DC's Stargirl S01E01: Pilot

© Warner Bros Television

Stargirl premiere on DC Universe and The CW, but how does it stack up to other DC Comics TV properties?
by Marcos Rivas aka @thesunsetkid56

Stargirl, the latest entry in DC Universe's live-action series, uses the same formula done by previous properties Titans and Doom Patrol by taking comic-book mythology and mixing it with a weekly paced story. Stargirl does possess a lighter tone, with a fun, forward from coming-of-age teen juggling life and mastering new acquired abilities which makes the series a more suitable property for The CW.

In the hall of the Justice Society of America, the 1940s superhero team that predated the more famous Justice League, Courtney Whitmore (Brec Bassinger) stumbles upon the cosmic staff and star-spangled costume of its original owner (whose fate is known within the first action-packed minutes of the show’s opening). The powerful staff was is in the possession of Starman's loyal sidekick and friend, Pat Dugan (Luke Wilson), the new stepfather of Courtney, our teenage heroine.

Courtney discovers the mythical weapon, and accidentally wields its power. Her initial adventure catches the attention of the remaining members of the Injustice Society who killed the original Starman (played wonderfully by Joel McHale). It's then revealed they have taken residency in Blue Valley, where Pat has just rather conveniently moved his new family. Courtney realizes that she can't trust anyone except Pat and her oblivious to the plot Mom (Amy Smart).

© Warner Bros Television

Stargirl (produced by Geoff Johns along with CW’s wunderkind Greg Berlanti, the mind behind CW shows such as The Flash and Arrow) has the same spirit and action that will pull its target audience on The CW.

The pilot is a better-than-average TV superhero show, which hopefully will be produced with the same quality long term. The CW episodes run shorter than the DC Universe versions to make room for ads, but with minimal removal of anything worth keeping.

Stargirl isn't groundbreaking but at its core it has a good combination of characters, decent writing and, most importantly, The CW cheese factor ...  which should allow it to perform well on both platforms.

Stargirl streams Mondays on DC Universe and airs Tuesdays at 8:00 PM on The CW.

What did you think of the pilot? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below.