The Flash is DC’s latest television installment into the DC universe. First premiering on Arrow, The Flash has a solid foundation to build on. Viewers new to the show will not have to worry about crossovers because The Flash establishes itself right off the bat.
Rather than dragging it out, the origin story is quickly revealed. Within the first 10 minutes, viewers learn about the background of Barry Allen and his interest for running.
This short background does a good job in providing an introduction to new viewers as well as appealing to others who have been following Arrow.
After this quick and effective origin story, the rest of the episode jumps into Barry’s reaction of having superpowers and being a superhero after an accident involving an explosion with a particle accelerator.
Portrayed by Grant Gustin, Gustin’s Flash is a mixture of Peter Parker, Clark Kent, and Bruce Wayne. While he can be nerdy and clumsy he is also charming and endearing. Working as a forensic scientist for the Central Police department, viewers will be able to see his intelligent mind and deductive skills, while also providing a little nod to Sherlock. The elements of these three individuals provide us with a character that can convincingly play a superhero and himself.
The show’s supporting cast is spot on. Jesse L. Martin plays Barry’s boss/father figure, Detective Joe West. Throughout the episode we can get a sense that their relationship goes a while back and that their dynamic with each other is heartfelt and sincere.
Candice Patton plays Iris, West’s daughter and Barry’s best friend. Iris can easily be seen as a potential future love interest as Barry hints that he is attractive to her. Barry’s STAR Labs support team includes Cisco Ramon, Dr. Caitlin Snow, and Dr. Harrison Wells. This team of scientists are all interested in Barry’s newly inherited superhuman abilities and wish to learn more about him.
The area in which the pilot fails in is the villain. Known as the “Weather Wizard,” Clyde Mardon is horribly developed. While it may be tough to have enough screen time to fit him in, the Weather Wizard was hardly on screen and did not have enough spoken lines.
As a viewer, I had a difficult time understanding who he was and what his motives were. He is simply a one-dimensional character who was added in so The Flash could have a feud. This makes it seem that future episodes will take a procedural approach rather than a focused and serialized format.
The pilot provides a strong basis that definitely stands on its two feet. Although it is technically a spinoff, it does an excellent job in separating itself from Arrow and becoming its own show.
Grant Gustin seems very comfortable on taking on the role of the infamous speedster and the supporting cast seem strong as well. The one thing that we can all hope for is more complexity in the villains. If The Flash can manage to do that then what we have is an engaging story that viewers can look forward to each week.
What are your thoughts on the premiere? Be sure to comment below!
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