What a way to kick off the finale! By the end of the episode I was screaming for more. I'll admit I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy this series when it started, but the second half of the season has me hooked. There were some awesome fight scenes in this episode, Mike finally knows the truth, things are looking up for Barbara and Pat, and Project New America is in full effect. Crazy! I seriously can't wait for the finale. The one thing I want more of is Rick and Yolanda in fight scenes, which we should be getting. I'm also confident Mike will end up in possession of that pen from earlier in the season.
10 Reviews
The VILLAINS once again save the day!
hnt_dnl6 August 2020
Warning: Spoilers
At this penultimate episode of the freshman season for this show, it's become very obvious that the main reason that it's in the vicinity of good is because of the villains. And, to me, it's kind of unfair that the hero characters who will most obviously be the only ones left standing in the end are reaping the benefits and gaining acclaim for a show being completely carried by the villains. Icicle, Cindy, Brainwave, Dragon King, Fiddler and last but not least Sporstmaster, have been the driving forces that have made this show resonate so well. Their stories are the ones that have kept me invested in the show. Collectively, the heroes are dull and uninteresting. I know people will say but they need time to develop, but the thing is in the HOW that they develop! And the how of their development has been generally terrible.
With the exception of Yolanda, the formation of the team of heroes has been clumsy to say the least. Courtney has spent the season being reckless and annoying with this Daddy Starman spiel. Rick is just a ball of anger who's spent the whole time SAYING he's been trying to crack his Dad's journal code but doing a whole bunch of nothing. Beth is completely useless fail of a character the writers have been painfully trying to push as important based on the her STEALING the goggles and forcing her way onto the team. With the exception of Courtney-Yolanda, none of these friendships feel organic and their connections are tenuous. And as much as I love Pat as a character, he's done NOTHING to actually train or supervise these teenagers all season. The man has been part of TWO long running superhero squads yet he's done very little hero-ish all season. But of course since there's only one episode remaining, this patched together gang of misfits with little to no experience, guidance, direction, or purpose will somehow prevail and it will feel like a huge cheat code.
While the writing for the JSA has been just woefully bad, the writing for the ISA has been pretty excellent, thus the main reason I give this episode such a high rating. STARS AND STRIPE PART ONE opens with perhaps the best 15-minute opening of the season in dual parallel attacks by Tigress and Sportsmaster on Barb and Pat, respectively. The Sportsmaster/Crusher character has been really underused all season as that actor Neil Hopkins has been superb, imbibing the character with a combination of humor, wit, bravado and danger. THIS is an example of a character with very little screen time that feels completely lived in and 3-dimensional, unlike most of the heroes, who are about as deep as piece of notebook paper. Then you have Icicle and Brainwave, who have been phenomenal all season and continuing to be that in this episode. It's jarring watching these people who feel like real actors versus whatever these JSA hacks are supposed to be.
Admittedly, SOME of the stuff involving the heroes was good in this one, like Barb and Mike's clueless outsider comic relief contributions, Pat and Barb playing foster parents to the JSA. In fact, next to the villain stuff, the Dugan-Whitmore family scenes have been a saving grace for this season as well. But my big question is will adding such woeful characters like Beth and Rick to the fold actually build these characters up or drag all the other promising and good characters down? You know the old saying, a team is only as strong as their weakest link and the weak links for Team JSA are VERY WEAK!
With the exception of Yolanda, the formation of the team of heroes has been clumsy to say the least. Courtney has spent the season being reckless and annoying with this Daddy Starman spiel. Rick is just a ball of anger who's spent the whole time SAYING he's been trying to crack his Dad's journal code but doing a whole bunch of nothing. Beth is completely useless fail of a character the writers have been painfully trying to push as important based on the her STEALING the goggles and forcing her way onto the team. With the exception of Courtney-Yolanda, none of these friendships feel organic and their connections are tenuous. And as much as I love Pat as a character, he's done NOTHING to actually train or supervise these teenagers all season. The man has been part of TWO long running superhero squads yet he's done very little hero-ish all season. But of course since there's only one episode remaining, this patched together gang of misfits with little to no experience, guidance, direction, or purpose will somehow prevail and it will feel like a huge cheat code.
While the writing for the JSA has been just woefully bad, the writing for the ISA has been pretty excellent, thus the main reason I give this episode such a high rating. STARS AND STRIPE PART ONE opens with perhaps the best 15-minute opening of the season in dual parallel attacks by Tigress and Sportsmaster on Barb and Pat, respectively. The Sportsmaster/Crusher character has been really underused all season as that actor Neil Hopkins has been superb, imbibing the character with a combination of humor, wit, bravado and danger. THIS is an example of a character with very little screen time that feels completely lived in and 3-dimensional, unlike most of the heroes, who are about as deep as piece of notebook paper. Then you have Icicle and Brainwave, who have been phenomenal all season and continuing to be that in this episode. It's jarring watching these people who feel like real actors versus whatever these JSA hacks are supposed to be.
Admittedly, SOME of the stuff involving the heroes was good in this one, like Barb and Mike's clueless outsider comic relief contributions, Pat and Barb playing foster parents to the JSA. In fact, next to the villain stuff, the Dugan-Whitmore family scenes have been a saving grace for this season as well. But my big question is will adding such woeful characters like Beth and Rick to the fold actually build these characters up or drag all the other promising and good characters down? You know the old saying, a team is only as strong as their weakest link and the weak links for Team JSA are VERY WEAK!
Great Episode
myriadmusicprod8 August 2020
I can't believe how awesome this show can be.
louis-1703 August 2020
The battle has begun!
GomezAddams6663 August 2020
I love it when a show has a well-crafted story line, and man, does this episode have one.
This show has been very captivating since the pilot premiered, but the stakes have only been raised to a very unforeseeable high.
Now that her enemies know Courtney Witmore's identity, her whole family is at risk, and the heroes' window to stop the Injustice Society of America's machinations is now shorter than ever.
This episode in a very particular and astounding fashion gives a whole new definition to "The ends justify the means."
This is probably one of the fastest paced episodes of the series, which is now leading to an even bigger catharsis than anticipated before.
This show has been very captivating since the pilot premiered, but the stakes have only been raised to a very unforeseeable high.
Now that her enemies know Courtney Witmore's identity, her whole family is at risk, and the heroes' window to stop the Injustice Society of America's machinations is now shorter than ever.
This episode in a very particular and astounding fashion gives a whole new definition to "The ends justify the means."
This is probably one of the fastest paced episodes of the series, which is now leading to an even bigger catharsis than anticipated before.
LET'S... GOOO!
wetmars8 August 2020
This was... man... A GREAT EPISODE! The hype just keeps building up and the fight scenes were very fun to watch not gonna lie. Everybody had a defining moment in this episode and some funny moments, too.
My god, the cinematography was absolutely fantastic! I can't wait until next week!
My god, the cinematography was absolutely fantastic! I can't wait until next week!
Show is meaningless with way it is written
dmichaelsKD5 August 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I am sorry but both sets of parents get attacked and attempted murder. Both sets knock the bad guys out. They neither kill them nor get them arrested for attempted murder while they are knocked out. Show no longer has any meaning.
Stars & S.T.R.I.P.E is back, this was a great way to set up to what will be an incredible season finale
Holt3444 August 2020
Stars & S.T.R.I.P.E. Part One is the first part of the season finale but officially it's the penultimate episode. Everything the show have built towards is here, the new JSA have been formed and the ISA is almost ready to execute their evil plan.
Last week's episode showed us who Courtney's father is and well he was alive and an ass. The Shining Knight also got much needed screen time and backstory.
One thing I almost always feel about the the villain's grand plan is that it falls flat most of the time. The writers of this show, including Geoff Johns of course have done the opposite with this first season as they do right on every single point of the villains on a superhero show. With a great set of characters with all different powers and skill sets and fantastic actors who plays them. The writers have done the villains justice and the same for the heroes, most are likeable and some are more believable than others but the villains are some of the best in the superhero genre. There were some great dialogue, meaningful and funny ones. The writing and story telling was splendid, and so was the special and visual effects.
Action and fight sequences were on point, the choreography felt a bit too practiced but for a superhero show it was an A+
To end my review, this was an incredible episode that brought us a satisfying set up to what will be an spectacular ending of the first season of Stargirl.
One thing I almost always feel about the the villain's grand plan is that it falls flat most of the time. The writers of this show, including Geoff Johns of course have done the opposite with this first season as they do right on every single point of the villains on a superhero show. With a great set of characters with all different powers and skill sets and fantastic actors who plays them. The writers have done the villains justice and the same for the heroes, most are likeable and some are more believable than others but the villains are some of the best in the superhero genre. There were some great dialogue, meaningful and funny ones. The writing and story telling was splendid, and so was the special and visual effects.
Action and fight sequences were on point, the choreography felt a bit too practiced but for a superhero show it was an A+
To end my review, this was an incredible episode that brought us a satisfying set up to what will be an spectacular ending of the first season of Stargirl.
Full of Action
KookShanty5 August 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This episode provided non stop intensity from the moment it began. Each character got a couple of moments to shine, and there was even a jarring twist mid way through. This episode also had very noticeably fantastic cinematography. Lots of interesting and good looking shots throughout. Can't wait for the finale :)
Lackluster Big Reveal
jamericanbeauty6 August 2020
Warning: Spoilers
The ISA is the DNC. Big reveal: The big bad ISA has a master plan of putting 100 million adults under their mind control to go along with their agenda: Global warming initiatives social justice causes, solar and wind energy and universal healthcare. Problem is approx. 20 percent of adults will fight/reject the mind programming, leading to brain dead, essentially dead adults. Stargirl and JSA can't let those people die, despite wholeheartedly agreeing with ISA's agenda. So yeah. That's it. Unimpressive episode and underwhelming big reveal of ISA's plan. Janitor Justin continues to sit on the sidelines. In the comics, Sir Justin has a fascinating backstory and cool winged horse ("steed") and magical sword and shield. Hopefully, we'll see the greatness of Sir Justin in the season finale. The Shining Knight episode should have been dedicated solely to his backstory. What a missed opportunity.
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