The Flash in the Media

[RedVitC]

5 hours ago, Trini said:

  Quote

Best Superhero Adaptation Television Series:
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Arrow
The Flash
Gotham
Legion
Supergirl

Best Actor on a Television Series:
Bruce Campbell (Ash vs. Evil Dead)
Mike Colter (Marvel's Luke Cage)
Charlie Cox (Marvel's Daredevil)
Grant Gustin (The Flash)
Sam Heughan (Outlander)
Freddie Highmore (Bate's Motel)
Andrew Lincoln (The Walking Dead)

Best Supporting Actress on a Television Series:
Kathy Bates (American Horror Story: Roanoke)
Danai Gurira (The Walking Dead)
Melissa McBride (The Walking Dead)
Thandie Newton (Westworld)
Candice Patton (The Flash)
Adina Porter (American  Horror Story: Roanoke)
Evan Rachel Wood (Westworld)

Congrats to all! I think Grant was also nominated and won after season 1. How are the nominees selected?

[Trini]

More reviews:

AV Club:

Quote

... If you thought last week’s visit to Gorilla City didn’t quite live up to expectations, here’s an ape invasion almost completely devoid of simian action until its closing minutes. Instead, we’re mostly treated to another downbeat, self-serious exploration of team dynamics and speedster soul-searching, in which the only character who really knows how to have fun is treated like crap over and over for no apparent reason.

... Grodd’s impending invasion sparks a familiar superhero crisis for Barry: to kill or not to kill? This is Arrow’s bread and butter, but it’s never been that much of an issue here, since the Flash simply isn’t cut from that ”dark avenger” cloth. Still, it’s a question that makes sense in this context....

... Taken as a whole, the two-part Gorilla City adventure serves as a showcase for ambition outstripping budget and ingenuity. Berlanti and company clearly want to deliver on the goofy anything-goes appeal of DC’s Silver Age, and it’s to their credit that they keep trying to pull off these fan-friendly events. It’s a hit-and-miss proposition ....

Geek.com:

Quote

... I understand the reason we had to wait until the end of the episode for any good Gorilla action. I just wish the events leading up to it were more fun.

Honestly, this episode was a little underwhelming, especially considering how much fun the first part was. We never got a massive gorilla invasion, and most of it was spent wrestling with a question we, the audience, already knew the answer to. There were some good moments of character development that saved the episode from being a complete waste of time, but it didn’t really turn around until the gorilla battle at the end. ...

JoBlo.com:

Quote

... Tonight's episode managed to balance several subplots, mainly minor in nature, while addressing both the season long narrative regarding Iris' fate at the hands of Savitar as well as giving Grodd and his gorilla army some nice screen time. It is just a shame that the ending doesn't quite live up to the two part build-up that precedes it.

Den of Geek:

Quote

But again, like almost every Grodd episode, Grodd wasn't even the biggest story tonight. The Flash has an uncanny ability to keep our attention firmly on the supporting cast, even when something like, I dunno, a gorilla invasion is unfolding. So with that in mind we get the welcome return of Gypsy, things getting taken to another level with Wally and Jesse, a big development with Barry and Iris, and the absolute joy that is having two Tom Cavanaghs on screen at the same time.

But the real core of this episode is something we've seen other heroes wrestle with, but not Barry. When is it okay to take your enemy's life? I'm glad that Barry went down the road he did tonight, and it's certainly in line with how he's supposed to be. His weak comparison to Oliver was nicely ripped to shreds by Iris, and he did indeed find another way. There's no guarantee that will be permanent, though, and as Barry continues to hold himself to this code, it's going to make it all the more difficult if he ever decides he has to break it.

Edited March 3, 2017 by Trini

[Trini]

More reviews:

Some extravagant praise from Polygon:

Quote

This brings us to the high point of the season: Earth 2's Harrison Wells explaining to Barry why he absolutely cannot start doing murders right now. That there is a goodness in Barry that transcends the Nice Guy schtick that actual serves as a shining light across dimensions, and that all of Wells' bad decisions only lay the groundwork for further terrible decisions.

It's a moment that makes humanity out of a stupid lie only minutes earlier, but also serves as a show-long highlight of why we watch The Flash and why gorilla monsters and shark men are all important and worth exploring within a comic book world that offers few of the usual trappings. There's a spirit and a promise adjacent from even the universe it shares with other shows, and in periods of darkness, maybe Barry is exactly who we need.

Um, NO -- Nerdist:

Quote

I hate to say it, but it seems like the only way this series can get Barry back to the state in which it seems to favor him is by killing Iris. Even though that would be as egregious a case of fridging as anything we’ve seen in the DC TV Universe.

Vulture:

Quote

... The show may still be zany and joyful, but it’s not the risk-taker it once was. This week’s episode unfortunately confirms that.

You’d think having an army of telepathic, genius gorillas poised to destroy Central City would liven this season up. Instead, “Attack on Central City” continues a run of episodes that are lackluster despite occasional flashes of charm. ...

... In the world of superheroes, killing villains is a line that’s not meant to be crossed. It’s what effectively separates heroes from the madmen they battle. That sort of moral dynamic is a bit simplistic, but it at least gives Barry something to do in an episode in which he feels especially reactive.

... “Attack on Central City” is framed as a Valentine’s Day episode, which also doesn’t help because all the subplots revolve around The Flash’s greatest weakness: how it handles romance. ...

Blastr:

Quote

That's not to say it's not an interesting theme to explore, it's just that it's been a while since we've been fully reminded what The Flash is supposed to stand for.

... Barry is finally getting back to the wholesome hero that made him so likable in the first place. It won't be an easy journey, but they took some big steps in this one. Keep it coming, because the world needs a few good heroes in this day and age.

... But, eh, it seemed like they were stretching to really make this event into a two-parter. We didn't really explore Grodd in any further detail than we have in the past, and he really just seems to be a catalyst for a trip to the jungle. ...

Gypsy could be a really fun character, but take a little more care with how she’s utilized.

[Trini]

It's funny how some of these reviews completely ignore the title character proposing to his girlfriend.

Observer:

Quote

... But sometimes, man, sometimes the big and/or small screen meets the inked-and-lettered page the perfect explosion of the ridiculous, the nonsensical and the joyous. The Flash Season 3’s Gorilla Grodd storyline, which came to a battle helmet-wearing head in last night’s “Attack on Central City,” is that mixture in its purest form. It was somehow a perfect example of both High Art and Low Art. ...

... There are some things you need to accept before we move forward. You must accept that Central City, a large metropolis, is surrounded by miles and miles of dense forest that seem to begin right at its border. You must accept that this forest is so dense that Grodd marched an entire army of battle-ready gorillas through it without anyone noticing. You must accept that for the entirety of this episode, when Barry and friends are in a laboratory strategizing over ways to defeat Grodd, this very same army of battle-ready gorillas is still in that forest, I guess just standing there, and still, no one notices. Got it? Great.

Let’s talk about that time a gorilla tried to nuke a city.

[Trini]

Interview with Keiynan Lonsdale:

Quote

So, your barber is a rapper? Is he your regular barber, or was this a one-time barber experience?

"*laughs*. So basically, I have a barber who cuts my hair, strictly for Flash, in Vancouver for each episode. I used to go to his shop when he worked at the shop. Now he has his own business. And a couple weeks back he was like 'oh, I put up a new song on Soundcloud' and I was like, 'Cool man.' And then I listened to it, and it was so dope. So I had to tweet about it."

... I know you don't want to give too much away. But in a few words, what's the vibe of Keiynan Lonsdale music?

"I grew up listening to a lot of Michael Jackson pop, so that's always going to be a heavy influence, but I also love R&B. I dropped an EP, independently, a year and a half ago and it was just super dark. I guess you could call it alternative-R&B. I think there are still influences from that, because that's what I enjoy writing. But also, I've been able to work with some really talented people and we've just been able to form a sound."

... Does the impact that you're playing Wally West as a person of color ever really hit you? Or are you just doing the work?

"It's both. Yeah, I am doing the work, but at the same time, it's difficult not to recognize the impact that it does have. When I get to meet people and they express to me how inspired they are and that it makes them feel like they can do anything – that is huge. And it's so important, that's what this whole thing is about. I'm glad that I get to be part of a show that presents that to their audience."

[Trini]

There was a promo for the musical crossover during Supergirl! Looking for video....

[Trini]

New Chronicles of Cisco:

Quote

I don’t know how Barry does it – running sucks. My modus operandi has typically been to only run if I’m being chased (be it by a vengeful meta or Petunia, the neighbor’s daschund), but recent developments in my love life (ahem, lip-locking with a transdimensional babe) inspired me to hit the pavement to get back in shape. With all of our near-misses on the Savitar-and-crazy-gorillas front, it’d been far too easy to drown my sorrows in a triple chocolate shake from Big Belly Burger, which was giving me my own “big belly” to contend with.
 ...

[Trini]

Short promo for "Duet":

[Trini]

Preview of "Wrath of Savitar":

[RedVitC]

Is it strange that the official CW twitter account has not posted a single thing about Barry proposing to Iris? (I know the official account doesn't post about WestAllen (hardly at all) and Iris much for some reason, so It's not like I expected a lot, but the main couple of a show possibly getting engaged is a pretty big deal.) I guess The Warnerbrostv account at least posted about Barry and Iris. 

Edited March 7, 2017 by RedVitC

[Karlophe]

I noticed that too, at least on the news front. Several outlets seemed to have been aggressively silent - for many not even a bullet point. It felt different to me from the usual indifference towards superhero romance, just in that births, marriages and deaths, especially concerning your main character, are generally A Big Deal, no matter what the genre....the total radio silence in some corners felt strange and a little bizarre. Granted the proposal initially caught a few of us off guard, but even the complaints I expected were scattered and reserved for the commentariat, not the reviews themselves. It was all very odd. I don't know quite how to feel about it. 

[Trini]

EW post-mortem: 'The Flash boss, Grant Gustin dissect those shocking twists' -- some mild *spoilers* for next week's episode.

[Karlophe]

20 minutes ago, doram said:

 

Westallen and Iris have never quite got the same treatment as the main romance and leading lady respectively that most shows in the genre have got. So I'm not actually surprised at the radio silence. 

I'll chalk it up to naivete on my part, sadly. Even unpopular couples get their vitriol, so this was completely new to me. Though now I wonder if early screeners/forewarning was given at some point so they just didn't bother. Who knows. All I know is it made me feel unpleasant and off balance, so I'm just glad that (this part) is over. 

[Trini]

"The Wrath of Savitar" recaps:

TV Line,
Fansided,
Comicbook.com,
EW,
BuddyTV

[Trini]

Promo for "Into the Speed Force"; yay! Wentworth/Capt. Cold is back!

[Trini]

"The Wrath of Savitar" reviews:

Recap/review - Collider:

Quote

If anything good came out of all of this, it’s that Barry finally has realized and accepted his part it what has happened. As he said, “Fear makes us do a lot of things that we shouldn’t. My fear’s the reason for all of this.”

That doesn’t save Wally and won’t save Iris, but perhaps that self-reflection will help Barry realize what needs to be done. Or, even come to recognize who Savitar is or was that he’s doing this. That information could go a long way to saving Iris, Wally and everyone he cares about.

IGN:

Quote

The Barry revelation was probably the most interesting and unexpected of the evening. There is a very rushed quality to Barry and Iris’ romance lately, as they’ve progressed rapidly from dating to living together to being engaged. This twist make sit clear that all of this is very intentional, and that Barry is purposely trying to speed things up out of a fear of losing Iris. It’s to her credit that Iris pushed back against this behavior. She deserves more than being treated as a hapless damsel in distress, and breaking off her engagement is one way of asserting her independence. And it’s also a good reminder that Barry is so often his own worst enemy. He makes decisions out of grief or fear and then is forced to wrestle with the consequences for months.

... While this was generally a dramatic and well-acted episode, the show is still at a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to Savitar. Nothing so far this season has established Savitar as a compelling, terrifying threat on the level of Reverse-Flash or Zoom. The fact that Savitar actually boasted about being a stronger villain than either of his fellow speedsters didn’t exactly help his case. The proof is in the pudding.

... Whether Savitar can ultimately live up to Reverse-Flash and Zoom comes down to the mystery of who he is and why he hates Team Flash so much. There needs to be proper payoff to such prolonged buildup, and it needs to come soon. ...

JoBlo:

Quote

... Tonight's episode snuck up on me a bit but managed to pull together some plot elements that I felt had dangled just long enough and boy was the payoff worth it. Barry Allen's life has never been more in flux that it is by the end of this hour.

... So, Savitar has been playing the team the whole time with the end goal to be freeing himself and imprisoning Wally West in his place. How do we know this? Well, Savitar monologues his whole plan during the closing scene. Classic villain move.

... A brutal and tough hour for The Flash, this was also one of the better episodes this season. More than any other hour, this one truly makes the stakes tangible. With Wally trapped and Iris's days literally numbered, Barry is against the ropes. The fact that everything is spurred by Flashpoint makes the limited time we saw that universe all the more poignant.

Den of Geek:

Quote

... the show revealed maybe its biggest weakness: far too often on The Flash, otherwise extremely intelligent people (like, rocket scientists) have to be incredibly stupid in order to move the plot forward. Everybody got a bite at this apple tonight. ...

- The acolyte of Savitar is hiding out on Mount Buccellato, named for Brian Buccellato, the cowriter and colorist who, along with cowriter and penciller Francis Manapul, rebooted The Flash for the New 52. It was one of the highlights of the reboot.

[Trini]

More reviews:

AV Club:

Quote

A week or so ago, I happened upon the episode description for “The Wrath Of Savitar” on my cable guide, and my heart sank as I read these fateful words: “which he hides from the team.” The rest of the sentence doesn’t really matter, because those six words encapsulate a weird sort of mental block on the part of the show’s writing staff. Either they can’t remember how many times they’ve built conflict out of those six words, or they just don’t care how often they repeat themselves. In turn, this puts me in the position of having to repeat myself yet again: enough with the members of Team Flash withholding crucial information from each other to create artificial drama. It’s so tired, it’s so boring, it’s so old.

... It’s still hard to care that much about another Big Bad speedster, but at least Savitar’s escape gives the season some focus and momentum going forward. Anything to distract from the Team Flash dysfunction is welcome at this point. It’s frustrating: Berlanti and company have been given such a huge sandbox to play in. ... With all of these fantastic elements at their disposal, why do they insist on repeating themselves so much lately? ...

Geek.com:

Quote

The episode ends with everyone crying over losing Wally and Iris walking away from Barry. It’s an emotional scene that reminds you how great this cast is. Even after a truly frustrating episode, their grief at the end is real and painful. This show can be really effective when it wants to be.

Even though all the secrets and reveals led to some great character moments, it’s frustrating watching Barry learn the same lesson over and over again. Maybe this is all going somewhere, but really? How many times has this team kept secrets from each other only to have them immediately blow up in their faces? It’s getting ridiculous at this point. ...

Vulture:

Quote

... There are definitely some interesting threads here, namely how fear can warp even good intentions. There’s also an urgency and tension that has been sorely lacking from the rest of this season. But nevertheless, a relatively good episode is undone by some easily avoidable, frustrating problems. Almost every character makes decisions that are meant to move the plot forward, first and foremost, even when those choices don’t make much sense.

... It’s Caitlin who has betrayed them by keeping a piece of the philosopher’s stone. Wait, what?! ... It’s a shame the episode doesn’t explore the problems and tension that Caitlin’s decision would open up.

... Could Savitar actually be a future version of Barry or Wally? That would definitely be a big twist, but it won’t be enough to distract from what The Flash really needs. These characters should feel like real people again, not just pawns for plot development.

Blastr:

Quote

Tom Felton's Julian is slowly becoming a likable member of Team Flash, but dang, the dude can straight-up turn on the creepiness when he needs to. ... Felton is positively terrifying in these scenes, which is especially impressive when you consider the fact that it's not even his voice they're using. That's all in the eyes, man.

... Look, dumb decisions are a staple of TV storytelling, but this is just silly. ...

This week's theme was fear, and they hammered it pretty hard. Barry acted out of fear in proposing to Iris in an effort to change the future; Wally did a whole bunch of stupid stuff out of fear; Caitlin kept the stone fragment out of fear; etc. Some of these stores worked great. Others — like Wally being a complete idiot — did not.

[Trini]

More reviews:

Nerdist:

Quote

It’s not easy watching someone you once cared about make the same mistake over and over and over again. I get that The Flash is, to a certain extent, a coming-of-age drama and a morality tale aimed at young people, and that its hero is far more fallible (and more than a little thicker) than the fellow us fans know from the comic books. But the show has introduced other characters like Wally and Jesse in the last couple of years. Characters who can easily take on the mantle of team doofus, while Barry’s faces the challenge of being a mentor/big brother/leader.

ScreenRant:

Quote

Considering The Flash is a show on The CW, it should come as no surprise the series puts a strong emphasis on romance. For the most part, the romantic entanglements are balanced with the show’s other interpersonal drama and superhero action, but in this episode, The Flash‘s many romantic relationships receive extra attention, exposing an ugliness in each of them.

... In fact, ‘The Wrath of Savitar’ makes a strong case for fear being what “makes us do a lot of things that we shouldn’t,” as Barry so poignantly puts it. It’s the motivation for many of Barry’s mistakes leading up to now.... Chances are, Savitar’s descent into madness and villainy all started with the same thing — fear.

[Trini]

EW article on the musical crossover with Supergirl - *spoilers*

Quote

On the flip side, Gustin says he was excited about slipping back into his dance shoes. “More than anything else, my true foundation was tap dance,” the actor says. “It’s been cool to get back to it.” Adds Benoist: “It’s funny how things stay in your muscle memory. It was fun to pick it back up again and see your body and be like, ‘Oh, we remember how to do this.'”

They mention Andy Mientus; he should have been in this too!

[Trini]

Kevin Smith moderating the Paleyfest panel for the CW/DC shows:

[Trini]

CW finally put up the teaser promo for the crossover:

[RedVitC]

A nice article: Thank You, Candice Patton, For Being Iris West

I put some quotes below:

 

Quote

While The Flash was certainly one of my favorite DC superheroes, I wasn’t sold on the CW show. I thought, “Another show with a majority white cast, nothing to see here.” Then, I found out that Iris West, love interest and future wife to The freaking Flash, would be played by Candice Patton, a Black woman. I got excited. MAJORLY excited. Sure, we had John Diggle, an important character to Oliver Queen in Arrow but he certainly was no love interest. All of a sudden, I was intrigued by this character who would be portrayed by someone who looked like me.

 

Quote

Seeing Candice Patton as Iris West was a blessing. She gave a layer of strength, love, and vulnerability to this character. Never was Iris a “damsel in distress”. If there was no way out or forward, the CW’s version of Iris West made one. Iris West was brave, curious, sure-footed. All of this never took a backseat to her being Barry Allen’s love interest.

 

Quote

 

I began to see pieces of me in Candice Patton’s Iris West. If she was beautiful, then I could be too. If she could go head first into dangerous or intimidating situations with immeasurable bravery then why couldn’t I? If she could be a part of a team and be just as important, if not most important, then maybe I could too.

It wasn’t a cure, but it helped. I had something to look forward to in this world where Black women getting killed by police officers got little to no coverage and justice, in this world where we are told we are not as beautiful or smart, in this world where we have to work twice as hard for half of what others already have.

 

 

Quote

 

Thank you, Candice Patton, for Iris West.

Thank you for showing a Black girl in a leading role on a TV show about people with super powers where her own super power was simply existing.

Thank you for courageously bearing the racism and misogyny of those who cannot stand the sight of you in the position you are in and slaying every single episode anyway.

 

[Trini]

Preview of the next episode/quotes from Grant Gustin at TV Line: (some mild *spoilers*)

Quote

Of course, the first time Barry (accidentally) merged with the Speed Force — in last May’s Kevin Smith-directed “The Runaway Dinosaur” — he was met by the faces of people he trusted and loved. Here, the avatars include the late Leonard Snart, Eddie Thawne and Ronnie Raymond ...

Previewing this return trip, Flash star Grant Gustin tells TVLine, “Because we did it last year, I think Barry went in knowing what to expect, more or less — but then it is not the same experience.”

The number they do on Barry’s psyche is “a pretty drastic one,” Gustin forewarns. “But it’s harder on Wally (Keiynan Lonsdale), actually, and that’s why Barry goes in to get him. Wally is being put through emotional turmoil that only Barry can understand. They manipulate Barry a bit differently than they did last year.”

But also like last time, there are invaluable lessons for Barry to learn by way of this incredible crucible. Ones that might even nudge him toward a solution for the Savitar crisis that has stymied Team Flash. “[Eddie and the others] are ultimately trying to help him, even if it means teaching him a lesson in a very tough way, or throwing him a bone.”

 

Quote

“I actually liked the proposal!” Gustin contends with a laugh. “I thought it was really pretty. It was hard to be like, ‘Annnnnd this is where were going next with the storyline.’ I was like, ‘We just did the proposal and it was great!”

I'm sayin', Grant, I'm sayin'!

[Trini]

Keiynan and Violett were at the Kids' Choice Awards:

Edited March 12, 2017 by Trini

[Trini]

Preview of tomorrow's episode on DC All Access:

[Trini]

BTS of the musical tomorrow:

[Trini]

More of the Kreisberg/Gustin interview from EW, previewing tomorrow's episode:

Quote

“The Speed Force takes a little bit more of an aggressive approach with Barry just because of choices that have been made since the end of season 2 leading up to where we’re at now,” Gustin says. “They use different characters that will get under Barry’s skin in a different way, but also they’re just not quite as understanding anymore because of how many decisions Barry has made that have affected time and affected the timeline. So it’s a pretty different Speed Force experience than last year.”

[Trini]

Quotes from Candice about the 'Save Iris' arc:

Quote

"No, they didn't tell me," she confesses with a laugh. "I have no idea and it's a little alarming. I think I know, but you never really know. I am just in the dark as the audience so it will be really interesting to see if Team Flash can pull it off. I'm hoping they can, because I need a job."

Adding that she loves how Iris has evolved since learning of her potential demise—"they did a really great job this year of giving Iris so many levels, she's genuinely in fear for her life...and we've also seen her being kind of reckless about her future knowing that, if she's not going to die until May, she's can't die today"—Patton sees the chance for more growth as time runs out. "Hopefully, we'll see a version of Iris who gets the strength to be part of saving her own life, to be a part of the narrative that ensures her safety," she offers. "How cool would that be? She is a very capable woman, so how great would it be for a character like Iris, who has no superpowers, to be part of her own destiny?"

[Trini]

Candice Patton interview, discussing the latest developments on the show:

Quote

TVLINE | Are there actual noodles…?
[Sadly] No. I’ve never smelt Grandma Esther’s noodles, so I can’t tell you if they’re actually good or not.

TVLINE | How do you think the circumstances would need to be different for Barry to even think about proposing again?
I think he’s got to be genuine, first of all. Not that he isn’t genuine, but he needs to make Iris assured that obviously he wants to save her but that he wants to be with her because he loves her, and she’s the only person he wants to be with.

 

Quote

TVLINE | My readers are repeatedly asking: Are we going to see Iris doing anything to investigative the Savitar thing, to kind of help her own cause?
No. [Laughs] I know, I know fans are constantly wanting to see Iris do more investigative work and to use her reporter skills to further the narrative that’s happening this season with Savitar. Maybe next season we’ll see more of that.

::HARSH SIGH::

Then again, on Supergirl they can only barely incorporate the journalism of it's title character, so I guess this is a Berlanti/CW problem?

[Trini]

"Into the Speed Force" preview:

Musical set visit video: (starting at 1:56)

[Trini]

Variety's Candice Patton interview:

Quote

“Next episode, Barry goes into the Speed Force to find Wally and try to bring him out — and you see Iris fearing for both Barry and Wally wondering if they’ll get out — and I think Barry being gone makes Iris kind of question her decision on holding off on the engagement,” Patton said. “We’ll see her really struggle with her decision, and by the end of the episode we’ll see her make a choice about whether to move forward with her decision.”

[Trini]

E!Online's Candice interview (in which it seems like they were pushing for certain answers, but CP is better than that):

Quote

Is it weighing on her that she might not have the power to save herself, and that she has to rely on other people to make sure she doesn't die?

Yeah, I mean I think everyone feels helpless. I think everyone's kind of grasping at straws to figure out what they can do to stop this future from happening, and it's not just her future. There's three prophecies that have been exposed, so the team is really trying to grasp anything they can to prevent it from happening. And yeah, Iris, you know, she's not a superhero, and I think it's kind of an interesting storyline to see her kind of grapple with trying to save her own life and not having all of the tools available to do that.

[Trini]

Darren Criss was on Conan and talked a little bit about his role in the musical.

[RedVitC]

TV's Top 9 Female Style Stars Under 30 by TV Guide Magazine/TV Insider - Candice is on the list

Quote

 

Candice Patton

Age: 28
Breakout role: The actress is best known for playing Barry Allen's love interest Iris West on The Flash.
Why we love her: She must channel her bad-ass fictional character into her style, because it screams fierce and fabulous! Whether she's wearing a backless jumpsuit that commands the attention of everyone in the room or a dress with sexy cutouts, Patton works it all. Chiffon blouses, chokers and high-waisted trousers also play a big role in her go-to outfit choices. We'll take one of everything please!

 

[Trini]

This week's Chronicles of Cisco:

Quote

What’s up, party people? I tell ya’, I always had a hunch Barry saw me as a potential best man – or best mate, as Julian would say – but now it’s official.   When he and Iris tie the knot I’ll be there ready to rock the most epic best man speech ever heard on any Earth! This promises to be some high level adulting and I have to make sure I look the part.  Even though, the couple hasn’t set the date, I found myself looking into the mirror – fantasizing about the occasion – and decided your boy needed to step up his fashion game.  To put it simply, it was time to dress like “a real grown up” as Harry would say. So I cracked open my limited edition Green Arrow piggy bank and hit up the Central City Mall to buy some new threads. ...

Entertainment Tonight set visit for the musical: (We get to hear a little bit of singing!)

Article about producing the musical episode:

Quote

Still, it took a lot of work to come together. “We started [working on] this a long time ago, far earlier than we would on a normal episode,” Kreisberg says. “Instead of doing stunts and visual effects, we were working on songs and dance. It wasn’t just the normal superhero stuff that we do.” The first order of business was a pre-Christmas hunt for a potential song list that led to a double dose of awesome: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s Rachel Bloom agreed to pen “Super Friend,” a duet for Barry and Kara, while La La Land’s Oscar-winning team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul crafted the solo “Runnin’ Home to You” for Barry. ...

Darren Criss interview:

Quote

On Glee, Grant threw a slushie in your face. Are you finally getting your vengeance on him now?

I forgot about that. No. First of all, you can print that I totally forgot about that because everything on that show is such a blur at this point — flash, if you will; not really, those are two different things. [Laughs] But it is funny that the last time I worked with Grant he was the bad guy and he was singing at me, and now I’m the bad guy singing at him. So I wouldn’t call that payback, but definitely a full circle moment.

NY Times article on the musical crossover:

Quote

But first Mr. Kreisberg and his co-creator Greg Berlanti needed something more: a good reason for their caped crusaders to break into song and a baddie to hit the low notes. “The Flash” and its family of shows have tried experimental forms before — maybe in pursuit of art, maybe in pursuit of ratings. Sometimes they work, like a “Flash”-“Arrow”-“Legends of Tomorrow” crossover episode, and sometimes they don’t, Mr. Berlanti said. “When they don’t, it’s because we don’t begin with character, character, character,” he said.

He and the writers had to find a problem that only song and dance could solve. As Barry Allen says in the episode, “When you sing, you open up your soul and let who you really are shine through.”

Though Mr. Berlanti guards the plot closely, he did reveal that the episode is “a love story, because those are my favorite musicals.” (Mr. Berlanti, who included fantasy-sequence musical numbers in his 2008-9 series “Eli Stone,” knows his show tunes. Whenever he visits New York, he likes to stop at the piano bar Marie’s Crisis and sing along to Broadway classics.)

 

[Trini]

TVLine preview of the musical - *spoilers*

Quote

“Honestly, I can be a bit of a pedant when it comes to musical theater because it’s kind of my lifeblood. I went to school for it,” The Flash's Carlos Valdes shared during our recent visit to the set. Specifically, he participated in the University of Michigan’s theater programs alongside Glee grad Darren Criss — who just so happens to be playing the villain Music Meister in this #DCTV event....

... The Flash's Jesse L. Martin meanwhile has been friends with returning guest star Victor Garber (Legends of Tomorrow) “for well over 20 years,” yet this marked the first time they have sung together.

“I got to work with my old pal and sing some beautiful songs,” Martin said, smiling. “That was one of my favorite moments.”

[Trini]

Just an reminder that Grant and Candice, and the Flash producers will be at PaleyFest tomorrow; so more interviews/spoilers/etc. will be out starting tomorrow evening.

[RedVitC]

34 minutes ago, Trini said:

Just an reminder that Grant and Candice, and the Flash producers will be at PaleyFest tomorrow; so more interviews/spoilers/etc. will be out starting tomorrow evening.

I'm happy Candice an Grant are going. And I was really pleasantly surprised when I heard Candice was going.

[Trini]

Flawed, but still: poster for the musical:

[Trini]

Some spoiler-y teases for the musical from FlashTV News.

[Trini]

Mostly spoiler-free review for "Duet".

[RedVitC]

Article: Felicity, Iris, Clarke, Mary & All The CW BFFs You Need in Your Life  (it also contains other CW characters)

And another: Barry's heartbreaking sacrifice on 'The Flash' is your Cry of the Week

Quote

Barry’s intentions are pure, but he clearly missed the point of the Speed Force’s warning, once again barreling ahead without stopping to consider the consequences of his actions — believing that he can only defeat the Big Bad alone, when it's clearer than ever that he's strongest with his loved ones by his side. (And why haven't they just sent Iris to Hawaii on a one-way ticket until all of this Savitar nonsense blows over, anyway?)

 

Quote

You might be tempted to cry with frustration as our hero yet again attempts to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders alone, but luckily, Gustin and Patton possess the acting chops and chemistry to sell any conflict between Barry and Iris, no matter how ill-advised it might be.

 

Quote

It’s clear that our star-crossed couple loves each other unconditionally (which is why we’ll always root for them, even when Barry’s being boneheaded), so it's especially painful to see them on the rocks — particularly because Grant Gustin’s misty eyes could rival Superman’s heat vision when it comes to melting our hearts. 

[RedVitC]

Some tweets from Paleyfest. If I have time I'll add the spoilerific ones to the spoiler thread later (if someone else hasn't done it yet):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GHScorpiosRule]

The images keep loading so I can't see if any of the tweets have Grant saying he understands the backlash over Barry's asinine dumping of Iris, yet not supporting it-just proves my point that Grant is a good soldier who toes the company line (I said this about him in my most recent comment in the episode thread). The comments about the backlash I found and read in the Arrow: Mind Your Surroundings thread.

But it's nice to have my head canon validated. And hopefully this will be rectified by the end of the next episode. And it cannot be said and emphasized enough: Kreisberg, Berlanti and their cache of writers hacks can just FUCK OFF!??????????

Edited March 19, 2017 by GHScorpiosRule

[Trini]

Candice looked great!  The guys need to step up their game!

----------------

Candice did a Facebook Live Q+A:

--------------------

TVLine write-up of the Paleyfest panel. *spoilers*

[Trini]

*Spoiler* warning for all of these:

EW write-up of Paleyfest;

ComicBookResources write-up -- lots of quotes;

Deadline write-up;

'PaleyFest 2017: 'Arrowverse' Cast and Producers Tease What's to Come' -- not the panel but other interviews. *spoilers*

 

Pics of the casts and panel at Paleyfest from JustJared:

[Trini]

John Barrowman interview about the musical crossover;

Quote

Were you nervous coming in to do a dance scene like this?

Absolutely. I’m exceptionally confident vocally, I’m exceptionally confident when I’m on camera doing all the other stuff, but when it comes to a style of dancing that I’m not so confident about, I am very nervous, and I was very nervous this morning. So that’s why I came in early. I worked a little bit before everybody came in. I did my thing and then I felt a little more comfortable. Normally, when I do a musical like on stage in the West End or if I’ve done on Broadway, if I’m playing the lead, I set up with the choreographer that I have a few days before everybody comes in just so I know what I’m doing a little bit. I can make it look like I’m rehearsing, but I kind of know the stuff. But this? I was…no. For goodness sake, Darren [Criss] has been doing this on Glee for ages, and I watched him, I love him. He’s fantastic and I was a little nervous. That’s all I can say.

Melissa Benoist interview about the musical crossover:

Quote

Barry and Kara are thrust into this movie musical.

That we’ve created in our own minds. In essence, I see it as a challenge to Barry and Kara to look at their lives and see what they need to change. We put them in this world that they’ve created themselves, because they both love musicals, and they have to work their way through like a puzzle and follow the script and see what lesson they can learn from it.

Melissa Benoist musical promo:

[Trini]

ETOnline Paleyfest report: '37 Things We Learned at The CW's Superhero-Packed PaleyFest Panel' -- a couple tidbits I haven't seen elsewhere. *spoilers*

[Proteus]

Thanks for posting all the links to the Paley Fest reports. 

[Trini]

EW's Carlos Valdes interview about the musical:

Quote

What’s been the hardest part about the musical so far?

The hardest part? The hardest part for me is reformatting my conception of the performance of the musical for the camera. Because I’m used to having the experience of being in theater where it’s ephemeral, and it’s live, it’s big and it’s committed in that way, but when you reformat it so that it can work on camera it has to be filtered through a different understanding. So, the recording process, like making sure that my performance in the recording booth is matched by my live performance, that’s been an interesting aspect to play around with. Doing dance rehearsals so that we can do the performance and it can be captured once instead of rehearsing a number so that I can do it eight times a week for ad infinitum. This is very different having to rehearse so that we can just get one product out there and ship it out, and mass-produce it. It’s very different for me in that sense.