14 best superhero TV shows of 2021

DC’s Stargirl

Stargirl was arguably the biggest surprise hit of 2020. A DC Universe original, it also aired on The CW the following night, allowing it to appeal to a much wider audience. And that would ultimately be the greatest thing to ever happen to it because it would become a CW-exclusive for its second season.

Speaking of that second season, Stargirl season 2 didn’t rest on its laurels by giving us more of the same. While the first was light-hearted, cheery and full of heart, the writers decided to take things in a drastically different direction in its sophomore outing, giving us a story that was moody, frightening and, for lack of a better term, dark. Very dark.

The introduction of the demonic Eclipso shrouded Blue Valley in shadows (literally and figuratively), resulting in a harrowing 13-episode story in which Courtney Whitmore and the Justice Society of America had to find a way to combat that darkness with their light.

It was a risk, for sure, especially given that its first season was praised for its hopeful nature, but it was one that paid off. And the reason it worked so well was that it never lost that heart that we all loved it about it; instead, it used that to power through the darkness, reminding us that there would always be light. But my goodness, what a thrilling journey it was getting there.