Here we are the second episode after the break and the status quo is changing! Good. The new directions that some of the characters are taking are growth-driven and that is a very good thing. Iris is moving past being an object for men to swoon over, Cisco gains some edge, Wells’s machinations are starting to break down and the Flash is getting a new love interest.
The villain this week is one of my favorites from the 1990s, Pied Piper. The character has been around since 1959 but he went through some drastic changes in the early 90s. Hartley Rathaway reformed his criminal nature and became a trusted friend and confidant of the Flash. He was also one of the first openly gay characters in comics. That was a pretty big deal for the 90s.
Ahhhh, the 1990s!
It was a pretty serious time for the Flash and, arguably, his most popular era in comics. Barry Allen sacrificed himself during Crisis on Infinite Earths back in the mid-eighties and become comic’s first patron saint. The Flash mantle was taken up by Wally West, the former Kid Flash and it is from his tenure as the Scarlet Speedster that many of the TV series’ topos are borrowed. The line that opens the show, “My name is Barry Allen and I’m the Fastest Man Alive” was actually Wally’s catchphrase and has been a staple of the character ever since. The Reverse Flash challenging the Flash to become a better hero is from Wally’s run. The new character introduced this week that has eyes for Barry, Linda Park, was Wally’s love interest from the get go and eventually became his wife. Her inclusion in the TV series really opens up the possibilities. Iris might finally be free to become a more three dimensional character.
I like the new direction for Iris. She’s out from under her father’s watchful eye and beginning her career as a journalist. The new job comes with a whole new set of characters for her to talk to and that is refreshing. Putting her in a professional setting takes a great stride to fully realizing her potential as a three dimensional character.
Back to Hartley, he was everyone’s villain wasn’t he? Not only does he hate Wells but Cisco can’t stand him. Plus, he’s not messing around with the Flash; using sound to scramble his guts is a fairly serious attempt on his life. I really enjoyed Andy Mientus’s performance. He plays an excellent asshole, and I’m glad that he’ll be featured in the next episode. Along that line, I’m going to hold out hope that he rises to the level of his comic’s namesake. He’s make an excellent ally and addition to the cast because…
… things are looking rough for Harrison Wells. His super-speed is harming him and he might eventually need that wheelchair for real. I feel that we are heading toward a crescendo with his storyline and I wouldn’t be surprised if his relationship with Flash and STAR labs shatters by the end of the season. That would leave a vacuum that Hartley could fill. We’ll see. I was way off about Wells at the beginning of the season so I’d be surprised if I’m right.
Lastly, let’s talk about the cells that are housing all these bad guys. I know that they did some awful stuff but couldn’t they get a cot or a chair in there? I don’t see a toilet or a sink, how do these people go to the bathroom? Are they being fed? If they aren’t careful, lawyers are going to eat these guys alive!