First, I should clarify my familiarity with the JSA. I have read their 1999 and 2007 series and have highly enjoyed both series. When it comes to Stargirl specifically, I enjoy her. But I never got around to reading her Stars & Stripe series. But I was still very interested in this show when it was announced, if no other reason then to actually explore a historically significant team from DC’s history.
Let’s start with the heroes/protagonists. Courtney is a great character, and Pat is great as well. I liked their dynamic and the arcs they went through during the first season. Yolanda and Rick are also interesting characters that made me engaged. Beth was the character that really didn’t get a whole lot of focus, but still like-able. Supporting characters including Barbara and Mike were also like-able. Basically, all of these characters felt real and weren’t one note. They had varying degrees of layers that made them interesting and made me engaged in learning more about them.
Now the villains/antagonists. The ISA has an interesting mix of villains. On the one hand, you have Icicle and Brainwave. These are villains that are psychologically interesting and take their roles seriously enough. Then on the other, you have villains like Sportsmaster and Tigress. While not as psychologically interesting, they were still fun and entertaining to watch. But they never come across as goofy or over the top. The ISA as a whole were a group of genuinely intimidating villains that deserved to be taken seriously as a threat. Secondary characters related to the ISA - mainly Cindy and Henry Jr. - are either fun and/or interesting to watch as well as any of the other main characters.
Now, the story. In this world, the JSA seem to have a more modern origin story, even though we never really learn the details. But it does explain that a decade prior to the show, they were defeated by the ISA. I still don’t have a clear understanding of how regular people view superheroes in this world. It seems like they aren’t really well known, but the little I have come to known seems to say that they aren’t exactly well guarded secrets. Perhaps this can be elaborated in season 2. But the story of the first season is focused on family, coming to trust others, and learning that anyone can become a hero. Admittedly, these aren’t brand new ideas. But the show still does a good job of showcasing it’s themes. Especially on that last point, because sometimes you have major space-based movie franchises that seem to go that direction only to then stick to a “it totally matters who your family is” theme. (I’m sorry, I really thought I could get through this without mentioning Star Wars.) What I’m trying to say is that this is a show that, while not really bringing anything new to the genre, still has charm and knows how to be enjoyable. Finding the right balance between taking itself seriously enough but also remembering that this is a superhero show.
I guess the last part I should talk about is the special effects and stunt work. This…is something of a mixed bag. You have some special effects that, while not completely “real”, still look cool enough where you can move past it. This includes effects such as the glowing staff, when Icicle turns into ice, and the giant robot. The costumes for everyone actually look pretty solid and some practical effects that make it into the show are fairly cool. But then you also have your effects that are pretty noticeable. The best example of this is…Solomon Grundy. I’m sorry, but he just looks…kind of ugly. Not quite sure what happened there, but it isn’t the show’s best work. Now the fighting and stunt work is for the most part pretty good. There are several fun fight scenes in this show. But every once in a while, something will stick out. I like Yolanda, but sometimes when she has to make big jumps or has to climb up walls…it can look very weird and obviously fake. There isn’t a ton like that, but you will notice it. On a whole, there is more to like than dislike.
Now, the show will be fully transferring over to The CW, as opposed to the other shows that went over to HBO Max. I do have some concerns. I don’t want them to stretch the second season out to 20+ episodes. A 13 episode count is perfect, it keeps everything focused. And while teen characters like Courtney make decisions in this show I expect teens to make, I want them to actually learn from them. Not repeat those same kind of decisions over and over and learning the exact same lesson every single damn time. Like on the Arrowverse shows. And I would like an explanation on how exactly Green Lantern and The Flash were so easily taken down. And what about Doctor Fate and The Spectre?! Those are VERY powerful characters associated with the team that should at least be reference. They have Eclipso coming in season 2, I expect them to do something with The Spectre!
Overall, I liked it and am cautiously optimistic regarding season 2.