The Flash Season One: Fast Enough

"I'll see you in Season Two"

With Eobard Thawne imprisoned Team Flash believes it is over however Eobard presents Barry with an offer he cannot refuse which may change the course of history.

 

Just like Arrow we have now got the finale of The Flash, unlike Arrow however The Flash ended things with one of the biggest cliff-hangers ever! Still this was such a good episode, a truly specular finale, and the main reason for this is the emotional tone with Barry confronting the biggest choice he ever made. Grant Gustin truly brought his a - game this episode; breaking down with the difficult choice of saving his mother and possibly getting a whole family but destroy the life he already made, plus the possibility of a black hole didn't help none. He sought advice from most of the characters but the two significant ones where from Joe and his father (both actors brought their a - game as well) who offered really opposite opinions. We can really see how much of a father Joe has been to Barry as he thinks about Barry's happiness above his everyone else and believes he should save his mother even though both are struggling with the idea that they won't be father and son again. Then there was Barry's father who pressures Barry to leave the past as it is because he won't risk Barry changing from the person he is today. All scenes with those three characters where just perfect; it just hits you right there and makes you really care for what these characters are going through. Of course Barry decided not to save his mother because of his future self who must believe this is the way it's got to be; I guess Barry was still struggling with the idea but it took himself to make up his mind. Still Barry got to at least say goodbye to his mother (after hearing her get stabbed) which again a damn impactful scene!

 

As for everything else it is finally great to get the reveal that Cisco actually has powers and can see the vibrations in the timeline, this is a first step to him becoming Vibe so looking forward to that. The one let down I got to say was Caitlin and Ronnie's wedding which really just felt shoved in there (plus how the hell could she not know what a black hole was?) but it was really great seeing Stein again who contributed a lot to time travel. However the second biggest standout this episode was Eddie because of the development he went through; with help from Stein he broke free of his depression but decided to sacrifice himself end The Flash's greatest foe. It is a damn shame because I really liked Eddie and he has always been just a really nice guy, always doing the right thing plus maybe he could have ended up with Iris because the newspaper is from a timeline where Barry's mother is alive. I guess I should point out his body did go into the black hole and he did wear a talisman (which the camera put a lot of focus on), so could he return sometime as Cobalt Blue or another version of him appear from the multiverse? I really hope it happens because I just really like Eddie and I don't want this to be the last we see of him. Then we have Eobard who couldn't get home but had a cool fight with Barry and I like his speech at the beginning about how he came up with his plan to finally defeat The Flash. Now I don't think for a single second this is the last of Eobard Thawne because the one I know from the comics always takes steps to prevent this kind of thing, even at one point becoming a living paradox so his fate isn't tied to Barry's anymore.

 

Now finally I got to mention the references in this and the first one is Rip Hunter who Eobard mentioned. This isn't too much of a surprise since Rip Hunter is in Legends of Tomorrow but still it is great to mention him with time travel and this again makes me hopeful to see his father; Booster Gold! Then we got to see Jay Garrick's helmet (the first Flash) which was really cool however I don't think this means there was a Flash before Barry, I don't think the show is going in that direction, what I think it is a nod to the multiverse from DC comics. What the multiverse means is that in the comics there exists many other universes where the people and events are different from each other. For example there might exist a universe where Barry did decide to save his mother or never became The Flash or there is one where Jay Garrick is the Flash, not Barry. I guess we will have to wait and see and I hope they go in this direction because maybe we could see new villains from the multiverse. Finally there was what Barry saw in the time stream; awesome to see the Flash museum but even better to see Caitlin as Killer Frost. In the comics she more looks like she is made out of ice but I'm am digging this look; her actress has already confirmed she will be Killer Frost so looking forward to that.

Overall a perfect finale for the series and just like Arrow I will upload Best and Worst and what I want from Season Two. Thought I'd say Screencapped is catching up with it's Flash and Arrow screenshots but I didn't want to wait.

SCORE: 9/10

Highlights: Barry struggling with his decision/Joe and his Barry's father scenes
                   Eddie's sacrifice
                   Eobard's fight with Barry
                   That black hole was awesome and set up for season two

Let - Downs: Caitlin and Ronnie's wedding and those two character didn't really do anything



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





http://screencapped.net/   

The Flash Season One: Pilot

Thought  I'd review the Flash episodes after they premiere in the UK because I thought maybe I should review at least one series that is currently airing. Would have done this for The Strain but I don't have any screenshots for that just yet. Like Revolution this is a SPOILER filled review but unlike Revolution I won't take too long with the episode synopsis.

The episode begins with the 11 year old Barry Allen witnessing his mother's death within a strange vortex of yellow and purple light and ending up blocks away form his house. In the present day the adult Barry (Grant Gustin) as a forensic investigator in Central city and is investigating a bank robbery and homicide committed by Clyde Mardon (Chad Rook). We then spend some time with Barry learn that he grew up with Iris West (Candice Patton) and raised by her father detective Joe West (Jesse L. Martin) and that he is looking forward to the activating of the particle accelerator at S.T.A.R. labs run by Dr. Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanagh). However later that night the particle accelerator goes out of control, explodes while releasing an unknown form of energy and striking Barry with a bolt of lightning.

"Something tells me I should just stay right here"

Fast forward nine months later and Barry awakens from his coma at the remains of S.T.A.R labs in the care of Dr. Wells, who is now in a wheelchair and his assistants Francisco "Cisco" Ramon (Carlos Valdes) and Dr. Caitlin Snow (Danielle Panabaker). Wells wants to keep examining Barry because of the effects the particle accelerator had on his body but Barry decides to leave. He soon reunites with Iris and her father but discovers he can move at incredibly fast speeds and then goes back to Wells to test his new power, he even remembers to the time of his mother's murder that there was someone in that yellow light. Meanwhile a bank is being robbed by Mardon, who was supposedly killed in a plane crash when the particle accelerator exploded and uses his new found powers as Weather Wizard to control the weather. 

Perfect cover to rob a bank!

Later while Barry and Iris are walking they are nearly run over by Weather Wizard who is escaping from the police in a car. Barry tries to stop him but Weather Wizard creates a whole lot of mist to escape from him, later Barry tires to convince detective West of what he saw but West refuses to believe him. Barry then goes to S.T.A.R labs and finds out they are aware that there are others out there affected by the particle accelerator like him and are calling them "meta - humans". Dr. Wells also refuses to allow Barry to go after Weather Wizard because he cannot afford to lose him because of what his powers can do for science, Barry angrily leaves. He then run 60 miles to Starling City and meets up with Oliver Queen AKA The Arrow (Stephen Amell) who manages to convince him that he can be a hero and protect everyone with his powers.

Cameo Time!

Returning to Central City Barry convinces Cisco and Caitlin to help him fight Weather Wizard and they give him an altered, red fire - fighter suit that can with stand the heat from fast movement. Else where West and his partner, and Iris boyfriend, Eddie Thawne (Rick Cosnett) find Weather Wizard at an old barn and try to arrest him however Weather Wizard as gone mad with powers and creates a hurricane. Barry arrives in time to save West and Eddie and even stops Weather Wizard's hurricane who is then shot dead by West. West apologizes to Barry but makes him promise not to tell Iris about his powers. Later Barry sees his father in prison and promises to find the real person who was responsible for his mother's murder. The episode ends with Dr. Wells entering and secret room, standing up and reading a newspaper in a hologram that is seemingly from the future. It is from the year 2024 and it says that The Flash has gone missing in a crisis.

Glad they keep the costume so close to the comic one

I was really looking forward to The Flash series ever since I saw the two episodes Barry Allen was in, in The Arrow and I was not disappointed here. I think it must have be really easy to prepare for this show because of how they set up for it in Arrow, like the constant TV protests outside S.T.A.R labs. Marvel may be ruling the cinematic universe but DC sure has two strong TV series that can definitely stand up to Marvel.

The Flash may have the same feel as Arrow because it exists in the same universe but it defiantly has a more comic booky feel to it. This is probably due to the presence of "meta humans"; Arrow has been really grounded with it's storyline and villains but I am glad that is not the case here or else the shows would have been too similar. Plus despite the fact that there are people with powers that can kill lots of people the show seems to have a more light hearted feel as well; I really like Arrow but the show has an overall pretty dark tone while The Flash already feels like it is going to be more fun.



I know who you are!

The story for this episode was great and was a great set up for the world of The Flash and what they want to do with it. I like how we are probably going to get a new villain with a different power each week, a new obstacle The Flash will have to face. I think that, for the beginning of the series at least, it is going to be episodic where The Flash will just face a villain each episode and we won't touch much on a big overarching story until mid season. This is a good way to go however; lets first just get used to The Flash and build up these characters.

Guy who has never been fast in his life turns into The Flash, I get the irony

As for the leading character I think Grant Gustin was just a perfect choice for Barry Allen, ever since I saw him in Arrow he is just really likeable. He delivers a great performance in struggling with how to be a hero and he does come off as a lot more optimistic than Oliver and defiantly less brooding. We also have a lot of supporting cast from the people of S.T.A.R labs to Barry's friends before he got his powers. Won't go into them too much because this was more of a Barry - centric episode but I like them all even if they do all fill generic roles you see in a lot of other shows. A stand out for me was Dr. Wells because of the ending of course and how he obviously is going be a major factor in future events.

Ally or Villain?

The action was all really good however I admit there wasn't much of it because its not like there was a big showdown between The Flash and Weather Wizard at the end but that's alright because like most Pilots this is more of a setup for characters and events. The effects of the powers used in this was great; it really feels like The Flash is moving really fast and as I mentioned above glad they kept his costume so close to the comics (lets see more costumes for villains soon!).

Yep this is pretty damn awesome

As for what could have been better I think the Weather Wizard could have had more depth to him, in the end I honestly didn't care much for him and he just felt like cannon fodder for The Flash's first foe. I hope that future villains are a lot more fleshed out in future episodes and that there is a reason for their powers e.g. Barry Allen was always slow so now ironically he is the fastest man alive. Also I think the episode was really fasted paced, a lot more than it should have been like his training for example. Even though it worked out well in the end I wouldn't have minded Barry being The Flash until the second episode, drawing out the whole understanding of his powers a bit. However this isn't anything big because as I said it worked out in the end anyway.

Overall this was an exciting and great first episode to The Flash series and I can it being around for years and years just like Arrow. I did spot a lot of references to the comics while watching but I won't mention them because that will be too much SPOILERS.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlight: Grant Gustin as Barry Allen
                 Story and characters (worried it would be too similar to Arrow but I was wrong)
                 Great affects for the powers

Let - Downs: A tad too fast paced
                      Didn't care much for the villain

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





http://screencapped.net/