Another week another episode of The Flash and boy did it keep the vibe going! Compared to the Pilot I felt that this episode overall improved as a whole and much of the issues I had with the Pilot were thankfully corrected. I really have to hand it to Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg and Geoff Johns. They're one of the few production teams that I feel really learn off their experiences and strive to improve rather then forcing dribble upon us week after week.
So now that we've gotten all the introductions and the basic set up out the way in the pilot we can start to see what The Flash will be enthralling us with each week. As a comic book reader, I love to see that the production team have really done their homework and are delving into characters that not everyone would know about. While Simon Stagg and Multiplex have been in some DC medium's, this whole new take really pushes them further into the public view.
Multiplex is but one example of how I feel the production team is really striving to improve. Last week I made mention in my review of how one dimensional the villain felt, so I was glad to see some more time was given to developing Multiplex with motives and a reason behind his actions.
_FULL.jpg)
It wasn't just the villain who was developed here either, reaching into Flash's mythos we've now been introduced to one of the downfalls of being a Speedster. Originally part of Wally's Flash (the 3rd Flash), Barry has to eat vast amounts of food to fuel his super speed.
Barry's own personal life was also expanded on, and led to my favorite scene in the episode. Just seeing that father/son dynamic between Barry and Joe was heartwarming to see. I'm wary of shows that use an abundance of childhood flashbacks but in this case they were used perfectly and made that final Barry/Joe scene carry that much more power to it.
Cisco and Caitlin also had some fun interaction this episode and I'm tempted to want a S.T.A.R. Labs After Hours web-series showing all the crazy hijinx I bet they get up to. Carlos and Danielle play off each other fairly well, but when they try and force it they ruin that vibe. And lets not forget Harrison. Good ole creepy Harrison, Tom Cavanagh portrays him with such subtlety that it's really hard to tell if he's really on Barry's side or not.
_FULL.jpg)
The special effects once again also didn't disappoint. Barry running through the various Multiplex clones was impressive to see as were the effects used during the Cosmic Treadmill scene. The matrix effects were also nice though I have to wonder how all of this fairs with the budget. Hopefully we wont see a decline in the second half of the season due to a limited budget.
Overall Feelings:
To me, it was a great followup to the pilot. It took what I loved about it and continued onwards while correcting the issues that arose. It also continued adding more to the central mystery and best of all, it was downright fun! The plot thickens and I've got so many theories right now that I'd love to see what your thoughts are on Harrison Wells in the comments.
