DC’s Stargirl returns for its second season next week on The CW and a lot has been said about the new season’s darker tone. As was teased in the Season 1 finale, the villain Eclipso will have a major role in the show’s second outing and as comic book fans know, Eclipso is a frightening element. Even the series’ cast has said Season 2 is darker with real scares in store. But even with this new tone, there are still some bright elements to things as well. According to series creator Geoff Johns, Season 2 and beyond will see relationships develop a bit more, including the romances.
During a recent press event attended by ComicBook.com, Johns explained that slow-developing romance is part of the show’s storytelling and said a few relationships would play out as the seasons continue. The show has already been renewed for Season 3.
“The slow-developing romance in the show is just part of the show. It’s the show’s storytelling,” Johns said. “And I’d say in the case of, like, Rick and Beth, that relationship is a very deep relationship and, where it goes, we’ll play it out in the seasons. And Courtney and Cameron will also play this out. But there’ll be more romance coming up as the series unfolds.”
Generally speaking, DC’s Stargirl hasn’t exactly been romance-heavy. Outside of the established relationship between Pat (Luke Wilson) and Barbara (Amy Smart), Season 1 saw Courtney (Brec Bassinger) and Cameron Mahkent (Hunter Sansone) take an interest in one another, but Courtney’s heroic work as Stargirl, not to mention that Cameron’s father was Icicle, certainly put that on the backburner.
In terms of the slow-developing relationship, in comics Rick Tyler (played by Cameron Gellman on Stargirl) and Beth Chapel (played by Anjelika Washington) have dated canonically so seeing something develop slowly on screen would make sense, though Gellman added that for him, the fact that the show focuses on things other than typical teen romances is part of what makes it stand out.
“I think it’s kind of cool that the show is focused on other things as well,” Gellman added. “Like, there’s only so much bandwidth that any project has to tackle certain themes… What do we get to focus on more because we’re not, you know, super wrapped up in kind of the group dating each other? I think that you do get to then dig into everybody’s individual mission and challenge.”
DC’s Stargirl returns for its second season on Tuesday, August 10th at 8/7c on The CW.