The Flash Review: Flashpoint (Season 3 Episode 1)
On this episode of The Flash, Barry does something selfish that he must fix before time runs out. Sounds familiar, don’t it?
When the creators of The Flash announced that the “Flashpoint” story-line would be gracing our television screens, fans everywhere squeed with joy. In the comics, Barry Allen’s selfish (though understandable) decision to save his mother ruins the world: The Atlanteans are at war with the Amazons, Iris is married to someone else, Thomas Wayne is Batman, The Justice League barely exists, and Flash doesn’t have his powers.
Of course, given the scope and budget of this show and the fact that, due to their current use in the WB’s DC film line-up, most of those characters are off-limits to the Arrowverse, we knew that the stakes wouldn’t be quite as high. But I just… didn’t expect the stakes to be so low.
In this universe’s “Flashpoint,” Wally West is finally Kid Flash; Iris barely knows Gary from elementary school, but they still end up together; Caitlin is an ophthalmologist (probably happily married with kids); Cisco is using his brain to make iPhones a better place. Seems sort of like a bargain compared to the world on which the story-line is based.
The downside: Barry starts losing his memory of his previous life, Joe is an alcoholic, and… that’s it. No one’s dead, no one is involved in horrible, awful crimes. Everything seems to run pretty parallel to the previous timeline.
Caitlin: Have I been kidnapped?
Wally: Unclear.
So why does Barry ultimately give up and allow Reverse Flash to kill his mother? Because Wally got hurt. Not killed. Hurt.
I’m not going to sit here and judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree. The Flash has always been lighthearted show with a heavy finger on the reset button.
But for one episode, the writers had the opportunity to create the darkest timeline, to make things as awful as they possibly could and explore whatever crazy iteration of this character they’ve ever nightmared about.
Or if they wanted to avoid that particular darkness, they could have also gone the route of this season’s new CW show, Frequency, where Barry remembers both timelines and would have to choose between them.
Returning to the normal timeline would have been a much more excruciating choice if he were remembering being with his mother and father his whole life rather than just the last three months, a choice I would have loved to watch the capable Grant Gustin make.
Instead, the writers left the show as light and uncomplicated as usual. Barry’s doing the same selfish, dumb thing he’s always done, and then presses the reset button.
Almost.
He returns to the “real” timeline with everything in its proper place, except for some reason, Iris and Joe are no longer speaking. “What have I done?” Barry cries melodramatically as he collapses on the couch, overcome with grief.
Boy, bye. They’ll be fine. Get them some family counseling and go back to chasing the speedster-of-the-season. (The Rival took off his mask and I literally said aloud, “I don’t care.”)
Let us pray the other minute changes will hopefully be more interesting.
Bechdel Test Score: U
From here on, I will be grading episodes of The Flash using the Bechdel Test. Each episode will score either a “U” for unsatisfactory or an “S” for satisfactory. While the Bechdel Test is not the ultimate measure for female representation and gender equality in media, the fact that there are still shows out there that can’t meet the test’s very simple standards is ridiculous.
The Flash consistently fails. If there were as many women in real life as there are on this show, the world would be a very boring place and human population would die out within a year.
Cisco’s Pop Culture References
I’m going to need some help with these. He throws them out so quickly and I’m not always going to catch them.
Lightning Bolts
- “Flashpoint” managed to rectify exactly zero of the problems this show had last season.
- “The Rival.” This is what happens when Cisco isn’t around to name the villains.
- Luke Cage is much better at asking someone out for coffee.
- “Speed. That’s always been my problem.” As pick-up lines go, probably not the best I’ve heard. But not the worst.
- I love that the Allens are subtly trying to get Barry’s grown ass out of their basement.
- Did Barry actually put Joe in the shower?
- “I have a hangover and a gun.”
- Cisco’s office is littered with Sayl chairs. Once you know what they are, you’ll see them everywhere. You’re welcome.
- “Who’s the villain, now, Flash?!” Chill out there, buddy. It’s still you, don’t worry.
- “Am I free to go?” A gentle reminder that, yes, this woman was technically kidnapped.
What did you think of this episode of The Flash? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Reviewer Rating:
I’m going to rate this episode against other The Flash episodes (as opposed to, say, The Good Wife). Much like Barry’s flirting style, this episode was not the worst I’ve seen, but not the best.
User Rating:
The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on The CW.
James A. Windley
James A. Windley, Writer, Virgo, Loaded couch potato. James' love of television began at the intersection when Saturday morning cartoons met to Xena: Warrior Princess syndications, and his head has been a mess ever since. He loves superheroes, drama (in life, not television), and misses when very special episodes were a thing.