The Flash - Season 1

[sojourner]

Barry's "processing speed" must be very selective, otherwise his power would suck from his point of view. All those runs across the city would still seem to take hours to accomplish from his sped up perspective. That 600 mile run to Starling City? That would have seemed like weeks to him.

At some point he must be able to run on "autopilot" while allowing his conscious thought processes to run at normal human clock cycles.

 

[Brent]

Question, are they going to feed these prisoner's three meals a day every day? Do these prisoners have facilities for using the bathroom, humans still gotta eat and poop. That's a lot of care for just a few people to take care of and manage.

I have a feeling, my theory, that the good doctor is from the future.

 

[sojourner]

How many shows have we seen where prison cells don't have facilities? It's not really new to The Flash.

 

[Guy Gardener]

That's not your Theory Brent, it's pretty much a fact to every one watching.

"I feel like I should say some thing profound like "one small step for man" but all I can really think to say is that I feel like I've been waiting for this day for centuries."

Unless he's measuring time backwards, this comment could mean that he overshot 2014, and landed in he 16th century with no way to make it home to the 2024 and had to bide his time.

The 31st century is still his most likely point of origin, because that means cross overs with the legion of Super Heroes.

 

[Guy Gardener]

How many shows have we seen where prison cells don't have facilities? It's not really new to The Flash.

The Mist not might need to eat or poop or pee?

And again, illegal prisons are illegal.

Everyone goes to real jail for owning and/or operating a fake jail.

The short lived fantasy series Alcatraz comes to mind for ridiculous prison cells.

 

[Marc]

How many shows have we seen where prison cells don't have facilities? It's not really new to The Flash.

The Mist not might need to eat or poop or pee?

And again, illegal prisons are illegal.

Everyone goes to real jail for owning and/or operating a fake jail.

The short lived fantasy series Alcatraz comes to mind for ridiculous prison cells.

But what about when you're dealing with prisoners who can't be held in a conventional prison - even a SuperMax? Joe might not be keen on the idea of imprisoning them in a facility such as STAR Labs but but he sure as hell isn't keen on the idea of them getting out again.

And what of the guy last night? As far as the law was concerned, he was deamed dead after being legally executed.

Though I think in the bigger issue might be what is Harrison Wells plan for all those meta humans that are goign to wind up in his accelerator loop.

 

[davejames]

Another fun episode, with a villain that turned out to be a lot more memorable and challenging than I expected. And the idea that his powers were created during an execution was pretty clever as well.

Although I couldn't help but wonder why none of these brilliant scientists ever thought to give Barry a gas mask to help in his fight (especially considering we saw one attached to the outfit in the very first episode).

Of course the real highlight of the episode was when the original series Flash laid eyes for the first time on the new one. I know that wasn't the official purpose of the scene, but it was still really cool to see regardless.

 

[davejames]

I do wish they'd be more consistent about Barry's powers. At one moment he's processing so fast that he sees everyone frozen around him, yet moments later he's just standing there and letting the bad guy punch him. I guess it could be that he can only sustain bullet-time mode for so long before he tires, but it's still uneven.

Yeah it is a bit inconsistent, although I suppose it could be argued that Barry is still figuring out his powers and hasn't really figured out how to use his "time freezing" ability in battle yet. Or he's still too easily distracted and these super-powered villains just keep catching him off guard somehow.

 

[Christopher]

Although I couldn't help but wonder why none of these brilliant scientists ever thought to give Barry a gas mask to help in his fight (especially considering we saw one attached to the outfit in the very first episode).

More an oxygen mask than a gas mask per se, but I wondered that myself. I also wondered how he could run all the way to STAR Labs if he couldn't breathe.

Of course the real highlight of the episode was when the original series Flash laid eyes for the first time on the new one. I know that wasn't the official purpose of the scene, but it was still really cool to see regardless.

I'm sure the subtext was not lost on the producers, given that it's why they cast Shipp in the role in the first place.

I was surprised that Barry hid his identity from his father, given how little use this show seems to have for characters keeping secrets from one another. And I'm disappointed that we didn't see Henry's reaction to seeing Joe saved by a fast-moving, masked figure so much like the one that killed his wife. That would surely be... confusing, at the very least.

Speaking of identities, I'm tired of all this "Red Streak" nonsense, which is too reminiscent of Smallville's "Red-Blue Blur." Barry's narration at the end of the pilot told us that he'd already picked the name Flash. Let's see that name get out there and be picked up by the public. It's the title of the show, dang it, so the character should actually be called that.

Also, I want to see more use of the costume. Partly because I think it looks good, and partly because it didn't make sense for him to run off and deal with that police chase in his street clothes when it's been established that he needs the suit for protection.

Yeah it is a bit inconsistent, although I suppose it could be argued that Barry is still figuring out his powers and hasn't really figured out how to use his "time freezing" ability in battle yet. Or he's still too easily distracted and these super-powered villains just keep catching him off guard somehow.

But if he could freeze time whenever he wanted, then he'd be virtually unbeatable except by felow speedsters, and that would make the villains ineffectual. It would be better if they established some limitations, such as that he can only do it for brief periods.

 

[trekkiebaggio]

Yeah, calling him The Streak made me eyeroll. So does all the dialogue to do with him being fast, like that story about how he learned to walk. *Groan*.

 

[davejames]

Well only three episodes in, I don't mind that the Flash is still kind of a mystery and urban legend at this point, and that he hasn't made a huge spash yet. And the "red streak" moniker does at least make a lot more sense here, since the Flash IS known primarily for his super-speed (unlike Superman, whose power of flight and super-strength is what he's best known for).

I do agree though it would be cool to see more of the costume. Or at the very least see some real damage to his normal clothes when he has to zoom off unexpectedly in them.

Incidentally one thing I do really like is the way they'll actually show Barry screeching dramatically to a stop most times (even if it's just a quick little arm motion). It's a small thing, but it does a great job selling the effect and makes it look a lot more believable than the way it was done on Smallville or on the old Flash series.

 

[Christopher]

Well only three episodes in, I don't mind that the Flash is still kind of a mystery and urban legend at this point, and that he hasn't made a huge spash yet. And the "red streak" moniker does at least make a lot more sense here, since the Flash IS known primarily for his super-speed (unlike Superman, whose power of flight and super-strength is what he's best known for).

Except that in Smallville, Clark couldn't fly, so functionally he kinda was the Flash -- albeit with invulnerability, x-ray vision, heat vision, etc.

 

[Professor Zoom]

I don't know if it's been discussed on these pages yet, but I wonder if Wells is Professor Zoom, aka, The Reverse Flash. There was a bit of Zoom making the Flash into the hero so he could inspire him, etc. A dash of the predestination paradox.

Which is already here in the show. Wells knows Barry will become the Flash, and, in fact, is the one responsible for it.

I think he's Professor Zoom. Though, a part of me wonders, would they really reveal one of the cast members to be the Big Bad? Maybe. Obviously, it's happened in other shows. Could be fun.

(Of course, there was also Zoom, a modern day version who was stuck in a wheel chair.)

A part of me, though hopes it's John Fox--which was a Flash of the Future.
But, a silly part of me: Abrakadabra. Let's get insane.

 

[TheSeeker]

I do wish they'd be more consistent about Barry's powers. At one moment he's processing so fast that he sees everyone frozen around him, yet moments later he's just standing there and letting the bad guy punch him. I guess it could be that he can only sustain bullet-time mode for so long before he tires, but it's still uneven.

Yes, that bugged me too. He should easily be able to avoid a punch.

I love how the set design of the Central City Police Station -- the Art Deco styling and typeface, the prominent wall mural -- evokes the design sensibilities of the '90 Flash series. I think that's got to be deliberate.

I really like that too. I'm also pretty sure it's the same set they used for the Daily Planet on Smallville.

 

[Greg Cox]

Wells is clearly some kind of time-traveler. "It feels like I've been waiting for this moment for centuries," "Trust me, the future will get here faster than you think," etc. He's really enjoying his little private jokes, which may even extend to the name "Wells." As in H.G. Wells, author of "The Time Machine"?

Which time-traveler from which run of FLASH comics remains to be seen . . . .

 

[Christopher]

I love how the set design of the Central City Police Station -- the Art Deco styling and typeface, the prominent wall mural -- evokes the design sensibilities of the '90 Flash series. I think that's got to be deliberate.

I really like that too. I'm also pretty sure it's the same set they used for the Daily Planet on Smallville.

No, it's just got a similar aesthetic. They wouldn't have left that set standing unused for over three years.

 

[Agent Richard07]

Are there stock sets that can be rebuilt quickly? The Colonial One set from BSG was used in an episode of The Outer Limits.

 

[JD]

Really enjoyed this episode. The flashbacks gave us some nice background on the S.T.A.R. Labs crew, and was a nice pre-Firestorm induction for Robbie.
The Mist was a cool villain.
I like the idea of them setting up their superhero prison at S.T.A.R., even if there are some real world problems with what we saw. I'm curious to see if there going to do any more with Barry's father seeing him. That seems like a pretty big thing for him.

Although I couldn't help but wonder why none of these brilliant scientists ever thought to give Barry a gas mask to help in his fight (especially considering we saw one attached to the outfit in the very first episode).

More an oxygen mask than a gas mask per se, but I wondered that myself. I also wondered how he could run all the way to STAR Labs if he couldn't breathe.

I had the same thought. I kept expecting them to pull the mask back out, but they didn't even mention it.

I don't know if it's been discussed on these pages yet, but I wonder if Wells is Professor Zoom, aka, The Reverse Flash. There was a bit of Zoom making the Flash into the hero so he could inspire him, etc. A dash of the predestination paradox.

Which is already here in the show. Wells knows Barry will become the Flash, and, in fact, is the one responsible for it.

I think he's Professor Zoom. Though, a part of me wonders, would they really reveal one of the cast members to be the Big Bad? Maybe. Obviously, it's happened in other shows. Could be fun.

(Of course, there was also Zoom, a modern day version who was stuck in a wheel chair.)

A part of me, though hopes it's John Fox--which was a Flash of the Future.
But, a silly part of me: Abrakadabra. Let's get insane.

They've already introduced Eddie Thawne as Joe West's partner, and I don't really a big enough age gap between Rick Cosnette, the actor playing Thawn and Tom Cavanagh as Wells, for the later to be an older version of the former.

Spoiler: Eddie's future

Plus we've already gotten set pics of Cosnett filming what appeared to be an action scene in a yellow Flash suit, so we know he does end up at least in the suit by the end of the season.

 

[davejames]

Except that in Smallville, Clark couldn't fly, so functionally he kinda was the Flash -- albeit with invulnerability, x-ray vision, heat vision, etc.

Well yeah, that's what was so annoying. The fact he did everything except fly, and zipped around in secret so much that he was only ever known as "the Blur" on the show.

 

[Guy Gardener]

But what about when you're dealing with prisoners who can't be held in a conventional prison - even a SuperMax? Joe might not be keen on the idea of imprisoning them in a facility such as STAR Labs but but he sure as hell isn't keen on the idea of them getting out again.

And what of the guy last night? As far as the law was concerned, he was deamed dead after being legally executed.

Though I think in the bigger issue might be what is Harrison Wells plan for all those meta humans that are goign to wind up in his accelerator loop.

1. Prisoners have rights that have to be verified by the state. If Starlabs is the only place that can hold "some" of the metahumans. It would only take a few weeks, maybe months for the (state) Governor to fast track the legitimization of Starlabs as a Prison, considering that prison construction is one of he fasted growing industries in America, the paper work exists. Remember when George Bush accidentally told the public about the CIA's secret prisons and the press went mental? Blacksites, no due proccess with drugged prisoners in kennels being mentally and physically tortured ad infinitum.

2. Well, in some states if you survive execution you're free to go. Not all, but some. Meanwhile he hasn't been tried or identified as the murderer of his new victims, which makes him innocent until proven guilty. That's an innocent man in a box. Barry and West are actually aiding and abetting his ongoing escape.

3. According to the News paper from he future in the pilot, the Flash dies in the Crisis. 10 years from "now" Barry dies fighting the Antimonitor. What else happens? Armageddon? Wells seems to think that if Barry is stronger or tougher, more resolved, guided by his own hand, that he will be able to resolve the Crisis better. An army of metahumans by his side that were not there last time around will probably help too (I think the Collider has nothing to do with he Flash getting his powers.). Consider if Wells is from he 31st century, but through some meddling on his part (much earlier.) the word ends in 2024 (during the Crisis), then that means that Wells can't go home because the future is gone, and it's likely that he wants some version of the 31st century back.