Showing posts with label COMIC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label COMIC. Show all posts

Tuesday, 22 December 2015

The Flash "Running To Stand Still" Arrow "Dark Waters" Supergirl "Hostile Takeover" Quick Reviews

I have just been so busy at work lately because of Star Wars (I work at a cinema) that I have no time to review these episodes individually. So here are some quick reviews and if I find that work keeps me too busy even after Star Wars it may have to always be like this.

The Flash Season Two: Running To Stand Still

The Weather Wizard returns to Central City and frees Captain Cold and the original Trickster from Iron Heights for a team up against the Flash meanwhile Joe and Iris get a surprise when Wally West (Keiynan Lonsdale) arrives at their home.

Highlights
  • Return of Weather Wizard and the Trickster and their villain team up! These two where great villains last season and it was good to see them again, especially Mark FREAKING Hamill! Whenever he is on screen he is always the centre of attention with his over - the - top performance which is handled really well; he does it in a way that it doesn't feel annoying or out of place. Loved the fights scene between Weather Wizard and the Flash, the Weather Wizard's flying ability was awesome to see.
  • Joe's subplot in handling the reveal that Wally West is his son because it was probably his best character arc and performance all season. We got some really heart - wrenching scenes with Joe and I'm glad we got a glimpse of Wally, who fans of the comics know plays a large role.
  • The opening with Zoom attacking Wells came out of no where and it is going to be a nice twist with Wells being forced to help Zoom now. I bet all the characters are going to turn on him when they find out which will be a shame because he isn't evil he just hasn't got a choice.
Let - Downs
  • Captain Cold was completely wasted probably because they want to save him for LOT, this was annoying because I really would have liked him to have been a part of the conflict. I'll say again I really hope that they don't play Cold as too much of a hero because I want him to eventually be the leader of the Rouges.
  • Patty's subplot with Weather Wizard was predictable and boring because I knew how it was going to play out from the beginning. Didn't like how far she was going to go for her revenge (like trapping the Flash), I felt her conflict with Weather Wizard was just forced in the plot and I bet it will never come up or play any importance again.
Overall an awesome Christmas themed episode in which Weather Wizard and the Trickster completely stole the show

SCORE: 8/10

Arrow Season Four: Dark Waters

Things turn even more brutal when Damien steps up his attacks on the city and even targets Oliver at his mayoral party.

Highlights
  • Damien stole it because he was the centre of attention this episode; we got to see him interact with other HIVE members, we saw a glimpse of his family and he lost his cool and suffered his first defeat. The guy just grabs your attention every time he is on screen like when he attacked the Christmas party or showed Oliver his gas chamber. His fight with Malcolm was a standout (glad it was him to beat Damien first) and we saw more of his power like his force choke and possibly a resurrection spell?
  • The Malcolm and Laurel team up was really good because with their shared past over Sara's death these two characters have a nice chemistry going on. They kicked ass with their assault on HIVE and it was cool to see more Canary Cry and Malcolm dressed as the Green Arrow. Also Quentin's reaction and interactions with Malcolm where great as well and I do like his pairing with Donna.
  • Diggle's interactions with his brother where good because this defiantly gives his character more to work with and a unique arc that is more his own.
  • The ending left us on such a cliff hanger that I really want to see what happens next. Could Felicity be dead? It would be a nice twist if she did (don't like her pairing with Oliver) but I guess she won't because the people behind the show probably don't have the balls to anger the OliverxFelicity fans.

Let - Downs
  • The Flashbacks where a disappointment because they teased a shark yet we didn't get to see it fight Oliver. Plus it didn't feel like anything really major happened and it looks like Oliver's time as a spy in the Baron's camp is over so soon. 
Overall a really dark mid season finale with a major cliff hanger for year also thought I'd say this is more of an annoyance than a let down but I hated Felicity trying to title every "Holiday" instead of Christmas. It is freaking Christmas time, I have always hated people who don't call it such and I have no idea why she playing the Jewish thing so much, it annoyed me that she was pushing it on everything.

SCORE: 8/10

Supergirl Season One: Hostile Takeover

Astra returns to challenge Supergirl and her beliefs about her mother meanwhile Cat may be removed as CEO of CatCo when a hacker exposes her private emails.

Highlights

  • The fights scenes this episode where something really amazing and such a great way to end the mid season. The flying fight between Supergirl and Astra was done so well with them flying through buildings and causing so much havoc. Then there was the attack on Lord Industries and it was awesome seeing so much Krytonians fighting at once and they brought two others aliens as well. Maxwell and Henshaw really shined as well with Maxwell trying to take them on with his special gun and Henshaw displaying some of his powers.
  • Henshaw's line " My telepathy doesn't work on Krytonians, which Superman finds hilarious" is probably the best line I've heard all season lol.
  • Cat had such great development this episode with her warming up more to Kara, her willingness to sacrifice herself for the greater good and her past about a son she gave up when she was younger. Then of course there was her working out Supergirl's identity which really showed her intelligence and shrewdness.
  • I like that we got to know more about Astra, her attempts to discredit Alura, the Flashbacks and the reveal that she has a husband however......
Let - Downs

  •  ........Astra herself just isn't that much of a compelling villain. She doesn't really stand out to much in opinion and I didn't like her cliché wanting to be caught plot. This isn't too much of a let - down because I feel that she can be a really good character in the future.
  • While I liked Kara, James and Winn working together to bring down Dirk I didn't like James and Winn butting heads over Kara and the typical becoming friends at the end.
Overall my favourite episode of the season so far with some great character development and action scenes.

SCORE: 8/10 


The great screenshots of these episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;





Monday, 14 December 2015

Supergirl Season One: Episodes Six And Seven (Quick Reviews)

I have been so busy with work lately that I just had to make these two episodes of Supergirl quick reviews.

Episode Six "Red Faced"

Highlights

  • The Red Tornado android was so freaking awesome and looked a lot better than it did in the preview screenshots. I read lots of comments before the episodes that the design looked silly but no when you actually watched it in action it worked. The fight scenes it had with Supergirl where really cool and I though it was destroyed I hope it returns in some form in the future because it gained sentience.
  • Kara dealing with her anger issues because while you think it is actually just about her crush on James there is more to it than that since she is still trying to find her place in the world.
  • Glenn Morshower as Sam Lane; I feel like I see this guy in everything (Transfomers, Revolution etc.) and while his character is an ass for the way he treats James and Supergirl he plays it well because he is supposed to kind of be the human antagonist for Supergirl.
  • Kara and Cat bonding over drinks because I like how these two are growing closer with each new experience and again we find out more about why Cat is the way she is. Plus Cat always seems to be the one to give Kara the right information at the end of the day, more so than Alex and James.
  • Winn uncovering the information on Alex's father because now we have a lot more mystery surrounding his disappearance (I don't think he is dead) and I am curious as to what alien he and Henshaw where tracking down.
Let - Downs

  • The scenes with Maxwell and Alex are just painful to watch now because I don't want these characters together and I just think they are forcing chemistry between them.
  • Winn really needs to have a strong character arc soon because while I think he is a good character and a funny one too, he just seems to be there for the sake of it most of the time.
  • I really didn't like the workout scene with Kara and James, I mean honestly just a few punches and Kara suddenly had this massive realization. I just felt that it was lazy scene thrown into the episode to move the plot forward.
Overall an improvement over last week's episode because it had a villain for Supergirl to fight this time.

SCORE: 8/10


Episode Seven "Human For A Day"

Highlights

  • The whole earthquake disaster because I think it was just really portrayed well, everything from the damage effects and how the characters are dealing with it. Maxwell was really great because he turned the disaster to his advantage by playing the good guy and trying to turn everyone against Supergirl with some pretty convincing speeches lol.
  • I liked seeing Kara dealing with the loss of her powers for the first time and then realizing at the end that she is a hero with or without them; the robbery scene was really well done. Then of course there was James and Cat who really helped her through it each in their own way.
  • All the scenes with the DEO because I really liked the villain Jemm and his powers and I liked how they where creating this Alien atmosphere when trying to capture him.
  • Hank is Martian FREAKING Manhunter!! Fans have been asking for a live action portrayal of this character for ages and now we have got it and he looked so damn awesome. I liked the build up to his reveal with Hank's backstory because it makes sense for the character; right out of the comics he is a good guy who is the last son of Mars. Now I admit I am slightly disappointed Hank isn't Cyborg Superman however hopefully we will still get him in the future, maybe the real Hank could have been revived as Cyborg Superman?

Let - Downs

  • Again Winn just needs something better to work with than just being a Sueprgirl fanboy with a crush on Kara. Then of course there was the awkward moment he got angry with Kara for hugging James; I like his character but come on don't turn him into a jerk. 
Overall defiantly a highlight of the season which makes me look forward to seeing more of Martian Manhunter and leaves us with a cliff hanger ending.

SCORE: 9/10

Thursday, 10 December 2015

Arrow Season Four: Legends Of Yesterday

"We should really get together more often"
Team Arrow and Team Flash try to protect Hawkman and Hawkgirl from Vandal Savage while the rest of their comrades try to come up with a way to defeat the immortal.

You know I bet when Arrow Season One started with a simple overall plot of one man trying to destroy the city I bet it didn't think it would have elements like immortality and reincarnation in the future lol. The Hawkgirl/Hawkman subplot continues and this time we get Flashbacks to ancient Egypt where their troubles began and it was handled so well like the amazing set and costumes. Again while their are a few changes (like Savage being in Egypt when he got his immortally from the meteorite as a caveman) I praise how closely they are sticking to the comic book origins of Hawkgirl/Hawkman. I liked how nicely they tied Savage's origins to them such as his need to kill them to sustain his powers rather than through his blood sacrifices in the comics, they made it make sense. Again all three characters are so good such as Carter having all of the past lives knowledge so he is more of a rash trainer because he already knows how it goes, Kendra going through the motions of such a burden but finding her courage in the end and Savage's impressive and menacing presence to the heroes. Loved the two fights between Savage and the heroes because again they used such great special effects like when Savage killed all of the heroes and destroyed the whole city! I also liked the final scene with Malcolm retrieving Savage's ashes probably to restore his body because first I knew even as ashes it wouldn't be the end of Savage and secondly it was such a Malcolm thing for him to do, double - crossing the heroes for his own ends.

This is how it all started
As for everything else time travel was brought back which was a surprise I never saw coming! Like the first time it was shown it was used in such a way that it didn't feel too convenient for Barry to exploit it. This is because when we saw the ghost even Barry didn't know what it meant which increases are sense of danger for them confronting Savage and when Barry does go back in time he changes just the right things. These are just Kendra finding her confidence, fixing the gloves and Oliver bringing everyone to the battle; it didn't feel too OP it felt like they did enough just for a fighting chance. Now since this is still an Arrow episode Oliver got more spotlight this time and that involved the subplot with his son and unlike the Well's subplot last episode this one fit in the overall plot a more nicely. Amell really was great in these scenes because it gave Oliver some really intense and emotionally confusing moments to deal with and he handled it brilliantly. I am looking forward to Oliver having more interactions with his son and how it effects him I future Arrow episodes, though I am slightly disappointed his son isn't named Connor Hawk like he is in the comics (maybe it's his middle name?). As for the let downs I found Felicity to be so annoying in Oliver's subplot, I mean couldn't she just keep her nose out of it because this was something emotional big for Oliver and I just hated her when she confronted him about it in the old timeline. Sorry I don't know about anyone else but since Oliver only really just found out he was a father I just really wished he told Felicity to shut up and mind her own business. Finally the pacing this episode was a lot more slower than the last one, especially during the scenes at the farmhouse which reminded me so much of Avengers 2.

"Ok birds lets get this over with"
Overall maybe not as good as part one but this nevertheless was still a strong Hawkgirl, Hawkman and Savage episode and a good set up for Legends Of Tomorrow.

SCORE: 7/10

Highlights: Hawkgirl, Hawkman and Savage plot/Flashbacks
                   Good use of time travel
                   Oliver subplot

Let - Downs: Felicity really annoyed me
                      Slower pace  

               
The great screenshots of these episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;




http://screencapped.net/          

Wednesday, 9 December 2015

The Flash Season Two: Legends Of Today

Vandal Savage (Casper Crump) and Hawkman (Falk Hentschel) both set their sights on Kendra for their own purposes so Team Flash asks Team Arrow for help meanwhile Wells develops a serum that could improve Barry's speed.

I have been so looking forward to these crossover episodes, especially since we have had a week break from Arrow and Flash and so far it did not disappoint. You know what is the best part of a crossover? watching the interactions between Team Flash and Team Arrow when they have to work together. Like the rivalry between Felicity and Cisco, the reactions of Diggle has he tries to wrap his head around the Meta Humans in Central City and easily Barry and Oliver rely on each other which makes you think their shows have always been combined. It is nice to see that the cast of both of these shows feels so comfortable around each other that these crossovers don't feel forced at all. Now on to the events and we have got three new additions to the cast; Kendra (who is now properly Hawkgirl) Hawkman and Vandal Savage and this was a awesome episode for the debut of all three. First off Casper Crump as Savage was just really, really good; he brought a lot of threatening charisma to the character and I enjoyed watching his attacks on Team Flash and Arrow. Again they are doing a really good job of introducing magic now, first with Damien and now with Savage who now brings immortally which is a real step up. I also liked that his story tied in so closely with Hawkgirl and Hawkman's plot and that there is another praise; I was really impressed with the Hawkgirl/Hawkman subplot because it felt like it was ripped right out of the comics, they just followed it so closely! Hawkgirl was the bigger standout because we got to see her realising her true self and gaining her wings and we really got to see struggling with that in every scene. Hawkman kind of felt shoved in out of no where for the plot but I am not going to mark that down because he still made a really impressive debut, Falk Hentschel did an awesome job and as I already said his plot with Hawkgirl was a standout.

As for everything else the fight scenes in this episode where truly damn awesome!! Everyone one of them where just so great like Green Arrow and Flash vs. Hawkman (them two fighting a flying enemy was great) and their fight against Savage for the staff of Horus, loved that fight because the effects where just so cool! A let down however was the fact that Malcolm was in this episode (his first crossover one!) and we didn't get to see him fight at all which was a real shame. Since this was an immortal being they where facing I thought this would be defiantly be more up the League's street but they weren't as involved as they should have been. Another let down was the plot involving Well's serum for Barry; it was nice to see they haven't forgotten about Zoom even in the crossover and it was good seeing Jay again but it really was just a distraction from the main plot. I just got annoyed because again if Patty wasn't just kept in the dark about everything her shooting Wells could have been avoided and Joe didn't even bother to tell her with this perfect opportunity again. Finally this isn't a let down I just wanted to say I enjoyed that Damien got a little role at the beginning with his HIVE forces vs. Team Arrow, and useful new trick arrow too.

Overall a great part one for the crossover over which perfectly brought the Hawkgirl/Hawkman plot from the comics to live action.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Team Flash and Team Arrow working together
                   Awesome fight scenes
                   debut of Savage and Hawkgirl/Hawkman plot

Let - Downs: Malcolm and the League should have played a bigger part
                      Didn't car much for the serum subplot

Again sorry that there is no images for this episode but screencapped is undergoing maintenance.        

Monday, 30 November 2015

Arrow Season Four: Brotherhood

As Team Arrow continues to battle HIVE Diggle makes a shocking discovery and Thea's bloodlust returns.

Wow just wow! After the episode last week that I considered to be the worst of Season Four they now gave us one that is probably the best of the season. You already know of course that this was Diggle focused ep but what I liked about it from the start is that this showed he has completely gotten over what Oliver did in Season Three and he has got this new character arc for him. Even with the events of last season Diggle has always been the rock of the team but this one showed his real vulnerable side probably for the first time in the show as he deals with the return of his brother as a HIVE Ghost. I mean Diggle had some truly emotional moments where he was fighting back tears with what his brother has become and deciding in the end to choose his new family of Team Arrow rather than Andy who did some horrible things e.g. the cool moment where he saved his "green brother". Since Andy is captured this will probably be something Diggle has to deal with for a while but I wonder what they are going to do with him now? Continuing on with this subplot we also learn more about HIVE and the fact that the Ghost are all under the influence of a drug which makes them follow orders and breaks down their DNA. It might be the drug in the Flashbacks so I'll guess we'll wait for that conformation but I wonder if Team Arrow will focus their effects on destroying the supply after the crossover episodes? As for Damien he had some really awesome and threatening scenes such as the one his one with Quentin about Laurel and when he met Oliver during his campaign speech. Then of course there was the ending where Oliver chose to confront Damien in the light rather than infiltrate HIVE like he did with the League in Season Three and while I commend Oliver for this I wonder if it is a good idea. The look on Damien's face during the speech makes me think he really suspects Oliver is the Green Arrow now and he could either target his family or run for mayor himself, now that could be interesting to see.

As for everything else finally, finally Thea's bloodlust subplot is getting interesting because before her confrontation with Damien I didn't care but afterwards it got good. Her making Damien's powers backfire on him (probably because of the Pit) was a development I have been waiting for; finally a relevant twist to the bloodlust that doesn't feel like a waste of time. Now Thea can be useful and I am looking forward to seeing what she and Malcolm are going to come up with to exploit it. Then there was Ray's subplot which was really good where he had to struggle with finding his place in the world and that's not running his company. Of course this is all set up for LOT but it gave him a small little character arc and then there was him suiting up as ATOM to kick some ass at the end which is what I wanted to see! Finally the Flashbacks look like they good be getting more interesting because Oliver now has a real mission and I liked the mysterious twig magic Reiter did; makes me think we can see more magic out of him like Damien and Constantine. Before I finish I got to say that the fights scenes in this episode where some of the best ever! I heard they got the stunt coordinator James Bamford to direct and he did an awesome job, the fight scenes weren't just a butch of quick cuts they stayed on the action. For example they really showed Black Canary kicking ass in the beginning after her scream and then there was Thea's super, damn, awesome fight with Andy in the elevator, that was edge of you seat stuff.

Overall this was just a perfect episode in my opinion, maybe Oliver as Green Arrow took a backseat but it didn't suffer for it because it was supposed to be more about Diggle anyway.

SCORE: 10/10

Highlights: A strong Diggle episode
                   Great subplots for Thea and Ray
                   Damien and more info on HIVE
                   They truly epic fight scenes


Screencapped is undergoing maintenance right now.

Thursday, 26 November 2015

The Flash Season Two: Gorilla Warfare

As Barry deals with the aftermath of fighting Zoom, Gorilla Grodd returns to Central City with a dangerous plan in mind.
 
Kneel before Grodd!! I really enjoyed having Grodd back on the Flash, especially since he has returned so early this season. Like back in Season One the guys behind the effects just deserve a lot of praise for how real they made Grodd on a TV show, he doesn't look fake at all. Overall Grodd may have served as just a distraction from Zoom but I still loved his return and his storyline this episode. It was awesome seeing him use his mind control powers once again, his voice fits him so well and I liked that he was shown with more sympathy this time. This is because unlike the comics this Grodd is still young and really is just alone in the world and wants to be with more like him; so the idea to send him to a gorilla colony on Earth 2 (after a cool fight) was the next best thing. However I think this wasn't such a smart idea for Team Flash because in the comics Grodd is the leader of a whole country of apes that war with humans so I'm guessing this Grodd will take it over and wreck havoc again soon. Two other characters stood out in this storyline and the first being Caitlin because I just really like her connection with Grodd and that she wanted to help him more than anything else. I also liked the way she risked herself in the end to get Grodd into the transport circle because I think I have said before that while Caitlin is a good character for Season One she is mostly felt she is mostly there for the sake of it. The other standout was Wells and again so much praise goes to Tom Cavanagh because the guy is the best actor on the Flash because of how in this episode he had to act like his Earth 1 counterpart even though he isn't him, get it? I mean the way he posed as the Reverse Flash with Grodd he was so good that I think Caitlin and Cisco thought he double crossed them by the look on their faces. Also it was great to see the Reverse Flash costume once again and hear the vibrating music that usually accompanies it and it was cool at the end that Barry wants to duplicate the ring technology so hopefully soon he'll get his own like in the comics.    
 
As for everything else a real let down was Barry's subplot because after the shocking "I can't feel my legs" reveal last episode they decided to completely skip that! I know he has super healing but that was a real disappointment because I didn't like Barry's doubts holding him back dilemma that much after that. I know Barry suffered a big defeat from Zoom but I just didn't buy that he couldn't run because of it since in end I knew all he had to do was have faith in himself again; it was a typical outcome for it but trying to regain his legs again because they couldn't heal for some reason, now that would have been more different and interesting. However the good thing about this subplot was the return on Henry because it is nice to know they aren't just going to leave him out of the show now that he is free from jail. What was really good about it was the speech that Henry gave to Barry when comparing Barry's predicament to his arrest; now that was a really great emotional scene, really nicely done. Now as for the other let down of the episode I am just getting really annoyed now that Patty is being left in the dark from Barry and Joe. I am just not enjoying their excuses now and I feel that the episodes just waste time with the effort they are making to keeping the truth from her. I know she kind of have to earn the right to be on Team Flash but I thought the people behind Arrow and Flash said they don't care that all the main cast from both shows know the identities of the heroes anymore so why is it taking so long for Patty? Finally while I still am not bothered by the relationship between Cisco and Kendra, because Hawkman is coming soon, it was a least some light hearted moments for Cisco and it was cool seeing flashes of Kendra as Hawkgirl.     
 
Overall a great return for Grodd, though not as good as last episode it was still a nice one to have just before the big crossover ones between the Arrow and Flash.
 
SCORE: 7/10
 
Highlights: GRODD!
                   Caitlin and Wells where the biggest standouts
                   Henry was really great in this as well
 
Let - Downs: Barry's subplot was a disappointment
                      Getting annoyed now with Patty constantly in the dark 
 
Sorry for lack of screenshots but Screencapped has yet to upload this episode.

Wednesday, 18 November 2015

The Flash Season Two: Enter Zoom

"Now I am the best"
Team Flash comes up with a plan to have Earth One Linda Park pose as Dr Light from Earth Two so they can trick and capture Zoom.
 
Wow the last part of this episode was one of the most epic endings for a Flash episode and was such a strong debut for Season Two's main villain. You know I have read comments before this episode on the internet that Zoom will just be another Reverse Flash but after this I think people will see Zoom as his own villain. First off his design his just so freaking great; I said when we had the glimpse of him last episode that he seems more of a monster than human and it seems Team Flash agrees from their comments. The look of his mouth, the way his fingers are like claws and his truly terrifying voice really makes Zoom seem like his out of a nightmare; like the way he snuck up on Linda, now that kind of made me jump lol! Then there was the fight itself which was so great and had quite a few WTF moments like when Zoom caught a bolt of lightning! Then what really surprised me was the really epic final scenes when Zoom parades the broken Flash in front of the news and police; it was cool to see him taunt the city and catch all of those bullets. This again makes him seem really different than Reverse Flash because Zoom wants people to know that he is the best speedster out there, he doesn't care about staying in the shadows that much. The other part of this subplot which involved Dr Light was really good as well because as I mentioned last review this gives Linda a better role than being neglected last season. That training montage for example was so funny (props to Cisco for those funny cardboard cut outs) and her fake fight with Flash was good to see because I would have been annoyed if Linda just put on the outfit and just became Dr Light already. I am also glad that the Earth Two Dr Light escaped because maybe we'll see her in a future episode but what is more important is that there is a naked Linda running around in Earth One.......lucky sods.
 
NOOO FLASH!........you think Zoom bought that?
As for everything else I am again liking the growing relationship between Barry and Patty because it just feels so real; like how Barry came to her near the end when he was feeling down about not captured Zoom and still thinking about not saving his mother, it was a really good moment. I am also again liking the new Wells because we got more insight into his character and he really did a good job of showing his desperation for capturing Zoom because of his daughter. I noticed she was called Jessie Quick and for those who don't know she is a speedster in the comics, be interesting if that happens in the series but I hope they don't cram it into this season. I also noticed the news report on Green Arrow in Earth Two and how that it is Robert Queen! Those who have read Flashpoint know this is similar in the way that Thomas Wayne became Batman in an alternate reality because Bruce died instead, I really hope to see this develop more in a future season. However I have got to say that I am getting really, really annoyed that Team Flash (especially Joe) just can't realize that this is different Harrison Wells! It is getting old now that they are still comparing him to the Reverse Flash when he isn't the Reverse Flash, heck don't they even remember that Earth One Wells wasn't the Reverse Flash either that it was Eobard Thawne in disguise? Joe of course has been a major disappointment and annoyance this season and I get ticked off with everything he does; like I am surprised Patty isn't way more angry with Joe's attitude towards her and I sick of him constantly trying tell Barry what is good for him (like the scenes in the corridor and elevator). When I saw them I just kept thinking "Barry take freaking charge and tell him to shut up!" but no he just always has to follow Joe's advice.
 
WTF
Overall Zoom made this episode and has proven himself to be a worthy villain to the Flash this season!
 
SCORE: 8/10
 
Highlights: Zoom!
                   Linda's training as Dr Light
                   Good moments with Patty and Wells
 
 Let - Downs: Earth Two Wells constantly being compared to Reverse Flash
                       Joe is really ticking me off
 
The great screenshots of these episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;





Saturday, 14 November 2015

Arrow Season Four: Haunted

"I'm back!"
Laurel comes clean with the rest of Team Arrow after Sara goes on a rampage so Oliver contacts an old friend, John Constantine (Matt Ryan), for help in saving Sara's soul.

Arrow sure stepped into the realm of magic in a big way with the guest appearance of Constantine and he did not disappoint. I didn't see the short lived Constantine series but everyone praised Ryan's performance and I can see why because he is faithful to his comic counterpart in personality, humour, the way he acts around the rest of the characters and how he comes across as a selfless guy with the way he helped Team Arrow but you can just tell he has a murky past. I'm glad however that they didn't waste too much time on Constantine's backstory they just tied him in nicely to the present and flashback storylines. The Flashbacks really improved this episode because thanks to Constantine we have a better understanding of what the bad guys are up to and we had a nice treasure hunt with him and Oliver. Then there was the present story line and that trip to the "other side" Constantine, Oliver and Laurel took was really cool (and again increases the supernatural element of the show) with them fighting the souls of the deceased League members and those gory, zombie - looking hands that where holding Sara. The let downs for this story line however was that overall Constantine really wasn't in it that much and I think that could have been improved by trimming down some of the scenes with Sara hunting Thea and capturing her; I mean honestly that went on for way too long! Then there was the fact that Sara's reunion with her family could have been a lot more better and had more emotional impact; she didn't even say anything to anybody and it was only mentioned by Quentin and Laurel how she was coping with just coming back. Laurel however was a bit better this episode (even though she doesn't seem to care people are dead because she brought Sara back) with the way she stood up to Oliver for when he used the Pit on Thea.

Don't let go Laurel!
As for everything else I really enjoyed the team up with Quentin and Diggle because they where two characters that haven't had much interaction with each other. I liked that Diggle didn't trust Quentin at first because of his ties to HIVE but was willing to let that slide for the greater good and I liked how Quentin saved Diggle from the guards by pretending to arrest him. Quentin also got some info out of Darhk which revealed the truth about Diggle's brother and I wonder how this will affect him in future episodes. Two subplots that felt out of place was firstly the ones with Oliver's mayor campaign because that really was there just to introduce a new character and Felicity and Curtis scenes trying to solve Ray's message. They where alright but in the light of having a major guest star like Constantine every other subplot should have been on hold or really trimmed down like the Sara hunting for Thea so that he could have had way more screen time. However at least Felicity now knows that Ray is alive and I hope that becomes the big focus for next episode or the one after because I am tried it just being these small subplots.

"If only my last tattoo was this painless"
Overall a great introduction to Constantine in the Arrow/Flash universe and I really hope that the character appears more on both shows or even Legends of Tomorrow.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Constantine guest appearance/improved island Flashbacks
                   Magic has now been more heavily introduced/rescuing Sara's soul scenes
                   Quentin and Diggle team up

Let - Downs: Sara's reunion with her family wasn't as impactful as it should have been
                      Some subplot and scenes took too much screen time away from Constatine

The great screenshots of these episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;





Thursday, 12 November 2015

Supergirl Season One: Fight or Flight

"I've already fought Superman so let's try Supergirl"
Cat runs an expose on Supergirl meanwhile Kara must deal with one of Superman's oldest and must formidable enemies; Ben Krull AKA Reactron (Chris Browning).

Wow we get Superman more involved in this episode than I thought so maybe that might mean one day he will get a proper appearance than a cameo? This episode once again deals with Kara's inexperience at being a hero and addresses the issue as to why she doesn't just call Superman for help all the time. The answer is simple in the fact that Kara wants to be her own hero, one that the people can look up to first in National City rather than just a plan B if Superman isn't around. I liked how Kara dealt with it; fighting Reactron in her own ways such as first trying to reason with him (I liked that this showed her compassionate side to the villain) then using force as a must. In the end I feel that she did prove herself to her friends, Superman and Cat who was writing a bad article on her. I also really liked the end of the episode when she had that message chat with Clark because while I know the series is limited to how much they can use Superman it is could to see some communication between them. Now as for the villain he was the best one by far! Reactron was so freaking cool, from the look of his armour to his awesome energy based attacks and fight scenes but it was his backstory that was a highlight. It was just really cool and such a good move to have an enemy of Superman make an appearance because it does expand the TV universe in showing that major events have happened before the start. He may have just been in one episode so far (hope he comes back!) but I feel he has been the best developed villain because of his tragic backstory and history with Superman, plus he isn't just going after Supergirl because he was ordered to he has his own proper reasons to.

"Talk to the hand!"
As for everything else I was glad to see more of Maxwell Lord because he is a great DC villain and while I do like the actor portraying him I don't think this debut did the character justice. He was only really in this to fix Reactron's armour something a generic scientist could have done and he just comes across as an annoying rich playboy. However I will give the show the benefit of the doubt in that they are going to develop him from a good guy to a villain plus I did like this hinted relationship between him and Cat so we'll see where that goes. I also think James was a tad disappointing because after everything he said last episode of getting out of Superman's shadow he goes ahead a calls him without hesitation. Sure he apologized, sure he put his life on the line to stop Reactron but I just thought he had more faith in Supergirl after all the encouragement he has been giving her and them sharing the same desires of being their own person. Winn I admit is growing on me; he is a fun character to watch whether with his enthusiasm to help Suergirl or trying to win her affection lol. Finally I didn't like that Alex and the DEO managed to find the way to stop Reactron conveniently at the end because I would rather Kara, James and Winn found out themselves when the DEO where barely involved this episode. I know I have already said I didn't like them much but I think I would more if they weren't just squeezed in just for a little screen time. However Henshaw still peaks my curiosity by displaying his red eyes and again I really, really hope he turns out to be Cyborg Superman!!

So what past do these two have?
Overall this episode had the best villain by far, had some great development for Kara and managed to include Superman in really well without taking too much from Sueprgirl. Thought I'd take the time to say that I haven't forgotten the new Arrow episode I was just too busy in Wednesday to review it so I will get round to it and I will no longer be reviewing Bleach because I will be more busy again soon because of work and I'd rather find time for these shows than Bleach.

SCORE: 7/10

Highlights: Reactron was a kickass villain!
                   Kara becoming more and more her own hero
                   Cat still great and Winn is improving

Let - Downs: Maxwell Lord's debut could have been better
                      James wasn't too good this episode
                      The DEO just squeezed in at the end to help with the villain

The great screenshots of these episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;





Friday, 6 November 2015

Supergirl Season One: Stronger Together

"Why our are heat vision both blue? I mean Superman's is red"
Kara must deal with the aftermath from National City and it's media now that her alter - ego Supergirl is getting more attention meanwhile the DEO discovers new Fort Rozz escapee Hellgrammite (Justice Leak), an insect - like alien who can take human form.

You know what is really good about Supergirl is just how fun it is to watch like The Flash, it has a similar feel and humour to it (Arrow is fun to watch but of course has a darker tone). Again I praise the casting of Benoist to the role because now I can't picture anyone else playing Supergirl, she brings a lot of life to the character for live action. This episode focused on how inexperienced Supergirl still is at being a hero which I liked because she shouldn't be an expert at her job straight away so we see her mess up a few times before realizing she needs to refine her skills. This came from a pep talk from Cat in a really great scene where she mentions her past and how you have to start at the bottom in any career. You know I really liking Cat as a character because when I say her in the trailers I thought she would be this really annoying boss but no I am really enjoying the scenes she is in and in her own way she is one of the most helpful to Supergirl. I also liked that she dropped a lot of Easter Eggs by mentioning the Daily Planet, Lois Lane and Clark Kent/Superman; we already know this show exists in the same universe as Superman but I like it when the characters remind each other. Speaking of Superman I like that he influenced Kara and Jimmy this episode because they both are dealing with the fact they are living in his shadow but they want to be their own person. Made for some great development of their characters especially for Jimmy because this does portray him as more of a serious character then what he usually is in the comics.

A great example of the effects used in this show
As for everything else I admit the villain of the week, Hellgrammite, was really underused and was really just their to introduce Astra. It is a shame because the effects used for him where really cool and he had that awesome scene where he attacked the DEO transports but all in all we barely knew anything about him and the way he was taken out by Alex was lacklustre. Speaking of Alex I really don't care much for her or the DEO (expect for Henshaw but get to him in a bit), I just don't find their scenes where they are investigating Hellgrammite that relevant or entertaining and Alex is now like the Caitlin Snow of Supergirl; always seem to be the one to hold the hero back. On to Astra her fight scene with Supergirl was so freaking awesome which I again praise the effects in the fight scenes, the way they punch each other through walls, fly and use heat vision is so great to watch. I want to know more about her past and plans though because right now she isn't much different than a typical villain but I hope they will change that soon. As for Henshaw he is the only good part of the DEO scenes so far because I like that he is the only one to speak his mind to Sueprgirl without it being awkward like Alex does and he is such a badass like when he took on Astra with a Kryptonite blade. However the most significant part is when his eyes glowed red and I really hope this means he really becomes Cyborg Superman and not just using the name because I am a massive fan of that villain! Finally I liked we got a small intro to Maxwell Lord (Peter Facinell) because he is one of my fav DC villains and I hope he has his powers eventually.

Please let him be Cyborg Superman!!!
Overall Supergirl defiantly proves it can stay stronger after the first episode (because more budget is put in them) and makes me really look forward to the next episode. Oh yeah and I thought I'd mention that I glad that Kara was old enough to remember Krypton because maybe we'll get some more Flashback scenes like we did in this episode.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Kara and Jimmy's character struggles
                   Cat continues to be one of the strongest characters
                   Great fight scene with Astra
                   Henshaw is the best thing about the DEO

Let - Downs: Hellgrammite was disappointing
                      Don't care much for Alex and the DEO


The great screenshots of these episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;




http://screencapped.net/                

Friday, 30 October 2015

Supergirl Season One: Pilot

 
Kara Zor - El (Melissa Benoist) has been living a normal life in Earth ever since her arrival as a young girl from Krypton however she decides to embrace her powers when alien convicts from the Phantom Zone decide to reveal themselves and cause havoc.
 
You know this pilot was a lot better than I thought because unlike the Arrow and Flash this show has to build on the existing mythos of another superhero; Superman. Well first off I shall tell you what I think of the cast starting with Melissa Benoist who really did nail it as Supergirl. It is entertaining seeing her juggle her two personalities of Kara and Supergirl; as Kara she is this likeable, funny, almost goofy newsroom assistant and then instantly become the powerful Supergirl with it feeling forced, she becomes more serious but still retains a light - hearted feel to the character by bringing humour even in a bad situation e.g. when she was lifting the plane. The rest of the cast did an awesome job as well like Mechad Brooks as James Olsen who has this interesting personnel connection with Superman that you want to know more of, her boss Cat Grant (Calista Flockhart) who I actually found to be quite funny and I loved the newsroom scenes with her and her sister Alex (Chlyer Leigh) her sister who is her anchor to a normal life; they all did her job great. I know there are more but one I hope gets developed a lot is Hank Henshaw (David Harewood) because those who have read the comics knows he is Cyborg Superman and I am really interesting in knowing if that is who he becomes. The other standout besides the cast is the awesome action scenes that this show has and I was really impressed with how they where done. We has Supergirl flying all over the place, punching aliens and being punched through walls etc. the effects are really good! Her fights with Vartox (Owain Yeoman) where so cool to watch, they didn't feel at all one sided and it was good and believable how see defeating him in the end. 
 
This was an awesome moment!
As for everything else the whole story of the first episode was done really well (the opening with Kryton was really great) and I liked Kara's transition from normal girl to Supergirl. However I feel that already the show is following an already familiar formula that has already been established on Flash and Arrow. I mean only half way through and already she has this hacker friend, Winslow Schott (Jeremy Jordon), who finds the crimes for her on computer and has a crush on her. Already too many people know her identity like the secret military organization which her sister just happens to be apart of. Plus they have already established that this will mainly be a villain of the week structure and while there is nothing wrong with that they haven't exactly given us any big, overarching story yet. Finally you see I like strong female characters being the lead, which this show is giving the audience, however it is 2015 and it throws the whole feminist issue right in your face. It isn't subtle with it at all like some of the lines the characters say which I expect from a show like Star Trek Next Generation or Stargate SG1 which where both in the 1980s - 1990's. I personally believe men and women are both equal and have been for ages and ages now so it is annoying when a show tries to act like Marvel Agent Carter but that was set all way back in the 1940s so it had a proper reason to use the whole non - equal issue. You know I am not alone in mentioning the issue because I have read a lot of comments like this even when the trailers where just coming out and I really agreed with Cat's reasoning for using the name Supergirl.
 
"Good think I can fly because I don't know how to drive"
Overall a great start to the series which does a great job of establishing the world of Supergirl and the characters.
 
SCORE: 7/10
 
Highlights: The cast of characters especially Melissa Benoist
                   Awesome action scenes
                   The story from Kara at Krypton to who she is now was done very well
 
Let - Downs: Already following a very familiar formula found in Arrow and Flash
                      The feminist issue is not subtle at all                  

Wednesday, 28 October 2015

The Flash Season Two: Family of Rogues

"You think your family is messed up Barry?"
Barry forms and uneasy alliance with Lisa when her brother Captain Cold is kidnapped by their father Lewis Snart (Michael Ironside) meanwhile Joe struggles with a hard decision.
Now this episode was completely owned by Whentworth Miller, I mean he has always been great as Captain Cold but he really stood out in this. First off we actually got a break from the Zoom storyline and instead it focuses on the Cold Family which I was glad for because I wanted to know more about them and this defiantly adds a lot more depth to Cold and Lisa. It is good to see Cold still staying to his Code in the fact that he is a criminal but there are lines he won't cross and there are things he cares about like Lisa which their dad took full advantage of. Always great to see Ironside because he is a great actor and he did a really good job of being this criminal even Cold thinks is evil like planting a bomb in his own daughter's neck. His scenes where he exploded the bomb in his henchmen's head and then shot Barry where really menacing and he had quite the brutal death at the hand of this own son. Lisa really stole the scenes she was in as well; she really humanizes herself and Cold, we got to see more vulnerable sides to them. Plus I am really liking the chemistry between her and Cisco; it is hard to tell if Lisa is being genuine but it is fun to see Cisco just can't help himself in caring for her, this is a relationship in Flash I don't mind seeing developed even more. Barry was also a great addition to the Cold plot because I just really liked him helping out in a heist and I like how Cold and Barry have this mutual respect for one another e.g. Barry having hope Cold can be a better person. Thought I's just say that I know Cold does help the heroes in the comics when it suits him and he will in live action soon because of Legends of Tomorrow but I do hope he stays as a villain overall because I do really like him more as one of the Flash's biggest nemesis.

If his face turned into a skull then he would have been Deathstorm
As for everything else it is great that Jay has decided to stay and remain a member of the main cast because despite losing his speed he is still a great addition (though I would really like him to regain it soon). However while I do like the interactions between him and Caitlin I really hope that that they don't try to build a romantic subplot with them because it just doesn't feel right to me and you know not everyone has to get together in this show! But one that does defiantly seem to work is between Barry and Patty because first off they are together sometimes in the comics (like New 52) so I am more used to this but also like Cisco and Lisa I just love the scenes these two are in together, they just seem to compliment each other really well. Then there is the Joe and Francine subplot and while this was good and quite the shock that Joe lied it just feels too similar to a Lance Family drama from Arrow. Maybe if more screen time was somehow given over to it or if the payoff was better it could have worked more e.g. Iris just seems to get over the shock so quickly and Joe mentions she has met her mother off screen. Finally at the end we see that Stein's condition is getting worse because of the blue flames which leads me to two possibilities; first off Deathstorm could be coming but that seems unlikely this early in the series or more likely Stein needs a second to control to Firestorm Matrix now that Ronnie is gone.

Get in there Cisco!
Overall the best episode of the season so far because we got more insight into the Cold Family and I am glad the Wells from Earth 2 has arrived now!
SCORE: 8/10
Highlights: Cold Family episode
                   Interactions between Lisa and Cisco
                   Barry was really great in this episode
Let - Downs: I hope they aren't trying to get Caitlin together with Jay
                      The Joe/Francine subplot could have been better
The great screenshots of these episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;





Thursday, 22 October 2015

Arrow Season Four: The Candidate

"Your methods are too sick even for me Anarky"
An old friend of the Queen Family, Jessica Danforth (Jeri Ryan), announces she is running for mayor which worries Oliver and Thea especially with new villain Lonnie Machin AKA Anarky on the loose meanwhile Felicity gets help from employee Curtis Holt (Echo Kellum).

This new season of Arrow continues to stay really strong and still has a better start than the Flash in my opinion. I shall start off with the debut of a major DC villain and that is Anarky and I got to say that I was really, really impressed with him. I liked that Lonnie isn't Anarky yet, he is just a smart yet extremely sadistic person, but this is his origins of how he becomes Anarky. He had such a great screen presence like when he broke the finger of that girl (kind of cringe worthy that was lol) and he had a truly awesome fight against Green Arrow; him swinging his electric baton and deflecting arrows had me on the edge of my seat. His escape at the end was really dark (painting his symbol in blood) and I hope he continues to develop strongly as a new villain. Another great part of the Anarky subplot was Jessica Danforth and she did a really great job in the role and was woven in so nicely with the Queen Family that I really believe she has been an old friend of the family. It is a shame however that she is withdrawing from being mayor because I this means Oliver is going to run for it and while I know that is a major plot line in the comics I didn't want to see it in the TV series. I mean how is he supposed to be Green Arrow when he is always in the spotlight? However his Flashbacks where a lot more interesting this episode and I am curious to see what Baron Reiter (Jimmy Akingbola) plans are and how far Oliver has to go in his army.

They finally decided to get rid of the wig in the Flashbacks
As for everything else this was also a great introduction for Curtis, who comic fans know as the hero Mr Terrific, and he worked really well with Felicity. You know I have read comments of people hating that he is gay because he isn't in the comics but all I have to say is who cares that he is? At least there won't be any weird romantic subplot between him and Felicity. As for Felcitiy this subplot with her being head of Palmer technologies definitely gives her more to work with than just being the computer support of Team Arrow. Quentin continues to be a stronger character because again he is against Team Arrow but basically leaves them alone and he is at least civil with Oliver in public. Then there was his meeting with Damien which was really intense with the threats from Damien; again praise to his actor for being so great as the villain and for his scenes with Quentin and Anarky. Finally Thea's subplot was handled a lot better this episode where we finally get to see some proper side affects of the Lazarus Pit and I completely forgot that she, Laurel and the rest of Team Arrow where never really told about the Pit. Laurel digging up Sara at the end was quite the shock but mostly for that they did it so soon, I knew she was coming back because of Legends of Tomorrow.

Now that is one way to grab everyone's attention!
Overall a really great episode and origin for a really great DC villain and the introduction of Curtis Holt.

SCORE: 9/10

Highlights: Debut of Anarky and Jessica
                   Curtis and Felicity team up
                   Better Thea subplot and Flashbacks
                   Damien and Quentin where still great

 Let - Downs: Oliver running for mayor

The great screenshots of these episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;
 
 



Thursday, 15 October 2015

The Arrow Season Four: Green Arrow

New season, new threads
Oliver and Felicity have been living a quiet life after leaving Starling City however Laurel and Thea arrive to ask for Oliver's help when a former League member Damien Darhk (Neal Mcdonough) shows up with his own HIVE forces.
 
I said that in my Flash review that while it's first episode of the new season was great it didn't have much of an impact however Arrow.......just WOW, it nailed it completely! I wondered how Oliver and Felicity where going to go back to the vigilante lifestyle after we spend the first five minutes with them in suburban paradise and I was surprised that it was mainly due to Felicity who has been secretly helping Team Arrow because she was bored. I liked that they didn't waste too much time bringing them back it was just like; "The city is worse than we thought and we miss the thrill, so lets get back into it.". It was enjoyable to see them come back where we see more of Felicity back to her old positive self and Oliver himself seems a lot more open and light - hearted which is a great change from the depressive tone of Season Three so good job to Amell. As for the rest of Team Arrow Diggle was a definite standout because after three seasons of being Oliver right hand man he is the most reluctant to accept him back because of how Oliver betrayed him; the bromance isn't completely back yet but we still see them working together (plus I like his costume and I don't care what anyone else says). The weak point with Team Arrow however was with Laurel and Thea and while I do really love seeing Laurel as Black Canary and Thea impressed me with her kicking ass during the truck chase they didn't leave much of an impression and felt like they where just there. We get only a one minute snippet of Thea losing control because of the Lazarus Pit but honestly I would have preferred for them to save it until it is the focus of a whole episode and not have been shoved into this one. I'm sure these two will be better when they both get an episode dedicated more to them but there just wasn't much for them in this premiere.
 

The Force is strong with this one
As for everything else the biggest standout was the introduction of Damien Darhk who was just perfectly, and I mean perfectly, cast. He had such a creepy and intimidating presence when he was on screen like his first scene where he comes out and says he is the bad guy and he wants Star City to die. Quickly want to mention Star City and they did an awesome job of making it seem worse than ever like the abandoned buildings, empty streets, the murders of leaders and the fact people just want to leave. This is of course helped by Damien and his HIVE forces who seem unstoppable and even the grunts put up a hell of a fight; they are like a high tech version of the League. Back to Damien his fight scene on the train was so damn cool and when he used his powers to catch arrows and kill with a touch it was just WTF! This is kind of explained with Damien performing a ritual near the end and I really don't know what it means yet but this is what I wanted in Arrow; more powers either through Meta Humans or the supernatural and I can't wait for more. Finally I will talk about the two biggest twists of the episode with the first one being Quentin working with Damien which is something I did not see coming. I liked Quentin in this even before that reveal because while he still doesn't support vigilantes he doesn't go overboard, its like he's "I'll do my thing, you'll do yours" but I think I am going to really like him working for Damien because this will give his character something completely new to work with than just being the cop (though I don't think he is evil or anything). Then there is the reveal that someone will die in six months which is more than a compelling reason to keep on watching. As for who it could be Felicity might seem too obvious and since Thea already died I think it could either be Quentin, Diggle or maybe even Felicity's mom? I know I haven't mentioned the Flashbacks yet but they didn't seem worth mentioning; His back on the island but we get no information as to why, I still don't like Waller and I hated she had to come back so soon and I would have preferred seeing a few episodes where the Flashbacks focus on Oliver being a rookie vigilante chasing criminals in Coast City like we saw for a bit.
 
"It's Team Diggle now, anyone have a problem with that?"
Overall Arrow was a far more impressive first episode than Flash for the new season by delivering lots of action, character development, introducing it's impressive new villain already and giving us two big twists that just hooks us into this new season straight away.            
 
 
SCORE: 9/10
 
Highlights: Oliver and Felicity's return to Team Arrow/Diggle and Oliver conflict
                   Neal Mcdonough as Damien and his mysterious powers
                   Two really big twists/Quentin was really good in this
 
Let - Downs: Laurel and Thea where the weak points in Team Arrow
                      The Flashbacks
 
The great screenshots of these episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;
 
 



Wednesday, 14 October 2015

The Flash Season Two: The Man Who Saved Central City

Strength vs. Speed
It has been six months since Barry closed the wormhole above Central City and has been hailed as a hero however new Meta Human Atom Smasher (Edge) arrives to wreck havoc.

You don't know how much I have been looking forward to the new season of Flash and how hard it was to avoid spoilers on the internet because the Americans get it a week before us! Anyway about the episode it really drew me in straight away with the cameos of Captain Cold and Heatwave; it was almost like a page out of a comic of the Flash battling those two foes but then it turned out to be a dream - like sequence. What surprised me was that the show jumped six months later and we don't see the aftermath of the damage the wormhole did (except in small Flashbacks). I actually really liked this decision because it skipped over a lot of unnecessary stuff like Iris and Caitlin moaning over Eddie and Ronnie; I mean they are of course still grieving but at least we don't have to go through some sort of depression that can just be a drag. As for the characters themselves this episode I liked that Barry was trying to do everything solo after being in a team all last season; it was almost like a dark tone they would have on Arrow of Barry blaming himself for the death of his friends but managing to overcome it. However if I am honest to me Barry took a backseat to episode compared to the good development we got from the secondary characters. Like Iris who actually was really helpful and supportive of Barry, trying to snap him out of his depression, than just the character whose about the relationships. Then there is the really great duo of Joe and Cisco who had a funny team up near the end of last season (uncovering Wells identity) and seem to be continuing that with Cisco helping the police. Then there is Stein who seems to have taken over the role Wells left behind as the kind of mentor/genius character and I loved the scene where he thought of the name Atom Smasher. Finally there is Caitlin and I liked how she is in a similar state kind of like Barry where she tried to distant herself from everyone then overcame it but I seriously doubt Ronnie is dead and probably ended up in Earth 2.

Can't wait to see these two return to fight the Flash
As for everything else the video message from Eobard was a surprise as well as the fact that he confessed to the murder of Nora. Now from what I know of Eobard from the comics he isn't doing this because he cared, no I my opinion he is like "I'm dead anyway so.....f**k it" lol. However the release of Henry was just handled so poorly because maybe they did this because the actor has other commitments and can't hang around for much put his excuse for leaving was so stupid, especially after everything Barry went through to free him. Then there is the debut of Atom Smasher and I always like seeing new Meta Humans on Flash and I think Edge did a really good job, I loved the action scenes and he had a kickass costume! Even the effects of him growing where really good for a TV show. However I just wish the character himself was developed a bit more because it felt like he was a one off villain; he is there just to fight the Flash because Zoom told him, that's all we know of him. Plus I really hope he isn't dead because I like Atom Smasher from the comics and his family plays a big role as well with the Justice Society of America. Finally the ending with Jay Garrick (Teddy Sears) was awesome (and funny with them talking about security lol) and I am so looking forward to him working with Team Flash. In the comics he acts as a sort of mentor to Barry Allen because he has been the Flash for way longer and while he is younger in the show I can still see that happening, plus I can't wait for him to reveal more of his backstory and what Earth 2 is like.

"What where you saying Cisco about better security?"
Overall a highly enjoyable episode though probably not as mind-blowing as I thought a first episode of a season should be I think that is because there probably saving it for when Zoom gets properly introduced and like I said in my opinion it is also because the secondary characters got way more spotlight than Barry. Also thought I'd say that I will go over my thoughts on who Zoom is when we get an episode where he gets a lot of screen time, like when I did it for Reverse Flash when he fought Barry for the first time.

SCORE: 7/10

Highlights: Strong performances from the returning cast especially from the secondary characters
                   Debut of Atom Smasher
                   The six month time skip was handled really well
                   Jay Garrick at the end

Let - Downs: Atom Smasher could have been developed better
                      Henry's departure was not done well

    
The great screenshots of these episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;