An unexpected arrival throws Courtney’s life into turmoil, both personal and superhero. Brainwave’s fully recovered memory means that life is just about to get a little more awkward for our hero and her family. Jordan is forced to make a decision.

If there’s one thing that Stargirl usually manages to avoid it’s being obvious, and yet here I have to say we get an episode that feels about as tropey as it could possibly be, in respect of our central heroine. Having reached out to her daughter’s father by email in a moment of weakness last time out, Barbara is forced to watch the slow motion trainwreck of him walking back into Courtney’s life out of nowhere, and all the heartbreak that will bring.

If you’re thinking this must mean lots of denial, soul-searching and a narrative that tries to lull both protagonist and audience into a false sense of security before clumsily pulling the rug out from under both with a reveal so obvious it may as well have a bell around its neck announcing its impending arrival, congratulations. You too have obviously watched some genre TV in the last thirty years.

Usually this would be the point at which I’d say that the destination being obvious doesn’t matter as long as the journey which takes you there is good. Full props to Brec Bassinger for doing her absolute best with the material she’s given, as well as Luke Wilson doing his best brooding good guy with a protective side. But neither of them can quite compensate for the very generic material with which they are forced to work here, and although it’s engaging enough, because I’m invested in these characters, it’s the most bare minimum the show has managed to date.

Elsewhere, Justin is experiencing ever more intrusive visions as he struggles to recall exactly who he used to be before… Something was done to him that seems to have partially wiped his memories leaving only intermittent flashbacks. It’s difficult to fathom what the writers are doing introducing this character so late in this maiden season, and with such a slow buildup. I can only imagine that they’re already thinking of season 2, and I hope so because it would feel a terrible waste to not do more with Mark Ashworth’s excellent performance so far.

As to the bad guys, Brainwave’s memory being back may prove awkward for all, given that he knows exactly who Stargirl is, and Jordan has a certain fondness for Barbara. Brainwave has already proven viciously brutal, having dispatched both his own wife and his son on his quest to achieve his plans, and it’s interesting to see that Jordan may well be the ISA member with actual heart. At any rate, with their masterplan on the verge of fruition, it’s clear that the new JSA need to up their collective game, and fast.

Verdict: Not a bad episode, but definitely the least surprising to date. A little hackneyed with little to balance that out. Here’s hoping things get better as we head into the two-part finale. 7/10

Greg D. Smith