The Flash on CW

[TheEmerged]

So, since the series is doing well enough, they released (or possibly re-released) the original show on DvD. I picked it up and finally cleared out the buffer in front of it...

Pilot
Oh Dear God, I forgot how fake the fight scenes on the show looked back then (due to the limitations on the actor's movement in the suit). Unfortunately I did remember how much it seemed informed by the success of the Batman films - they're doing *way* better with making the character feel like Barry in the new show. I also had a good laugh at the time-based nostalgia (I can't wait to have to explain to the younger kids in the gaming group what a pay phone is, for example).

[Metahuman1]

Just an aside, wasn't the 90's show about Wally?

[TheEmerged]

Nope, it's Barry.

[Drakeburn]

I can't help but notice a difference between the 90's Flash and CW's Flash.

That a lot of the bad guys from the 90's Flash are either insane, armed with high-tech gear, or a bit of both.

The CW's Flash however, actually has metahumans in the show.

But one of the things I find painful about the CW Flash is the logic/common sense. Somebody mentioned that the Flash could've saved Multiplex if he just sped on outside and catch him, and somebody else mentioned that the Flash could've just taken the gun from Captain Cold instead of listen to what he has to say when they were on the train.
Another thing I would like to add to it was why did the Flash need Heatwave and Captain Cold to cancel out each others guns? If the Flash really has been training to become faster, why couldn't he just snatch the weapons out of their hands!? It would've been less painful than slowing down for their aim. Sheesh.

And Barry Allen in the 90's Flash was smarter than the CW's Barry Allen. I mean, in one of the Crossover episodes he didn't bother to have his mask on when he was going out for sushi!!!! The 90's Flash wasn't this careless! He was actually a lot more careful keeping his secret identity.

Don't get me wrong. I do enjoy the CW Flash, but deep down in my heart, I know that the 90's Flash was better.

[BassWalker]

Another thing I would like to add to it was why did the Flash need Heatwave and Captain Cold to cancel out each others guns? If the Flash really has been training to become faster, why couldn't he just snatch the weapons out of their hands!? It would've been less painful than slowing down for their aim. Sheesh.

If I remember correctly, the first Captain Cold episode stated that his gun radiates a field of cold that slows Barry down, doesn't it? He probably doesn't want to get too close to it. Given Barry's age (low-mid twenties?) and relative youth as a superhero (it's been all of a few months, I think), I'm willing to overlook this. This Barry is still very inexperienced, as the Green Arrow (**** you, I'm not calling him The Arrow) had to teach him why he should look around the room he just ran into before stopping, and very cocky and sure of his speed. I am hoping to see some change and actual growth into the genius-playing-dumb that The Flash is (or, am I thinking of Wally here? I admit to knowing him mostly through the Justice League cartoon), but for now, it seems alright.

Besides, the show would be 99% melodrama and 1% action if he were to actually think about things rather than the 90% melodrama and 10% action that it is now.

[Pex]

So, since the series is doing well enough, they released (or possibly re-released) the original show on DvD. I picked it up and finally cleared out the buffer in front of it...

Pilot
Oh Dear God, I forgot how fake the fight scenes on the show looked back then (due to the limitations on the actor's movement in the suit). Unfortunately I did remember how much it seemed informed by the success of the Batman films - they're doing *way* better with making the character feel like Barry in the new show. I also had a good laugh at the time-based nostalgia (I can't wait to have to explain to the younger kids in the gaming group what a pay phone is, for example).

Listen carefully to Mark Hamill as The Trickster. He's using his Joker voice. This was before the animated Batman series.

[BWR]

Listen carefully to Mark Hamill as The Trickster. He's using his Joker voice. This was before the animated Batman series.

Yup. apart from the looks I couldn't really tell much of a difference between Hamill's Trickster and his Joker. T was a bit more prop-focused and a bit more delusional, but both were unapologetic murderous crazies with a fondness for wackiness.

[Cheesegear]

Listen carefully to Mark Hamill as The Trickster. He's using his Joker voice.

Hamill doesn't hide it. He's convinced the only reason he got The Joker was because of his role as The Trickster, beforehand.

[Pex]

Nice we get a first quick look at Grodd. Also nice they're going full on with Firestorm.

Previews show Robbie Amell returns. Shocking, he has his shirt off! I was wondering how long that would take.

[BWR]

Spoiler: fgh

Show

Fun to see that they had the 'feel the bullet in his neck' thing, but it brings up the question why he doesn't react that fast normally these days. I know, I know: imperfect control, panic powers, comicbook logic.
Otherwise a decent episode. I was unexpectedly moved by joe getting Barry's father to happen to pass by at Iron Heights and the 'confession' scene between them was somewhat touching, if ridiculously clichéed.

Now for the laughs: my immediate thought upon seeing the workers in the tunnels was "are they bringing Killer Croc into this? I know Arrow has been shamelessly pinching Batman's rouges but this show too?" Then I saw 'Grodd' on the walls and for a few seconds wondered why they thought brinigng in a giant super-strong zombie villain was any better. Too little sleep. Bleh.

[huttj509]

BTW, who says "this place is really antiquated"? I don't phrase things like that, and I have been (literally) scolded for using language that "normal people don't use."

[Pex]

Alright, I found the words to explain why a shirtless Robbie Amell bothers me so much. It's not about his appearance. He's certainly a handsome fellow, and while not having a gym body he is also not a toothpick. He looks good and gets fan girls' and some fan boys' hearts a flutter. His career is irrelevant to me. Whether he manages to attain the stardom Ken Olandt failed to achieve is still up in the air. He has fandom, but it took even George Clooney many tries to get stardom. Clooney had guest starring roles in Facts of Life and Roseanne and starred in a failed sit-com called E/R.

What bothers me is why I think Amell is not achieving stardom. It's not directly because he's always taking his shirt off. He's not the first and won't be the last actor to have shirtless scenes. He's not achieving stardom because he's always being a himbo, and it's him being a himbo that causes my problem. He's never the character. He's not being taken seriously. Robbie is there so the writers come up with an excuse to have him take his shirt off. He's eye candy taking away from the imagination of the story. He's the current male equivalent of Audrey and Judy Landers, twin actresses who appeared in various 1970's television shows just to look pretty and pretend their characters have a point. There is even a video of him online attending a Comic-Con event where someone asks him to take off his shirt and the audience eggs him on. Some actors have to go through this phase. Captain America himself, Chris Evans, was a naked banana split once. He still does the occasional shirtless scene in a movie, even just holding a towel, but you are watching a character, not Chris Evans reciting lines while shirtless. That's Robbie Amell. That's The Tomorrow People. That's the first half of Flash's premier season which thankfully they have moved passed, at least until Robbie returns.

There's an Off-Broadway show called Naked Men Singing. Who really goes there for the singing?

[Antonok]

Somethings been bothering me about the newest episode:

Spoiler

Show

How the **** did Martin Stein know the facility was going to explode and to be in the exact spot he was?

[TheEmerged]

Original Series, Ep 2 & 3.

Spoiler

Show

Did I mention how fake the fight scenes look? The casino fight in Ep 3 was... fake isn't even a strong enough word. We're talking Keystone Cops level bad. I'm actually liking the rest of the series well enough - the only other complaint I might have is that there's a degree of "overacting", but that appears to be done on purpose so I'm letting it slide. The one thing I'll credit them for is that most of the fights have been the cakewalks they should be against non-super opponents.

Apparently Hamill isn't the only thing Batman:TAS borrowed from the series though. I noticed a familiar strain of music when I closed my eyes during one of the fight sequences - either both Original Flash and B:TAS borrowed from the same source, or B:TAS homaged some of the music from Original Flash too. Specifically the "Da da da DAAAAAAAA Da... da DA!" line.

Regarding episode 3, is there an official TV Trope for "the surest way to die in a Superhero show is to be a newly-introduced character who finds out the hero's secret ID?" I'm always afraid to go the site itself while at work.

[Metahuman1]

I'm rather pleased with this ep. And it was a LOT better then the Arrow ep from this past week.

[Pex]

Flash had his shirt off again. It's been awhile, having abandoned the alternate episode pattern. Given the story that was being told, acceptable in this instance. As for Robbie Amell, he's been working out.

Suspicion confirmed Flash went to the past. Dr. Wells suspected, but no in character formal proof yet. Next week should be interesting.

[Antonok]

New Episode:

Spoiler: Fallout

Show

One of the best episodes so far IMO. Had a lot going on.

Barry learns about his role in the fight 15 years ago (and starts planning for it). Firestorm learns to fuse willingly and stay in control. Grodd shows himself. Wells unmasks himself (and confirms he is the reverse flash). The genral gets (presumably) gets taken out.

And the most important part, the Game of Thrones reference.

[BWR]

[QUOTE=Antonok;18843370
Wells unmasks himself (and confirms he is the reverse flash).
[/QUOTE]

We actually knew this quite a while ago, since we've seen both Wells move at superspeed (like when Pied Piper attacked his house) and the RF suit in his secret future mini-lab.

[TheEmerged]

Spoiler

Show

But is he the *same* Reverse Flash

[Metahuman1]

The good: Firestorm was GLORIOUS!!!

Grodd was awesome.

And we finally locked in that Wells is Reverse Flash.


The Bad: Iris. Freaking Iris. *Headdesk*.

And, oh god, it finally dawned on me, I think there setting up the freaking Flashpoint Paradox storyline. NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

[BassWalker]

The good: Firestorm was GLORIOUS!!!

Grodd was awesome.

And we finally locked in that Wells is Reverse Flash.


The Bad: Iris. Freaking Iris. *Headdesk*.

And, oh god, it finally dawned on me, I think there setting up the freaking Flashpoint Paradox storyline. NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Agreed on all counts, except... Could someone explain to me how the Flashpoint Paradox storyline would be bad, as someone who doesn't read the comics? The only bit of it that I know of is from the animated movie, and I thought that it was decent (Aquaman and Wonder Woman destroy the earth over something so unbelievably petty... it's glorious). Things would have to be drastically different for this Flash, of course, but the concept of the butterfly effect is something that does interest me, and it's something that I like to see tackled in media.

[Jayngfet]

The Bad: Iris. Freaking Iris. *Headdesk*.

And, oh god, it finally dawned on me, I think there setting up the freaking Flashpoint Paradox storyline. NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Really Star Labs doesn't actually make sense when you think about it. Ok, so science runs amok and like a dozen people get killed in the aftermath.

...but somehow everyone involved just shows up back to work monday with no trial or investigation. They still get a blank cheque to develop dangerous devices and outright weapons with no oversight and no accountability. There's not even anyone else working there anymore to question why they're locking people in the basement except like, maybe a couple of janitors, who can access the aforementioned weapons and steal them with no security systems until long gone.

I mean who's even still paying this bunch of 20 and 30 somethings to show up five days a week to twiddle their thumbs? Government grant money is like, impossible to hold onto even for respectable organizations and there doesn't seem to be a private benefactor stepping in.

[Flickerdart]

I mean who's even still paying this bunch of 20 and 30 somethings to show up five days a week to twiddle their thumbs? Government grant money is like, impossible to hold onto even for respectable organizations and there doesn't seem to be a private benefactor stepping in.

Maybe the Reverse Flash robs banks on the way home.

[Metahuman1]

Maybe he set up a massive trust fund by knowing winning lottery numbers and the right stocks to buy and sell and when before he even founded STAR labs so that THAT could never be an issue. It's the sort of thing he'd do during a preparation phase.


That said, Jayngfet, what does that have to do with my "The Bad" for this ep?

[GenericMook]

Yeah, but I think that it would be handled differently here. They don't have the absurd cast that comics do, so seeing Barry ruin the predestination paradox and the ensuing ripple effect might be interesting.

As with a lot of things, the Flashpoint story had an interesting concept, but it was poorly handled. Hopefully it's different with a smaller cast.

[TheEmerged]

RE: Flashpoint Paradox. If all you know is the animated movie, that's why you don't understand how it would be bad. The movie was much better than the books (like Ben Hur, a rare example of that). Main problem I see is that it'd just have to be very different given the limited number of metahumans so far. It actually could work given the "half season" format the show is using; I don't think one episode would do it justice but it's not something I'd want too many episodes of.

RE: Iris. Yeah, she's been guilty of holding the idiot ball up to this point, it's overdue.

RE: Original Series. So, just about done with this. Yeah, the fight scenes remained horrible throughout - a friend of mine in the gaming group is going to borrow the DvD's to show his kids in the hopes they'll appreciate how far things have come. Still, you have to give it credit for being better written than a lot of things of the era and Hamil's Trickster is indeed a highpoint of the series.

RE: Star Labs. It's been implied a couple of times that Wells is pretty stinking rich on his own. And yes, as a time traveller he could very well have made it thnks to convenient knowledge.

[thorgrim29]

Depending on how far back he went, he could win one jackpot and get in on the ground floor of some IPOs (or buy out a minor apple shareholder in 1978). You could also make ridiculous amounts of money trading oil futures if you know when the crashes will happen. You could buy stock in solid companies when it was undervalued in early 2009.

Why yes, I do spend a lot of idle time thinking about what I would do if I could do over my life starting from around 2008. I drive about an hour a day and it's that or my zombie plan.

Anyway, I have 2 questions regarding Wells. 1: Why is he crippled some of the time and a super strong speedster the rest? 2: What's the deal with the tachion device? And why didn't the team (at least Cisco) realize that was what he used for the Firestorm controller?

[GenericMook]

Being crippled is his cover. He can't be the Reverse Flash if he's stuck to a wheelchair.

[Antonok]

Spoiler: My crazy theory

Show

It's possible that during the fight, Wells used the device to merge himself with older Barry.

I do wonder where the hell old Barry is at, and unless during the fight he accidentally time travelled again, he should be around somewhere.

[thorgrim29]

Being crippled is his cover.

And yet it isn't totally, because when he was attacked by Pied piper his legs gave out and he ranted to his computer about his powers not being stable, suggesting what when his powers are not working he's actually crippled