The Flash Review: The New Rogues (Season 3 Episode 4)
The Flash finally gets a sidekick. And like everything else on this show, it lasts approximately five seconds.
“The New Rogues” introduces us to two of Flash’s most iconic villains, Mirror Master and The Top, while also managing to make them the dullest, most one-dimensional characters The Flash has ever seen.
Mirror Master (why bother with his real name) wakes up after three years and wants to hurt Captain Cold for… why? Okay, so, three years ago, MM wanted out of Cold’s little robbery syndicate. Cold politely declined his offer and tried to kill him. Then the particle accelerator explodes and traps MM inside mirrorland.
Three years later, MM is released because a construction worker placed the mirror upright (apparently, Mirror Master’s weakness is horizontality), and despite having no concept of how long he’s been trapped, emerges swearing revenge against Captain Cold for trying to kill him a couple minutes ago (from his perspective).
Then there’s The Top, who has vertigo-inducing powers (something that Arrow already did), loves green & yellow, and is in love with MM because she’s a woman on The Flash. If she’s not someone’s love interest, she’s not really doing her job.
Can you imagine if the writers felt they had to tie Captain Cold and Heat Wave together romantically the way they feel they have to do with any female villain with a partner?
I’d actually pay money to see that.
The real star of this episode is Jesse Quick who finally gets to run around with Wally (in shoes that could not possibly withstand that sort of friction), tests her reflexes in Trajectory’s hand-me-downs, and gives Barry the opportunity to pass on his Oliver Queen-like knowledge of the Speed Force to an eager mentee. Hopefully we can explore more of these dynam—
Oh. Jesse’s going back to Earth-2. Well, never mind, then.
So, between the cut-rate villains and the uninteresting tales of Barry The Virgin (something I’d also pay money to see them discuss like adults), “The New Rogues” seems as if it’s going to offer us nothing more than the formula that The Flash has been following for the last year or so.
The episode’s saving grace came in the last thirty seconds as we’re shown that Caitlin is losing control over her appearance. As soon as Harry declares that their machine won’t be cold enough, we all know it’s only a matter of time before Mrs. Snow-Raymond steps in to do the jobs the boys can’t.
Unfortunately for her, that, if anything, speeds up her frosty transition, either by allowing her to (sub)consciously accept her powers or creating a sort of cascading physical reaction from the exertion.
Either way, the prospect of a close friend-turned-villain is the most exciting thing The Flash has given us in two seasons and hopefully the buildup is worthy of the ensuing fallout.
Overall, this one of the less interesting episodes of the Flash, with poorly conceived villain revamps, too little Jesse Quick, and a confusing attempt at keeping Barry and Iris apart. It feels more like we’re just treading water waiting for Dr. Alchemy to reveal his dastardly plan.
Bechdel Test Score: U
DA Horton did speak to The Top, but only to ask about Mirror Master’s whereabouts and only while Joe was in the room.
Cisco’s Pop Culture References
Seven Years Bad Luck
- The Top took down both of Snart’s goons by herself while pretty boy MM was over there struggling.
- Violett Beane’s elbow-less sweatshirt is something I need to own.
- Why can’t Barry just meet Iris at her place?
- The Top, who is male in the comics, was probably changed to female to avoid the hilarious modern-day implications of calling a man, “The Top”. (“Oh, so you’re the Top. I see. Cisco once referred to Hartley Rathaway as ‘a bottom’ before, but I never knew why.”)
- Now that Wentworth Miller got this multi-show deal, he’ll just show up for any ol’ plot, huh?
- “I can’t pretend to understand or care about the science behind it all.” That’s funny, Joe. Neither can the writers.
- For example, how does Cisco get text notifications about interdimensional holographic audition tapes?
- I remember once someone stopped a group movie night to talk about her relationship issues. I didn’t know this person very well, however, so it was just about as awkward for me as I imagine it was for poor Jesse.
- It’s a good thing Jesse doesn’t live in this dimension or her secret identity would be blown very quickly. “Jesse Quick looks an awful lot like… Jesse Wells!”
- I’m already over hipster Wells.
- I am here for Caitlin rocking the Rogue look.
What did you think of this episode of The Flash? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Reviewer Rating:
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.
2 comments
Thanks for making these reviews, I stopped watching the show but I still like to catch on what’s happening. It seems that the way things are going atm your reviews are more entertaining than the actual show, since they at least put a smile on my face 🙂
Thank you! That means so much. I stick around because genuinely do want this show to get better. Maybe I’m just holding on to false hope. Thanks for reading!
Comments are closed.