So, I will be taking over Flash duty from the talented Nina Bird and what an episode to take over on. First, my thoughts on the series up until now because it appears Nina was rather unimpressed with the series. Which is fine, this site is built on personal opinion and I can definitely see why someone wouldn’t like this show. I, personally, think Flash is great. I’ve liked it since the pilot and I think it’s better than the show it spun (span?) off from: Arrow. While Arrow has been declining since it’s more than excellent first season Flash came on and shot a bit of adrenaline into that world and as Arrow has spiraled into “I don’t give a shit” territory, Flash keeps me coming back for more. It’s probably one of my top favorite shows next to Marvel's Agents of SHIELD. However I’m willing to admit that our difference in opinion is entirely because of my own lack of taste. I like multi-colored paisley, I had a fedora phase, I think plaids and stripes mix well and I don’t like Dark Knight Returns. Essentially, I’m a mess. Frankly, I don’t know why you’re asking me for my opinion but since you’re here you might as well read it. After, what I thought was, a solid mid-season finale we come back to Barry training. In the opening monologue he admits that he is not the fastest person alive anymore, the person who murdered his mother is (the fastest man alive): DUN DUN DUUUUUUUNNNNNNN. What follows is a fun little sequence of Barry vs. Cisco-drone which comes complete with mini mini-gun and missiles. On a side note the thing that I’m most disappointed in is that Cisco hasn’t become Vibe yet. I really liked Vibe the very few times I saw him in New 52, especially scooching his chair away from a blood-soaked Hawkman. I’m also disappointed that he hasn’t sung “Thong Song” yet. Play the classics you erudite! You too good to sing what made you!?! I digress.
Following the training we get a mini Prison Break reunion in the form of Wentworth Miller as Captain Cold and Dominic Purcell as Heatwave and they want to steal things, freeze things, burn things and take out the Flash, kind of in that order. At first Flash wants to focus on his training but when the police find themselves WAAAAAY over their heads it’s up to the Flash to feel guilty! I mean come to the rescue! After doing some hardcore SCIENCE they deduce that the best way to beat them is to get them to cross the streams of their guns. This revelation leads to the highlight of the episode for me as Cisco and Dr. Wells look wistfully into the middle distance as they recall Ghostbusters. Cold and Heatwave lead Flash into a public showdown, so now all of Central City knows the Flash exists, and Flash beats them, not by speeding up but by slowing down. That’s what they call thinking outside the box. That’s why the Turtle is one of Flash’s most feared and dangerous rogues. Flash wins, Iris moves in with toyboy Eddie and Barry decides to move back in with Joe so he can come and go as The Flash more easily. We end on a millennials moving back in with their parents joke, I cry from my parent’s basement, roll credits.
All in all I thought this was a solid return. Dominic Purcell is entertaining as Heatwave, I don’t remember Heatwave being so unstable but at least it’s watchable. He chews the scenery at points but it’s favorable when compared to Wentworth Miller’s underacting. Now Captain Cold, I think, I remember pretty well. I remember him as cold and calculating yes but also thuggish and not really so concerned about the details. More of a take no bullshit blue-collar kind of guy which Miller interprets as “squinting a lot” and “duck face”. He is essentially using “Blue Steel” on everyone all the time. However this episode shows some evolution of the character as the ice, so to speak, cracks and he becomes less like Clock King with a gimmick gun and more of a heavy. Add in the promising future appearance of Golden Glider and I’m pretty happy. Was this ground breaking television? No, but it was pretty decent so check it out.
Score: 3/5
Watch The Flash on the CW, Tuesdays 8/7c.