The latest addition to the DC universe isn’t your average bulky, macho heartthrob with superhuman strength, nor is it a superhero who runs faster than sound travels or shoots arrows in vigilante form.
Instead, DC Universe’s new hero is a teenage girl with big high school problems.
Her name is Courtney Whitmore, but you can call her Stargirl. The series Stargirl debuted on the DC Universe and the CW this last May. With 13 episodes in its first season, the teen drama series is set on a parallel Earth to friends at Arrowverse and has already been renewed for a second season.
Stargirl is based on the comic book characters of Courtney Whitmore and Stargirl, which were created by Geoff Johns, Lee Moder, and David S. Goyer.
For television, Geoff Johns teamed up with Greg Berlanti to bring her to life. Geoff Johns also stays on board as executive producer. The character Courtney Whitmore is played by Brec Bassinger, who got her start on Nickelodeon in 2015.
The setting takes viewers to the fictional, friendly town of Blue Valley, Nebraska, though the series is actually filmed in Georgia. In the show, Courtney Whitmore and her family are new arrivals from sunny Los Angeles. Courtney at first struggles with this dramatic change in her life, so like any typical teenager, she soon encounters problems at home and issues at school.
But unlike typical teenagers, she has to fight menaces named Brainwave, Sportsmaster, and Tigress. Not surprisingly, she soon begins to view life through a much more mature lens.
In the series, Courtney Whitmore stumbles upon the original Starman’s gear, including the Cosmic Staff which becomes the source of her superpowers. Capable of putting the zap to evil, the Cosmic Staff leads her into a dark world of battling dangerous villains, including those who nearly defeated the original Justice Society of America.
Courtney teams up with other young crime fighters at the Justice Society of America, beginning with her humble hero stepfather, Pat Dugan, the original Starman’s sidekick. The role of Pat Dugan is played by the witty Luke Wilson.
The series is heavy with special effects that will keep audiences in awe while the storyline keeps them engaged. Stargirl may be dubbed as a teen drama, but it’s sure to entice adult audiences, as well. The DC Universe brings all of its intriguing interesting hero/villain characters and plots plus the new dimension of high school teenager woes.
The series pilot works to quickly catch viewers up on the history of Starman and Pat Dugan. With the death of Starman, the Justice Society fell stale for 10 years. It is Stargirl and her team of crime fighters that must pick up the torch and complete unfinished business.
The backstory sets the stage for a new Justice Society of America and new battles between good and evil, or the Justice Society of America vs. the Injustice Society of America. The plot evolves as viewers learn more about the history of the Justice Society member’s in each episode. Season 1 tells the complete story of the history of the Justice Society of America, leaving season 2 to develop the star of the show in her modern-day adventures and challenges.
Stargirl joins other streaming DC Universe shows such as Doom Patrol and Titans, expanding an entertainment lineup that offers action and thrills to a diverse audience. The show has had a solid performance on The CW, and Season 2 will debut exclusively on The CW. The debut date for Season 2 has yet to be announced, but it is destined to bring more great stories and action to fans who eagerly await more.
