Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Shoot for the stars
CW has an affinity for DC comics stories, and “Stargirl” is just one of the network’s popular shows. With one season under its belt and the second wrapping up, fans are preparing for Season 2’s exciting finale, airing Tuesday, Nov. 2, on CW.
Before the first season even premiered, a cameo during the Arrowverse crossover “Crisis on Infinite Earths” established Stargirl as an existing character on a parallel Earth: Earth-2. From that moment, fans of the Arrowverse character have fallen head over heels for the younger portrayal of the beloved character. So producers did what any smart producers would do: they gave her a show of her own.
Created by Geoff Johns (“Titans”), “Stargirl” follows high school student Courtney Whitmore, portrayed by Brec Bassinger (“School of Rock”), who discovers the Cosmic Staff, a powerful weapon hidden in the basement of her house. She soon discovers the staff belonged to her father: her real father, Starman.
Courtney’s stepfather, Pat Dugan (Luke Wilson, “12 Mighty Orphans,” 2021), is the former sidekick to Starman. When he’s not serving as a reluctant mentor and father figure to Courtney, Pat is a mechanic who owns The Pit Stop, the repair shop where he stores S.T.R.I.P.E. (Subatomic Tactile Robot Internet Pat Enhancer), a 15-foot robotic suit of armor made from spare car parts. The Pit Stop serves as a front for their operation, and despite his own occasional super-heroics, Pat wants to provide a normal life for his family.
Stargirl soon takes up the Cosmic Staff, designs a costume from her father’s original material and becomes the inspiration for a new generation of superheroes: the Justice Society of America.
Jumping ahead to Season 2, Stargirl and the Justice Society must contend with the re-emergence of former Injustice Society member The Shade (Jonathan Cake, “The Affair”) and the threat of Eclipso (Nick E. Tarabay, “Person of Interest”).
The Shade first appears played by Mike McLeod (“Altered Carbon”) in a self-titled episode of “The Flash,” showing off his ability to transform into a giant shadow creature. He later returns (played by Cake) as a recurring character in the second season of “Stargirl.”
Eclipso, on the other hand, has a much more personal, intergenerational plot in the “Stargirl” storyline. Initially killed and imprisoned in the Black Diamond by the heroine’s father, Starman, he was accidentally released by Stargirl following a nasty battle with the Injustice Society in Season 1 of the show. The villain is wreaking his special brand of havoc once again this season — and it seems he’s taken a particular interest in the Whitmore family.
Now facing these threats — and many others — on her own, this isn’t the first time Courtney
Whitmore/Stargirl has appeared onscreen. Previous portrayals of the character have been seen in “Smallville” (played by Britt Irvin, “The Vow,” 2012) and in “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow” (played by Sarah Grey, “Power Rangers,” 2017). But despite the pre-established canon of the character, one thing that has changed this time around is Stargirl’s age.
Irvin and Grey’s Stargirls were depicted as older and more established, while in the series, Bassinger brings new life to the budding heroine — rumor has it the actress has even stayed away from reviewing earlier portrayals of the character in an attempt to keep the series original.
Staying true to Stargirl’s youthful spirit entirely fits Johns’ vision of the character. Remembering the casting of “Stargirl’s” lead as a difficult process, Johns noted, “We saw hundreds of really talented actors — really, really talented actors — but they had to have a specific mix of youth and power and humor and warmth to them that embodied Stargirl, because she’s so proactive.” He continues that Bassinger had what the creators were looking for, remarking, “She really sells it. Right when she came in, it was like, ‘That’s her.’ That was it.”
Bassinger may be a young spirit, but she is a seasoned actor, which may also explain why she so easily falls into the part.
In 2014, Bassinger was cast in the lead role of the Nickelodeon comedy series “Bella and the Bulldogs,” which ran for two seasons, before taking on the role of Roni in the Hulu/Awesomeness TV series “All Night.” Bassinger also secured herself a starring role in 2019’s thriller film “47 Meters Down: Uncaged” before landing on CW’s “Stargirl” opposite “Legally Blonde” (2001) actor Luke Wilson.
The younger brother of “Loki’s” Owen Wilson, Luke has an extensive TV and film history dating back to 1994. In 1999, his career picked up steam when he played Det. Carlson in the comedy “Blue Streak.” The actor now continues growing his resume in a role Johns says he “wrote [...] for him.”
“Stargirl” premiered its first season on DC Universe in May 2020 and on CW. Not too long after, in July, the series was renewed for a second season, resulting in it moving exclusively to CW as an original series. Season 2 officially premiered in August 2021.
Already renewed for a third season, the series will be co-financed by HBO Max heading into next year’s premiere. For now, though, fans will have to tune in to see if and how Stargirl and the Justice Society manage to thwart their enemies in the Season 2 finale of the series.
Tune in to CW on Tuesday, Nov. 2, for the intense Season 2 finale of “DC’s Stargirl.”