S02.E13: Summer School: Chapter Thirteen

[scarynikki12]

Quote

As Eclipso unleashes the final part of his master plan, Courtney, Pat and the JSA band together to take him down once and for all.

 

 

[Lantern7]

I’ll post full thoughts later. Right now . . . was that Keith David?

”2022” is vague AF. Give us a season at least! “Frenemies” works great in the title.

[cambridgeguy]

I see they did the same thing as Superman and Lois and had the possessed hero binge watch the show's greatest hits to regain control. 

I was a little surprised to see that Sylvester made it back to actually help in the final battle.  Why do I get the feeling he's not going to be the best influence on Courtney?  He seems like the type who would be very big on favoring the superhero stuff over civilian life.

29 minutes ago, Lantern7 said:

Right now . . . was that Keith David?

Yup, that was him.  His name was in the credits so presumably he'll be back next season to at least voice Mr. Bones. 

[Jediknight]

That was good.  They beat Eclipso, Shade is back, Yolanda's back on the team, Beth got the official seal of approval to be Doctor Midnite, Starman helped out, and the JSA is growing.

All those were good, but they pale in comparison to the best payoff from this show.  The Crocks are neighbors of the Whitmore-Dugans.  Yeah baybay, that is gonna be fun next season.

[AnimeMania]

I am surprised Pat couldn't afford a proper sling for his arm.

So there is going to be a mixture of kids and adults in the JSA now. And everybody is going to follow the commands of Courtney?

I wonder what side the Icicle Family is going to fall on.

Hourman still needs to fix his hourglass, I though Thunderbolt might have repaired it.

The show is getting a little crowded. All they really need is Courtney and The Shade, maybe Solomon Grundy.

I guess the little Fiddle Kid is gone for good.

[Lantern7]

That was fun. Even with the local station going to election results taking out the first few minutes, this was a good finale. Sure, a few of the moments felt telegraphed, the Crocks coming in to get licks on Eclipso wasn't really needed, and Jakeem's precise wording while commanding Thunderbolt is probably to run deep into the third season . . . but it still was a satisfying takedown of the villain. Does he get stuck in a refrigerator?

Pat vs. Pat? Very funny stuff.

Great, Beth's parents are gonna go overboard on her being a hero. Forget any costume redesigns . . . get her some basic fighting training first!

The hourglass is still broken? You know, when Rick boasted about having power lasting more than an hour, I did not expect Solomon Grundy to charge into Eclipso.

Thinking about it, the episode was basically Geoff Johns using the pen. "SO COOL! I wish we had an unlimited budget for the finale!" Cut to Thunderbolt going through Eclipso in slow motion, STRIPE mooning Eclipso, and all the other good stuff. I don't think a limited budget holds back the series overall, though.

Shade lives! And he's gonna stay in Blue Valley! Please tell me he'll be crashing with the Crocks.

Cindy wants to join the JSA. Honestly surprised Yolanda didn't die laughing when she heard that.

Can't wait for "Frenemies." Also excited for Keith David as Mr. Bones.

[Frozendiva]

I liked that show did the sight gag of Eclipso being toast as being actual toast. I laughed.

This ep seemed to have more of a budget than the whole season.

I will miss the creepy little kid. He did a good job of being a dark villain. Who would think a little kid would be like that?

The Cronks are moving next door? Yikes.

I also did like that everyone came out and helped defeat Eclipso. The Shade may get over the lack of good tea pickings and enjoy small town life. He seems to like the new JSA.

Seemed a little strange that Beth's parents are now super excited that their daughter is a super-hero. That may wear off and they will be back divorcing.

Cindy now wants to join the JSA? Why?

Like Chekhov's gun in the first act, the fourth act brought back the icy Norwegian grandparents.

Looking forward to the new season.

WPIX cut off the first couple of minutes. Watched them on the KTLA feed and it was just a recap of the season so far. Nothing was really missed.

[Primal Slayer]

It was an ok final, not as strong as s1. They didn't fully think out the Eclipso as a sole villain, Blue Valley needs bad guys of the week and to explore the JSA history. 

[Noneofyourbusiness]

19 minutes ago, Frozendiva said:

The Cronks are moving next door? Yikes.

Heh heh, Crocks. Kronk is Yzma's sidekick. ;)

.

20 minutes ago, Frozendiva said:

Like Chekhov's gun in the first act, the fourth act brought back the icy Norwegian grandparents.

Even if they felt compelled to save Icicle Jr for next season, I wish they had given Cameron more to do. He's supposed to be a main cast member.

[Frozendiva]

2 minutes ago, Noneofyourbusiness said:

Heh heh, Crocks. Kronk is Yzma's sidekick. ;)

.

Even if they felt compelled to save Icicle Jr for next season, I wish they had given Cameron more to do. He's supposed to be a main cast member.

Autocorrect is a funny thing.

[tennisgurl]

That was a really good end to a really good season, I like that they brought so many of the characters together for the big fight against Eclipso, it fit into the greater themes of the season, both the obvious one about people being stronger together, and the more complex one about there being good and bad in all people, that bad people can do good things and good people can do bad things, which is alright, its a part of being a person. Everyone blasting him was awesome, and then he got turned into toast, a fittingly undignified end for such a shithead. Next season looks like its going to be a lot of fun with Cindy trying to join the JSA, rick trying to resurect Grundy with the help of The Shade, who is not only alive but sticking around, Cameron's creepy grandparents finally telling him about his family (or at least their version of events) and, the very best part, the Cocks moving in next door! Frenemies seems like its going to be a very apt title. 

I certainly never thought I would see Mr. Bones live on my TV, but this should certainly be interesting, I can see why he wants to investigate Blue Valley. Heroes and Villain's, living together, mass hysteria!

Its sweet how much Dr. Midnighter believes in Beth, he's the cool grandpa she has always needed, hopefully he comes back again for a visit. It also looks like things are switched up with Beth and her parents, now her parents are smothering her while Beth wants some space instead of the other way around. I am totally with her dad on a new costume though, she really needs an upgrade. And to learn how to throw a punch. 

Starman finally shows up, and just in the nick of time, and will be staying in town to give Courtney some superhero lessons. At least Starman did get to have a big entrance, Cameron just seemed to exist in the background to set him up for his plot next season, I really liked this season and I get that they had a LOT going on, but it felt like Starman and Cameron just existed to tease future stories instead of really getting to do anything, which is my main complaint for the season. 

I am so glad The Shade is back, and just as delightfully dramatic as ever. "Oh Charles, you know I've always had a flair for the dramatic." Shade was my favorite new character of the season, but I think Zeke might have snunk in pretty high as a scene stealer. That guy is just down for whatever is going on, its great. 

Courtney fighting back against Eclipso with memories of her family and friends was obvious but still heartwarming, it felt well earned. In general I think the season did a great job at setting up a lot of things and paying them off by the end, with a lot of threads being wrapped up while opening up a lot more. The next season cant come soon enough. 

[Quark]

Great finale. Overall, this season was decent, but not as good as the first. Hopefully, next season is lighter.

Very curious about that creepy guy at the end.

I hope they give Cameron more to do. He was pretty wasted this season.

[rmontro]

Glad to see the Shade return.

Surprised to hear Mike's S.T.R.I.P.E. and Thunderbolt are not going to be members of the JSA.  What are they planning to do with them?  Surely they're not getting a spinoff?  Also surprised Beth's parents had no problem with her hanging out with an adult male, no matter how bizarrely he was dressed.

I don't trust Cindy as a member of the JSA.

Wow, next season we're getting the Red Skull!

[appositival]

I hope they develop some actual teamwork as this goes on. Attack in groups of two or three, and when the villain tries to focus on one person, everyone else shoots him in the back. Currently, they each follow a showboat/attack/crash/burn pattern.

Kudos to the creepy kid. They didn't really need the demon, except that you probably can't show Grundy reducing a kid to hamburger on TV.

When Beth pointed out the real demon, she basically earned her keep for this season. The rest of them would still be happily fighting shadows if she just watched.

[rmontro]

15 minutes ago, appositival said:

When Beth pointed out the real demon, she basically earned her keep for this season. The rest of them would still be happily fighting shadows if she just watched.

Beth and her goggles are definitely handy.  She just isn't a fighter, in the combat sense of the word.

[MissLucas]

Good transition/set-up for the next season. I did not like this season as much as the first one but I'll blame the plague for some of its problems.

I'm glad the Shade is staying, he was the season's highlight. And I'm glad Artemis and her crazy parents are back - but how exactly did that happen? Aren't they fugitives?

I'm looking forward to the adventures of Mike, S.T.R.I.P.E., Jakeem and Thunderbolt, he!

Highpoint of the episode was Beth's parents deciding to redesign her costume. Best parenting decision these two have shown so far! Do it! (I also agree that Beth should also learn some basic fighting skills, maybe the Crocks could teach her?)

[Jediknight]

12 hours ago, MissLucas said:

Good transition/set-up for the next season. I did not like this season as much as the first one but I'll blame the plague for some of its problems.

Highpoint of the episode was Beth's parents deciding to redesign her costume. Best parenting decision these two have shown so far! Do it! (I also agree that Beth should also learn some basic fighting skills, maybe the Crocks could teach her?)

I can't really compare the seasons.  Season 1 was a bright, the good guys are gonna beat the villains, show.  Season 2 turned the show's tone around and made it a horror show.  And they were both fantastic.  All credit to the cast and crew for being able to do completely different seasons for their first seasons, and more than succeeding at it.

I really want to see the Crocks working with the young JSA to train them.  I also want a scene next season where the Crocks, Pat, Barbara, Courtney, Rick, Yolanda, Beth, Mike, and Cindy are at one of Artemis's games cheering her on.

Edited November 4, 2021 by Jediknight

[cambridgeguy]

12 hours ago, MissLucas said:

Highpoint of the episode was Beth's parents deciding to redesign her costume. Best parenting decision these two have shown so far! Do it! (I also agree that Beth should also learn some basic fighting skills, maybe the Crocks could teach her?)

At the very least she'll need one she can put on more quickly. The Doctor Midnights spent so much time getting dressed all they could do was get out there in time to gawk at the Star folks floating in the air.  On the plus side, having her mom in the loop means they can get quality medical care without having to invent a reason for their various injuries.  They still need to come up with an excuse for everyone else, though.  So Yolanda, how did you get a bruise on your face when you spent all night asleep in your room?

[shapeshifter]

On 11/2/2021 at 11:56 PM, Primal Slayer said:

It was an ok final

I thought the finale was just "okay" too. Unlike other fans of the genre, fight scenes bore me. But I really like the character development.

 

On 11/2/2021 at 10:58 PM, AnimeMania said:

Hourman still needs to fix his hourglass, I though Thunderbolt might have repaired it.

Maybe Zeke can be Rick's grandpa/father figure and fix it.
Regardless. More Zeke, please. Not too much. But at least a bit in every episode.

 

16 hours ago, rmontro said:

Surprised to hear Mike's S.T.R.I.P.E. and Thunderbolt are not going to be members of the JSA.  What are they planning to do with them?  Surely they're not getting a spinoff? 

Now that you mention it, maybe a for-reals spinoff TV show starring Mike's S.T.R.I.P.E. and Jakeem/Thunderbolt?
Maybe a little lighter with less fighting?

Will Dr. Midnight's son visit Blue Valley? Maybe he could join them too?

Speaking of "a little lighter," Joel McHale does great snark comedy, but he seemed a little lost here. Is there any reason they can't lighten up his character a tad?

I just hope there's a turn away from the horror genre next season.

 

12 hours ago, MissLucas said:

Highpoint of the episode was Beth's parents deciding to redesign her costume. Best parenting decision these two have shown so far! Do it!

Beth and Dr. Midnight looked especially frumpy (in an apparently Chekhovian way) coming down the steps of that building not long before Beth's parents announced plans for a yellow and black costume with nanotechnology. I just hope they don't make her look like a kid wearing a Halloween bee costume. Beth is the real star for me.

[MissLucas]

1 hour ago, cambridgeguy said:

 So Yolanda, how did you get a bruise on your face when you spent all night asleep in your room?

Self-flagellation? Her parents are the type who would approve 🤷‍♂️

[MarkHB]

Beth's black-and-yellow suit from the comics (from her WP page):

[thuganomics85]

Definitely went all out for this one!  I can tell that there was some budget cuts compared to the first season; now that they've become a full-blown CW show; but at least they went big this go around.

Good finale, even if Courtney's method of shaking off Eclipso's influence at the end definitely was similar to how things played out in the Superman & Lois finale as well.  But I like how they established how important her friendship and family and that, yes, Pat really is her father now, and it seems to have made her stronger coming out of it.  While I'm sure she'll always have some teenage immaturity in her, I can see this experience making her grow and mature in a lot of ways.

Man, almost everyone decided to show back up for the big showdown!  Mike and Jakeem as the new S.T.R.I.P.E. and Thunderbolt wielder.  Thunderbolt himself with his Jim Gaffigan voice.  Solomon Grundy, even if it didn't work out for him (for now...)  Freaking Sportsmaster, Tigress, and Artemis!  Sylvester finally!  And, last, but certainly not least, a freshly revived Shade doing what he does best and taking out fools in style!  Can't ask for much more!

Heh, Eclipso is literally toast!

Nick Tarabay was certainly fun camping it up here, but Milo Stein's name should be on speed dial for any show that needs a creepy kid.  It's hard to tell the longevity of child actors (especially if they even want to stay in the industry after growing up), but he has a lot of potential.

Beth might not have only helped save her parents' marriage, but they might now be going the other way with her and being too invested in her superhero work.  Whoops!

Figured they were heading down a possible "redemption" path with Cindy.  We'll see, but they are already losing me with her trying to compare herself to Yolanda.  There was a big difference to how their kills came about and especially the reactions after it happened.

Looks like Cameron will finally discover the truth about his dad and general lineage.

Looks like a lot of characters are going to be sticking around next season!  The Shade might not be impressed with Blue Valley's tea, but he is intrigued enough to stay put and possibly help Rick resurrect Grundy (and, of course, I'd like to think that it's also because the writers saw how great Jonathan Cake was her and didn't want him going anywhere.  Sylvester is going to hang around and train Courtney: all while likely staying in the Whitmore/Dugan basement, which should be fun for everyone.  And they've now got new neighbors in the form of the Crocks!  And, of course, next season will be titled "Frenemies." 

Looks like Jenny and Dr. McNider won't be sticking around though, but I can easily seem them coming back.

New villain in the form of Dr. Bones?  Voiced by Keith David?!  Hell yeah!!

I overall enjoyed the season, even if the more horror-like elements threw me off for a second, but I wouldn't mind it going back to a more lighter tone again.  And it seems like it might be heading back that way with everything coming up.  Can't wait!

[opus]

1 hour ago, thuganomics85 said:

but Milo Stein's name should be on speed dial for any show that needs a creepy kid. 

Get that Omen remake green lit ASAP…

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, thuganomics85 said:

Beth might not have only helped save her parents' marriage, but they might now be going the other way with her and being too invested in her superhero work.  Whoops!

It seemed like the writers were saying Beth's gig saved her parents' marriage? That doesn't seem like a good message for the approximately 50% of viewers of any age whose parents got divorced --like: I guess you weren't a badassenough kid or something?

 

2 hours ago, MarkHB said:

Beth's black-and-yellow suit from the comics (from her WP page):

Ooo! I do hope Beth's costume looks like this. Definitely not the bumble bee I was worried about when I heard yellow and black.

Edited November 4, 2021 by shapeshifter

[MissLucas]

3 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Ooo! I do hope Beth's costume looks like this. Definitely not the bumble bee I was worried about when I heard yellow and black.

Unfortunately I had come across  Blind Melon's 'No Rain' clip on YT the day before the episode aired so I was a bit worried when Mom brought up yellow and black. The pic has eased my mind a bit - I hope they use it as blueprint (for the color-scheme that is, not the silhouette which would require a Seven of Nine-like contraption).

[Cthulhudrew]

I feel like Jade/Jenny was kind of a pointless introduction this season, especially if she's not coming back for S3 (don't know if she is or not).

Agree with the comment about all the heroes attacking one at a time; it's such a terrible trope, especially in television/movies. I hope that they do start to learn to work as a team.

Overall enjoyed it, and the season as a whole. Really glad Mr. Shade is sticking around; he is such a wonderful character (although he seemed uncharacteristically more gleeful in this episode than previously). The Crocks coming back seemed kind of pointless, with them showing up after Eclipso was already down, and I'm not sure how they can justify sticking around when they were not only imprisoned, but are now escaped felons, but we'll see.

Cameron definitely seems underutilized and pointless right now; I can't see how/why the character we have seen would decide to become evil just because Grams, Gramps, and Dead Dad were, but I suspect they'll make him a bad guy anyway. 

Starman finally makes his way to Blue Valley after taking the entire season roaming around looking for Pat Dugan, but I didn't hate the way he showed up.

I like Cindy a lot, but I'm skeptical how her joining the JSA and turning a new leaf will turn out. 

The cast is definitely getting bloated, but I still enjoy this show a lot. It is one of the better written and performed DC shows, and one of the best looking. The sets, the scenery, and cinematography are top notch (the fight choreography is hit or miss). 

[Noneofyourbusiness]

17 hours ago, Cthulhudrew said:

I feel like Jade/Jenny was kind of a pointless introduction this season, especially if she's not coming back for S3 (don't know if she is or not).

With the villains who seem to be bent on hiding her brother from her being set up as the new Big Bads for next season, I'd be shocked if she didn't appear.

[Lantern7]

On 11/4/2021 at 5:20 PM, MarkHB said:

Beth's black-and-yellow suit from the comics (from her WP page):

Nah. Too Eighties. Show that to Todd McFarlane, and he’d say, “Wait . . . I did the art on Infinity Inc? Really?!?” If you go to the “Stars & Stripsey Forever” thread, you’ll see a cover with Beth in that outfit and Rick as the new Hourman. That outfit? Also cringe, albeit hilariously. With Beth, I’d like to see her dressed like she wasn’t going trick-or-treating.

I kept meaning to mention this . . . anyone else notice that the toast was burnt in a way that resembled someone’s “eclipsed” face?

[appositival]

14 minutes ago, Lantern7 said:

With Beth, I’d like to see her dressed like she wasn’t going trick-or-treating.

I finally realized that Dr. Midnighter's costume looks like an engineer on the Mole-person underground railroad. You kids like steampunk, right?

[MarkHB]

On 11/4/2021 at 10:40 PM, MissLucas said:

Unfortunately I had come across  Blind Melon's 'No Rain' clip on YT the day before the episode aired so I was a bit worried when Mom brought up yellow and black. The pic has eased my mind a bit - I hope they use it as blueprint (for the color-scheme that is, not the silhouette which would require a Seven of Nine-like contraption).

Total aside: the "I Can See Your Voice" game show that Fox ran last year had the original Bee Girl as one of the possible singers in one episode.  She turned out to be a Bad Singer.

[SnarkShark]

Man.  Bones is a really really deep cut, in terms of DC stuff.

On 11/4/2021 at 6:13 PM, thuganomics85 said:

New villain in the form of Dr. Bones? 

Even more than The Shade, Mr. Bones is not a very straightforward character to peg.

[Genius]

On 11/5/2021 at 12:53 AM, Cthulhudrew said:

It is one of the better written and performed DC shows, and one of the best looking.

I have to agree, it's almost like '80s Spielberg in how lovingly the tone and set have been created, with cinematic establishing shots and whatnot.  It's definitely the best looking CW show, in my opinion.

I just finally finished the season.  I thought it was very strong.  FINALLY, Yolanda learns the truth that it was Cindy who sent her nudes.  That should have been a bigger reveal and payoff.  That was my only complaint.  I really hope they explore that dynamic during "Frenemies" next season.

Also, there was some not-so-subtle man-love that The Shade had for Dr. McNider, right?  Or was I reading into it?  Definite unrequited love vibes for me anyway.

And maybe I missed this before but Mahkent is such an awkward last name.  Can some DC fan confirm if it's some weird inside joke/tribute to Superman, or just a bizarre, poorly-constructed last name?

So can we get a headcount for everyone who showed up to the final battle?  That was amazing.

Courtney, Yolanda, Rick, Beth, Cindy, Pat, Mike, Jakeem, Jenny, Dr. Midnight, Starman, Thunderbolt, Solomon Grundy, The Shade, Sportsmaster, Tigress, Artemis. 

Did I miss anyone? Does Barbara count?  She doesn't really count as a fighter, right?  That's 17 heroes against one villain.  That's pretty awesome.  It would take a crossover for other Arrowverse shows to deliver 17 heroes in one hour.

Kudos for a solid sophomore season!  Though "Summer School" really had nothing to do with the plot, lol.