Stargirl
DC Universe/CW
Season 1, Episode 5 Hourman and Dr. Mid-Nite
For a small town, Blue Valley Nebraska has a lot going for it. Not only is there a massive supervillain undertaking but now they have a superhero problem. What will the Injustice Society do with this ever increasing problem? We’ll find out in a future episode as this one is about Courtney and Yolanda expanding the new Justice Society of America.
With Courtney and Yolanda trying to figure out who is part of the Injustice Society, the pressing need to expand the team becomes evident. After a few chance encounters, the JSA was able to fill the mantle of Dr. Mid-Nite and Hourman. Even though they have been recruited, will Rick and Bethany take to their new roles as naturals? Or is there hesitation on who they truly are?
While the JSA is building its members, the Injustice Society is actively ensuing everything is going as planned. This episode we see more of who is involved and what roles each person has. As the mystery of what their plan is being unveiled, we are still asking if it’s for the better of Blue Valley or themselves.
Stargirl has succeeded in adding JSA members accurately to who takes over from the original member. For comic fans, it’s a delight to see them use the source material on who replaces who. Not only following the history but the casting of the actors to those characters.
This episode is one of the weakest so far in the series. The weakest aspect of the episodes are the side characters and lack of progression in the story. With the JSA building most of it was anticlimactic and just the right place, right time approach. Bethany and Rick are strong characters with obvious faults but their introduction was a bit bland.
Hourman and Dr. Mid-Nite is a good entry into the Stargirl series. It did quicken the team building part of the episode, but with two characters and the subplot of the Injustice Society made it seem haphazardly put together. If the ability to spread aspects of this episode to others, it might have helped it become a solid entry into the series.