The Flash Review: Kiss Kiss Breach Breach (Season 6 Episode 5)
Given just how strong the season’s first four installments are, it feels a bit like a cop-out to say that The Flash Season 6 Episode 5, “Kiss Kiss Breach Breach,” is the weakest episode of the season to date. It is, in the strictest technical sense, because the rest of the group is so good — but that doesn’t mean this hour isn’t worthwhile.
On the surface, the decision to feature an episode that almost completely removes Barry from the story this early in the season initially feels like a strange one.
Yes, it’s great to finally have an episode that focuses so deeply on Cisco’s character. But the idea that Barry and Iris would simply pop off for a quickie tropical vacation in the middle of Team Flash’s “Crisis” panic doesn’t entirely make sense from a narrative perspective.
(Neither does the decision to bring Caitlin back for a confrontation with Ramsey, but not to confront the possible death of one of her BFFs. Just saying.)
But the way that “Kiss Kiss Breach Breach” ties storylines and characters from previous seasons into this one, while giving Cisco a chance to show off how much he’s grown as a leader and finally really dealing with some level of fallout from his decision to give up his powers is the kind of ambitious storytelling this show needs more of.
I mean — How much more emotionally satisfying was this than a simple meta-threat-of-the-week episode?
On some level, it’s a bit irritating that a female character is killed offscreen to provide story for two men in her life — one of whom was her ex, for goodness’ sake. But, Danny Trejo is so darn good that giving him the opportunity to come back to The Flash one more time before “Crisis” inevitably wipes out Earth-19 is kind of worth it.
RIP, Gypsy, by the way.
To be fair, The Flash handles Cisco’s reaction to her death with surprising nuance and grace. His grief — and realization that his time with Gypsy helped him become a better man — was genuinely moving, as was his lingering connection with Breacher.
Given all the ridiculousness that sometimes takes place on this show, it’s easy to forget what a great actor Carlos Valdes is. But he’s incredible throughout here, balancing Cisco’s grief about Gypsy, growing anxiety over Barry’s impending death and fear that he won’t be able to step into his friend’s leadership shoes the way Barry wants him to.
True, the fact that the story makes him literally battle himself is probably a bit on the nose, but, again — for me, as a viewer, this resonates so much more strongly than simply having him track Ramsay zombies around Central City for an hour.
“Kiss Kiss Breach Breach” also gives us our first real story that’s actually about Cisco and Kamilla. Their relationship is stronger and more interesting than I’d originally given the show credit for, and it’s nice to have her presence in Star Labs validated so thoroughly.
Up until this point, we haven’t actually seen much of this romance onscreen. In fact, I remember being kind of surprised that Kamilla was so involved in life at Star Labs when Season 6 began.
This episode goes a long way to showing why, and to showing how good these two characters are for one another. Does it occasionally feel as though we’ve missed a step from the end of last season to now? Maybe. Let’s be real: These two have taken their relationship from zero to sixty at what feels like lightning fast speed.
But the tentative, awkward way the two finally manage to say I love you is charming, and the pair is easy to root for. Are they natural successors to Barry and Iris in the world of Team Flash? The jury’s still kind of out on that one.
Kamilla also gets bonus points for being the best, most understanding girlfriend ever. Her ability to roll with everything from her boyfriend’s ex’s father showing up in her bedroom in the middle of the night to the arrival of interdimensional cops and a murderous Cisco doppelganger is pretty darn admirable.
However, given how focused this season has been on character stories and character development, I’d still love to have seen some indication of exactly how Kamilla got so cool with all this. Surely there must have been an adjustment period?
Stray Thoughts and Observations
- Just gonna put it out there: I thought the BARI was adorable and am sad it’s gone.
- Candice Patton’s natural hair looks A M A Z I N G.
- While she didn’t have a ton to do this week, I’m loving the idea that Frost is so personally invested in stopping Ramsay. Her insistence that she knew he wasn’t trustworthy is interesting, and I’m
- Is anyone else kind of vaguely afraid that this super focus on Cisco’s evolution as a leader means that he’s going to be a casualty in “Crisis”? Just me?
- Joe West can give pep talks to anybody!!
- I’m here for Indiana Jones/Nash Wells, but I kind of need this subplot to get to the point sooner rather than later.
What did you think of this episode of The Flash? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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What did you think of this episode of The Flash? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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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.