In a matter of weeks, The Flash has become the most accurate comic book TV show to date. Not that every panel or line of dialogue comes from the book, but that everything feels like the world of The Flash comic. With a genuine cast and a brisk pace, every episode of The Flash feels worthwhile and leads to great development. While the show is not perfect and clearly in it’s infancy, there is so much for fans new and old to enjoy. As I (A dedicated Flash fanboy) indulge myself every week, I find that my friends who have never taken an interest in the character are suddenly more excited than I. That is a sensational feeling.
This week, a mysterious gas leaves an entire mob family dead. As the police investigate, they realize that something is wrong with this gas and that it’s killing people one by one. Meanwhile, at S.T.A.R. Labs, the crew is given a crucial task: They must find a way to imprison all of these powered villains. Realizing that the only way might be to do so within the building itself, they are forced to reflect on the night of the accident, and the death of Caitlin’s fiance Ronnie. All of this forces them to move forward in new and exciting ways while the Flash takes on his deadliest foe yet!
One thing that The Flash has done very well so far is balance the superheroic with the mundane. The opening scene is an adorable example of that, as Iris and Barry see a movie, only for him to run off while she’s on the phone and save some lives. It’s the exact thing that Barry does in the comics, where he loses sight of what’s in front of him in favor of saving somebody else. Iris (Candice Patton) shines in this way, seeming like the light in Barry’s life. She has been great every week, but getting a little bit of added attention this week helped to make her more developed. Her relationship with Barry is crucial to the show, and in time, it looks like it could blossom into something incredible endearing.
Unfortunately, this week had what was easily the weakest villain of the series thus far. The Mist was visually really cool, and much more effective than Mardon was just two weeks ago, but he was still pretty underwhelming. On a conceptual level he should have been awesome. His powers were deadly, his origin was incredibly awesome, and his plot progression hooked you on the story. I think that this is just one of those cases where it’s the fault of the actor and his script. Anthony Carrigan doesn’t have much to work with and he doesn’t do much with it. He just shows up, kills some dudes, and then leaves without a trace. It’s very underwhelming and leaves little impression. So far this show has had pretty lame villains, but next week looks to change that.
On the upside, the development of Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanagh) continues to be enticing. Every week there is a little but f a snippet about who he is, but the mystery remains. Many eager Flash fans like myself will have their theories, but I am perfectly content watching the show explore him over time. He rocks every scene that he’s in, and as the mystery builds up, so does my anticipation for his scenes. It is getting to the point where I look forward to his closing scenes more than the episode itself. Only time will tell if the payoff is worth the hassle, but I have faith that it will be.
I’d be a fool if I didn’t mention the development of Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker). While she isn’t exactly spectacular, this week does give us a better understanding of her and her fiance, Ronnie (Robbie Amell). As a big Firestorm fan, I am excited to see the development of these two characters that play much bigger roles in the DCU proper, and hope that they continue the plot threads that were started here. With the casting of Professor Stein for a future episode, as well as the circumstances surrounding Ronnie’s death, it’s just a matter of time before Caitlin’s entire world comes crashing down.
Overall, The Flash is off to a very strong start. While many other comic shows struggle to find their footing, The Flash knows what it is, what it wants, and how it’s going to get there. In time it could very well overshadow it’s gritty counterpart Arrow, but for now I am very content with having it be adored by millions across the country. With strong writing and acting by the core cast, it is building for a better tomorrow. I can’t wait to see what that tomorrow holds.
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