"Meet Captain Clone! Don't worry, I'll come up with something cooler."
The pilot episode of The Flash was surprisingly good and, luckily for us, the second episode is every bit as enjoyable! Everything that worked well in the show's premiere still thrives in "The Fastest Man Alive," but unfortunately, the premiere's weak points are also still around. But hey, we're only on the second episode, so there's plenty of time for the show to improve, right?
One thing that's appealing about this show is the huge sense of fun and optimism. Yes, this episode forces Flash to question what he's doing and it's an important arc for the character, but aside from one bit of dialogue, it never spirals into depressing or overly dramatic territory. Even when Barry's conflicted over whether he should tell Iris the truth, they find a way to spin it into an amusing and funny scene. Allen's written as a legitimately lovable character who just wants to help and this greatly boosts our desire to root for him. Yeah, every hero wants to do the right thing, but with him it feels so heartfelt and actor Grant Gustin does a great job with the role. As for Grant's supporting cast, he has a solid dynamic with each of them and I'm sure I'm not the only one left wondering when those relationships will take more interesting turns. And yes, a bit moment with Harrison Wells is once again saved for the end!
One thing that's interesting is the show is pulling an Arrow with its storytelling and by that I mean it's incorporating flashbacks. I'm left wondering if every episode will look back at moments in Barry's life that will benefit the episode's theme or if this is something that'll just occasionally pop up when it's organic. On the plus side, the trips into the past do enhance our emotional connection to the character and the kid playing young Barry does a fine job. Stuff like that has the potential to be pretty cringeworthy but it was actually effective. On the down side, this means time away from the present story and that's a time which is filled with interesting characters and expanding storylines I'd love to see more of.
Central City is home to metahumans and man, it's a blast watching how these powers are handled! The directing and special effects (the fire scene aside) turned "The Fastest Man Alive" into a real delight. Something as simple as Barry saving a person or dodging a bullet is quite cool, but the real highlight is the finale with Multiplex. Honestly, their first encounter seemed a little disappointing because it felt like Barry was downplayed just to serve the narrative, but their rematch is a total thrill. Multiplex really unleashes and how Barry responds is jaw-dropping. Some may think it's over a little too soon, but I imagine making that go on any longer would take a major toll on the budget. Besides, what they did present seriously delivered. It was totally exciting and has me really looking forward to Flash encountering more metahumans.
One of my biggest complaints about The Flash's premiere was the handling of Weather Wizard. So many people love the speedster's villains, yet this member of the Rogues felt really lackluster. The displays of powers were a nice spectacle, but character depth just wasn't there. While Multiplex's big battle is excellent, the character himself unfortunately left a lot to be desired. Additionally, there was some dialogue ("I am an army!") that works well on paper, but with the actor's delivery and the music, it just felt a bit silly. The show's doing a good job with the hero and his supporting cast, but this is another villain-of-the-week that didn't bring anything compelling to the table except for special effects.
Now, the bit where Barry lashes out at detective West made me think, "Well, that escalated quickly." Barry's jump from debating over what he's doing to exclaiming, "YOU'RE NOT MY FATHER" felt sudden. What came afterwards was appropriate and I'll confess the final conversation between them made me water up a bit (oh, like you didn't?), but that brief display of intensity felt like it came out of nowhere. Some of the exposition felt a tad blunt, too, but neither complaint is that big of a deal. Oh, and minor gripe: does anyone else think it's weird they made a point to enforce the "no touching" rule in the prison scene and then no one did anything when Allen's dad grabbed him and then they hugged?
If I could use only two words to describe The Flash, I'd say fun and emotional. The show's embracing all of the joy it can create as it focuses on a guy who simply wants to help the world around him. Sure, his past has a terrible tragedy just like virtually every other hero out there, but it doesn't weigh him down or fill him with darkness. Instead, it motivates him to move forward as fast as he possibly can. The Flash is uplifting, lighthearted, and packed with heart. Simply put, it's a good time and thoroughly entertaining.