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The Flash Season 3 Premiere Advance Review: “Flashpoint”
Advance review of the Flash Season 3 premiere, titled “Flashpoint”
There are only a few days left until the Season 3 premiere of The Flash, titled “Flashpoint,” and those familiar with DC Comics history as well as the Flash Season 2 finale know what that title entails: Barry Allen has gone back in time and prevented the Reverse-Flash from killing his mom, creating a new reality in the process.
Much of that “new reality” has been revealed in trailers: Wally West is Kid Flash, though he hates that name, and he has a possibly surprising partner in crimefighting. The Rival (Todd Lasance), a speedster dressed in black, is determined to make it so that no others can outmatch his speed. The other world’s Cisco is a billionaire. And Barry Allen’s beloved parents, Nora and Henry, are both still alive, happy, and wanting him to move out of the house already.
Barry Allen has almost everything he wants in this new world… except for one thing: Iris, who doesn’t really know him well in this altered reality, yet seems drawn to him in the same way he is to her. This season premiere might be one of the best uses of Candice Patton’s Iris in the series, giving her ample and deserved screen time as an important part of Barry Allen’s life (or lives). In a world of unreality, Iris seems to offer Barry a dose of reality, and I like that The Flash recognizes that Iris (and Candice) are an integral part of this story.
Matt Letscher’s Reverse-Flash is around and tormenting Barry with the changes he has wreaked. Much has been written about the notion that even though he always has the noblest of intentions, Barry has in some ways been the villain of this story, and Eobard is more than happy to tell him that. Letscher is menacing as Eobard Thawne, and I’m still impressed by how much he reminds me of Tom Cavanagh’s take on the character in Season One. (Harrison Wells of any universe sadly seems to be absent in the premiere. Boo! Hiss!) The best villains, to me, are the ones who think they are doing the right thing; Eobard Thawne, in his own twisted way, seems to be that, and Letscher is one of the MVP’s of this first hour.
What else is there to say? Joe West in the Flashpoint world is a shell of the Joe we know; also, there is a surprise guest appearance that I don’t think has been spoiled yet. I hope it is not spoiled because it had me grinning from ear to ear. And, yes, Keiynan Lonsdale’s Wally is Kid Flash and the costume looks really cool – though his frequent blurring is a little distracting. If the mask doesn’t hide his face enough, then maybe he needs a better mask.
Having lost a parent myself at age 19, I would give anything to be able to change history to see my dad again. But, as Barry Allen may learn, you need to be careful what you wish for. In addition to being a good episode of a superhero drama series, “Flashpoint” also has a lot of heart that is also present in every episode of the show. A lot of that is due to Mr. Grant Gustin himself, who plays Barry with a vulnerability and heart that really does make him perfect for this take on the role. I will warn, though: This episode made me, a man in his thirties, teary-eyed, as The Flash sometimes does, so prepare the tissues.
Is the finale perfect? It’s pretty darn good. There are mechanics of time travel in the Arrowverse that I will never totally understand; for example, I don’t understand how Barry Allen still has his speed powers if what happened to his mother never occurred, unless the same accident happened in the Flashpoint universe. (I’m thinking not, since the STAR Labs building, now owned by Ramon Industries, looks pristine) But if we can turn our brains off and not think about it too much, again, it’s a really good hour of TV. I’m curious what will happen next, but then again, it’s not like I wouldn’t be watching The Flash — one of my favorite shows on TV — anyway. Still, there’s a reason this is The CW’s #1 show — it’s really well done, with good actors, great effects, writing, directing… it’s a fine package.
The Flash “Flashpoint” airs October 4 on The CW. See some preview images below, and check out our interview with the show’s Executive Producers here!
News
Virtue: The CW Developing Cecile-Focused Flash Spinoff [APRIL FOOL 2024]
The CW is plotting a spinoff for a major character from The Flash.
DISCLAIMER: This was the FlashTVNews April Fool’s post of 2024. The “news” in this article is not true or factual.
The seal has been broken and Earth-Prime may not be dead after all.
Late tonight, Deadline Weekly revealed that Warner Bros. Television and writers associated with The Flash have landed a deal for Virtue, a series focused on the Cecile character from The Flash as played by Danielle Nicolet. Nicolet is expected to reprise her role in the series, which will take place several years after the events of the Flash finale.
Jesse L. Martin is not expected to be a part of the series as he has prior commitments to The Irrational on NBC. Intel from the studio reveals that some characters fans have been itching to see again — such as Chester, Allegra, Khione, Chillblaine, and Arrow’s Raisa the Maid — might show up in some capacity. In keeping with the current CW lineup, the new show will pair Cecile Horton with a cop to solve crimes — but, of course, that cop will sadly not be Joe.
The official logline for Virtue suggests that Cecile will be a single mother who balances her superpowers and law background with solving crimes and being a mom. She will also reconnect with her daughter Joanie from whom she has been estranged for several years, and it’s expected that the Joanie character may be recast. Many thought The CW was out of the superhero business, but the producers’ pitch showed that her mental-based powers could make the show easier and more affordable to produce on a TV budget. It is expected that some of Cecile’s “level up” powers from Season 9 of The Flash will be toned down, and it is said that another reason Virtue has an advantage is that it doesn’t conflict with James Gunn’s ideas for the upcoming DC Studios movie universe.
No specific writers have been named for Virtue so far, aside from the notion that they worked on The Flash. Additionally, the Deadline Weekly article confirms that neither Grant Gustin nor Candice Patton are expected to show up on the series.
We will keep people updated on Virtue here at FlashTVNews under a special “Virtue TV News” icon; though if you’d like to visit our dedicated Twitter feed for the project, you can find it here.
News
Flash References In New Grant Gustin Commercial
The Flash actor Grant Gustin has appeared in a new commercial for MNTN with former Green Lantern Ryan Reynolds.
Movies
No, That Was Not Teddy Sears In The Flash Movie
Flash TV series actor Teddy Sears confirms that was not him playing Jay Garrick in The Flash movie.
Virtue: The CW Developing Cecile-Focused Flash Spinoff [APRIL FOOL 2024]
Flash References In New Grant Gustin Commercial
No, That Was Not Teddy Sears In The Flash Movie
The Flash Season 9 & Complete Series Blu-rays Announced
Who Are Those New Characters At The End Of The Flash Finale?
Flash References In New Grant Gustin Commercial
Flash #9.9 Description & Trailer: “It’s My Party And I’ll Die If I Want To”
Flash Season 9 Extended Trailer Released
Flash Final Season Trailer: Let’s Do This One Last Time
Chase
September 27, 2016 at 8:25 pm
I’m assuming the time travel rules are the same as those explained in Legends of Tomorrow. For some reason, changes to the timeline don’t become permanent immediately. The more drastic the changes, the longer they take to “set.”