I’m combining the last two episodes into one review because they belong together. Fused. Just like Ronnie Raymond and Martin Stein. Together, they create Firestorm. By combining the two episodes, I hope to create 500 words. Here we go!
I won’t apologize for not being objective about The Flash. Yes, it’s CW. Yes, the writing is waaaaay more family-oriented than most other network TV. And to those things I say, “Good!” I want heroes I can cheer for and the characters of my childhood made flesh before my eyes in a show I can watch with my kids. We get that, week in and week out with The Flash. The characters are two-dimensional enough that you know who they are when they walk in the room but still create enough depth to make you care about them.
Harrison Wells. Perfect example. We should HATE this guy by now. But he keeps doing things that make us LOVE him. During the last two episodes he was the voice of reason concerning Ronnie and Martin’s fate. They were going to die and he knew it was inevitable. Yet, Harrison sacrificed his tachyon emitter, the Maguffin from “The Man in the Yellow Suit,” to save their lives and give them a second shot. For what purpose? The only motivation I can discern is altruism. Possibly love for Caitlyn Snow (platonic love, not the creepy kind). In any case, Wells has sacrificed his plans for friendship.
Too bad that Detective West is closing in on him. I’m truly enjoying Cisco and West working together to uncover the truth behind Nora Allen’s murder. Bring on the psuedo-science, you know how I like it! Cisco has blinders on concerning Wells but the blood they found will bring it all home. Spoilers (do I even have to say that anymore?) the blood is, at least partially, Barry’s. An adult Barry! We’re heading toward time travel.
Speaking of Cisco, I’m glad he had a chance to clear his conscience with Ronnie. Sad Cisco is not my favorite Cisco.
Ronnie and Stein. I’ve said this before but Firestorm is MY hero. He became a member of the Justice League when I first started paying attention to comics. The first time I remember him at all was in the back of a Flash comic as an extra, 8 page story. It’s utterly appropriate that his first appearance in the televised DC Universe happened in The Flash. There were a few changes made, but not many. In the comics, Ronnie was a hotshot football player trying to impress a girl and I have to say that I prefer the televised interpretation.
Perhaps the sweet, hardworking guy won’t provide the tension against the mature, calculating, scientific mind the way it was in the comics, but I like the pairing so far. Stein has a bit of arrogance to him and I’m digging that. Spinoff? I hope so.
Barry, Iris and Linda. I don’t… hate it. Linda is great. I love her, More Linda, please. Barry’s a bit of a stalker and I don’t know that declaring your affection, loudly, at someone’s place of business is the most mature response after one botched date. But, hey, it’s the CW! Iris acting like a sadsack because the guy she paid no attention to is now paying attention to someone else doesn’t really interest me. I’ve seen this before and I’m pretty sure it was in 1965. Archie did this, right?
All around, I was really satisfied with this two parter. And coming up… Luke Skywa… uh… Joker… Trickster by the unbelievably awesome Mark Hamill, breathing new life into a character he played in the 1990 Flash. I hope he and Wesley Shipp have a scene together.