Kyle’s Review

I can see why Flash fans could be upset with the last two weeks of this season: the show has marked time, setting up the CW’s upcoming Legends of Tomorrow. Both The Flash and Arrow (as of this review, I haven’t seen the latest episode of Arrow) have seen their story arcs and series regulars play second fiddle to the upcoming series, but The Flash has suffered this fate far more than Arrow. Hopefully, the events at the end of “The Fury of Firestorm” will launch The Flash in a different and better direction.

Even worse than the deferment of any meaningful progress in Flash for Legends of Tomorrow’s setup, was the cast’s stilted acting during this episode. I don’t know if it’s the writing, the actors, the direction, or all of the above, but Grant Gustin (Barry), Jesse L. Martin (Detective West), and Carlos Valdes (Cisco) were the only ones who looked natural. I guess Candice Patton (Iris) did okay but she showed little range beyond being pissed at her mother. The West family arc moved too fast for my taste but fortunately, I don’t think it’s over yet. Iris’s mother is sick with a terminal illness and her truth bomb could lead to a major shift in the Flash. And that might be another thing that’s keeping The Flash’s second season from clicking. The Flash has introduced more than one element that could affect the show long term—but with no definite payoff—and the DC TV universe as a whole. I’d like the Flash to focus more on its characters.

“The Fury of Firestorm” had Caitlin Snow think about Ronnie for the first time this season, but Firestorm was in the title, so I guess the writers thought it was a prerequisite. It’s shocking that Jay Garrick (Caitlin’s new love interest) didn’t make an appearance this week, when he’s made one every other episode this season and he hasn’t returned home. That’s convenient. Franz Drameh gave a good performance as Jefferson “Jax” Jackson, but Drameh didn’t have enough time or material to explore his character. I’m sure we’ll see plenty of him in Legends of Tomorrow. The villain of the week worked well enough for me. I don’t expect Hewitt to return but he could, and the pot’s on the stove but the pilot light isn’t lit for the Zoom slow boil. There isn’t enough connective tissue at this point to make me care about Zoom, and the villain most Flash fans wanted to return made an appearance at the end of “The Fury of Firestorm.” Harrison Wells could be a calming presence for The Flash.

“The Fury of Firestorm” showed promise—at least at the end—and I trust Flash will turn the corner next week. While we’ve seen plenty of action this season, I’d like a little more character development.

There were plenty of name drops and Easter eggs in “The Fury of Firestorm,” so here’s our Flash secrets page. Thank you for reading.