One of the better written episodes of the show. Brainwave's origin story through video tape exhibition was a particularly striking origin story of one man's descent. However, I felt that they pushed the "dark thoughts of humanity" part way too much. The fact that the lawyer was trying to get his client killed for suddenly introduced reasons felt way too forced.
7 Reviews
Great episode that puts character development and inner struggles before action
Holt34414 July 2020
The episode took a step back from the action and became more character focused and that is only good, the writer team did a perfect job at the character drama and inner struggles they got. Brec Bassinger and Jake Austin Walker had the best performances, they were strong and believable.
The ISA side of the story gives us more insight over Brainwave, Icicle and Dragon King. All superb characters that's brilliantly played again and again.
The JSA side of the story gives us more world building and character development.
This was almost an perfect episode, the show made a big point that a superhero show can be great without action and CGI as this episode had little of it. Great writing, directing and acting will always be better than action and CGI.
This was almost an perfect episode, the show made a big point that a superhero show can be great without action and CGI as this episode had little of it. Great writing, directing and acting will always be better than action and CGI.
Tug of War for Henry
KookShanty15 July 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This episode gives a good look at Henry and Henry Jr., as Jr. learns his powers. It's cool to see both of their origins, and it has a good take on how reading everyone's thoughts could corrupt someone. There is also a delightfully awkward and tense scene between the Mahkent and Whitmore/Dugan families. Overall, a very solid episode that ends with two slambang cliffhangers.
Brainwave-less
jamericanbeauty15 July 2020
Warning: Spoilers
The actor playing Henry Jr./Brainwave Jr. cannot act. He doesn't have the acting range to make you feel or connect to the confusion, anger, loneliness and fear one must feel while discovering your newfound powers, and finding out you got those powers from your Father - known as Brainwave. Henry Jr. also struggles with his contempt for people after gaining the ability to hear their ugly inner desires and thoughts. A capable actor would have made this a great episode. So far, Season 1's Episode 3 Icicle has been the best episode of the series. I rewatched scenes over and over. It is the origin story of Icicle/Jordan Mahkent and it was well-executed. Actor Neil Jackson, who plays Icicle, owns every scene he's in. Tonight's episode is called Brainwave but it didn't focus mainly on Brainwave's backstory. I wish it did. Christopher Baker who plays Brainwave Sr./Henry Sr. is a great actor. I would've loved flashbacks of him with his Wife and more of his life before becoming a villain and his life immediately after. How did he meet and join the Injustice Society? He seemed like a decent guy before obtaining his powers, so why didn't he join the Justice Society and use his powers for good? Instead, we get a useless hospital room fight between exes Henry Jr. and Yolanda. He now knows she's Wildcat. Courtney acts awkward during dinner with her Mom's Boss, Jordan Mahkent and his family when she suspects Jordan is Icicle. Why not act covertly and share your suspicions with Pat after dinner? The casual way Courtney's Mom discovers Stargirl's Cosmic Staff was done half-heartedly. While, this episode wasn't boring or bad. It was disappointing.
Villain's plan is too low
ADAKENNDY15 July 2020
Warning: Spoilers
The original plan of the nine-episode villain was to use brain control to control the thinking of American people. Is this plan too low? I remember the last time this kind of thinking was the mind control tower in the revenge of the Red Alert Yuri in 1998.
The screenwriter is really too lazy, come and write for me to make my screenplay better than this kind of script, this low-level behavior of brain control is the first layer, and my thinking has reached the fifth layer, how silent in the 21st century Earth brain control brainwashing?
1. Happy funerals, turning grief into strength! This trick has been trial and error. 2. Use of Internet networks, keyword screening, news screening, alternatives that are not in line with the interests of boarding hot search, to paralyze the entertainment news crowd. Use information gaps to build a powerful enemy that serves as a unity inside.
The tricks that only use the brainwave to control the country's low-level villains will no longer work, and you will not be able to ignore it. The real brain control is brainwashed in the invisible, and the brainwashed is not even angry, and it is the murderous heart to defend you.
The screenwriter is really too lazy, come and write for me to make my screenplay better than this kind of script, this low-level behavior of brain control is the first layer, and my thinking has reached the fifth layer, how silent in the 21st century Earth brain control brainwashing?
1. Happy funerals, turning grief into strength! This trick has been trial and error. 2. Use of Internet networks, keyword screening, news screening, alternatives that are not in line with the interests of boarding hot search, to paralyze the entertainment news crowd. Use information gaps to build a powerful enemy that serves as a unity inside.
The tricks that only use the brainwave to control the country's low-level villains will no longer work, and you will not be able to ignore it. The real brain control is brainwashed in the invisible, and the brainwashed is not even angry, and it is the murderous heart to defend you.
Hammy and boring episode
hnt_dnl15 July 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This episode BRAINWAVE tried to be serious, but completely missed the mark. All of the drama fell flat and I'm beginning to see that some of these actors just aren't very good. I've already complained about the ones playing Beth and Rick, but now I think I'll add Henry to the ranks of poorly acted characters. He is easily one of the least developed and interesting characters of Season 1 so far, his "development" consisting of an episodic slumber in Daddy's hospital room looking sad in between random bouts of accidental mind-reading. Henry logic=person has a bad thought makes them a bad person. Just genius, writers! LOL How long did it take you to come up with that one? Because people aren't actually complex and have the occasional negative thought swirling in their brain. Either way, watching this guy go through the same "making weird faces while hearing thoughts" motions in every episode has gotten tedious for me.
Nothing interesting happened in this episode and yeah, I'm including the twists! I couldn't care less about a couple of AHA moments when everything feels like forced writing to get to those moments. Characters just kind of stagnate until the plot dictates they take action. The big moments should be earned, not pop up out of thin air. I've been feeling this in quite a few instances this season, but this episode is one of the more egregious ones. This show is starting to show it's true self as it depends too much on forced writing to generate conflict and plot. Also, recommendation Stargirl writers, get back to the easy mixture of humor and serious because while MOST of these actors are fully capable of doing both, very few of them are actually good at dramatic acting.
Nothing interesting happened in this episode and yeah, I'm including the twists! I couldn't care less about a couple of AHA moments when everything feels like forced writing to get to those moments. Characters just kind of stagnate until the plot dictates they take action. The big moments should be earned, not pop up out of thin air. I've been feeling this in quite a few instances this season, but this episode is one of the more egregious ones. This show is starting to show it's true self as it depends too much on forced writing to generate conflict and plot. Also, recommendation Stargirl writers, get back to the easy mixture of humor and serious because while MOST of these actors are fully capable of doing both, very few of them are actually good at dramatic acting.
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