Stargirl Canceled After Three Seasons At The CW

The butchering of The CW continues, with the grim reaper of TV cancellations claiming yet another victim: "Stargirl."

"Stargirl" first aired in the short-lived streaming service DC Universe, alongside "Titans," "Doom Patrol," "Swamp Thing," "Young Justice: Outsiders," and "Harley Quinn." That streaming service had surprisingly good programming, offering very different superhero experiences for any kind of fan. Sadly, it failed to really drive subscription numbers, and every show either got moved to HBO Max or got the axe (RIP "Swamp Thing").

As for "Stargirl," which aired episodes on The CW a day after their release, moved to that network starting on its second season. Created by comics creator Geoff Johns, "Stargirl" is based on the superhero of the same name, created by Johns and Lee Moder. The show focuses on Courtney Whitmore, the latest wielder of the cosmic staff that gives her the powers to become the new Starman. She eventually becomes the inspiration of a group of new heroes to rise up and create a new Justice Society of America after the death of its previous members.

The show was the first time we really saw the JSA in live-action, all without the need for Dwayne Johnson to change the entire hierarchy of power in the DC universe. The JSA is vital to the history of DC, despite them not having nearly the same level of popularity. "Stargirl," then, placed a lot of importance on the idea of legacy and the passing of torches when it comes to superheroes, a concept we are only now starting to see in movies like "Into the Spider-Verse," and the Marvel TV shows on Disney+.

Deadline reports that "Stargirl" is ending with its current third season, which is set to end on December 7. The news comes shortly after Nextar Media Group acquired a majority stake in The CW network. According to Deadline, Nextar Media executives took the decision to cancel the show, and give the team behind "Stargirl" an advance notice so they could adapt the season finale to be a series finale.

This third season of "Stargirl" finds the original Starman (played by Joel McHale) returning from the dead and training Courtney, all while dealing with a murder mystery that shakes the JSA to their core.

This news feels like the final nail in the coffin of the Arrowverse, leaving "Superman & Lois" as the last show standing with a connection to the shared universe that started with "Arrow" back in 2012. This is especially sad considering the Arrowverse was once the best argument for DC actually rivaling Marvel in having a shared universe, even if it was not on the big screen.