And now the opposite issue, teens not getting references that they probably should. It seems to me that “wax on, wax off” should be still well known enough (especially with the popularity of Cobra Kai) that most modern teens wouldn’t be baffled by it. Even worse is a teen in Reservation Dogs that had never heard Come and Get Your Love even though the song was used iconicly in the opening credits of one of the biggest box office-ing films of all time in the biggest movie franchise of all time that is both recent and aimed at younger viewers and was featured in several TV commercials after GotG revived its popularity.
S02E08 Summer School: Chapter Eight
SECOND CHANCES - With his world crashing down around him, Rick focuses his attention on protecting Solomon Grundy after learning hunters are after a bear in the woods. Meanwhile, Beth becomes the target of Eclipso’s latest plan.
For a CW show they are doing a pretty good job of psychological drama. IIRC there have been other “worst fear” episodes on The Flash or other show but I am buying it here.
Brian
Yeah. The “worst fears” seem more grounded in what we know about the characters here.
I find the creepy kid version of Eclipso the most effective. The black diamond was mostly controlled by Cindy Burman. Eclipso in his true form is mostly what you’d expect. The kid version, though, scares the bejeezus out of me.
Yeah.
P.S. to Courtney - the top with the star on the front is not helping you with the whole secret identity thing.
Some subtle foreshadowing, if you pay attention:
When Rick goes back to his car after visiting Grundy, you can see that there’s no one on the road in front of him. He turns on the radio which talks about hunters going after a bear in the woods. A truck drives up and parks up the road, next to another truck, which wasn’t there before. Later, Pat and Courtney drive up and park behind Rick’s car, and you can see that there aren’t any trucks up the road. Those trucks and hunters were never there, all part of Eclipso’s illusions.
After this episode, I’m more inclined to believe that the manifestation of Brainwave seen by Yolanda was also caused by Eclipso. Yolanda’s headaches may have been real and her guilt over killing Brainwave certainly was. Eclipso used this to his advantage, causing her to quit the JSA. Just as he used Rick’s burgeoning friendship with Grundy and concern over whether he’s doing the right thing to cause him to unwittingly beat up his uncle thereby getting him arrested.
Eclipso tried the same thing with Beth, preying on her fears and insecurities – her parents’ divorce (is that even a real thing?), her being weak and useless in a fight, her race. Ironically, the “weakest” member of the JSA was best able to see through Eclipso’s lies. She didn’t even need to use the goggles, but they certainly helped.
“He’s not who you think he is!” Now that’s a wham line.
I’m wondering how/if Rick will get his hourglass back. Best guess: The Thunderbolt fixes it.
Something I noticed - that hourglass is pretty big; where does Rick keep it? It’s too big to be comfortably tucked under his shirt. Does the hourglass have a “compressed” form more convenient to carry around in case of need?
S02E09 Summer School: Chapter Nine
JOHN WESLEY SHIPP GUEST STARS AS JAY GARRICK - As Eclipso takes aim at the Whitmore/Dugan’s, Pat is reminded of painful memories from his past involving the original JSA and their fight to take down Eclipso. Meanwhile, Mike is forced to confront the guilt he feels for his role in Icicle’s death, and Barbara comes face to face with someone from her past. Finally, Courtney struggles to hold onto hope after Eclipso targets those around her.
So Eclipso beat Spectre, Green Lantern and Dr. Fate? Wow
For an episode in which nothing actually happened (they didn’t even show the undoubtedly epic battle between Eclipso and the remaining members of the JSA), this was probably Eclipso at his creepiest. After taking out most of the new JSA, he’s going after individual members of Courtney’s family now. Very, very effective.
Also Hawkman and Hawkgirl.
The Flash here is Jay Garrick. Is he the same Jay Garrick that we know from the series? If so, how’d he wind up on Earth Prime?
P.S. Really confused about the timeline, now. The death of Rebecca looked like the 1950s (about the latest you could have a famous world explorer around too) - but Pat and Starman are adults looking not particularly younger than they do now in the flashbacks to the funeral. Pat (in the past) is worried about a threat to his family, too - is that baby Mike (putting the flashbacks in 2006 or so)?
And who is this Emily that Bruce Gordon is after - married to the Shade (explaining the enmity between Shade and Eclipso), or Mike’s missing Mom?
The show is growing tedious. How many times do we have to see Eclipso picking on someone’s fears? First couple of times, OK, but it’s stopped being either dramatic or even interesting doing the same thing over and over.
Other than the callbacks to Golden Age heroes, there’s nothing much happening and it’s losing all the fun that was part of the first season.
I think he’s a different Jay Garrick. Appropriately enough, he repeats throughtout the multiverse. In the old multiverse, Henry Allen of Earth-1, Jay Garrick/The Flash of Earth-3, and Barry Allen/The Flash of Earth-91 were all dopplegangers. In the new, post-Crisis multiverse, Jay Garrick of Earth Prime and Jay Garrick/The Flash of Earth-2 are apparently dopplegangers.
Well, in Season 1, there was a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it data point on Beth’s Dr. Mid-Nite goggles indicating the original Dr. Mid-Nite was active from 1941-2011. And then you’ve got the fact that all the images of Starman were faded black and white photos. And any number of other weird bits of time dislocation.
I think they’re trying for the “timeless” feel of the classic Batman: The Animated Series, mixing visual and cultural cues from various periods, so that “10 years ago” from 2020 is also somehow in the 1950s. Gotham also did something similar, where it somehow seemed to be simultaneously the 1940s, 1970s, and 2010s. Or, more whimsically, Pushing Daisies and The Mysterious Benedict Society. Or more comedically, Archer.
I think, though, that Stargirl just doesn’t commit to it, so instead of coming across as a deliberate stylization, it’s just kind of confusing.
The season’s almost over – only four more episodes to go. Eclipso has succeeded in tearing apart most of Courtney’s support structure, including her trust in her parents. The next step is to try to repair those relationships and recruit some allies for the coming confrontation. The obvious one is Green Lantern’s daughter, Jennie. They could also try to reconstitute the Shade and retrieve Dr McNider from wherever he’s found himself. Artemis is still at large. Jakeem has the Thunderbolt. Cindy Burman may also still be alive somewhere.
Courtney seems to be getting less and less screen time on her own show. Maybe they need to rename it Costargirl.
For whatever reason, since the later seasons of Smallville, literally every CW DC show has been a team show, despite the fact that only Legends of Tomorrow is titled as one, and all the others are titled as single character shows. This has pretty much been JSA: The Next Generation from the jump. Courtney was the main character initially, but like every other CW DC show, it’s become something of an ensemble. But, I think Courtney is still pretty clearly the focal character and the main protagonist.
This is not the show I signed up for.
I’m not here for horror and psychological drama. I want the fun, power-enjoying girl that was in Season 1.
They’d better get off this kick soon. I hate horror shows, and don’t watch them.
S02E10 Summer School: Chapter Ten
CHOSEN FAMILY - Courtney is left devastated after discovering a dark secret that Pat has kept hidden from her. However, when they learn that Jennie (guest star Ysa Penarejo) may be able to help in their plan to stop Eclipso, they’re forced to put their issues aside as they set out on a road trip to find her. Meanwhile, Beth makes a shocking discovery about The Shade (guest star Jonathan Cake).