"Enter Flashtime:" An Objective Lesson On Valuing Your Spouse's Opinion

The Good: Decent performances, Good direction, Interesting science
The Bad: Not particularly character-driven
The Basics: The Flash creates an engaging problem for the Speedsters to try to solve in "Enter Flashtime."


Every now and then, less for quite some time now, there comes an hour of television that actually keeps me guessing in a way that I end up sufficiently entertained by it. The Flash has gone a long time without having that kind of episode. But with "Enter Flashtime," I actually found myself guessing for almost the entire episode. Indeed, as the protagonists run out of options for a solution to their scientific problem, I kept waiting for the episode - which is entirely incongruent with the rest of the fourth season's plots - to integrate and I bet, fairly early on, that the solution to the "exploding bomb" problem was to let the bomb explode and let a new metahuman solve the problem.

I was wrong, though. Instead, "Enter Flashtime" is all about the value of listening to your spouse.

"Enter Flashtime" follows "Subject 9" (reviewed here!), but does not actually relate to that episode in a significant way. Harry Wells's subplot in "Subject 9" becomes the point for the family drama between Jesse and Harrison Wells in "Enter Flashtime."

Opening with Barry Allen accelerating Iris to his speed to tell his wife that he cannot save everyone this time, the episode flashes back to just under nine minutes prior, where The Flash is training rigorously to run fast enough to enter a breach. Failing to get to a breach Ramon created, Harrison Wells summons Iris and Barry to a meeting where he shows the team that DeVoe had been planning the bus debacle for three years prior to its execution. Jesse Wells arrives from Earth-2, where she and Harry have it out about his inability to talk about her dead mother. The conversation ends abruptly when Detective West is in a shootout at Wade Airfield when he calls for help from the S.T.A.R. Labs team.

The Flash and Jesse Quick find themselves in accelerated time as a prototype nuclear device is detonated. While Jesse goes to Earth-3 to recover Jay Garrick, Barry brings Cisco Ramon and Harrison Wells into "Flashtime" where they recognize the properties of the weapon and how to stop it from destroying Central City. As the three speedsters make various attempts to stop the bomb, Barry debates with his peers creating a breach that will place the explosion in the Speed Force, risking the Speed Force for speedsters throughout the multiverse and all time!

"Enter Flashtime" is well-performed, but heavy on the jargon and it is a surprisingly engaging episode where people work to focus on solving a technical problem. As a result, the bulk of the episode is not character-driven and does not allow the performers to do any powerful acting. Sure, Grant Gustin does a great job of looking concerned, confused, and like he is frustrated, but that is pretty much Barry Allen solving any problem.

Until the episode's climax, where Tom Cavanaugh and Violett Beane rock out a heartfelt, character-driven scene between Harry and Jesse, "Enter Flashtime" is better-directed than it is notably performed or interesting on any character level. "Enter Flashtime" is an episode of The Flash that does not seem to add to the season's overall storyline through its plot, though it is a surprisingly engaging bottle episode.

If nothing else, "Enter Flashtime" reinforces that if you're married, it helps to consult your spouse first for important decisions and it is entertaining. But, it's a pretty basic super hero problem solving episode.

7.5/10

For other television reviews, please visit my Television Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2018 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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"Subject 9" Hits Highs Before Settling For "Ho-Hum."

The Good: Moments of continuity, Most of the special effects and humor work.
The Bad: Obvious plot progression, Mediocre performances
The Basics: "Subject 9" starts The Flash out with an intriguing new metahuman before settling into the familiar.


The fourth season of The Flash has finally come into focus. While DeVoe was instantly the season's adversary, the show has meandered into the S.T.A.R. Labs team figuring out what DeVoe is up to. But, as "Subject 9" begins, DeVoe's general plan - to absorb the metahuman abilities from the metahumans he created - has become apparent to both the viewers and the characters within The Flash. "Subject 9" also opens with Ralph Dibny at an intriguing narrative juncture; recognizing that DeVoe is coming after the others like him, he starts the episode knowing he has a target painted on his back.

"Subject 9" was preceded by"True Colors" (reviewed here!) and found Barry Allen being exonerated for the murder of DeVoe - thanks to Dibny discovering a newfound ability; using his stretching skin to shape-change. Allen's successful appeal came following DeVoe making a rather bold move with the metahumans he had created and the murder of Warden Wolf at the hands of DeVoe. The seeds have been well-planted for Marlize DeVoe to switch sides; it remains to be seen how long she will hold out before betraying her husband.

Barry Allen returns to work where he gets a surprisingly cold reception. Captain Singh asks that Barry take a leave of absence to help restore faith in the Central City Police Department. The new Mayor wants to prove that DeVoe is still alive, but while relieved of duty, the S.T.A.R. Labs team closes rank on Ralph Dibny and they renew their search for the other bus metas. Dibny visits the bus depot's lost and found and discover that Izzy Bowin was one of the people turned into a metahuman through the bus accident. While visiting Bowin at a gig, Dibny and Allen are surveilled by the DeVoes. When Bowin resists their help, she reveals her power: the ability to manipulate sound waves.

After DeVoe reveals herself to Bowin while the Flash team is trying to convince her of the threat to her life, the S.T.A.R. Labs team decides to try to train her to be a part of the team. Bowin wants nothing to do with them, but Dibny actually changes her mind. Horton rails against Wells's new device while Bowin is trained at S.T.A.R. Labs. When The Flash steps in with the training, Bowin gets hurt. After bringing the new dampener to Horton, Wells and Horton try to strike up a friendship when Wells has an important epiphany about the nature of the device he built for her. Believing she can take DeVoe on herself, Bowin leaves S.T.A.R. Labs.

"Subject 9" makes Ralph Dibny surprisingly important. Dibny helps find Bowin and he is integral to convincing her to stay with the S.T.A.R. Labs team. Dibny is willing to be tested upon so that Bowin can develop her abilities and that is a nice twist for him; being suddenly useful.

Attentive viewers will recognize the moment it is brought up that "Subject 9" has the season's resolution within it. In the third season, when DeVoe was being teased as the fourth season's adversary, Savitar mentions the weapon used to defeat DeVoe. In "Subject 9," Horton turns to Wells for help with dampening Joe West's thoughts . . . which seems like exactly what the crew needs to adapt in order to stop DeVoe. So when the silent epiphany comes, attentive viewers are well-prepared for it. In fact, it is hard to believe that it takes so long for the S.T.A.R. Labs team to develop the cerebral inhibitor . . . considering they had a similar device already in play to protect Barry from the psychic attacks of Gorilla Grodd.

The climax of "Subject 9" is incredibly frustrating. The physics of the final scene make no reasonable sense; there is a force field (apparently) and The Flash doesn't even try to vibrate through it. Or go around it. As a result, the move by DeVoe feels ultimately forced for the plot, as opposed to a sensible development based on characters' actions.

Harrison Wells returns to the narrative in a way that continues to illustrate that the writers have not figured out how to write for him now. Tom Cavanaugh is good - though he does smirk through one moment where he is supposed to be performing exasperation - but the character has been a bit aimless this season. Fortunately, Cavanaugh's final scene in the episode is well-executed and bucks the trend of adult characters being almost exclusively under thirty. Cavanaugh and Danielle Nicolet have good on-screen chemistry for their scenes.

In the end, "Subject 9" leaves the viewer with something of a ho-hum feeling. The plot moves into the inevitable territory fans knew it would, but it still feels more formulaic than it is fresh. The cast - save Hartley Sawyer - seem to be simply going through the motions and "Subject 9" feels more like a filler than a thriller episode.

4/10

For other television reviews, please visit my Television Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2018 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Meh, "Honey, I Shrunk The Flash Team" Is A Dull Mash-Up Of Simple Ideas.

The Good: Moments of adequate performance, Special effects are fine
The Bad: Underwhelming character development, No impressive performances, Two dull plots, Missing pieces.
The Basics: "Honey, I Shrunk The Flash Team" sticks together two plots that aren't enough to fill a single episode of The Flash . . . and gives D.A. Horton random powers.


The Flash is at a weird and interesting point in its storyline. Right now, the titular character is out of action and the main plotline has become murky. The season's definitive villain, DeVoe - the Thinker -, has made a body swap and set a number of metahumans on Central City. But, because The Flash is in prison, but Vibe, Killer Frost and the Elongated Man (along with the brainpower of Harrison Wells) are all on the outside, it is hard to believe that Central City is all that vulnerable. Sticking with the S.T.A.R. Labs team being unable to rely immediately upon The Flash, "Honey, I Shrunk The Flash Team" is another Metahuman Of The Week story.

"Honey, I Shrunk The Flash Team" follows on "The Elongated Knight Rises" (reviewed here!), which had Barry Allen making a friend and ally in prison, while the S.T.A.R. Labs team was stuck dealing with a Metahuman causing trouble in Central City. "Honey, I Shrunk The Flash Team" puts another Metahuman from the bus into play.

Joe West and D.A. Horton are at home, where West is building a crib. When his wife begins accusing him of saying things, Joe and Cecile realize that she has become a telepath. Dr. Snow theorizes that Horton has had dark matter in her body since the first reactor accident. Allen, in prison, is playing cards with Big Sur, the former Mayor and another inmate when he tries to help Sur win by stacking the deck in his favor. Allen becomes interested in Big Sur's case. He insists he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but Allen is convinced that the forensics evidence against Big Sur was minimal.

While the new mayor unveils the latest Kord Industries building, a new metahuman shrinks the building. When West and Ramon find ATM video footage of the metahuman making a car appear almost instantly, they and Dibny go in search of Sylbert Rundin. Unfortunately, Rundin shrinks Ramon and Dibny with his abilities. Iris discovers that Rundin stole Ray Palmer's last stash of Dwarfstar Alloy. Joe West theorizes that Rundin might have been the person who committed the murder that Big Sur was convicted for and the team goes in search of a confession.

"Honey, I Shrunk The Flash Team" tries to expand The Flash cast by making D.A. Horton more vital and interesting. Giving her temporary powers seems like a desperate ploy to fill time. Horton suddenly having telepathic powers does not actually add anything to the story. The viewer keeps waiting for Horton to be placed in front of Rundin to find out telepathically some detail that would help her exonerate Big Sur. Much of "Honey, I Shrunk The Flash Team" feels like two stories that were not enough to sustain a single hour-long story being mashed together.

The shrunken Cisco Ramon and Elongated Man plotline is very basic. Wells attempts to save the pair by altering the Speed Force bazooka into a "re-embiggening" gun. Unfortunately, it destabilizes Ramon and Dibny at the cellular level. This creates a ticking clock that forces Wells to try to get the two in front of Rundin. Ramon gets the obligatory pep talk of the episode, but the take away from "Honey, I Shrunk The Flash Team" is, unfortunately, that the Earth-2 Harrison Wells has returned to The Flash lacking in his inherent genius.

Warden Wolf finally gets a substantive role in "Honey, I Shrunk The Flash Team." Wolf is performed by Richard Brooks, who had a memorable role in the final episode of Firefly, and he has been very much a background character since he appeared on The Flash. Brooks has the same delivery style as how he presented Jubal Early, but without the crazy, random lines. That instantly infuses Wolf with a sense of menace to him, well before that becomes explicit.

The resolution to "Honey, I Shrunk The Flash Team" is similarly basic. The metahuman is astonishingly easy to defeat and ultimately, Barry Allen just takes Big Sur's word (the episode lacks a scene where Horton sits opposite him and confirms his versions of events from his memory, which would have definitively tied the two plots together). The result is an episode that is largely unimpressive.

For other works with Derek Mears, please check out my reviews of:
"Orientation, Part 2" - Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.
"Orientation, Part 1" - Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.
"Part 13" - Twin Peaks
True Blood - Season Seven
Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Predators
Friday The 13th

2/10

For other television reviews, please visit my Television Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2018 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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"The Elongated Knight Rises" In Fun And Interesting Ways On The Flash!

The Good: Decent performances, Fun special effects, A surprising amount of character depth
The Bad: Very predictable plot
The Basics: "The Elongated Knight Rises" on The Flash while Barry Allen is stuck in prison!


Every now and then, I write a review that - even as I post it - I know is not the best piece of writing. That happened last week when I was reviewing "The Trial Of The Flash" (reviewed here!). The reason for the poor review of "The Trial Of The Flash" was that I found it impossible to write about without spoiling virtually the entire piece. But now, a week later, it is easy to talk about what went horribly wrong with "The Trial Of The Flash."

"The Trial Of The Flash" telegraphed its ending from the beginning. Barry Allen had virtually no chance to win the case and he was determined not to fight the verdict against him. The episode was so predictable that well before they showed it, I bet aloud that Barry Allen would end up in his father's cell. And he did. Fallout, who has a great arc in The Flash books was given a lip-service b-plot in "The Trial Of The Flash" that did not do him justice. In last week's episode, Fallout served as a plot device that forced Barry Allen to leave his trial in order to save Central City, with only a nod to his truly sad character. But so much of the critique of "The Trial Of The Flash" hinged upon how much of the episode telegraphed the episode's end. I am certain to do a better review of "The Elongated Knight Rises," so long as it does not replicate the same problems as last week's episode.

Opening with a prison riot, seven days into his stay in Iron Heights, Barry works hard to resist the urge to help people, but eventually gives in to save the lives of the guards. At S.T.A.R. Labs, the team works to help Ralph Dibny defuse a bank robber who has taken hostages and is wired with a bomb. Dibny starts to get cocky as Barry encounters Axel Walker (The Trickster) in the yard. Barry is visited daily by Iris, who has not given up on trying to find the evidence needed to exonerate Barry. Walker is broken out by his mother, the former-villain Prank.

But Axel is not content to simply flee Central City. He challenges the Elongated Man to a fight and while Dibny has some early victories against his gadgets, he is susceptible to The Trickster's acid. While the S.T.A.R. Labs team hunts down Walker and his mother, Barry discovers he has an ally in Iron Heights. Zoey Clark and Axel Walker start transmitting a lethal game show - Wheel Of Misfortune - and when Prank calls out Dibny, he refuses to confront the pair. After a pep talk from Barry in Iron Heights, though, Dibny attempts to stop the two villains.

The idea that a week or eight days in, Barry would be going stir crazy makes perfect sense and Grant Gustin plays the growing edginess well. When Allen is visited by Joe West, Gustin manages to portray the young man with an unsettled quality that is subtle, but palpable.

On the flip side, Iris West steps up to play the team leader in a way that she has not been allowed to since the season premiere and the return of The Flash. The fourth season of The Flash missed a big opportunity to show off Iris West's leadership skills in a compelling way before bringing Barry back to the mix and quickly restoring the equilibrium. In "The Elongated Knight Rises," Iris is given the opportunity to direct the heroes at her disposal well.

"The Elongated Knight Rises" does a good job of creating motivations for all of the characters. Axel is a psychopath who idolizes his father, Zoey is jealous of how much her son loves his father to the neglect of her and Ralph Dibny, for all his ridiculousness, has a pretty healthy survival instinct. Even Big Sir, Barry's new prison ally, has a backstory and a motivation. The characters in "The Elongated Knight Rises" all have a sense of personality and realism to them.

The fourth season of The Flash might be recycling its own plots and playing with a fairly dull set of villains, but the special effects have been stepped up as Barry continues to do a number of Quicksilver-like sequences where he re-arranges adversaries during the battles.

Corinne Bohrer is wonderfully over-the-top as Prank and she steals the scenes that she shares with Devon Graye (Axel). Bohrer makes a generally ridiculous episode seem more fun than stupid or silly. The serious prison plot plays off the ridiculous villains and heroes in "The Elongated Knight Rises." And the Beebo allusion to Legends Of Tomorrow is pretty fun.

Ultimately, "The Elongated Knight Rises" manages to do what "The Trial Of The Flash" did not, which is to make the heroes feel like they are doing more than spinning their wheels heading toward the inevitable.

6.5/10

For other television reviews, please visit my Television Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2018 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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"The Trial Of The Flash" Goes . . . Exactly As Fans Of The Flash Would Expect!

The Good: Moments of character, Good direction, The performances are good
The Bad: Rushes the introduction of Fallout, Light on character development (Ralph Dibny is the moral core of the episode?!)
The Basics: "The Trial Of The Flash" begins on The Flash, with a very different direction from the source material!


Fans of The Flash from the DC Comics book series have had a lot of big events in the story of Barry Allen to look forward to in the television show. In fact, it did not take die-hard fans long at all to start predicting that the newspaper seen from the future in the pilot episode was an allusion to where the series could logically end with The Flash performing the ultimate sacrifice during the Crisis On Infinite Earths. But, between the beginning and the probable end, there are a few solid storylines from The Flash comic books that fans are likely to cream themselves waiting to see on television. As The Flash returns from its midseason hiatus, one such storyline has come: "The Trial Of The Flash."

In the source material, The Trial Of The Flash (reviewed here!) is a major event that, for a while, changed the trajectory of both Barry Allen and The Flash comic book. But, given that "The Trial Of The Flash" is a follow-up to "Don't Run" (reviewed here!) and not a plotline in which The Flash appears to murder the Reverse Flash after he kills Iris, obviously the television show is just using the name, not the plotline. In "Don't Run," DeVoe managed to place his incredible mind into a new body, one that was better euipped to handle his mental bandwidth (and was not dying at an accelerated rate). In the process of disposing of his native body, DeVoe framed Barry Allen as his killer.

Barry Allen asserts that he is being framed, but he allows Ramon to alter the GPS coordinates on his ankle monitor to allow him to meet with the team at S.T.A.R. Labs. With the team assembled, Ramon and Wells realize that when Barry Allen came out of the Speed Force, one of the things he stated was that he did not kill anyone. While they look into other things Barry said when apparently speaking gibberish, Joe West tasks Ralph Dibny with finding clues that might prove Barry innocent. While Marlese DeVoe adapts to her husband's new body, the trial of Barry Allen progresses rapidly with Anton Slater prosecuting based on the mountains of evidence against Barry.

Captain Singh is called to testify against Barry, but Horton - who is representing Barry Allen - manages to turn his testimony to her advantage. While some of the S.T.A.R. Labs team works to catch the latest metahuman who appeared to attack a bank, Dibny manages to get photographs of Marlese kissing DeVoe in his new body. After advocating for Barry to reveal himself on the stand, Horton gets the evidence needed to exonerate Barry. Unfortunately, Marlese is able to turn the revelation of Dominic Lanse to her advantage. When a metahuman on the streets forces Barry Allen to leave his trial, Allen, Snow and Ramon have to drain Fallout of his lethal radiation. While they are able to save Central City, they are not able to forestall the inevitable conclusion to the trial.

"The Trial Of The Flash" is a largely straightforward episode of The Flash, with the titular trial dominating the episode. While most fans of the source material might be geeking out over the altered version of the Flash's big court case, I was actually excited by the first appearance of Fallout. In Geoff Johns's tenure writing The Flash, Fallout was one of the most pitiable and intriguing metahumans he created. Johns made a metahuman who was haplessly dangerous and who willingly confined himself in Iron Heights away from people so he could not hurt them. Indeed, when Rogues and others broke out of Iron Heights, Fallout often remained behind. In "The Trial Of The Flash," Neil is introduced as a b-plot, like pretty much every other metahuman on The Flash.

Neil, Fallout, is presented in "The Trial Of The Flash" as a metahuman with no control over his abilities and he is performed with a sadness that is instantly palpable. Fallout is used in "The Trial Of The Flash" as part of DeVoe's endgame, which allows him to force Barry Allen out of the courtroom. Instead of giving Fallout a slower arc that allowed him to develop in such a way that his tragic nature could be explored and he could be stopped in a more compelling way. Instead, Killer Frost, Vibe and The Flash do a heroic team-up, Neil gets a line or two out to indicate he is not in control and he has to be stopped. But Fallout deserved more and while it is easy to feel sympathy for him, he is hardly the empathetic character he is in the books.

Phil Chipera provides good direction for "The Trial Of The Flash." The episode feels different from many of the others, even if it is unfortunately predictable. The result is a real split decision on the return of The Flash.

For other midseason premiere episodes on The Flash, please visit my reviews of:
"Revenge Of The Rogues"
"Potential Energy"
"Borrowing Problems From The Future"

5/10

For other television reviews, please visit my Television Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2018 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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"Don't Run" Makes DeVoe Into A Proper Villain For The Flash!

The Good: Decent performances, Generally well-constructed plot, Moments of character development
The Bad: Forced humor, A few plot contrivances
The Basics: The Flash finally starts to illustrate a dark side to DeVoe in "Don't Run!"


Fans of The Flash might have more to hate from the recent, massive, DC Television Universe crossover than fans of the other three shows produced for The CW. After all, in addition to killing the narrative momentum of The Flash, the crossover included both the would-be and actual weddings of Barry Allen and Iris West in episodes of other shows (not The Flash!). So, as The Flash returns for its mid-season finale, "Don't Run," it has the feeling of recovering from a stumble and is likely to leave viewers instantly bewildered if they are picking up from the prior episode of the show.

"Don't Run" follows up more directly on the plot events of "Therefore I Am" (reviewed here!) than it does of the immediate predecessor, "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 3" (reviewed here!). "Don't Run" returns the focus of The Flash and Barry Allen's life to The Thinker, Clifford DeVoe. "Don't Run" is the first overtly sinister on-screen action of Clifford DeVoe as he abducts Barry Allen. The episode also marks the return of Killer Frost's adversary, Amunet Black.

At S.T.A.R. Labs, Cisco and Harry are decorating the tree when Dr. Snow and Ralph Dibny arrives. The men note that they have been hanging out with Killer Frost, which upsets Dr. Snow. As Barry and Iris go through their gifts after their abrupt wedding (and their return from their honeymoon), Barry notes that he does not feel the need to use his speed powers when Iris is with him. DeVoe and his wife make plans to help DeVoe overcome his body's deterioration. While Harry is counseling Dr. Snow at Jitters, Amunet Black arrives to abduct Snow and Barry is abducted by a floating chair-equipped DeVoe.

Black brings Snow to a metahuman she has incapacitated and is in need of medical attention, while DeVoe imprisons Allen in his laboratory. Snow realizes that Dominic Lanse has telepathic abilities. Joe West arrives at DeVoe's home where he and Harry are unable to find Barry or a way into DeVoe's laboratory. Harry returns from the trip frustrated and advises Iris to make a tough decision. Dr. Snow and Lanse attempt to escape, but are captured by Black. When Snow attempts to remove the foreign object Black embedded in Snow, Snow uses the surgery as an opportunity to stage another escape attempt. DeVoe makes a bold move to try to get rid of the Flash, solve his deteriorating body problem and move on to the next phase of his plan!

The fourth season of The Flash, rather smartly, has not followed the same formula as its prior seasons. In addition to not having an enemy to defeat who is a Speedster, Barry Allen has known just who his adversary is. As a result, this midseason finale - unlike the three that have preceded it - is not about revealing the Big Bag and that part of the formula is refreshingly stirred up in "Don't Run." The weakness of the way that the villain for the fourth season of The Flash has been presented is that he does not seem particularly villainous. After all, in the prior episodes of the fourth season, DeVoe was revealed to have been a metahuman, accelerated his abilities to become super smart and he engineered the escape of Barry Allen from the Speed Force prison (in the process creating more metahumans). Until "Don't Run," DeVoe has not actually done anything that is demonstrably bad.

That changes in "Don't Run." Before "Don't Run," DeVoe was just a desperate man trying to save his own life. He manipulated circumstances to create other metahumans, but even that was not a particularly evil act. In "Don't Run," DeVoe forcibly abducts and imprisons Barry Allen. By the end of the episode, he and his wife have stepped over the line of desperate people into super-villains and the transition is pretty good. In fact, one of the few character and plot issues with "Don't Run" is how the subplot with Dr. Snow plays off of the a-plot. Marlize DeVoe built the chair for The Thinker; it seems like the surgery in the episode would have been well within her skill set to perform. The burden on the rest of the episodes in the fourth season is to prove that DeVoe is villainous beyond his desire to survive. What makes DeVoe want to control or change other people is still a mystery and it seems like (thus far) DeVoe would just be happy if he could effectively educate people, so his sinister plan actually has to rise to the level of villainy AND make for a sensible transition.

The surgery subplot is not the only character issue in "Don't Run." Suddenly all of the men of S.T.A.R. Labs talk like frat boys. That is a troubling change for fans of The Flash. So, too, is Cisco Ramon's utter stupidity in his final scene (really, he can't turn off the interdimensional message device?!). It seems like since Ralph Dibny showed up and joined the team, no one on the team is written to be as smart as they had been.

Katee Sackhoff returns as Amunet Black in "Don't Run" and Sackhoff seems to delight in playing the villainous metahuman as completely crazy. The most impressive aspect of Sackhoff's performance is that she plays the big-smiling sociopath amazingly well. But at one of the episode's key moments, Sackhoff is able to soften her performance and deliver a surprisingly inspiring monologue. Sackhoff ties together the disparate character moments without making either seem like they are not two halves of the same whole. That type of balancing act is actually pretty tough to pull off, but Sackhoff manages to do it.

Ultimately, "Don't Run" is another episode of The Flash where the titular character sits out most of the episode's important events. While Barry Allen is captured, he waits around. Iris West-Allen has to go through a whole "burdens of command" moral dilemma and Dr. Snow has to fend for herself to save a life; Barry Allen does shockingly little in the piece. As a result, The Flash continues to play second fiddle in his own show. Indeed, even Cisco seems more powerful in "Don't Run" than Barry Allen!

The net result is a midseason finale that puts a lot of burden on the rest of the season to actually make the viewers believe in the villainy of DeVoe and the ineptitude of the S.T.A.R. Labs team.

For other midseason finale episodes on The Flash, please visit my reviews of:
"The Man In The Yellow Suit"
"Running To Stand Still"
"The Present"

5.5/10

For other television reviews, please visit my Television Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Legends Of Tomorrow Closes The Arc With "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 4!"

The Good: Good character moments, Performances, Decent effects
The Bad: Predictable resolution, End robs the Legends Of Tomorrow of their big moment
The Basics: Legends Of Tomorrow gets the big moments of "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 4," but the biggest character moment for the team is robbed for a saccharine end to the crossover.


In some ways, it seems like the showrunners for Legends Of Tomorrow had a good idea that the massive crossover event for the DC Television Universe would be falling just as the third season of the show began to gain momentum. That seems like one of the best reasons that almost as soon as Damien Darhk pops up as one of the principle antagonists for the third season of Legends Of Tomorrow, there is an almost completely divergent episode that puts Grodd in the narrative. Just as "Welcome To The Jungle" (reviewed here!) had no real tie to the prior episode (save the very last scene), "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 4" has no real connection to "Welcome To The Jungle."

"Crisis On Earth-X, Part 4" comes right after the climactic events of "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 3" (reviewed here!) and it is impossible to discuss the final episode in the arc without some references as to where the show prior ended. After all, with Dr. Stein shot on Earth-X and a distress call from Felicity Smoak out to the Waverider crew, it seems like the Legends Of Tomorrow characters who have been noticeably missing from the prior three parts might actually become integral to the episode's resolution.

Almost instantly, it becomes clear that the reason most of the Waverider crew was absent from the wedding of Barry Allen and Iris West was that the room being too full of super powered people would have defied the suspension of disbelief.

"Crisis On Earth-X, Part 4" opens with Dr. Stein shot, bleeding to death on the floor where he manages to open the breach to Earth-1. The Flash and The Ray manage to take out Red Tornado before managing to return Earth-1 with the rest of the heroes. When Eobard Thawne attempts to slice into Kara, The Atom appears and manages to save her. With the S.T.A.R. Labs team freed, Stein and Jax lay near death from Stein being shot repeatedly. Mr. Terrific figures out that the Earth-X Nazi Waverider and Earth-X Kara are bombs with the potential to destroy much of Earth.

Realizing that he is tethered to Jackson, Dr. Stein separates from the Firestorm matrix. While the heroes unite to protect Kara from the Earth-X Oliver and Eobard Thawne, Felicity, Ramon and Wells try to bring down the alternate Waverider. And the big battle ensues and it is cool and it gets resolved pretty much as anyone with a brain would have figured it would.

More than with last year's big crossover event, the Legends Of Tomorrow actually are integral to the resolution of "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 4." While there is a key moment where it seems like Cisco would have been able to open a breach to resolve a serious problem, much of the resolution to "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 4" feels organic and the big emotional moments are mostly related to the Legends Of Tomorrow. And then the very end of the episode craps on what should have been the big moments for The Flash and Arrow.

"Crisis On Earth-X, Part 4" finally rewards Franz Drameh with a part that plays up to his acting talents. Drameh plays Jefferson Jackson and while Victor Garber gives his usual masterful performance in "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 4," it is Drameh's acting and reacting to Garber's performance that makes the episode's emotional moment land. The episode's final scene gives Drameh a moment to stand on his own and it promises to keep Jefferson Jackson vital going forward.

Legends Of Tomorrow bears the brunt of the big, emotional, casualty in "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 4" and the series creates a powerful moment that will remain so . . . unless it is undone. Leonard Snart made a powerful exit from Legends Of Tomorrow, but "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 4" restores the character by bringing the Earth-X doppelganger over in his place. Snart and Thawne being put back in play is interesting, but it diminishes the multiple sacrifices made that put their characters in the ground. "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 4" gives a big character a decent, heroic exit and it has the potential to rock the Waverider crew to its core . . . but it does not emotionally decimate the viewer because the follow-up to the loss is such a non-sequitor moment for Legends Of Tomorrow fans.

Ultimately, "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 4" does what it needs to in order to finish the crossover, but it falls more toward average than exceptional.

For other DC Television Universe Crossover episodes, please visit my reviews of:
"Crisis On Earth-X Part 1" - Supergirl
Crisis On Earth-X Part 2 - Arrow
"Invasion!" - Legends Of Tomorrow

6.5/10

For other television and movie reviews, please visit my Movie Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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"Crisis On Earth-X, Part 3" Introduces More Heroes, More Villains, And Predictable Reversals!

The Good: Good performances, Decent direction, Moments of character
The Bad: Introduces/returns new characters to the mix in an already-crowded pageant, Somewhat simple plot, Whatever happened to Mick Rory?!
The Basics: The Flash is given the crossover installment "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 3," which allows characters from other shows in the DC Television Universe the chance to shine.


One of the real tragedies of the crossover event that began with Supergirl last night is that by the time The Flash episode in the series comes up, the narrative momentum on The Flash has been utterly killed. Coming off the series high of "Therefore I Am" (reviewed here!), "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 3" seems entirely like a non-sequitor. Indeed, time has passed and The Flash and other heroes of the DC Television Universe have popped up for a completely different adventure that has absolutely nothing to do with The Thinker (Clifford DeVoe).

"Crisis On Earth-X, Part 3" picks up right after "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 2" (reviewed here!) and it is impossible to discuss the new episode without some references as to what came before. After all, Barry Allen and Iris West's wedding was broken up by interlopers from Earth-X and most of the heroes of the four DC Television Universe shows ended up on Earth-X in a concentration camp. As well, the point of the whole invasion - and the theft of a technical device nicknamed the Prism - was finally made clear: the Earth-X Supergirl needs a new heart, so the villains intend to drain Supergirl of her powers, then perform surgery on her to steal her heart. And fans of The Flash are likely to be most thrilled (or bewildered, if they've missed the prior installments) of the return of Eobard Thawne - this time as a temporal remnant still wearing the face of Harrison Wells.

The inherent weakness of "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 3" is that the crossover hinges on so many of the characters teaming up . . . but there have been so many who have no surfaced (both from the regular shows or the Earth-X doppelgangers). So, the viewer goes into "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 3" with a pretty good sense that Wally West, most of the Waverider crew, and several other heroes have simply not popped up yet and are likely to be integral to the resolution of the story. Sadly, "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 3" does not keep viewers waiting very long as Sarah and Dinah Lance's father appears very quickly on Earth-X, as does another familiar face.

On Earth-X, the heroes of Earth-1 (and Alex), find themselves trapped without their powers and outfitted with collars that might well kill them. Cisco Ramon awakens in one of his own cells, near Dr. Snow, Harry Wells, and the Black Siren. Kara is prepped for surgery under a light of a red sun. On Earth-X, Sarah Lance's father arrives as the commandant of the concentration camp and he has the Earth-1 heroes, and another detainee, out for execution. The group is rescued by Leo Snart, who frees the Earth-X native, The Ray. Getting back to Star City, The Ray reveals that he is from Earth-1 also.

While Felicity sends a distress signal to the Waverider, on Earth-X General Schott orders his freedom fighters to destroy the facility that contains the breach that will send the heroes back to Earth-1. Alex attempts to reason with Winn Schott, while Dr. Stein reaches out to Jefferson Jackson to apologize to him for wanting to retire. While the medical procedure on Kara begins, Felicity manages to knock the power at S.T.A.R. Labs out. On Earth-X, Oliver Queen impersonates the Fuhrer. There, he sends the alternate-Waverider to Earth-1.

Melissa Benoist continues to rock in "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 3." Benoist continues to play both Kara and Earth-X Kara and there are long scenes where Benoist is tasked with acting opposite only herself. Benoist manages to take on an entirely different body language as the evil Kara. More than simply hair and make-up changes, it is Melissa Benoist's performance that truly lands the major scenes in "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 3."

The other performance winner in "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 3" is Jeremy Jordan. Jordan plays the alternate version of Winn Schott and the authoritative stance and voice he approaches the role with is pretty incredible.

It's hard not to be absolutely thrilled by the appearance of Wentworth Miller as Leonard Snart. Miller has had a rough couple of years, but any opportunity to see him in action is truly a thrill. The moment Miller appears on "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 3" the viewer is likely to get completely giddy and simply thrilled by every frame he is on screen.

The relationship moments in "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 3" work much better than in the prior two installments. Seeing Dr. Stein finally acknowledge the essential truth between him and Jefferson Jackson is delightful. It's good writing to finally have a smart character like Stein also be emotionally smart.

Like most of the prior installments, "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 3" is hardly an episode of The Flash; the surprise adversary is a throwback to the first season of Supergirl and Eobard Thawne's scenes are all upstaged by the emotionally-open, plan-oriented version of Leonard Snart. It is the characters from Legends Of Tomorrow and Supergirl who actually have the most to do in "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 3," while The Flash characters are stuck playing second fiddle on their own program.

Ultimately, "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 3" might not be much of an episode that relates to the rest of The Flash, but it is a solid penultimate act to the crossover event!

For other crossover episodes on The Flash, please visit my reviews of:
"Flash Vs. Arrow"
"Legends Of Today"
"Invasion!"
"Duet" - The Flash

7/10

For other television reviews, please visit my Television Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Character Torment Keeps "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 2" From Progressing Organically.

The Good: Decent performances, Moments of character, Special effects, Bits of plot progression
The Bad: Nothing - character or plot - is actually resolved, Erratic pacing, Lack of focus in the direction for the battle sequences
The Basics: Arrow continues the 2017 crossover event with "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 2," which kills the plot progression to pair off characters to talk about their feelings before the villains' agenda is made clear.


When it comes to crossover episodes, one of the clear purposes of a massive crossover story is to cross-promote other shows that fans might be interested in. From where I sit, the big crossover events right around Fall Sweeps is The CW's annual attempt to force me to watch Arrow. And this year, my annual episode of Arrow is "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 2."

"Part 2," obviously, picks up where "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 1" (reviewed here!) and it is impossible to discuss the Arrow component of the crossover event without some references as to where the prior installment went. After all, the Supergirl portion of "Crisis On Earth-X" established the conceit that would bring together the heroes of the four CW DC Television Universe shows: the wedding of Barry Allen to Iris West. The wedding was broken up by the arrival of Nazis from another Earth and while they were repelled, most escaped. One, an archer, was captured and brought to S.T.A.R. Labs.

Opening in Central City, the captured archer from Earth-X is revealed to be Tommy Merlyn, which shakes Oliver Queen. The S.T.A.R. Labs team and its visiting heroes regroup and Harry Wells reveals that there is a 53rd Earth in the multiverse: Earth-X, an Earth where the Nazis developed (and used) the atomic bomb before the U.S. Queen tries to appeal to Tommy Merlyn, but Merlyn kills himself before he can be of use to Oliver. The three remaining villains - Earth-X Kara Danvers, Eobard Thawne (still with Harrison Wells' face), and Oliver Queen - regroup.

The various character pairs - Oliver and Felicity, Dr. Stein and Jackson, Alex and Sara - take time ot talk about their feelings . . . until the Earth-X nazis attack Dayton Optical for a prism. Kara, Queen, and Allen face off against their doppelgangers (and Thawne in Allen's place). When a battle ensues, the Earth-X Supergirl attacks a nearby building. That allows the villains to escape with the Prism, which they can use to develop into a neutron bomb. When most of the team goes to a factory where the villains have the prism, Mick Rory and Dr. Snow stay with Smoak and West at S.T.A.R. Labs to protect against the Earth-X Oliver Queen. When the Earth-X Metallo appears at the factory, the tide turns in favor of the Earth-X invaders.

The choice of villains for "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 2" are good. Without the Earth-X Supergirl, Supergirl alone would be able to repel the invasion and the inclusion of a Speedster enemy distracts Barry from simply taking out alternate Kara. Easily the smartest moment of "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 2" comes when Queen came to the meeting with the doppelgangers with a Kryptonite arrow. Sensibly, Cisco Ramon remains out of action for "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 2," which makes sense because Ramon would easily be able to track any of the invaders from an alternate Earth.

Felicity and Oliver take time to mull over their relationship, in the wake of Smoak telling Queen in the prior episode she did not want to marry him. Smoak's reasoning is fairly solid; the last time she got engaged, she was shot. Smoak is good at explaining just what is important to her and why, while Queen seems blindly determined to marry her.

The relationship between Stein and Jackson is well-explored (albeit briefly) in "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 2." Jackson finally is able to tell Stein how important his other half is to him in the face of Stein's impending retirement. It's nice to see Jackson finally open up and it is unfortunate that Stein, who latched so completely onto his temporally-anomalous daughter, would be so thick in regard to how Jackson feels.

The relationship portion of the episode slows the momentum of the story that was left at the climax of "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 2." While it is enjoyable to see something other than a bland action-adventure crossover, the "everybody gets a chance to try to resolve their emotional turmoil" scenes quickly start to feel like the same type of trope. The characters on the four CW DC Television Universe shows are all dealing with big emotional conflicts . . . it is this moment when ALL of them manage to start having an honest dialogue about what is going on between them?! This is equally frustrating because most of the conversations remain unresolved, so the conversations feel more melodramatic than real.

The dramatic suit-up scene is painful to watch for its sense of melodrama after all of the relationship discussions. There is something entirely ridiculous about the dramatic shirt opening to reveal Supergirl when she is in a lab surrounded by people who know who she is. In other words, there is no reason for her to assume a Kara Danvers persona at S.T.A.R. Labs where everybody knows she is Supergirl.

The big battle sequences all seem to underplay the power of Firestorm, especially in contrast to people like Oliver Queen. In fact, as Firestorm pointlessly zips around taking out footsoldiers, it's hard not to ask "why doesn't Firestorm transmute Earth-X Kara's outfit into Kryptonite?" Certainly, that would both incapacitate her and contain her. Firestorm simply zipping around like a half-assed flaming Superman reduces his power and Professor Stein's intelligence.

The actors in "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 2" all do fine with the parts they are given, but outside Melissa Benoist and Stephen Amell, none are charged with doing anything that truly challenges them. Benoist, especially, has to play an alternate, dark version of her character and the best that can be said about the Earth-X Supergirl is that Benoist manages to not play her with even a hint of how she played Bizarro.

Ultimately, "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 2" manages to finally get around to explaining what the point (in-universe) of the crossover is. The idea of why the Earth-X invaders have come is an interesting one, though it seems like a somewhat troublesome conceit. If the Earth-X Supergirl needs Kara's heart, it seems like she and her team might have had a much easier time of getting it if they had attacked Kara on her native Earth. "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 2" leaves the viewer desperate to understand how someone as smart as Eobard Thawne could make such an obvious mistake.

The net result of the various contradictions and plot holes is that "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 2" develops into a very average hour of television.

For other DC Television Universe Crossover episodes, please visit my reviews of:
"Invasion!" - Arrow
"Pilot, Part I" - Legends Of Tomorrow
"Medusa" - Supergirl

5/10

For other television season and episode reviews, please visit my Television Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Blase Beginning: "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 1" Is A Crowded, Divergent, Start To The Next Big Crossover Event!

The Good: Performances are fine, Good direction
The Bad: Continuity (kills the momentum of Supergirl), Final reveal is more dull than revelatory, No real character development, Formulaic plot
The Basics: Supergirl starts the "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 1" and it has so much to do to tie together the four DC Television Universe shows that it does remarkably little of its own.


One of the more unfortunate aspects of the DC Television Universe is the crossover episode. The trope is a problematic one, especially when Supergirl is forced to incorporate with the rest of the DC Television Universe and protagonist Kara Zor-El has to make a trip between universes just to include her. So, there's usually a contrived threat, then a contrived coming together, then a forced conflict between the characters - who range now from metahumans to vigilantes to time travelers to extraterrestrials - before a massive conflict that results in a solution that only works out because all of the various teams contributed. For the latest crossover, "Crisis On Earth-X," the binding initiating incident is the wedding of Barry Allen.

And that begins the issues with both "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 1" and the crossover in general. In Supergirl, the story has been going along just fine, building its own thing and the narrative momentum - shaken up just last week with "Wake Up" (reviewed here!) - makes a pretty abrupt stop to divert for the wedding of Barry Allen and Iris West. Starting the wedding on Supergirl is a conceit that comes from the days of the week the DC Television Universe shows air on instead of a sensible storytelling order. As a result, the first appearance of Supergirl in "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 1" has Kara fighting a Dominator (out of nowhere!) with the only real purpose being to make a joke that alludes to last year's big sweeps crossover event.

Opening on Earth-X, which is a world where the United States is under Nazi rule, an archer takes out an entire scientific team. The archer kills Guardian, who is still James Olsen in that reality. In Central City, The Flash prepares for his wedding day by taking on King Shark and in Star City, Felicity bugs Oliver to get him to commit to going to Iris and Barry's wedding. In 1183 England, the Waverider crew cuts their mission short to go prepare for the wedding and Kara, mourning the return of Mon-El (who is now married) talks with Alex about her feelings . . . and Barry Allen's wedding. While the four groups come together, on Earth-X, the scientists prepare to test their new super weapon, with a one-day deadline.

At the rehearsal dinner, Felicity tells Oliver she does not want to marry him. The next morning, Alex wakes up with Sara and freaks out. The wedding begins fairly normally, until the officiant is killed by the Earth-X version of Supergirl and Earth-X Nazis invade the church. In the ensuing fight, The Flash rescues his civilian guests and the bulk of the invaders are put down by the others. When the battle turns against the invaders, the interlopers retreat. While the heroes from Earth-1 manage to capture an archer from the invaders, Prometheus, the three main invaders manage to escape.

"Crisis On Earth-X, Part 1" has a number of major events spread throughout the DC Television Universe on Supergirl, which is an awkward and somewhat ridiculous conceit. National City and the universe of Supergirl is entirely divorced from the other three shows. So, Dr. Stein and Jefferson Jackson's quest to separate Firestorm, Oliver and Felicity's on-again, off-again relationship, and even the wedding of Barry Allen is not even peripherally related to Supergirl.

The first half of "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 1" has everyone coming to our Earth (Earth-1). Barry and Iris suggest to Oliver and Felicity that they get married, the S.T.A.R. Labs team miraculously develops the cure Stein has been looking for in order to separate from Jackson. The only truly organic aspect of the many people coming together is that Kara brings Alex as her "plus one" and she gets super drunk and ends up in bed with Sara Lance. For a generally fluffy episode, "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 1" continues the realistic portrayal of a heartbroken woman (Alex) turning to alcohol and uncharacteristic decisions.

Unfortunately, most of "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 1" is forced and contrived. Barry Allen invites Kara to sing at the wedding, which is a particularly lazy way to get Melissa Benoist singing on-screen again (Grant Gustin and Benoist were both on Glee prior to being cast as super heroes) and it feels almost as forced as the Waverider crew talking about going to the wedding mid-battle. Ironically, most of the best lines in "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 1" are delivered by Mick Rory. Dominic Purcell might not have a huge role in "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 1," but he makes the most of it.

"Crisis On Earth-X, Part 1" is not actually a Supergirl episode; it is barely a television episode. Most of "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 1," despite being very stylishly directed, feels like a trailer to an action movie or a commercial. The fast-pace, lack of depth, the obvious plotting (Stein's moral dilemma quickly turns into an incident that proves to him the value of Firestorm), and the lack of genuine surprises or character development make "Crisis On Earth-X, Part 1" a very disappointing start to the crossover event.

For other DC Television Universe Crossover episodes, please visit my reviews of:
"Flash Vs. Arrow" - The Flash
"Invasion!" - Arrow
"Invasion!" - Legends Of Tomorrow
"Duet" - The Flash

3.5/10

For other television season and episode reviews, please visit my Television Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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"Therefore I Am" Finally Brings A Compelling Villain To The Flash!

The Good: Awesome character progression, Great acting, Good effects, Wonderful direction
The Bad: Disbelief of the Flash team reads as a bit false
The Basics: The Flash creates its best episode of the series with the revelation of the backstory for DeVoe in "Therefore I Am!"


After years of The Flash following a very familiar format in its seasons and villains, there is something very satisfying about the progression of the fourth season of The Flash. Instead of having a Speedster adversary who the protagonist is clueless about, the fourth season of The Flash began with a pretty strong idea of who The Flash would be encountering. Namedropped several times late in the third season was DeVoe and since the fourth season began, The Thinker has been seen building an elaborate trap for The Flash. By the seventh episode, "Therefore I Am," Barry Allen is coming face to face with the DeVoe he has sought since Ralph Dibny mentioned him.

"Therefore I Am" picks up where "When Harry Met Harry. . ." (reviewed here!) left off and it is impossible to discuss the new episode without some references as to what happened in the prior episode. After all, "When Harry Met Harry . . ." was preoccupied (occasionally) with trying to narrow down the thousands of options of people named "DeVoe" to the one most likely to be the adversary of The Flash. The prior episode climaxed with Barry Allen and Joe West arriving at the door of Clifford DeVoe.

Four years ago in Central City, Clifford DeVoe is teaching at Central City University, where his students are uninterested. DeVoe shows his wife the prototype for his thinking cap and asks her to build it for him so he might better be able to think and interface with his students. In the present, Allen and West interrogate DeVoe and his wife. Despite DeVoe giving many of the right answers, Barry suspects that he is the right suspect for their emerging villain. After ruling Clifford out as a metahuman, Iris suggests to Barry that he is just having pre-wedding jitters.

On the night of the S.T.A.R. Labs accident, Clifford DeVoe attempts to take advantage of the dark matter explosion by harnessing the power of the event to fuel the thinking cap his wife built for him. DeVoe visits the Central City Police Department where he files a complaint against Barry for harassing him. When the camera in the samauroid head goes active, Barry sneaks into the DeVoe home. That gets Barry a restraining order and his friends turn against him.

Almost immediately, "Therefore I Am" sends up a red flag for the continuity police. Clifford DeVoe and his wife are super-geniuses who were working in Central City at the time of the dark matter accident. People like Stein, Raymond, and Dibny were all on the S.T.A.R. Labs radar when the accident occurred. So, how Clifford DeVoe and his wife were not approached by S.T.A.R. Labs to work for them seems suspect. Fortunately, in the course of "Therefore I Am" S.T.A.R. Labs and the accident are addressed, including the rather sensible moment when the time traveling Eobard Thawne subtly acknowledges that he knows who DeVoe will become.

The real joy of "Therefore I Am" is that it unfolds in an incredibly compelling and engaging way. Barry Allen has his guy from minute one and the investigation into DeVoe and his wife follows a methodical and interesting journey for revealing what the audience pretty much already knows. The episode follows Barry Allen doing actual policework to investigate and prove his hypothesis, while flashbacks provide explicit backstory information.

The unfolding of the mystery in "Therefore I Am" well-executed and the episode's direction is quite good. David McWhirter seems to give viewers the answers early on in the form of Cisco's vibe, but the progression of the episode is engaging.

It is only in the episode's final third that the pacing starts to lag and the episode starts to feel like it is headed off the rails. Clifford DeVoe's motivations are not clear - how he developed from the professor who wanted to save the world into the bald man confined to the futuristic chair (until the end when it becomes clear that is simply a lifesaving measure) - outside his frustration. It is as the episode progresses that it suddenly seems ridiculous that at no point did anyone on Team Flash actually ask what it was that DeVoe did that was so bad.

DeVoe is characterized well by "Therefore I Am" and it is instantly refreshing to see a "villain" who has his own support network and love in his life. That sets him apart and the result is that outside the utter disbelief of Barry Allen's friends, "Therefore I Am" builds to a truly compelling and engaging episode that is almost perfect!

9.5/10

For other television reviews, please visit my Television Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2017 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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