*Contains some spoilers!*
"There you go again. Saving me from that evil dress!"
If you watched last week's episode (if not, tsk-tsk), then the cliffhanger probably had you wanting to exclaim something like, "What? No! Don't trust him!" While the development does receive a lot of good follow-up and it gives some major info on FirestormF.I.R.E.S.T.O.R.M., it also had some "seriously, dude?" kind of moments. Cisco, I love you, but how can you be so smart and so foolish at the same time? This episode gives him a few good lines and a chance to really bring some emotion front and center, but why he'd continue to turn his back on Hartley Rathaway, especially after their first trip, was both a baffling and frustrating thing to witness. We're just counting down the seconds until he's obviously betrayed. Yeah, you have a game changer, Cisco, but what's stopping him from knocking you out with a hit to the back of the head? Or swiping the device from you? Maybe have him be the one to sit at the computer and you can stand behind him? Come on, dude! I still love the character and the actor has made me laugh and care about him, but that seemed very foolish on his part. I understand his drive and why it's so important to him -- something which is revealed in a heartfelt scene -- but more caution would have seemed more in character for him. Oh, and who else was completely surprised by that brief hand-to-hand encounter? Not shabby, man!
Caitlin has been pretty cold (obvious pun is obvious) and understandably so. This episode, however, changes that and her night out with Barry is full of lighthearted fun. From her not-so-flattering singing capabilities to her various drunken comments, the time these two share is charming and more than likely going to keep you smiling. It's a hugely amusing way to give us just a little more insight into these two as well.
Shawna Baez, a.k.a. Peek-a-Boo (I can't help but wonder how Cisco feels about that name), had the potential for a more compelling story, but unfortunately, it came off as the weak point of the episode. Instead of making me care about her character, I was left feeling like the situation with her significant other and his "boss" was all-too familiar. When you have such great scenes going on elsewhere, the lack of engaging conversations and attention-grabbing developments here was really noticeable. Yes, it fit the theme about relationships, but it didn't really add anything to it. That said, it did produce a jaw-droppingly epic feat for Barry and the way the hero resolved the situation looked great. I still have no idea how that guy was able to elude Flash in a dark tunnel, though.
Usually, Barry has a powerful heart to heart with his adoptive dad, Joe West. The two actors have solid chemistry and their talks get to me almost every time. In this episode, Barry has an incredibly powerful scene with his dad, Henry Allen. The episode's scenario gave them a chance to finally talk without some glass separating them and that brought about two touching moments, but man, I'm not ashamed to say their final conversation really had me holding back the tears.
Even though it was promoted as being a big part of the episode, Linda Park's role isn't significant. It feels more like a teaser of what's to come, and I'd say it did so in an effective way. Given the situation between Barry and Iris, something needs to make the dynamic more interesting. I just hope Linda isn't there just to make Iris jealous and they develop the character well. I certainly liked her enough the limited amount of time we spent with her in this one. And maybe -- just maybe -- this could lead to the teasing of another hero. And speaking of Iris, I didn't rewind the scene to double check, but it seems like the picture she took of Flash was pretty clear. It'll be surprising and a little disappointing if she doesn't discover the truth soon. There's a reason Flash is always keeping his distance or using the darkness to help cover his face, after all.
I won't spoil it the final scene, but I will say it's going to make some fans go crazy with excitment. Right when the scene began, I was feeling pretty confident about who it would tease, but I expected it to end with something like eyes lurking in the shadows. Instead, we get the character's proper debut and it's awesome; the effects definitely satisfied. I mean, a couple years ago, who could honestly say they'd ever expect to see that character on a live-action show?
Tonight's episode of The Flashreally won me over because of just how well the character dynamics were handled and several actors did a brilliant job with the fun and emotional scenes. From a father-son dialogue that had me holding back tears to a funny night out with Barry and Caitlin, there were plenty of great conversations to watch in this one. Cisco's arc had some really superb moments, but him being especially foolish took away from the experience just a bit. While the villain's storyline isn't the most memorable one around, it did generate two very cool scenes and then there's the final sequence that'll make so many of you want to cheer. All in all, this is another episode of The Flash that had me totally captivated and left me wanting to watch the next episode right away. So many shows spend the first season trying to find out what works for them. The Flash? It's been getting better and better.
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