S01.E02: Fastest Man Alive

[Tara Ariano]

Barry changes into the Flash when six gunmen storm a university event honoring a scientist, but his heroics don't match up to his expectations. Meanwhile, Iris becomes even more intrigued by the "red streak."

[Trini]

[SpoonAZ]

New Candice Patton/Iris West does a little preview of this episode and talks a bit about the excitement of some neat stuff coming up. Beware mild spoilers!

 

Candice Patton Interview

[Jediknight]

Well, my speculation about Wells was wrong.

 

We're 2 episodes in and the show continues to have fun.  It better stay that way, with the Barry voiceovers, people smiling, jokes being made, and Barry having a blast.

[shapeshifter]

So far, so good enough. It's got heart.

[bettername2come]

I really liked the connection between Joe and Barry in this episode. Jesse L. Martin really brought his A-game. Between him and Tom Cavanaugh, I'm thoroughly impressed with the more adult actors they've cast.

 

Was the "but you already know all that" at the beginning a dig at Arrow? Because if so, great. I like the lighter tone of this series.

 

William Sadler!

 

I'm becoming more convinced that Wells is really on Barry's side. Which I like, considering I assumed "villain" the first time I saw the pilot and it took comments here to make me see an alternative.

[ottoDbusdriver]

I'm enjoying this WAY more than 'Arrow' was at Episode 2 for all the reasons @JediKnight outlined above.

 

I liked the the voiceover at the beginning where Barry yada-yadas the "My name is Barry Allen" speech.  I hope they ditch that style of intro permanently -- don't like it on Arrow, hated it on the Tomorrow People.

[FireFoxy]

I have to say Caitlin and Cisco are my favorite part of the show. They are just so, so great and have good chemistry with Barry.

 

Barry/Joe's relationship is sweet and I enjoyed Barry actually showing gratitude towards Joe.

 

Iris is cute but I don't see anything but friendship chemistry between her and Barry. 

 

So Wells is for sure from the future. Maybe he is some Flash cultie. Interesting twist. 

[Lantern7]

So far, so good. Nice that the show is willing to crib from the Firestorm and Metamorpho mythos (Multiplex and Simon Stagg, respectively). I am a little disappointed that Java wasn't an unfrozen caveman bodyguard, but I guess you can only import so much canon.

 

And I hope "Flash" catches on, because I have flashbacks of "Red-Blue Blur" from Smallville. That was lame then, and "Red Streak" is a bit lame now.

 

Damn, Dr. Wells' best stuff is in the stingers. Didn't expect him to shiv Stagg, though. When he got up, I knew shit was going down.

 

I like Team Flash. Less hang-ups than Team Arrow (and Team Teen Arrow), and you can get high-calorie snacks from Cisco. What's not to like?

[SimoneS]

Wow, Wells does not play. I was surprised when he murdered that guy. 

 

Iris and Barry have great chemistry. I don't like that they have made her a journalist. Even if she is one in the comics, it is too "Superman." 

 

I am glad that Jesse Martin has found steady work, but he is too good an actor for this show.

[Fabricationary]

I just can't with the misuse/butchering of science/medical terminology on this show.  Prime example:

 

"These stem cells come from BABIES!"  (No they don't!)

[opus]

Iris + The Streak= Lois Lane + The Blur.

[Enero]

Iris and Barry have great chemistry. I don't like that they have made her a journalist. Even if she is one in the comics, it is too "Superman." 

 

 

I agree. I wish they'd taken her in a different direction. I do wonder though what is she studying in college? In the Pilot she mentioned that she was working on her dissertation, so she was getting her PH.D in something. Did they ever say what that was? I doubt it was Journalism. With that said, I do like that she'll be trying to track the red streak that's helping people. Eventually that will lead her to be more deeply involved in the main story. 

 

I really enjoyed tonight's episode. I felt bad for Joe when Barry told him he wasn't his father. Glad Barry realized his error in saying something so hurtful, apologized to Joe and told him that he was his father.

 

I was confused about the scene at the event when Barry took the security guard outside, then went after the robbers. I didn't understand why Iris didn't question how Barry ended up outside without her even seeing him walk or runaway.

 

I didn't expect Wells to kill William Sadler (can't remember the character's name). Though he says he's doing it for the greater good, to keep The Flash safe, I think he's going to end up being more gray than good, which should prove interesting.

Edited October 15, 2014 by Enero

[madhacker]

For me one of the best parts was Barry telling Iris about his secret, zipping around her while she was pouring a sugar packet. I can't wait for her to meet Felicity.

 

Wells continues to be the big mystery and I love it.

 

It's nice to see that they kept the fact that Barry needs to eat to keep up his super metabolism, keeps him grounded and more relate able.

[shapeshifter]

...I didn't expect Wells to kill William Sadler (can't remember the character's name).....

Yeah, we hardly knew ye'. But it made sense because WS is not able to clone himself, and he's a busy guy.

If they thought they could fool me about Iris being a classic "dumb blonde" with ethnically different casting, well, nope.

[bmoore4026]

Lantern7, on 14 Oct 2014 - 8:22 PM, said:

So far, so good. Nice that the show is willing to crib from the Firestorm and Metamorpho mythos (Multiplex and Simon Stagg, respectively).

 

Is that who that clone guy was?  His name's Multiplex?  Let me guess - he was created in the late 80s?  The name just screams late 80s.

 

Scenes with Jailbird Daddy West are sad, yet at the same time I can't shake the feeling

that Barry is the one who will kill his mom, accidentally

.  I doubt that will happen, but it would be a real twist if it did.

[Latverian Diplomat]

I didn't expect Wells to kill William Sadler (can't remember the character's name). Though he says he's doing it for the greater good, to keep The Flash safe, I think he's going to end up being more gray than good, which should prove interesting.

I was disappointed that they went that way. The character is Simon Stagg, who is a long time nefarious business tycoon/evil science guy in the DCU. So there's a lot of story potential wasted there. I would have preferred some form of intimidation or blackmail to shutdown Stagg instead.

 

Wells definitely wants Barry's career as the Flash to play out a certain way. Whether that ends happily for Barry or not, well...

 

I just can't with the misuse/butchering of science/medical terminology on this show.  Prime example:

 

"These stem cells come from BABIES!"  (No they don't!)

I agree, that it was probably a pluripotent vs. multipotent stem cell distinction that got overly dumbed down in rewrites. But honestly, you can only enjoy this show if you can let stuff like that go. For example, there were major violations of mass.energy conservation, I'm OK with it and I am not even going to try and fanwank those away. The pills are helping :-)

[opus]

Is that who that clone guy was?  His name's Multiplex?  Let me guess - he was created in the late 80s?  The name just screams late 80s.

 

Scenes with Jailbird Daddy West are sad, yet at the same time I can't shake the feeling

that Barry is the one who will kill his mom, accidentally

.  I doubt that will happen, but it would be a real twist if it did.

Had to look it up. Multiplex first appeared in an issue cover dated March 1978.

[bmoore4026]

Had to look it up. Multiplex first appeared in an issue cover dated March 1978.

 

Ah.  Well, I was off.

[foreverevolving]

Likes

- Joe and Barry

- I retain my pilot viewing ship; Caitlin and Barry. Sorry but something about them just sizzles.

- I am growing to like Iris. Unlike her counter on Arrow she is actually smart. and the actress can act.

- Team flash is cute! i am growing to like cisco.

- Flashbacks. Kid Barry is while not the greatest child actor out there is actually decent.

 

Dislikes:

- That damn CGI fire. man that even topped some of the shitty CGI on OUAT!

- Waaay too many cheesy lines.

- so it took Flash two people to recreate the awesomeness that is Felicity Smoak.

- while i like caitlin.. i find the actress acting a bit over the top at times.

 

 

Okay, new Arrow theory: Wells is Dr. Fate* and that secret room is his "helmet". I am probably wrong but. I don't know, I just... i hate mysteries.

 

ETA:

* Thanks to those who pointed out the misspelling Fate not Faith. I blame the late hour. it's been a long day.

Edited October 15, 2014 by foreverevolving

[opus]

Likes

- Joe and Barry

- I retain my pilot viewing ship; Caitlin and Barry. Sorry but something about them just sizzles.

- I am growing to like Iris. Unlike her counter on Arrow she is actually smart. and the actress can act.

- Team flash is cute! i am growing to like cisco.

- Flashbacks. Kid Barry is while not the greatest child actor out there is actually decent.

 

Dislikes:

- That damn CGI fire. man that even topped some of the shitty CGI on OUAT!

- Waaay too many cheesy lines.

- so it took Flash two people to recreate the awesomeness that is Felicity Smoak.

- while i like caitlin.. i find the actress acting a bit over the top at times.

 

 

Okay, new Arrow theory: Wells is Dr. Faith and that secret room is his "helmet". I am probably wrong but. I don't know, I just... i hate mysteries.

Time for me to be nit-picky. I think you mean Dr. Fate.

[Actionmage]

foreverevolving, the   name you meant was Dr. Fate, not Faith, but an intriguing guess.

 

I hope that Simon Stagg/ William Sadler isn't done. I thought he was wheelchair-bound. (Lots of rich, wheelchair-bound millionaires in DC; just sayin'.) I saw lots of potential in Stagg, because there is. (A happy grin at Lantern 7's Java mention. I thought something was off!)

 

I am on the fence about Iris' choice of vocation. Unless she becomes Flash's Lois Lane (i.e., gives her all the exclusives), she has stated plainly that she is uninterested in that career! Fine, don't be one, but also to actually be a journalist takes work, like learning something about the science stuff. Even without brother-ish Barry to help. (I don't begrudge her asking Barry; he really should've helped in the first place. IA with Joe, though, and he needs better covers.) If The Flash is what hooks her into journalism and gets her to see that it is interesting, then great. Lois' career wasn't all Superman, all the time. Hopefully, Iris can go that route.

 

I had such fangirl squees at the mention of Ronnie! OMG! ::fans self:: I have read DC for the longest time and am so glad The Flash is adding to the DCTvU! (I don't want to spoil anything; squeezing to continue in the appropriate thread.)

 

 I was adopted as a baby, so the house got really dusty during the pizza scene. Even if Barry knows his biological father, Joe was there for an awful lot of things. I flinched at both times Barry threw the 'not my father' at Joe. The one at STAR Labs caught me because it looked like Joe had welled up some. I was hoping for the pizza scene. It was played just right.  Now Barry has two dads and a murderously-minded "angel".

 

I enjoyed the  figuring out why Barry was fainting all the time. I love that part of the mythos/story.  That and Barry's chronic lateness.

 

I love Team Barry and hope Cisco never changes, or at least, not too much. 

 

This show is so much lighter than Arrow, but can still handle some darker subjects, so it's a win in my book.  Hopefully, not every villain will be killed; I like some recurring villains. ( A theory on Multiplex, in the appropriate thread.)

 

I am in for the whole ride!

[Amelie06]

 

I felt bad for Joe when Barry told him he wasn't his father. Glad Barry realized his error in saying something so hurtful, apologized to Joe and told him that he was his father.

That scene was good. It did make me laugh, just  a little. Does anyone remember that episode of 30 Rock where they show flashbacks to Tracy Jordan's childhood. Young Tracy keeps doing increasing stupid/random things and he keeps yelling "You're not my dad!" at the man who keeps telling him to stop. ("Tracy, stop staring at the sun." "You're not my dad!") Just me? Ok, I'll stop being a crazy person.

 

I liked that this episode made clear that Barry really was a part of the family. He wasn't just a boarder, Joe sees him as a son.

 

Eddie continues to be the dream boyfriend every girl should have (if they are into that sort of thing). I think one of the next episodes will focus on how much Eddie loves to brush Iris's hair and to listen to her to complain about her friends. I love that he seems to genuinely be a nice person. If he ever turns bad, it better be earned. I don't want it to be revealed that the niceness was just an elaborate act.

 

Wells is cold blooded. That guy was a total dick, but I don't think it was necessary to kill him. It's interesting to see how he handles a potential threat to Barry. I wonder what he will do if he thinks someone a little closer to home becomes a threat.

[Chicago Redshirt]

I was definitely surprised at Stagg getting capped.

I love the bonding between Joe and Barry. I hope that Barry tells Joe "Uh, Iris is starting to gather materials for an article about me. So this whole 'Don't tell her the secret' thing might not work out so well."

 

Speaking of Iris, I am disliking the "Iris as reporter" turn because it's reminding me so much of "Smallville" Lois: not really interested in journalism at first, and shockingly unprofessional to the extent she is interested.

 

1. She needs Barry to help her understand science stuff for an article. Well, maybe you should try writing an article about something you understand. Or getting sources who are not mostly relatives. That, or give him a phone call when he fails to show. Or an e-mail. Being proactive might work.
 

2. When Stagg blows her off when she asks for a quote, she's like "Well, I'll just make something up." I don't think she was joking. In which case, she should know that fabrication is probably the foremost journalistic sin. If it was supposed to be a joke, it's kind of like joking about having a bomb while dealing with airplane security.

[benteen]

Very good episode once again and this show continues to be fun.  Loved the stuff between Barry and Joe, even if the first 20 minutes had Joe telling Barry not to be a hero 80 different times.  I really thought they did a great job bringing that guy's clone powers to life and that last sequence with all the clones was very impressive.  Always good to see William Sadler, who played the President of the United States in the last Iron Man film.

 

Dislikes...I agree that the CGI fire was terrible and that I don't like Iris being a journalist either.

[Kromm]

Love love love love love.  

 

They are SO fucking nailing this.  I don't even care how terrible the CGI fire was (I noticed too), because it's a small price to pay for a show that doesn't seem to be forgetting that goddamn superheroes are supposed to be FUN,

 

Let me toss in a few more "loves".

[thuganomics85]

So, apparently, Marvel Universe William Sadler is much more successful then DC Universe William Sadler.  Here, he's a slimy business man.  On Iron Man 3, he was the freaking President of the United States!  Either way, William Sadler is always a good thing.  I'm bummed that he is already killed off, but Wells is clearly not fucking around.  It's really crazy that whenever he's with Barry and the team, I totally buy him as supportive and a good leader, but then he does shit like this.  He really is manipulative!

 

I don't want to get my hopes up and be letdown, but I'm really digging this show so far.  I just find myself already liking and enjoying Barry, while it took me a bit to warm up to Ollie on Arrow.  Barry has his annoying moments, but looking past the superhero powers, he really comes off like a normal guy, who is trying to figure out how to handle everything thrown at him.  I just find him likable, which is enough for now.  Hopefully, they'll keep it up.

 

Really loved all the stuff with Joe.  Jesse L. Martin is just killing it.  His reaction to when Young Barry told him he wasn't his father and that he hated him, was just brutal.  It was annoying that Joe kept trying to hold Barry back, but I can see why he would be overprotective at first.  But, I like that he's not only supportive for now, but he's already meeting up with Team Flash in their lair.  I have a feeling there will be more Joe/Walls face-offs in future episodes.

 

Cisco is still cracking me up, but Caitlin did get on my nerves at the beginning.  Not sure if it was the writing, or if Danielle Panabaker, who I normally love, was a bit too over-the-top, but I wanted someone to tell her shut up.  But, I'm glad she seemed to be getting back into it, in the last part.  Overall, I'm digging the Barry/Cisco/Caitlin trio.

 

On one hand, I do find Barry/Iris believable as friends, so that already gives them an edge over Ollie/Laurel on Arrow, but, yeah, I'm not wild about this "Iris as a reporter" plot.  I really hope they don't tank this character.  I really want to like her.

 

John Wesley Shipp was great in Harry's one scene.

 

A lot of laugh out-loud moments.  I'm glad this show is embracing humor and even some camp, and it isn't all angst and darkness.

 

Yeah, I'm in it for the long haul now.

[Kromm]

- I am growing to like Iris. Unlike her counter on Arrow she is actually smart. and the actress can act.

 

Iris' journalism class is a step in the right direction with her.  Iris' actress also appears to be ten times the actress that either Katie Cassidy or Kristen Kreuk is.  I believe her. Undecided on the chemistry issue with Barry, but just on her own I've come around quickly on her.  

 

As far as Barry's powers go, I love even the little stuff, like him using his speed for nonsense little things like changing clothes or super-speed mixing something in his lab. Those little touches might get old if the show uses them the same way years from now, but when the show is young, they are totally wonderful.

And Simon Stagg?  More DC character goodness!!!  Stagg's an important one, actually. I DO agree with the comment someone made upthread that far more could have been done with him.

 

FUN. Fun fun fun fun.

 

Fun.

 

Oh.  And I am now praying for Ronnie Raymond to show up.  Not too quickly though, because he's a goddam major character they can't afford to just throw away.

Edited October 15, 2014 by Kromm

[foreverevolving]

Time for me to be nit-picky. I think you mean Dr. Fate.

Haa! Thank you! i have meant Dr. Fate. I just knew something was not right about what i wrote, but couldn't put my finger on it.

[bluebonnet]

I'm really enjoying this show a lot more than I thought I would.  It has this great cheesiness to it that somehow enhances my enjoyment of the show.  Grant Gustin was so well cast because even in weightier moments, he still manages to retain this lighthearted air to him.  I think the entire cast is nailing it because after only two episodes, I'm already 'feeling' these people.  I believe them even when delivering cheesy lines, which is sometimes all that matters for me while watching superhero stuff.

 

The only thing I'm not really digging is the Barry and Iris thing.  I wish we saw more of their familial friendship rather than focusing on the fact that Barry has romantic feelings for her.  The scene where he was speeding around her and talking while she was pouring sugar in her coffee was great.  But it gets increasingly weird when they spend an episode also focusing on how Barry, Joe and Iris are family.  This isn't me expressing a moral opposition to consensual pseudo-incest or anything.  It's more that I feel this is needlessly complicating things in order to build up the CW's lust for love triangles.  Why can't the lead be friends with a character of the opposite sex without stuffing love into it?  

 

Thankfully, I really like Iris so it's not a huge nitpick or anything that would turn me off.  

[Lady Calypso]

God, I can't believe how much I love this show. It's the first (and maybe only?) new show that has gotten me legitimately excited for the next episode. I'm in love, it's official. It's a fun show, it hasn't been taking itself seriously and so far, I don't dislike any characters. I actually like them all, even Eddie (who I suspect could turn out to be a jerk, but I hope not). I literally am in love and it's only episode 2. I'm sure that'll change when the show inevitably gets a season 2, but for now, let me bask in the show while it's still light hearted.

 

I'll admit, Grant Gustin has been my celebrity crush since Glee (hate to admit, but it's true). I hoped he would move on to bigger and better things and although the CW isn't prime television, it's still better than Glee. Barry is a different kind of lead hero, one who isn't all serious and one who could be classified as a sidekick at times, but he's still very much lead male material; these past two episodes have far proven that, with his vulnerable moments and his scenes where he stands up for himself. I'm only starting to get into comics now so I'm not an expert on anything comic book related, so the comics don't mean much to me at the moment. 

 

I do like Iris and I can buy the chemistry that Barry and Iris have. I may not actually want them to get together romantically, but I wouldn't be opposed to it (hate to compare, but it would be much better than Oliver/Laurel or Lana/Clark). I like Iris a lot; I think she has spunk, I definitely buy the close relationship with Barry and I think her and Eddie are actually really cute together. Speaking of Eddie, I like him as well. I fully expect him to turn into some sort of villain, but I'd rather the show surprised us and have him become an ally to Barry. 

 

Cisco and Caitlin are great too. I fully get where Danielle Panabaker is taking her character. It may be a little dramatic at times, but it's working for me. She did lose her fiance barely a year ago so her pent up anger, coupled with her intensity with science, is what makes it work. I also like Wells and can believe that he's not fully villainous; he just wants to help Barry in his weird, messed up, time travellesque ways. 

 

Honestly, I can even forgive them for the crappy CGI because let's face it, it's the CW, so they don't have that big of a budget. They're not going to get the CGI perfect all the time, if at all, so I'm just in it for the ride. 

 

Another great twist would be if Barry actually told Iris about him being The Red Streak (it's just as bad as the nickname of The Hood, if not worse, so please let him tell her just to get rid of the crappy nickname) because he knows that she'll do anything to learn more and she could get herself in more trouble if she's kept in the dark. Hopefully her father lets Barry tell her, or he just tells her himself. 

 

I love the flashbacks a lot and love how we focus on not just Barry, but everyone else around him. I love Barry's dad too.

 

Really, I'm surprised at how much I want to rewatch this episode. It's rare that I want to do that and not just with new shows, so this is definitely my favourite at the moment.

Oh, and my favourite scene is definitely Barry speeding around Iris, telling her the truth while she's pouring her sugar. That was actually not only a funny, light hearted moment, but it also gave more insight to Barry's abilities, but in a way that's not forced.

[Kromm]

I really liked the connection between Joe and Barry in this episode. Jesse L. Martin really brought his A-game. Between him and Tom Cavanaugh, I'm thoroughly impressed with the more adult actors they've cast.

Jesse L. Martin?  He's God. Previously I was never particularly a fan of his, but "bringing it" would be a massive understatement for what he's already doing here. 

 

Tom Cavanaugh I already knew was someone people massively underestimated, so I'm not surprised how good he is here, but see why many others might be. But frankly EVERY major cast member is good.  Danielle Panabaker is the closest to the lemon of the bunch--she's overacting a wee bit--but ever with her I think it's likely she'll settle into her role (especially since

Crazy Town is probably in her future

, so a bit of overacting might actually help).  

Edited October 15, 2014 by Kromm

[slayer2]

Wow. This show is disgustingly good. Everyone's chemistry is incredible and that last scene with Jesse and Grant made me weepy. The awesomeness of the grey Dr. The Megaplex leading to Firestorm. The supportiveness of Iris and Barry, the flashbacks, the way Det West tries so hard to look after him....Cisco! Just awesome. Way better than it has any right to be. So happy right now!

[Kromm]

I will say it outright.

 

Unless there's some kind of big decline eventually, I nominate this as the best TV or movie comic adaption DC has ever done (okay, maybe second, if you include the animated shows and give Batman: The Animated Series it's richly deserved top spot.  But live action?  This is the best (at least so far).

[slayer2]

Me too. Arrow is waaaaay too depressing. They seem to have given in to the grumpier side of the force. I love that this show gives you hope and reinforces it. Reminds me of Buffy in that way.

Edited October 15, 2014 by slayer2

[Kromm]

Iris + The Streak= Lois Lane + The Blur.

True.  But The Flash kinda had it first.  Not on TV, mind you, but the whole concept that people could only see him when he stops cold existed first for The Flash, and it makes far more SENSE with The Flash, since "being fast" was never really the best hook for Superman anyway. 

 

I do agree though that the actual "Red Streak" name has to go. His taking on of his codename, and the public seeing he's a man and not a indistinct blob, should come pretty quick in my opinion.  Of course Harrison's plotline seems to work AGAINST that happening, so I guess I'll have to suck it up and bear it--since while the Red Streak thing I don't like, I AM intrigued by Dr. Wells and what the fuck he's actually doing (I have my suspicions though--

any hardcore Flash fan might already be putting those pieces together, even though he's a new character--he's also acting a hell of a lot like Reverse Flash would--protecting The Flash just so he can ensure his own eventual creation--making Eddie Thawne a big Red Herring since he's the one with the Reverse Flash's usual name--but note that Reverse Flash's OTHER codename is "Professor Zoom" and who's the professor here?

).

Edited October 15, 2014 by Kromm

[madhacker]

Hey did anybody else notice the cool new gold trims on the costume? Cisco has obviously been adding some new touches, and I really like the lollipops he keeps sucking on (that little boyish grin he gave to Caitlin when he and Barry got busted? Priceless!!)

[shapeshifter]

...I was adopted as a baby, so the house got really dusty during the pizza scene....

OMG, Jesse L. Martin's face could melt the hardest of hearts! But after I recovered emotionally, I really wanted pizza! Heh.

[AudienceofOne]

Wow, that was some seriously paint-by-numbers television. I've literally seen this episode before and not just once. And capped off with the Smallville-esque convenient death of the villain at the end.

 

And is his reason for not telling Iris really "her Dad told me not to"? Because that is... just terrible. How fucking paternalistic of all of them.

[ban1o]

I thought this was a great follow up episode.

The Barry/Joe relationship provided a lot of the emotional meat for the episode and I thought that was great. Really looking forward to their relationship on this show. I'm glad they clued him in on the secret.

 

Most of the actors on this show are pretty good, especially Grant and Jesse. However I find Danielle Panabaker's performance a little wooden. I get that this is her character, but the way she delivers her lines is very stilted. But I'm sure she will improve as she gets more used to the role. I like the team dynamic with Harrison-Caitlin-Cisco and The Flash.

 

I'm really wondering if there is more to Eddie's character, it's only the second episode though so I'll wait and see.

 

I liked the Barry/ Iris scenes. You can really see that they are close friends and I think Iris is really funny. And the actress is good too. 

 

The action sequences were great One thing that griped me only a little is, it was probably possible for Barry to run and catch multiplex, but he's inexperienced so I'll give him a pass lol.

 

All in all, I really loved this episode. Can't wait for next week.

Edited October 15, 2014 by ban1o

[Kromm]

Wow, that was some seriously paint-by-numbers television. I've literally seen this episode before and not just once. And capped off with the Smallville-esque convenient death of the villain at the end.

 

And is his reason for not telling Iris really "her Dad told me not to"? Because that is... just terrible. How fucking paternalistic of all of them.

I don't think I'd call it convenient.  It was very deliberate, and not just a toss away.  The point was less about any threat Stagg might present, and more to illustrate to the viewing audience that Dr. Wells is a seriously committed character (while leaving a ton of wiggle room about what that commitment actually is to and about).

 

Are all these elements things we've seen in Smallville and Arrow?  Yup.  But they've been spread among various comic books for 60 or 70 years before even that. What for me made this not "paint by numbers" is that it was executed with far more care than a show like Smallville ever seemed capable of.  We weren't seeing plot conveniences trod out by the Writer of the Day (usually only to be undone by the next crappy Smallville writer), we were seeing stuff that seems fairly meticulously planned by this writing staff.  

Again, it's all about execution.  All comic books are wall to wall cliches.  The good ones are the ones who know how to turn that to their advantage rather than just making excuses for it and/or acting like they aren't cliches.

[AudienceofOne]

The point was less about any threat Stagg might present, and more to illustrate to the viewing audience that Dr. Wells is a seriously committed character

 

 

Sorry, I didn't mean that death. I meant the cloning guy in the clichéd "he's dead but not because our hero killed him" death that even involved Barry yelling "Hold on!" while he slipped from his grip.

 

The elements and tropes might be clichéd but that's also not what I meant. The entire structure of the episode was paint by numbers. I sat there going, "and this is where Barry quits", "and this is where Iris demands answers" and "this is where he uses his powers to have a monologue about how much he wants to tell her but CAN'T for REASONS", "and this is the inspirational speech at the end".  This episode has literally been written before. They just changed the character names.

[quarks]

I'll agree that this was a paint by the numbers episode, but it was still fun. 

 

Highlights:

 

1. The pizza scene with Jesse L. Martin. Corny, cheesy, you name it - and yet, somehow it worked for me.

 

2. Cisco's endless enthusiasm and focus on solving the snack problem.

 

3. The 40 IVs, although that also made me ask - did they cath Barry as well? Because otherwise, congrats on that bladder, dude.

 

4. The way a Team Flash is already coalescing. 

 

5. The way honestly, right now I'm good if Barry ends up with Iris or Caitlin. It's nice not to have to dislike a ship up front, looking at you, Arrow.  I may not be seeing any huge chemistry between Iris and Barry but at least they don't have any reason to hate each other, and they seem like genuine friends. Improvement!

 

Things I'm indifferent about:

 

1. Iris' journalism career. I guess this could get interesting later, but right now, she's not exactly striking me as one of the most focused journalists out there. And I agree with the earlier point made: if she's majoring in journalism, why was she doing a dissertation? Was that a change from the pilot?

 

Things I'm not enjoying:

 

1. Iris not knowing what's going on. Barry vanished from her side in front of several witnesses and collapsed. Come on, girl. I also think it would be more interesting if she had to keep this from Bland Guy.

 

2. Bland Guy.

[Casual Viewing]

Okay, speaking as someone who really isn't into superhero shows or movies (I think I've seen a total of 2 Batman, 1 Superman and one x men movie), I am really liking this show! I tuned in just because I wanted to see what Grant Gustin was up to and I find myself liking all the cast and the stories. It has a nice balance of action, humour and characters I already care about.

There are no weak links in the cast. I find myself very intrigued by Dr. Wells; the man has interesting layers. I do feel that Eddie Thawne is a little too perfect. I don't trust him somehow.

Edited October 15, 2014 by Casual Viewing

[ban1o]

 

1. Iris' journalism career. I guess this could get interesting later, but right now, she's not exactly striking me as one of the most focused journalists out there. And I agree with the earlier point made: if she's majoring in journalism, why was she doing a dissertation? Was that a change from the pilot?

 

She's not majoring in journalism. It's an elective to fulfill her sociology requirement. I think she`s majoring in psychology.

Edited October 15, 2014 by ban1o

[whack-a-mole]

Okay, it's Smallville 2.0. I'm not upset about it. This is fun. That's all I ask.

[BkWurm1]

My one complaint is if the show wants to avoid shipper baiting then don't set up a potential rival to the designated love interest. You can't have Caitlin super angry at Barry and then have the people who know her best mention they've only ever seen her get this angry with her now dead fiancé and not put ideas in people's heads.

The good news is there is nothing to dislike about Iris by herself (beyond her appalling journalistic ethics but since she only is taking the journalism class to meet a requirement, I'll give her an early pass) but yeah, right now I can't see past their friend zone. I just don't feel like picking the dark horse ship AGAIN and I feel like I'm already inching that way even though I know better.

Edited October 15, 2014 by BkWurm1

[cambridgeguy]

I wonder if Barry will ask Cisco to make his costume bulletproof.  At the very least he might want some more padding after that beating he took.

 

Also, maybe they'll make the mask more comfortable.  Barry really seems to like taking it off even though it shows enough of his face to still allow the actor to act.   

[wingster55]

With Iris...to me it's not that she finds journalism boring...it's that she finds that particular journalism class boring. I don't have a problem with that. 

[Chicago Redshirt]

They can have Multiplex back for an encore if they want to. I mean, the show is based on a comic book. (Which is why Multi can apparently clone clothing if not guns).

 

Team Flash's understanding of how the Prime works may be off or incomplete. The real Prime might still be out there and the one who dropped to his death is actually a Second (after all, why risk yourself when you can apparently control all your clones at a distance?)

 

At the time of his death, the Prime's consciousness may shift into one of the approximately 200 Multiplex non-Primes that were still at Stagg Industries (wonder what the cops did with those, by the way).

 

Or one of the 200 Multiplexes may develop into a new Prime naturally.

 

Or someone could simply grow a new Multiplex like Team Flash did, except with a brain that can serve as a new Prime (perhaps by taking a DNA sample from Multiplex Prime instead of one of the duplicants). Even though Stagg is (presumably) dead, there are people at his company who would be interested in trying to derive whatever secrets his body holds, and they have ample opportunity to harvest DNA from all the duplicants around.

 

Anyway, it seems like Flash should have been fairly easily able to defeat any number of Multiplexes by literally using hit-and-run tactics. Even if they swarmed him, he should be able to get up and run away fairly easily. 

 

It also seems like the "Hold on" cliche should not be able to work because even without super-strength, just by moving his arm fast enough, he should be able to whip Multiplex back inside. 

 

On first viewing, it seemed like Multiplex was trying to squirm free from Flash's grasp.

 

As for Iris, it makes even less sense that a graduate student in psychology would take any sort of journalism class. And she did say she found journalism boring categorically.