The Flash Review: There Will Be Blood (Season 6 Episode 4)
The Flash is off to its strongest start in years with Season 6 Episode 4, “There Will Be Blood,” an emotional, engaging hour that pretty much proves the looming “Crisis on Infinite Earths” may well be the best thing that’s ever happened to this show.
Or, maybe that’s new showrunner Eric Wallace. Maybe it’s both. Who can say?
Whatever the reason, it’s been a ridiculously long time since the show has felt this strong, balanced and clear-eyed about what it’s trying to do.
This week, The Flash offers up its take on a Halloween installment, in which Ramsey Rosso finally succumbs to the proverbial Dark Side and decides that, in order to live, he must become a mass murderer.
I mean…sure? We’ve had villains with less motivation than this in the past. And I suspect that perhaps we’re meant to take the failure of the Star Labs cure as the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back for him.
And there is something rather poetic and intriguing about the idea that Barry’s latest nemesis is a friend (potential or otherwise) that he simply couldn’t save.
Plus this episode even has zombies, and their super creepy, offering up a nice horror-fueled tinge to the episode. (That visual of them clawing at Killer Frost’s ice wall and then exploding into piles of goo is…well. Yikes.)
But, once again, the best part of this episode is that “There Will Be Blood” is once again so character-focused.
The friendships and family connections between the major players of Team Flash have always been something that sets this series apart, and the show seems determined to remind us all of that fact this season.
This makes a lot of sense, as it’s obvious the first half of this season is a build-up to “Crisis on Infinite Earths” as much as it is a story on its own. We need to reinvigorate all these bonds the show’s been ignoring for a while, not just for their own sakes, but so we can cry over them later.
And you know what? If it gives me scenes like that Barry and Joe heart-to-heart at the end, where Barry tells him how grateful he’s been for his presence in his life, I’m fine with whatever they chose to do afterward.
Goodness, my heart, is all I’m saying. It’s hard to imagine a better scene like that coming up at any point in Season 6, but I’m willing to let the folks in charge try!
Most of “There Will Be Blood” revolves around Cisco and Barry on a mission together. Cisco’s not taking the news of Barry’s impending death particularly well, and refuses to stop fighting for his friend. He even goes so far as to steal and lie to try and save him, and it’s just such a perfect example of the depth of Cisco’s heart.
Carlos Valdes is this show’s emotional secret weapon, and it’s so great to see that someone in charge finally remembered that. From his chat with Frost to his argument with Barry, every one of Cisco’s emotions feels both correct and completely earned.
Of course he’s angry about the (potential) loss of his best friend. But it also feels like he’s angry he himself can’t do more to stop it.
The Flash has yet to really dig into the idea of how Cisco feels now that he’s back to being an average Central City citizen without powers. But one has to wonder if he thinks he could do more as Vibe here than as Cisco, and how that may or may not be impacting his reactions.
“There Will Be Blood” also introduces us properly to The Flash’s latest incarnation of Harrison Wells, a swashbuckling Indiana Jones-type who goes by Nash. There’s a certain air of mystery and distrust about him, largely due to the fact that he takes advantage of Barry and Cisco more than once.
But I’m intrigued by what his mission is on Earth-1, and what precisely he’s looking for. Is he tracking the Monitor? The Anti-Monitor? Is he secretly Pariah in disguise?
For the first time in a long time, The Flash feels like appointment viewing for me again, and I honestly can’t express how excited that makes me.
What will happen next week? I have no idea — but for the first time in what must be years, I can’t wait to find out.
Stray Thoughts and Observations
- I’m a fan of the idea that everyone gets their moment to sort of process Barry’s impending death. It’s brought out some great performances from most of the major cast members and made me cry more than once. But it’s starting to feel a little weird that no one’s mentioned how Caitlin’s taking this news? Even though it’s been established that she can hear everything that Frost does? This is a nitpick, I realize, but if we get to see Ralph–who’s been around a lot less time–processing his grief over this info, we should get to see Caitlin do so as well.
- I’m loving how much they’re hyping up Sue’s arrival! (Please cast someone great, show.)
- One of the best things that has happened to this show lately is the realization that not every scene involving Ralph has to be full of slapstick humor and sight gags. His depression over Barry’s impending death lands so much better because the episode plays it entirely straight.
What did you think of this episode of The Flash? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on The CW.
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Lacy Baugher
Lacy is a pop culture enthusiast and television critic who loves period dramas, epic fantasy, space adventures, and the female characters everyone says you're supposed to hate. Ninth Doctor enthusiast, Aziraphale girlie, and cat lady, she's a member of the Television Critics Association and Rotten Tomatoes-approved. Find her at LacyMB on all platforms.