Static Shock: My Top 10 Episodes

Usually when you ask someone who their favorite superhero is, they respond with Batman, Superman, Spiderman, Iron Man, Flash, etc, but when you ask me who my favorite superhero is, I say without hesitation Static from the show Static Shock.  He was great not just because he was a teenage superhero, but because children of all races/ethnicities could look up to him, and claim him as a superhero of their era.  It's rare to see a show aimed at children made with such quality and thought, but Static Shock was with it's array of issues, animation, and plot. 

Static Shock was a show that aired on WB in 2000 about a kid named Virgil, who one day, is caught in this gas explosion known as the Big Bang.  He doesn't think much of what happens, until he wakes up one morning and realizes he has static electric powers.  Using his powers for good, he teams up with his friend Richie to become superheros and save his city Dakota from Bang Babies/Meta-Humans (people exposed to the gas who want to use their powers for evil), all while trying to live life as a teenager.

Now that I've said that, my top 10 Static Shock episodes...

10. Power Play: Richie meets an old man named Ragtag, who has the ability to give people powers.  Richie receives powers from him, and becomes a new superhero named Push, but his powers are temporary.  The only way to get more: commit crimes on Ragtag's behalf.  I like this episode because it's early in the series, so we still see growth in the characters, and it's the first time Richie gets powers, which I thought was pretty cool.

9. Blast From The Past: Static teams up with an old superhero from the 60s named Soul Power to take down an old nemesis, but their age difference makes it hard for them to work together. This episode is here because of it's humor, campy style, and the fact it reminded me of the Batman series and movie from the 60s.

8. Sons Of The Fathers: Richie invites Virgil to stay at his house, but his father comes home, and turns out to be a racist bigot, causing Virgil to leave.  Richie leaves the house in anger, only to be kidnapped by Bang Babies.  I like this episode because it addresses racism, which is always a strong issue, and it shows father-son relationships, and how difficult they really are.

7. Replay: A Bang Baby named Replay appears and can duplicate himself at the snap of his fingers.  After a scuffle with Static, he makes a duplicate of him, and has the evil Static do his bidding for him, ruining the real Static's reputation.  This episode is cool because I like the good vs. evil plot angle, Virgil and Richie's dialogue, and the fact Neil Patrick Harris plays the villain.

6. Shock To The System: The first episode of the series and the one that started it all.  It's here because it give us background on Virgil/Static, and it has some memorable moments like when Richie helps Static pick out an outfit.  Hilarious!

5. Frozen Out: It's Christmas time, and a young Bang Baby named Permafrost comes to Dakota freezing things uncontrollably.  Static tries to stop her, but then learns about who she is, which causes him to offer his help.  This is a standout episode because of how touching it is with the flashback scenes, and it tackles real issues like homelessness.  It's one of the times Static is a superhero without having to use any powers.

4. Attack Of The Living Brain Puppets: Richie is running in the student election.  His opponent, a student named Madeline Spaulding, who uses her Bang Baby powers to turn everyone into zombies and have her way.  I love this episode because of the hilarity of it, and the fact it tackled zombies before they blew up everywhere.

3. Future Shock: After helping Batman and Robin with a job, Static is sent 40 years into the future, teaming up with the new Batman, Terry McGinnis.  If I have to explain why this episode is bad ass, then there's something wrong with you guys.  Static Shock meets Batman Beyond, enough said!

2. Jimmy: A teenager named Jimmy brings a gun to school to protect himself from bullies, but he shoots Richie in the leg, causing Virgil to feel guilty.  This episode is strong because of it's structure.  It tackles different issues like gun control and bullying, and shows us a side of Virgil we don't see often which is touching.

1. Flashback: It's been five years since Virgil's mother died.  He wants to see her again, but can't, until a new Bang Baby named Time Zone comes and takes him back in time.  Only problem, they have a fight with Ebon that transfers them all back in time.  I think of this as my top Static Shock episode because of the theme of love in it, plain and simple.  It's the episode where I think we see Static at his most vulnerable, and one where he has to make the toughest decision of his life.  I usually like time travel stuff in shows, so this one is definitely number 1.