turning into a Shade Appreciation Society and I am fine with that. Give me that classy, British villain stuff right in my veins. Can’t get enough.
Is Mike going to be the new Gambler? That was sort of the placement he had in the photo…Shade is awesome- just chewing scenery left and right. I love the fact that its pretty clear Pat isn’t telling us everything about the JSA’s adventures- perhaps not even everything about their “final” battle. Dr. Mid-Nite in the shadow realm works since he’s blind….but it does beg the question about how the goggles got left behind.I’m betting the big secret about JSA/Eclipso is that the JSA’s fight with Bruce Gordon ended with Gordon dead or sealed away for all time or something similar. Reminds me of the Crusaders back in the day.
Crazy theory time: we know Eclipso can create illusions to trick people into fighting each other, and Pat and Barbara were talking about “the truth about Eclipso and the JSA” like there was some terrible secret that Courtney couldn’t handle, so what if the ISA actually didn’t kill the JSA? What if Eclipso made the JSA think they were fighting the ISA, and they actually killed EACH OTHER? And when Pat drove up and saw them all dying, maybe that was just part of the mass illusion?That’s probably a little too dark for this show, but then, this season did start off with a demon murdering a 10-year-old girl.
So full Old Man Logan, Mysterio fools wolverine into killing everyone style?I could see it.
I guess? I never read Old Man Logan, so I can’t say for sure.
Man seriously what was that prison guard’s deal? Boy what a massive asshole.I wonder if that’s ever going to come into play?
I certainly thought the breakout was gpoing to be a) shown and b) involve that obnoxious guard getting wrecked
Some incredible small talk from Pat: “How’s prison? Is it scary or is it kind of fun like the Shawshank Redemption?”
The line itself was funny but the quizzical look of “Huh?” on Sportsmaster’s face when Pat mentions the title was even funnier. You just know that this character only ever watches sports and sports adjacent entertainment (like my brother-in-law).
So what is Cindy’s end goal here?Eclispo is obviously trying to manipulate her, but is she just assembling an EVIL team for the sake of having an evil team?Icicle had an overly complicated world domination plan and Eclipso is just evil (absorbed evil emotions?), but I’m not really following Cindy’s motivations.