- Title: Stargirl – Chapter One: The Murder
- wiki: link
Stargirl returns with a new season entitled “Frenemies” as old villains look for second chances in Blue Valley including the Gambler (Eric Goins) who returns in search of his daughter only to uncover something dark under the surface of what has become a quiet town. The character’s death at the end of the episode gives us the episode’s title as well as sets up a mystery to be solved. It looks like Courtney‘s (Brec Bassinger) willingness to offer everyone a second chance, over the grumblings of her own team and doubts of Sylvester Pemberton (Joel McHale), will be put to the test.
Speaking of Starman, he’s stuck around Blue Valley and obviously still has some designs on the staff along with concerns with how Pat (Luke Wilson) and Courtney have dealt with the JSA’s old foes. Given his connection to the staff, Courtney offers the share it with him. While all smiles, it’s easy to tell there’s trouble bubbling under the surface. Internally there are struggles for the team as neither Yolanda (Yvette Monreal) nor Rick (Cameron Gellman) are onboard with Cindy Burman (Meg DeLacy) joining the team (and finding her literally holding a smoking gun at a murder scene isn’t likely to soften that stance).
While the episode isn’t the strongest opener the series has offered fans, it does a good job playing on the fallout of last season as several characters struggle to fit into new roles. Will the death of the Gambler force some of these characters, nearly all of whom one would expect to be suspects, into their old roles? Or will Courtney’s trust pay off? How soon will the breaking point come for Starman and how might a change in attitude affect Courtney’s role as Stargirl? And, just who killed the Gambler, and will the answer to that question offer peace or more turmoil for Blue Valley’s heroes?
