A new podcast episode of Couch Potatoes Unite!, which is based on a blog of the same name hosted at our website: couchpotatoesunite.wordpress.com. In this episode, recorded in December 2020, our DC Television Universe or DCTU Series panel – including moderator Chief Couch Potato Kylie, Hilary, Kyle, Spencer, Kristen, and Nick – reconvenes Around the Water Cooler for the twenty-seventh episode of our DCTU ongoing series to discuss Season 6 of the Arrowverse’s/CWVerse’s first spin-off, The Flash. If you have not watched any of the DCTU/Arrowverse/CWVerse (through May 2020), be aware that there are MAJOR SPOILERS! Tell us what you think, and/or if there are other shows you’re interested in CPU! covering, below; email us at couchpotatoesunitepodcast@gmail.com; or check out our Guestbook at the website, our Facebook page, our Twitter (@cpupodcast), our Instagram (@couchpotatoesunite), or our Patreon at http://www.patreon.com/couchpotatoesunite. Until next time, until next episode…buh bye!
Executive Producer/Chief Couch Potato: Kylie C. Piette Associate Producers: Krista Pennington and Selene Rezmer
Editor: Kylie C. Piette Logo: Rebecca Wallace Marketing Graphic Artist: Krista Pennington
Theme Song: Written by: Sarah Milbratz Singers: Sarah Milbratz, Amy McDaniel, Kels Rezmer Keyboard: Kels Rezmer Bass: Ian McDonough Guitar: Christian Somerville Engineer/Production: Kyle Aspinall/Christian Somerville
Who: “The Flash” is a superhero/action/mystery drama centered on events and characters inspired by The Flash franchise of the DC Comic Universe, which airs on the CW, though it is currently on hiatus.
What: “The Flash,” a series developed by Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, and Geoff Johns, based on the DC Comics character Barry Allen / The Flash, a costumed superhero crime-fighter with the power to move at superhuman speeds. This series is considered a spin-off from Arrow. The series follows Allen (Grant Gustin), a crime scene investigator who gains super-human speed, which he uses to fight criminals, including others who have also gained superhuman abilities.
SYNOPSIS
After witnessing his mother’s supernatural murder and his father’s wrongful conviction for the crime, Barry Allen (Gustin) is taken in by Detective Joe West (Jesse L. Martin) and his family. Allen becomes a brilliant but socially awkward crime scene investigator for the Central City Police Department. His obsession with his tragic past causes him to become an outcast among his peers; he investigates cold cases, paranormal occurrences, and cutting-edge scientific advancements that may shed light on his mother’s murder. No one believes his description of the crime—that a ball of lightning with the face of a man invaded their home that night—and Allen is fiercely driven to vindicate himself and to clear his father’s name. Fourteen years after his mother’s death, an advanced particle accelerator malfunctions during its public unveiling, bathing the city center with a previously unknown form of radiation during a severe thunderstorm. Allen is struck by lightning from the storm and doused with chemicals in his lab. Awakening after a nine-month coma, he discovers he has the ability to move at superhuman speeds. Dr. Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanaugh), the disgraced designer of the failed particle accelerator, describes Barry’s special nature as “meta-human.” Allen soon discovers that he is not the only one who was changed by the radiation. Allen vows to use his gifts to protect Central City from the escalating violence of meta-human and other criminals. He is aided by a few close friends and associates who guard his secrets.
When: Season 6 aired on the CW from October 8, 2019, to May 12, 2020, with a total of 19 episodes.
Where: The action is set in fictional Central City, one of the primary settings of The Flash franchise.
Why: To find out why individual podcast panelists started watching this show, listen to the first Flash podcast episode via the embedded link below! It should be noted that CPU! Chief Couch Potato Kylie previously picked up this show during the 2014 Fall Preview, noting:
The DC comics universe is attempting some major expansions now that Marvel is push and shove proliferating on big and small screens everywhere. The Flash is a classic hero; he was given an appearance on Smallville, and there is some crossover with Arrow, which I’ve decided to catch up on, since the CW is offering DC Comics a chance to implement those crossovers. Also, I like the choice for the title role. The Flash is a non-flashy guy, almost DC’s equivalent of Spider Man, given an extraordinary ability, as opposed to several. It could be an engaging new take on an old superhero story.
How – as in How’s It Going? – THOUGHTS
This is the twenty-seventh episode in CPU!’s DCTU series. Here are only the prior The Flash episodes in the series; as we flush out seasons of all Arrowverse/CWVerse shows, older episodes will be searchable via the website – click the upper right dialog box in the header, the picture of the couch full of TV watchers. Listen to each episode here:
DCTU Series, Episode 3, “The Flash,” Seasons 1-2
DCTU Series, Episode 9, “The Flash,” Season 3
DCTU Series, Episode 15, “The Flash,” Season 4
DCTU Series, Episode 20, “The Flash,” Season 5
DCTU Series, Episode 23, “Crisis on Infinite Earths – LIVE!”
In our last DCTU episode, our cheeky and feisty DCTU panel – namely Kyle, Hilary, Spencer, Kristen, and Nick – continued addressing the most recent full seasons of each of the four “Arrowverse” series in order of the airing of each season finale by discussing the third season of recent Arrowverse/CWVerse addition Black Lightning. Tonight’s episode finds the panel returning to the Water Cooler to talk the sixth season of The Flash in the twenty-seventh episode of our DCTU series. The discussion herein considers the success of Modern Age villains “Bloodwork” (guest: Sendhil Ramamurthy) and what is ostensibly a revised, post-“Crisis” Mirror Master (Efrat Dor); the effects caused by Crisis on Infinite Earths, leading up to that Crisis and following it; the continued dual nature of Caitlin Snow/Killer Frost/Frost, no “Killer” (Danielle Panabaker); the Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanaugh) enigma caused by the Crisis; and how the Central City section of the Arrowverse is faring as a whole. In fact, the panelists’ typically unanimous and stalwart support of The Flash as the best of the CW’s DC Universe offerings continued to wane a little this time, with some of the panelists expressing dissatisfaction with repetitive story-telling and questionable character decisions, while other panelists still see The Flash as the most consistent and, therefore, most enjoyable property of the five (current) Arrowverse shows.
This particular episode was recorded in December 2020, and there are, without question, MAJOR SPOILERS, as the panelists cover key plot points of Season 6 of The Flash. Listen at your own risk, and let us know what you think by commenting below!
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Remember, new episodes and blog posts are published weekly! Next Wednesday, our “Star Trek 50+ Series” returns to the Water Cooler to continue their mega-sized Retrospective Series covering all shows under the Star Trek franchise banner. Next week’s episode will talk Season 4 of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Stay tuned!
Questions, Impressions, and Future Considerations
Old Questions
1) REPEAT QUESTION: Will the Trickster, as played by Mark Hamill, ever return?
REPEAT ANSWER: Unknown. Luke Skywalker has no shortage of work
2) REPEAT QUESTION: Was Cecile’s (Danielle Nicolet) meta-ability of being able to read minds exclusive to just her pregnancy, as Caitlin initially theorizes, or is Cecile some lingering type of meta herself? Alternatively, will her baby daughter one day be a meta?
REPEAT(ISH) ANSWER: Cecile’s meta ability persists throughout Season 6. As to their daughter’s potential meta-ness…that remains to be seen.
3) REPEAT QUESTION: Who is the new female speedster that Jay Garrick said he was training as he transitions into retirement from being Earth 3’s Flash?
NEW ANSWER: Unknown/still a question. The answer to this question is not clarified in Season 6 and will likely never be clarified as the Earth 3 Jay Garrick no longer exists – because Earth 3 no longer exists following the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths.
4) How much of Season 6 will be devoted to setting up the mid-season crossover mega-event Crisis on Infinite Earths? Some of the panel wants a balance of setup and routine Flash shenanigans; some of the panel wants this show particularly to exclusively work toward that setup, since the Flash is central to that story.
ANSWER: The latter “some” of the panel got their wish. The entire series of episodes leading up to The Flash’s entry in the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover was devoted to setting up Barry’s role in that Crisis.
5) Where in time is the version of Eobard Thawne that we watch in Season 5? Is he pre-Season 1? Post Crisis on Earth X? A time remnant? Or something else?
ANSWER: Unknown at this time, and because of how the Harrison Wellsmanifested in the events of The Flash following “Crisis,” we cannot rule out that any additional appearance of Eobard Thawne is not somehow connected to the Season 5 appearance of him. Listen to the podcast episode for ponderings about this character.
6) How much will the show explore the Negative Speed Force in Season 6? Will we see Eobard Thawne again, in his Season 5 incarnation, next season?
ANSWER: The show does not further explore the Negative Speed Force in Season 6. We do see Eobard again, but we cannot as yet determine what incarnation he truly is because of what the Crisis on Infinite Earths did to the infinite number of Harrison Wells, including those who would wear his face. Listen to the podcast episode for details.
7) Panelist Kyle proved giddy in light of the appearance of Godspeed in Season 5. Will we see him again? Will he become a season “big bad?”
ANSWER: We see Godspeed again in Season 6, but the use of the character does not ultimately please Kyle (listen to the podcast episode for details). Godspeed is not, however, the “big bad” of Season 6.
8) How will Cisco (Carlos Valdes) function and/or be in Season 6 without being Vibe? Will he make the adjustment well? Will he still be with Kamilla at the start of Season 6? Will he be truly at peace with his situation or jealous of all of his super-friends? Or something in the middle?
ANSWER: At first, Cisco seems to feel free and easy about no longer being Vibe, carefree of the need to be part of the metahuman side of the team and enjoying the prospect of a longer life expectancy not otherwise reduced by the physical effects of opening portals to other places, spaces, and dimensions. He appears to adjust well until he is temporary reconstituted with his Vibe powers during the Crisis on Infinite Earths. His temporary return to meta-status seems to inspire and foment some inner regret for Cisco throughout the second half of Season 6 once he loses those powers again, though these tendencies and emotions might yet be evolving.
Cisco does start the season linked to Kamilla, who is a supportive and loving girlfriend to Cisco. He does not exhibit any characteristic indicative of envy or jealousy of his super-friends; however, he does appear to be wistful, once his Vibe powers disappear again following the Crisis, that he is unable to call upon those abilities, and there even seems to be some indicators that Cisco feels left out, particularly when the Mirror-Verse or Mirror Dimension becomes a factor in the second half of Season 6. Listen to the podcast episode for speculation.
9) Will Barry and Iris (Candice Patton) try to have kids now, knowing that Nora once existed?
ANSWER: While we believe that they have not ruled out having children, they do not make any further attempts in Season 6; they begin the season grieving Nora’s loss.
10) Will we see Caitlin’s mother’s full transformation to meta-human in Season 6? Will Caitlin/Killer Frost have to help her adjust? Will Caitlin’s mother also take on a “dark personality,” like her erstwhile husband and daughter?
ANSWER: Caitlin’s mother does not appear again until what is the aired season finale of Season 6, a season that was cut short due to halts in production caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is unclear whether the remaining unaired and/or unproduced episodes would have addressed these questions, so we will leave this inquiry for our Season 7 recap and review.
11) With Captain Singh’s promotion to police chief and his admitted knowledge that Barry is the Flash, will we see him again? How will Joe adjust to life as precinct captain?
ANSWER: Yes! We see Chief (!) Singh again – in more ways than one – in Season 6. Primarily, he does show up to consult with Captain Joe West for some situations, but is it really Chief Singh that we are watching? That becomes a legitimate question for the viewer in the second half of Season 6. Listen to the podcast episode for details.
12) What will trigger the now moved-up headline (new date: 2019) in the Time Vault foreshadowing Barry’s disappearance and/or Crisis on Infinite Earths? Will Oliver Queen have to sacrifice himself to save Barry from his prognosticated fate, as the Arrow scene tag from Elseworlds, shown in Arrow’s season finale, seems to indicate?
ANSWER: What accelerates the Crisis to 2019 is that Harrison “Nash” Wells, the Season 6 version of the Wells doppelganger, opens a secret vault/tunnel that was designed to lock away the Anti-Monitor (LaMonica Garrett), a being that seeks to destroy the Infinite Earths. Oliver Queen sacrifices himself to save the entire universe in that pesky Crisis; listen to the Crisis on Infinite Earths podcast episode for details.
13) Which version of Harrison Wells will we meet in Season 6? Tom Cavanaugh: our panel salutes you, sir!
ANSWER: The Season 6 Wells likes to be called Nash. He is from another, unspecified Earth. He is something of a treasure hunter/seeker/thief, and he has a bone to pick with Mar Novu aka the Monitor (also Garrett). Unfortunately, he triggers the Crisis on Infinite Earths by unlocking the cavern sealing in the Anti-Monitor, the being to which the Monitor was really referring all along.
14) Will we at least get to see if Sherloque Wells (Cavanaugh) and Renee Adler live happily ever after?
ANSWER: We do not get to see Sherloque and Renee’s post-Season 5 existence in Season 6 prior to their Earth’s assumed destruction and inclusion within Earth Prime following the ballyhooed and several times aforementioned Crisis.
15) If Crisis on Infinite Earths foretells the collapse of the multiverse, as proffered by the comics, which version of Harrison Wells will be Harrison Prime?!
ANSWER: It seems we are left initially with Nash post-Crisis; however, Nash is beset by a curious conundrum. The infinite consciousnesses of all of the Harrison Wells of all of the Infinite Earths are somehow bound to and stored within Nash’s subconscious – including that of the Eobard Thawne wearing Wells’ face. What does it all mean? This is one of our primary questions rolling into Season 7. In answer to the above question, the viewer does not know or understand fully which Harrison is the Prime Harrison.
16) The show toyed with the idea of Caitlin and Ralph (Hartley Sawyer) getting together, though they, as in the characters themselves, poo-pooed the very notion in Season 5. Still: the chemistry is undeniable. Will Caitlin and Ralph reconsider? They seem to have a special rapport.
ANSWER: Caitlin and Ralph have not developed their friendly chemistry into romance; then again, “Caity” let Killer Frost aka Frost, no Killer, “drive” for much of Season 6, and Ralph is not exactly Frost’s type. He did provide Frost assistance via his special brand of life-coaching, though!
17) Alternatively, will Ralph find a romantic relationship that sustains beyond twelve steps (or however many steps there are in Ralph’s various self-authored self-help guides)?
ANSWER: This is a BIG question as of the end of Season 6. During the season, Ralph does not strike up a romantic relationship with anyone specifically or officially, though he surely sends flirtatious sparks toward a spunky socialite turned thief superior by the name of Sue Dearbon; as panelist Kyle reminds us, Ralph and Sue are married in the DC Comics. Unfortunately, Ralph’s romantic life and possible future with Sue are jeopardized by the real-life actions of Hartley Sawyer, Ralph’s portrayer, who was fired from the show after Tweets including racist, sexist/misogynistic, and other potentially offensive “ist” language were uncovered during 2020’s socio-political unrest. Though the producers and writers have gone on record to indicate that they do not plan to remove Ralph as a character permanently, he will likely return with a transformed face provided by a new actor and only sporadically. Thus, any chemistry that Ralph might have had with Sue or Caitlin or Frost is pretty much in question with the likely impending arrival of a Ralph Dibny no longer portrayed by Mr. Sawyer.
15) Will we see any first-half-of-season crossovers on The Flash, in spite of the mega mid-season crossover on the horizon?
ANSWER: No. No character from any of the other Arrowverse/CWVerse shows crossed over to The Flash (and no one from the cast of The Flash otherwise crossed over to another show) prior to the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover.
New Questions
1) What exactly is Caitlin’s mother hoping to do with Frost (other than to provide a convenient excuse for Danielle Panabaker to leave for maternity leave)? What will Frost discover about her/Caitlin’s mother?
2) Bloodwork, the primary villain from the first half of Season 6, is currently imprisoned in a special, power-dampening cell. When he is confronted by Eva McCulloch’s mirrored versions of Kamilla, Iris, and David Singh, he indicates that he does not want to leave his special cell, though these mirror clones are willing to free him, because to do so would interfere with his own plans. What plans are those?
3) Will Barry regain his powers? Will he be able to build a new Speed Force? Will he be able to resuscitate the one that died as a result of Barry’s actions in the Crisis on Infinite Earths?
4) Will Barry be able to rescue Iris from the Mirror-Verse? Or, will Iris save herself as well as the correct versions of Kamilla and Chief Singh?
5) Will Cisco regain his Vibe powers somehow, and how will it happen?
6) Is Eva McCulloch really a new Mirror Master? Now that she has slain her ex-husband, what exactly are her plans and how do her specific meta-abilities, which allow her to manipulate mirrors, factor into those plans?
7) Panelist Kyle believes that the three episodes unproduced/unaired as a result of COVID-19 would have born witness to the return of the Reverse Flash. Does this mean that Eobard Thawne in Harrison Wells’ face will break through Nash’s controlling consciousness? Will he consume or subsume all other Wells doppelgangers’ consciousnesses inside Nash? Will he be able to suppress them while he “drives” Nash Wells’ body? Or, will we be watching a “Jekyll and Hyde” situation in which Eobard vies for control against the other Wells consciousnesses, and will we see Tom Cavanaugh playing several Harrison Wells at once?
8) Is Harrison/Nash/Eobard responsible for the return of Godspeed? Who is making the Godspeed clones, what is the purpose of the clones, and why are they clones? Where is the real Godspeed? Is Eobard working with the real/original Godspeed?
9) How will the writers/producers/directors facilitate the departure of Hartley Sawyer’s version of Ralph Dibny from the show?
10) Now that Eva McCulloch succeeded in murdering her ex-husband, what will become of Doctor Light, Ultraviolet, and Sunshine, aka the agents of Black Hole?
11) Wally West (guest: Keiynan Lonsdale) returned for one episode in Season 6, despite Mr. Lonsdale’s prior indication that he planned to retire from acting. Wally’s purpose for his return to Central City is to explore why the Speed Force is waning/dying and how he can prevent it, though he also chastises Barry for some of his universe-altering decisions during Crisis. Will Wally be part of the solution for restoring the Earth Prime’s speedsters’ speeds? Will he help Barry construct a new Speed Force or resuscitate the old one? Will Keiynan Lonsdale make other future guest appearances in Season 7?
12) Why is Cecile not able to emotionally read or sense Mirror-Iris?
13) Will we continue to see Flash’s wider gallery of villains and what their post-Crisis iterations are and who will we see? This season, we met a post-Crisis Pied Piper, Turtle, Blacksmith (guest: Katee Sackhoff), Goldface, Gorilla Grodd, Rag Doll, and the members of Black Hole.
14) Will The Flash and/or other shows within the TV universe cobble together their version of the Legion of Doom or a Justice League? Will Warner Brothers finally allow Arrowverse entries like The Flash to use characters recently portrayed in film, such as Batman and his villains or Captain Boomerang? The panel votes all of the above.
15) David Ramsey, the erstwhile John Diggle of Arrow, is rumored to be returning for a multi-show arc across the CWVerse this coming season. Will Ramsey be returning as Green Lantern, and what will his contribution be to The Flash?
PARTING SHOTS
The CPU! DCTU panel continues to, now somewhat cautiously, universally recommend The Flash to fans of comic books, particularly from the DC universe, and of the Flash franchise, though some of the panel’s members remain more restless with The Flash generally in these later seasons compared to the show’s strong two first seasons. Still, most if not all of the panel continues to believe, generally, that even casual comic book/superhero fans will find something to love in what the panel primarily regards to be the Arrowverse’s most consistent if not best series. The panel also continues to universally praise the ensemble cast as the series’ most solid feature as well as the general direction of the show, though there are some panelists who quibble with writing decisions, particularly around the primary villains of the seasons after Season 2 and how the members of Team Flash respond to those villains in the moment. As several panelists note in tonight’s episode, however, even though this season might not be as mesmerizing as Seasons 1 and 2, the weakest seasons of The Flash still surpass the strongest seasons of many other series, including all of the other Arrowverse series. The panel, though, continues to appreciate, overall, the faithful and loving adaptation of a hero who may not have received the same star treatment as his Justice League compatriots and co-founders, Batman and Superman, at least in modern memory. Further, the panel will always laud Grant Gustin’s portrayal of Barry Allen, readily and enthusiastically. As always, take a listen, and see if you agree with the panel’s general thoughts on these matters.
LOOKING AHEAD
The seventh season of The Flash is slated to premiere on Tuesday, February 23, 2021, at 8:00 PM on the CW. CPU!’s next DCTU episode, which will focus on the inaugural season, Season 1, of Batwoman, will publish in February! Like, follow, and/or subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts, on Patreon, or via our social media accounts to stay abreast of new episodes in the DCTU podcast series as well as of new episodes for all of our podcast panels! And, if you feel so inclined, please leave us a review. Thank you!
A new podcast episode of Couch Potatoes Unite!, which is based on a blog of the same name hosted at couchpotatoesunite.wordpress.com. In this episode, recorded LIVE via Zoom on FACEBOOK in April 2020, our panel of comic book and superhero enthusiasts – including moderator Kylie, Kristen, Nick, Hilary, Kyle, and Spencer – reconvenes Around the (Virual and Quarantined) Water Cooler for a special, live streamed presentation of the twenty-third episode of our DCTU ongoing series. After specially requesting a separate recording to discuss the five episode mega-crossover Arrowverse event “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” our panel herein provides their review and recap of the 2019-2020 blending of casts from the CW series Arrow, The Flash, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, and Batwoman. If you have not watched any of the DCTU/Arrowverse through “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” be aware that there are MAJOR SPOILERS! Tell us what you think, and/or if there are other shows you’re interested in CPU! covering, below; email us at couchpotatoesunitepodcast@gmail.com; or check out our Guestbook at the website, our Facebook page, our Twitter (@cpupodcast), or our Instagram (@couchpotatoesunite). Until next time, until next episode…buh bye!
PS: The contest mentioned in the live recording was only in effect during the live stream. A winner has been selected, and the contest is closed.
PSS: In addition, this audio episode has only been *lightly edited* to streamline for time; since the episode was live, (most of) our bugaboos were left in tact. There’s nothing like spontaneity, after all, and the show must go on!
Executive Producer/Chief Couch Potato: Kylie C. Piette Associate Producers: Krista Pennington and Selene Rezmer
Editor: Kylie C. Piette Logo: Rebecca Wallace Marketing Graphic Artist: Krista Pennington
Theme Song: Written by: Sarah Milbratz Singers: Sarah Milbratz, Amy McDaniel, Kels Rezmer Keyboard: Kels Rezmer Bass: Ian McDonough Guitar: Christian Somerville Engineer/Production: Kyle Aspinall/Christian Somerville
Who: The DC Television Universe or DCTU Series Panel – Kyle, Hilary, Spencer, Kristen, and Nick – plus Chief CP Kylie as moderator.
What: “Crisis on Infinte Earths,” the five-episode 2019-2020 Arrowverse crossover event melding cast members from “Arrow,” “The Flash,” “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow,” “Supergirl,” and “Batwoman,” the five shows that comprise the so-called “Arrowverse” on the CW, at least through the airing of “Crisis,” otherwise known as the DC (Comics) Television Universe or DCTU.
When: The “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover began on December 8, 2019, with Supergirl (8:00 PM) and concluded on January 14, 2020, with DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (9:00 PM).
Where: The action is primarily set in the DC Comics Universe, specifically in Central City (The Flash), Star City (Arrow), Gotham City (Batwoman), on Earth-38 in National City (Supergirl), and throughout space, time, and the multiverse in keeping with the Legends of Tomorrow.
Why: To find out why individual podcast panelists started watching each of these shows, listen to tonight’s episode and/or to our DCTU series in full by clicking the floating box at the top right of our website header, the picture of the couch full of TV watchers, to search for all of the prior DCTU series episodes. As for why we are covering this crossover separately, read on!
How – as in How Was It?
The Specially Formulated For Your Viewing Pleasure “Crisis on Infinite Earths” Crossover rating scale:
***** – HOLY SMOKES! This is the BEST. CROSSVER. EVER!!!!!
**** – Intriguing. Please make more, CW/Arrowverse producers. You get better each time, though you’re not perfect yet.
*** – It was fine/okay. Nothing special. There were parts I liked and parts I didn’t. Allow me to explain.
** – Meh. I was bored. Nice idea, but the execution left something to be desired.
* – Not your best, Arrowverse. Stop trying!
Crisis on Infinite Earths = 3.2, by average of the podcast panel.
SYNOPSIS
“Crisis on Infinite Earths,” inspired by the comic of the same name, continues plot lines established in the previous crossover, “Elseworlds.” The preceding episodes of Arrow Season 8 and much of The Flash Season 6 are a prelude to the crossover. In “Crisis,” the Monitor (LaMonica Garrett) gathers Green Arrow (Stephen Amell), the Flash (Grant Gustin), Supergirl (Melissa Benoist), Batwoman (Ruby Rose), Sara Lance (Caity Lotz), Ray Palmer (Brandon Routh), and several others from throughout the multiverse to stop the Anti-Monitor (Garrett) from destroying reality. The crossover’s events result in the Arrowverse being rebooted, affecting all composite shows of the TV universe.
THOUGHTS
This is the twenty-third episode in CPU!’s DCTU series. Because we have reached double digits for this massive series, from here on out, we are only going to embed prior episodes from the immediately previous season at mid-season or only the previous episodes of the show in particular that we are covering if we are covering any of the series individually, which you can listen to for reference in advance of the current podcast episode. All of our episodes, however, are searchable here at the website or, for audio-only types, you can find our page at our file host, the Internet Archive (archive.org), which has all of our episodes compiled in one handy menu. It’s pretty nice, actually. If you feel so inclined, please also donate to the Archive, so garage podcasts like your humble CPU! can continue to thrive.
For now, here are the DCTU series episodes since the DCTU 2019 Mid-Season Roundup:
DCTU Series, Episode 17, the DCTU 2019 Mid-Season Roundup
DCTU Series, Episode 18, “Elseworlds”
DCTU Series, Episode 19, “Arrow,” Season7
DCTU Series, Episode 20, “The Flash,” Season 5
DCTU Series, Episode 21, “Supergirl,” Season4
DCTU Series, Episode 22, “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow,” Season 4
Our cheeky and feisty DCTU panel, again this year, specially requested a separate discussion to dissect the five episode mega-crossover Arrowverse event entitled “Crisis on Infinite Earths.” Why, might you ask? Well, we might answer. Though the panel’s average reception to the latest Arrowverse crossover proved surprisingly lukewarm compared to crossovers past, the panel enjoyed at least the concept of the new crossover event, especially given the fact that the Arrowverse’s producers and writers never fail to jam-pack the crossovers with all of the DC Comic Universe goodness, including a number of highly nerdy Easter Eggs and pop culture references outside of comic books (DC or otherwise). The panelists additionally felt, yet again, that a separate recording was necessary to digest everything included in this special event; plus, given our globally quarantined status in light of the current Coronavirus Pandemic, and in light of the fact that we had a gift card to give away, the panelists also felt motivated to go Live…at least the only way we could in these, our current times! Our DCTU panelists, therefore, went LIVE on Facebook on April 30, 2020, to talk about their generally and unfortunately middling assessment of the latest crossover of casts from Arrow, The Flash, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, and Batwoman, as some of our panelists genuinely exhibited more qualms overall with this crossover compared to last year’s entry, “Elseworlds,” and to several of the preceding crossover entries as well. Watch below or listen at our typical outlets, and let us know if you agree or disagree with our thoughts!
This particular CPU! episode was recorded – LIVE via Zoom and Facebook – in April 2020, and there are, without question, MAJOR SPOILERS, as the panelists cover key plot points of the “Crisis on Infinte Earths” crossover. Listen/watch at your own risk, and let us know what you think by commenting below!
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter (@cpupodcast), Instagram (@couchpotatoesunite), Pinterest (@cpupodcast), or email us at couchpotatoesunitepodcast@gmail.com – or subscribe to this blog, the YouTube channel, our Apple/iTunes channel, our Stitcher Radio channel , find us on Google Play, or on Spotify (!) to keep track of brand new episodes. In the meantime, let us know what you think! Comment or review us in any of the above forums – we’d love your feedback!
Remember, new episodes and blog posts are published weekly – except this week! This week is special because this Thursday, Couch Potatoes Unite! ispleased to sponsor an encore presentation of an episode of a podcast on which Chief CP Kylie and frequent panelist Nick appeared on behalf of CPU! The podcast is called “Connect Grand Rapids;” the hosts, Rick and Brian, interviewed us about our podcast panelists’ recommended quarantine binge TV, as we fancy ourselves the local TV experts (naturally), and we were only too happy to oblige. Of course, the conversation didn’t stop at that topic – you’ll have to listen to find out how, but this also means that CPU! is providing you a rare two-episode week! Hey, it’s how we are filling our quarantine time. We’re also calling it even for late March, when we had to scramble as the pandemic began. Fair? Stay tuned!
Questions, Impressions, and Future Considerations
1) The predominant question arising from this crossover is what Earth Prime really looks like compared to the other Earths developing in the newly reconstituted multiverse. Does Earth Prime contain aspects of all of the Infinite Earths that were lost prior to Oliver Queen’s move to recreate the universe as Spectre? Are the Earth 2 characters that we’ve grown to love, such as Harry Wells (Tom Cavanaugh), Jessie Quick, and Laurel Lance’s (Katie Cassidy) Team Arrow, alive again? Are they on Earth Prime? Is Breecher alive again? Is he back the new Earth 19, or is he on Earth Prime? These are the unanswered questions…which we feel certain will unravel in some way on the remaining Arrowverse shows.
2) Does Cisco Ramon (Carlos Valdes) retain his Vibe powers, or will he revert back to being an ordinary, non-meta human?
3) Are we left with only one Harrison Wells now, and is that Harrison Wells the Nash Wells we meet in The Flash Season 6? The panel would be disappointed to learn this news.
PARTING SHOTS
Our intrepid DCTU panel. almost unanimously but for Chief CP Kylie’s somewhat generous mood at the time of assessment, offered surprisingly middling, even lukewarm reviews of “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” especially compared to “Elseworlds” and to “Crisis on Earth-X,” the previous two crossover events. The general panel consensus noted that this latest special presentation proved far more uneven in terms of pacing and story plotting, with the first two hours, the Supergirl and Batwoman episodes, deemed by our panel to be the strongest of the lot; the middle two episodes, The Flash and Arrow chapters, faltering with shoddy continuity and a lack of sufficient plotting for major devices used to advance the story forward; and the whole affair ending adequately if somewhat anticlimactically in the Legends of Tomorrow segment. The panel was quick to note that the network and the Arrowverse’s various producers and show-runners spent a year (possibly) over-hyping this crossover, given its adaptation of a seminal set of events in DC Comics history, without paying closer attention to the plotting of not only the five episodes of the event itself but of the episodes of Arrow Season 8 and The Flash Season 6 that were devoted to setting up the “Crisis” story arc. In fact, panelist Kyle said it best: the creators and writers behind “Crisis” appeared to spend more time trying to secure stunt casts, awesome though they might have been, than they did actually crafting the chronology and continuity of the story events themselves, since this live action version of “Crisis” deviates from its comic source material dramatically. As a result, the panelists expressed a variety of mixed emotions about what they saw, though no one could mistake the cautious disappointment on display as the panel discussed the crossover in the episode (and you, gentle listener and viewer, can actually watch facial expressions this time).
On the other hand, the panel feels strongly, especially those panelists who have watched the five constituent shows beyond the crossover, that the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” treatment, including the collapse of the initial version of the multiverse, may do well to inject new and fresh energy into several of the Arrowverse shows, particularly Supergirl, which has struggled to galvanize around a convincingly plotted and paced story arc in recent seasons. In addition, the crossover further cements and legitimizes the presence of Batwoman, the rookie on the Arrowverse block, which has also unfolded via a somewhat disjointed beginning season, though all signs point to improvement, as described by the panelists who have watched more of the season beyond the midway point. As such, the panelists find themselves excited to continue to explore the shows comprising the Arrowverse, but for Arrow itself, which has since aired its series finale, and with the addition of Black Lightning, which has been folded into this television universe via the deft stroke of the multiverse compression as depicted in “Crisis.”
Furthermore, in their review of “Elseworlds” in 2019, our DCTU panel postulated that the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover event would not be an exact copy of the major DC comics story of the same name. Because this prognostication became fact, our panelists are more reluctant to recommend “Crisis” to anyone who does not already love superhero/comic book adaptations, particularly from the DC universe. The panel believes that viewers who have tuned into previous crossovers will likely enjoy the plethora of new Easter Eggs as well as the cameo appearances by DC character actors from television and film past. The panel also surmises that Arrowverse and comic book fans will enjoy the nostalgia conjured up by the use of those Easter Eggs and cameos as well as the use of the story itself, given its importance to the DC Comics lexicon. Still, the panel strongly cautions that a potential viewer not expect to see a carbon copy of the comics story and to be aware that some segments of the five episodes feel bloated and consequentially fall flat while, at the same time, fail to properly introduce key character insertions as well as to appropriately flush out important plot points, such as the characters of Harbinger, Spectre, Pariah, and the ability of science-oriented characters like Ray Palmer (Routh) and Lena Luthor (Katie McGrath) to develop large, novel pieces of technology in what seems like hours or even minutes. These underdeveloped elements left the panelists underwhelmed and, at times, especially if not already familiar with the original “Crisis” story, confused by the action and unfolding story that they were watching. To that end, if we were confused or caught off guard by these developments, we expect that casual and even some devoted and comic knowledgeable viewers would no doubt feel the same, which does not bode well for the overall success of “Crisis on Infinite Earths.” In fact, our panel would likely characterize this crossover as “barely successful” but still largely entertaining, given the ambitious concept and the efforts of the writers to cater to DC fans of all types.
LOOKING AHEAD
The five Arrowverse shows returned from their mid-season hiatuses as follows:
Batwoman: Sunday, January 19, 2020, 8:00 PM Supergirl: Sunday, January 19, 2020, 9:00 PM Arrow: Tuesday, January 21, 2020, 8:00 PM DC’s Legends of Tomorrow: (premiered) Tuesday, January 28, 2020, 9:00 PM. The Flash: Tuesday, February 4, 2020, 8:00 PM
In January 2020, the CW renewed all Arrowverse shows except for Arrow, which has since ended, for an additional season, all of which will likely premiere some time in fall 2020 and likely in or around October, if the trend from prior seasons holds (and based upon the progress of the COVID-19 pandemic). In the meantime, the DCTU podcast panel will next convene around the CPU! Water Cooler next week, and not live, to review and to recap Season 8, the final season, of Arrow as well as to Look Back at the show as a whole, now that all is said and done. Until then! Stay tuned!
A new podcast episode of Couch Potatoes Unite!, which is based on a blog of the same name hosted at couchpotatoesunite.wordpress.com. In this episode, recorded in August 2019, our DC Television Universe or DCTU Series panel – including moderator Kylie, Hilary, Kyle, Spencer, Kristen, and Nick – reconvenes Around the Water Cooler for the twentieth episode of our DCTU ongoing series. In this episode, the panel discusses Season 5 of the Arrowverse’s first spin-off, The Flash. If you have not watched any of The Flash, be aware that there are MAJOR SPOILERS! Tell us what you think, and/or if there are other shows you’re interested in CPU! covering, below; email us at couchpotatoesunitepodcast@gmail.com; or check out our Guestbook at the website, our Facebook page, our Twitter (@cpupodcast), or our Instagram (@couchpotatoesunite). Until next time, until next episode…buh bye!
Executive Producer/Chief Couch Potato: Kylie C. Piette Associate Producers: Krista Pennington and Selene Rezmer
Editor: Kylie C. Piette Logo: Rebecca Wallace Marketing Graphic Artist: Krista Pennington
Theme Song: Written by: Sarah Milbratz Singers: Sarah Milbratz, Amy McDaniel, Kelsey Sprague Keyboard: Kelsey Sprague Bass: Ian McDonough Guitar: Christian Somerville Engineer/Production: Kyle Aspinall/Christian Somerville
Who: “The Flash” is a superhero/action/mystery drama centered on events and characters inspired by The Flash franchise of the DC Comic Universe, which airs on the CW, fall to spring Tuesdays at 8:00 PM.
What: “The Flash,” a series developed by Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, and Geoff Johns, based on the DC Comics character Barry Allen / The Flash, a costumed superhero crime-fighter with the power to move at superhuman speeds. This series is considered a spin-off from Arrow. The series follows Allen (Grant Gustin), a crime scene investigator who gains super-human speed, which he uses to fight criminals, including others who have also gained superhuman abilities.
SYNOPSIS
After witnessing his mother’s supernatural murder and his father’s wrongful conviction for the crime, Barry Allen (Gustin) is taken in by Detective Joe West (Jesse L. Martin) and his family. Allen becomes a brilliant but socially awkward crime scene investigator for the Central City Police Department. His obsession with his tragic past causes him to become an outcast among his peers; he investigates cold cases, paranormal occurrences, and cutting-edge scientific advancements that may shed light on his mother’s murder. No one believes his description of the crime—that a ball of lightning with the face of a man invaded their home that night—and Allen is fiercely driven to vindicate himself and to clear his father’s name. Fourteen years after his mother’s death, an advanced particle accelerator malfunctions during its public unveiling, bathing the city center with a previously unknown form of radiation during a severe thunderstorm. Allen is struck by lightning from the storm and doused with chemicals in his lab. Awakening after a nine-month coma, he discovers he has the ability to move at superhuman speeds. Dr. Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanaugh), the disgraced designer of the failed particle accelerator, describes Barry’s special nature as “meta-human.” Allen soon discovers that he is not the only one who was changed by the radiation. Allen vows to use his gifts to protect Central City from the escalating violence of meta-human and other criminals. He is aided by a few close friends and associates who guard his secrets.
When: Season 5 aired on the CW from October 9, 2018, to May 14, 2019, with a total of 22 episodes.
Where: The action is set in fictional Central City, one of the primary settings of The Flash franchise. The action does branch out in the occasional crossover with Arrow to Star City (formerly Starling City) and, occasionally, to other dimensions in a “multi-verse.”
Why: To find out why individual podcast panelists started watching this show, listen to the first Flash podcast episode via the embedded link below! It should be noted that CPU! Chief Couch Potato Kylie previously picked up this show during the 2014 Fall Preview, noting:
The DC comics universe is attempting some major expansions now that Marvel is push and shove proliferating on big and small screens everywhere. The Flash is a classic hero; he was given an appearance on Smallville, and there is some crossover with Arrow, which I’ve decided to catch up on, since the CW is offering DC Comics a chance to implement those crossovers. Also, I like the choice for the title role. The Flash is a non-flashy guy, almost DC’s equivalent of Spider Man, given an extraordinary ability, as opposed to several. It could be an engaging new take on an old superhero story.
How – as in How’s It Going? – THOUGHTS
This is the twentieth episode in CPU!’s DCTU series. Here are only the prior The Flash episodes in the series; as we flush out seasons of all Arrowverse shows, older episodes will be searchable via the website – click the upper right dialog box in the header, the picture of the couch full of TV watchers. Listen to each episode here:
DCTU Series, Episode 3, “The Flash,” Seasons 1-2
DCTU Series, Episode 9, “The Flash,” Season 3
DCTU Series, Episode 15, “The Flash,” Season 4
DCTU Series, Episode 17, the DCTU Mid-Season Roundup, 2018-2019
In our last DCTU episode, our cheeky and feisty DCTU panel – namely Kyle, Hilary, Spencer, Kristen, and Nick – began addressing the most recent full seasons of each of the four “Arrowverse” series in order of the airing of each season finale by discussing the seventh season of Arrow. Tonight’s episode finds the panel returning to the Water Cooler to talk the fifth season of The Flash in the twentieth episode of our DCTU series. The discussion herein considers the success of Modern Age villain “Cicada” (Chris Klein); the introduction of Barry and Iris’ daughter, back in time from the future, Nora West-Allen aka “XS” (she is also a speedster, played by Jessica Parker Kennedy); the continued dual nature of Caitlin Snow/Killer Frost (Danielle Panabaker); the return of Eobard Thawne aka Reverse Flash (played by Cavanaugh in this iteration); and how the Central City section of the Arrowverse is faring as a whole. In fact, the panelists’ typically unanimous and stalwart support of The Flash as the best of the CW’s DC Universe offerings continued to wane a little this time, with some of the panelists expressing dissatisfaction with repetitive story-telling and questionable character decisions, while other panelists still see The Flash as the most consistent and, therefore, most enjoyable property of the four (current) Arrowverse shows.
This particular episode was recorded in August 2019, and there are, without question, MAJOR SPOILERS, as the panelists cover key plot points of Season 5 of The Flash. Listen at your own risk, and let us know what you think by commenting below!
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Remember, new episodes and blog posts are published weekly! Next Wednesday, our Supernatural panel returns to the Water Cooler to discuss Season 14B, now the penultimate season (we can’t even believe it!), of the long-running fantasy/horror series. Stay tuned!
Questions, Impressions, and Future Considerations
Old Questions
1) Will Gorilla Grodd return?
ANSWER: Yes! Grodd returns in Episode 15, and he faces off against King Shark in one of the best episodes of the season! Listen to the podcast episode for details.
2) With the appearance of Nora, Barry and Iris’ daughter from the future, how much time will she spend on the show, and which comic story are they trying to channel? Is it Flashpoint Redux or something else?
ANSWER: Nora lasts the whole season, and the writers seem to be drawing upon a few DC/Flash story lines to weave this particular tale, while also planting seeds for the upcoming and much ballyhooed Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event. It is not Flashpoint Redux, owing to the return of The Flash’s arch nemesis, the Reverse Flash. Listen to the podcast episode for details.
3) Will Ralph aka Elongated Man (Hartley Sawyer) become a permanent member of Team Flash?
ANSWER: Yes! Hartley Sawyer, portraying actor of Ralph Dibny aka Elongated Man, was promoted to series regular in Season 5 and becomes a permanent member of Team Flash.
4) Will the Trickster, as played by Mark Hamill, ever return?
ANSWER: Unknown. Luke Skywalker is still being Luke, and occasionally the Joker, and other stuff that makes him famous, so he is quite busy.
5) Will we see other Barry/Iris future generations, such as Nora’s son Bart Allen, who becomes another incarnation/version of Flash in the comics?
ANSWER: Not in Season 5.
6) Will the show return to more of a classic format: strong villain, an advisory version of Harrison Wells, and Barry being the primary speedster? The panel votes yes; some panelists hope profoundly that the Nora character will not be overused or become too omnipresent in Season 5, though those panelists might be facing profound disappointment as a result.
ANSWER: Yes! Barry is the primary speedster, though he is often accompanied by his daughter from the future, Nora. Harrison “Sherloque” Wells is the adviser of the season, sent to Team Flash by the Council of Wells. He is French and particularly particular about the way his name is pronounced. Meanwhile, the two primary villains of Season 5 were Cicada (and his niece, who takes up the Cicada mantle) and Reverse Flash, who, of course, masterminds everything we see. Listen to the podcast episode for details.
7) What is the writing that Barry uses when he emerges from the Speed Force, and that Nora is using near the end of the season? Does it mean something? Is it important? Is it Kryptonian? Is it something else?
ANSWER: It is Speed Force/Time language and does, in fact, signify something very important: the code to the Multi-Verse. Listen to the podcast episode for details.
8) Was Cecile’s (Danielle Nicolet) meta-ability of being able to read minds exclusive to just her pregnancy, as Caitlin initially theorizes, or is Cecile some lingering type of meta herself? Alternatively, will her baby daughter one day be a meta?
ANSWER: Cecile’s meta ability persists throughout Season 5, despite having had her and Joe’s new baby daughter. As to baby’s potential meta-ness…that remains to be seen.
9) Who is the new female speedster that Jay Garrick said he was training as he transitions into retirement from being Earth 3’s Flash?
ANSWER: Unknown/still a question. The answer to this question was not clarified, unless Jay was suggesting that he was training Nora.
10) The show is seeding the idea that Caitlin might have always had Killer Frost in her, and that her disassociated personality might not have been caused by the particle accelerator explosion in Season 1. What did cause that split in Caitlin’s past? How is she able to manifest freezing powers because of it?
ANSWER: It seems that Caitlin’s father, Thomas Snow, a scientist like her mother, experimented with gene therapy and cryo-freezing processes when Caitlin was a child in an attempt to create a cure for devastating illnesses, like ALS, of which Thomas is diagnosed early in Caitlin’s history. He then, somewhat unethically this CP would espouse, tries these therapies on himself as well as on Caitlin as a child subject, which produces early side effects of being able tomanipulate ice and cold moisture. Unfortunately, the side effects also produce a type of schizophrenia in both Caitlin and in, later, Thomas, as his experimentation on himself results in a dark personality that he ultimately names “Icicle.” Listen to the podcast episode for further details.
11) Will we learn more of what happened to Barry while he was in the Speed Force in Season 5?
ANSWER: No. We do not learn more about Barry’s time in the Speed Force in Season 5.
12) What is Nora’s “big, big mistake?” Helping her future dad in the past? Or something else?
ANSWER: Unclear. Was Nora helping her father to foil the Thinker’s satellite-related mega-plans the mistake, as doing so paved the way for the creation of meta-tech and, therefore, the means by which Cicada comes to power? At first, Nora might be referring to this decision as her big mistake; more likely, however, she is referring to her choice to ally herself with Eobard Thawne aka Reverse Flash, as it is his advice that spurs her to make the decision to go back in time and to try to save her father, an event that presents far-reaching consequences on the future timeline. Listen to the podcast episode for details.
13) Will we get to see Eobard Thawne aka Reverse Flash next season (with a plausible explanation as to how and why)?
ANSWER: Yes! And yes! Just listen to the podcast episode already, as we spend some time discussing the clever machinations of Mr. Thawne.
14) Who will be the season-arching villain for Season 5? Which of Flash’s rogues will appear and/or return in the fifth season? Will they appear together, as panelist Kyle would like to see?
ANSWER: Cicada, with aiding and abetting by Reverse Flash, constitute the season-arching villains for the fifth season. Other than them, we also are entreated to appearances by Rag Doll, Gorilla Grodd, King Shark, Godspeed, and Bug-Eyed Banditas rogues rooted in the actual Flash comics. We also meet a host of new villains, who come to power when the Thinker’s satellite of Season 4 is destroyed, creating dark matter-infused technology that Cisco (Carlos Valdes) deems “meta-tech.”To answer panelist Kyle’s wish, Grodd actually faces off against King Shark, who is on the brink of receiving a cure for his metahuman/animal hybrid condition, but who chooses to revert to his shark form to be able to muster the strength to defeat Grodd, in one of the best episodes of the season. Listen to the podcast episode for details.
15) What is Eobard Thawne/Reverse Flash’s (currently played by Tom Cavanaugh) plan on The Flash? Why is he using Nora West-Allen aka XS, Barry Allen and Iris West’s daughter from the future, for his evil? Or, is she working for him and why?
ANSWER: (SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER) Eobard Thawne is in custody in the future because, well, he’s kind of evil and villainous. How is he held there? By the power dampening strengths of Cicada’s dagger, which has somehow become available to future authorities for power dampening purposes and which is plastered to Eobard’s chest, preventing his escape. Nora seeks out Eobard in prison under the guise of seeking further information about her father, who she learns during her early adulthood is, to her surprise and excitement, the Flash. In turn, Eobard, from prison, manipulates Nora’s wistfulness over not having a life with her father, Barry Allen/the Flash, by convincing her to run back in time and to reconnect with her dad, which then leads her to interfere with history by helping her dad against the Thinker, which then leads her to remain behind to get to know him and her mother while devoting effort to correcting history, every so often returning to Eobard in prison in this not-so-distant future to accept his device and direction related to what she should do next. In Nora’s mind, she believes that Eobard is helping her of his own accord because he has no other choice and possibly because he has genuine affection for her (which Iris, played by Candice Patton, also believes to be the case when she follows Nora into the future later in the season). In addition, Eobard provides fatherly advice to the “Little Runner,” particularly with relation to learning how to use her speedster abilities, which had been suppressed through a device employed by the future incarnation of her mother, Iris, throughout her childhood in an effort to avoid repeating what ultimately happens to Barry in this potential future: namely, his disappearance, as forecast by the future newspaper headline in the Time Vault, which most everyone on Team Flash has come to believe is caused by a confrontation with Cicada.It’s twisty, it’s turny, it’s quintessentially a trademark Reverse Flash mastermind ™ – because it’s all done with his own self-preservation in mind. Listen to the podcast episode for further details.
16) What is the little journal, containing presumably Speed Force writing, that Nora is carrying around with her?
ANSWER: The journal contains Time Language recorded in Eobard Thawne’s handwriting. The Time Language contains (SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER) a cipher for what represents the DC Multiverse.
17) How much longer will Orlin Dwyer aka Cicada (Chris Klein) be a factor? The panel has some decidedly mixed reactions to him.
ANSWER: Though an angry, future, and decidedly adult version of Orlin’s niece takes up the mantle of Cicada and ends up murdering her uncle during a quixotic set of violent decisions, she also hallucinates visions of her devoted uncle as she wrestles with the effects of time travel, an apparent connection to Nora fostered by a trip into Grace’s consciousness, and the long-term exposure to dark matter shrapnel lodged in her prefrontal cortex. In essence, Cicada is around for the whole season, whether as Orlin Dwyer or as Grace Dwyer, until young Grace accepts taking a meta-human cure developed by Cisco and Caitlin, which removes the power-creating effects of the shrapnel in Grace’s brain.
New Questions
1) How much of Season 6 will be devoted to setting up the mid-season crossover mega-event Crisis on Infinite Earths? Some of the panel wants a balance of setup and routine Flash shenanigans; some of the panel wants this show particularly to exclusively work toward that setup, since the Flash is central to that story.
2) Where in time is the version of Eobard Thawne that we watch in Season 5? Is he pre-Season 1? Post Crisis on Earth X? A time remnant? Or something else?
3) How much will the show explore the Negative Speed Force in Season 6? Will we see Eobard Thawne again, in his Season 5 incarnation, next season?
4) Panelist Kyle proved giddy in light of the appearance of Godspeed in Season 5. Will we see him again? Will he become a season “big bad?”
5) How will Cisco function and/or be in Season 6 without being Vibe? Will he make the adjustment well? Will he still be with Kamilla at the start of Season 6? Will he be truly at peace with his situation or jealous of all of his super-friends? Or something in the middle?
6) Will Barry and Iris try to have kids now, knowing that Nora once existed?
7) Will we see Caitlin’s mother’s full transformation to meta-human in Season 6? Will Caitlin/Killer Frost have to help her adjust? Will Caitlin’s mother also take on a “dark personality,” like her erstwhile husband and daughter?
8) With Captain Singh’s promotion to police chief and his admitted knowledge that Barry is the Flash, will we see him again? How will Joe adjust to life as precinct captain?
9) What will trigger the now moved-up headline (new date: 2019) in the Time Vault foreshadowing Barry’s disappearance and/or Crisis on Infinite Earths? Will Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) have to sacrifice himself to save Barry from his prognosticated fate, as the Arrow scene tag from Elseworlds, shown in Arrow’s season finale, seems to indicate?
10) Which version of Harrison Wells will we meet in Season 6? Tom Cavanaugh: our panel salutes you, sir!
11) Will we at least get to see if Sherloque (Cavanaugh) and Renee Adler live happily ever after?
12) If Crisis on Infinite Earths foretells the collapse of the multiverse, as proffered by the comics, which version of Harrison Wells will be Harrison Prime?!
13) The show toyed with the idea of Caitlin and Ralph getting together, though they, as in the characters themselves, poo-pooed the very notion in Season 5. Still: the chemistry is undeniable. Will Caitlin and Ralph reconsider? They seem to have a special rapport.
14) Alternatively, will Ralph find a romantic relationship that sustains beyond twelve steps (or however many steps there are in Ralph’s various self-authored self-help guides)?
15) Will we see any first-half-of-season crossovers on The Flash, in spite of the mega mid-season crossover on the horizon?
PARTING SHOTS
The CPU! DCTU panel continues to universally recommend The Flash to fans of comic books, particularly from the DC universe, and of the Flash franchise, though some of the panel’s members remain more restless with The Flash generally in these later seasons compared to the show’s strong two first seasons. Still, most if not all of the panel continues to believe, generally, that even casual comic book/superhero fans will find something to love in what the panel primarily regards to be the Arrowverse’s most consistent if not best series. The panel also continues to universally praise the ensemble cast as the series’ most solid feature as well as the general direction of the show, though there are some panelists who quibble with writing decisions, particularly around the third season’s main villain, Savitar, and the fourth season’s villain, the Thinker. As several panelists note in tonight’s episode, however, even though this season might not be as mesmerizing as Seasons 1 and 2 (though the panel unanimously agrees that Season 5 surpasses Season 3 in quality and might equate to Season 4 on the same terms, in lieu of the stumbling around the “Flashpoint” story line in the third season), the weakest seasons of The Flash still surpass the strongest seasons of many other series, including at least one of the other Arrowverse series. The panel, though, continues to appreciate, overall, the faithful and loving adaptation of a hero who may not have received the same star treatment as his Justice League compatriots and co-founders, Batman and Superman, at least in modern memory. Further, the panel will always laud Grant Gustin’s portrayal of Barry Allen, readily and enthusiastically. As always, take a listen and see if you agree with the panel’s general thoughts on these matters.
LOOKING AHEAD
Thesixth season of The Flash is slated to premiere on Tuesday, October 8, 2019, at 8:00 PM on the CW. CPU!’s next DCTU episode, which will focus on the fourth season of Supergirl, will publish in October! Like, follow, and/or subscribe to the blog, iTunes, YouTube, Stitcher Radio, Google Play, or our social media accounts to stay abreast of new episodes in the DCTU podcast series as well as of new episodes for all of our podcast panels! And, if you feel so inclined, please leave us a review. Thank you! ⚡
A new podcast episode of Couch Potatoes Unite!, which is based on a blog of the same name hosted at couchpotatoesunite.wordpress.com. In this episode, recorded in October 2018, our DC Television Universe or DCTU panel – including moderator Kylie, Hilary, Kyle, Spencer, Kristen, and Nick – reconvenes Around the Water Cooler for the fifteenth episode of our DCTU ongoing series. In this episode, the panel discusses Season 4 of the Arrowverse’s first spin-off, The Flash. If you have not watched any of The Flash, be aware that there are MAJOR SPOILERS! Tell us what you think in the comments below and check out the blog and YouTube for other TV related discussions, in both podcast and blog format. Also, if there are other shows you’re interested in the blog covering, sound off below! Tell us what you like or don’t like. Keep the discussion going!
Editor: Kylie C. Piette
Logo: Rebecca Wallace
Marketing Graphic Artist: Krista Pennington
Who: “The Flash” is a superhero/action/mystery drama centered on events and characters inspired by The Flashfranchise of the DC Comic Universe, which currently airs on the CW, fall to spring Tuesdays at 8:00 PM.
What: “The Flash,” a series developed by Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, and Geoff Johns, based on the DC Comics character Barry Allen / The Flash, a costumed superhero crime-fighter with the power to move at superhuman speeds. This series is considered a spin-off from Arrow. The series follows Allen (Grant Gustin), a crime scene investigator who gains super-human speed, which he uses to fight criminals, including others who have also gained superhuman abilities.
SYNOPSIS
After witnessing his mother’s supernatural murder and his father’s wrongful conviction for the crime, Barry Allen (Gustin) is taken in by Detective Joe West (Jesse L. Martin) and his family. Allen becomes a brilliant but socially awkward crime scene investigator for the Central City Police Department. His obsession with his tragic past causes him to become an outcast among his peers; he investigates cold cases, paranormal occurrences, and cutting-edge scientific advancements that may shed light on his mother’s murder. No one believes his description of the crime—that a ball of lightning with the face of a man invaded their home that night—and Allen is fiercely driven to vindicate himself and to clear his father’s name. Fourteen years after his mother’s death, an advanced particle accelerator malfunctions during its public unveiling, bathing the city center with a previously unknown form of radiation during a severe thunderstorm. Allen is struck by lightning from the storm and doused with chemicals in his lab. Awakening after a nine-month coma, he discovers he has the ability to move at superhuman speeds. Dr. Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanaugh), the disgraced designer of the failed particle accelerator, describes Barry’s special nature as “meta-human.” Allen soon discovers that he is not the only one who was changed by the radiation. Allen vows to use his gifts to protect Central City from the escalating violence of meta-human and other criminals. He is aided by a few close friends and associates who guard his secrets.
When: Season 4 aired on the CW from October 10, 2017, to May 22, 2018.
Where: The action is set in fictional Central City, one of the primary settings of The Flash franchise. The action does branch out in the occasional crossover with Arrow to Star City (formerly Starling City) and, occasionally, to other dimensions in a “multi-verse.”
Why: To find out why individual podcast panelists started watching this show, listen to the first Flash podcast episode via the embedded link below! It should be noted that CPU! Chief Couch Potato Kylie previously picked up this show during the 2014 Fall Preview, noting:
The DC comics universe is attempting some major expansions now that Marvel is push and shove proliferating on big and small screens everywhere. The Flash is a classic hero; he was given an appearance on Smallville, and there is some crossover with Arrow, which I’ve decided to catch up on, since the CW is offering DC Comics a chance to implement those crossovers. Also, I like the choice for the title role. The Flash is a non-flashy guy, almost DC’s equivalent of Spider Man, given an extraordinary ability, as opposed to several. It could be an engaging new take on an old superhero story.
How – as in How’s It Going? – THOUGHTS
This is the fifteenth episode in CPU!’s DCTU series. Here are only the prior The Flash episodes in the series; as we flush out seasons of all Arrowverse shows, older episodes will be searchable via the website – click the upper right dialog box in the header, the picture of the couch full of TV watchers.Listen to each episode here:
DCTU Series, Episode 3, “The Flash,” Seasons 1-2
DCTU Series, Episode 9, “The Flash, “Season 3
DCTU Series, Episode 11, the DCTU Mid-Season Roundup, 2017
In our last DCTU episode, our cheeky and feisty DCTU panel – namely Kyle, Hilary, Spencer, Kristen, and Nick – continued addressing the most recent full seasons of each of the four “Arrowverse” series in order of the airing of each season finale by discussing the sixth season of Arrow. Tonight’s episode finds the panel returning to the Water Cooler to talk the fourth season of The Flash in the fourteenth episode of our DCTU series. The discussion herein considers the success of Golden Age villain “The Thinker” (Neil Sandilands), the introduction of Ralph Dibney aka Elongated Man, the continued dual nature of Caitlin Snow/Killer Frost (Danielle Panabaker), and how the Central City section of the Arrowverse is faring as a whole. In fact, the panelists’ typically unanimous and stalwart support of The Flash as the best of the CW’s DC Universe offerings began to wane a little this time, with some of the panelists expressing dissatisfaction with repetitive story-telling and questionable character decisions, while other panelists still see The Flash as the most consistent and, therefore, most enjoyable property of the four Arrowverse shows.
This particular episode was recorded in October 2018, and there are, without question, MAJOR SPOILERS, as the panelists cover key plot points of Season 4 of The Flash. Listen at your own risk, and let us know what you think by commenting below!
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter (@cpupodcast), Instagram (@couchpotatoesunite), Pinterest (@cpupodcast), or email us at couchpotatoesunitepodcast@gmail.com – or subscribe to this blog, the YouTube channel, our iTunes channel, our Stitcher Radio channel , and/or find us on Google Play to keep track of brand new episodes. In the meantime, let us know what you think! Comment or review us in any of the above forums – we’d love your feedback!
Remember, new episodes and blog posts are published weekly! Next Wednesday, our DCTU panel returns a final time (for now) to the proverbial Water Cooler to discuss Season 3 of Supergirl, as our Arrowverse revisits continue. Stay tuned!
Questions, Impressions, and Future Considerations
Old Questions
1) How; when, particularly within our timeline; and where on Earth Prime will Barry return from his journey into the Speed Force following the events of Season 3?
ANSWER: Barry returns to Central City six months after entering into the Speed Force, roughly equal to our timeline but, perhaps, a bit ahead of the game, considering the pop culture references that Cisco (Carlos Valdes) frequently makes. Barry emerges from the Speed Force with help from Team Flash, against Iris’ (Candice Patton) orders as Team Captain, as she tries to hold to Barry’s instructions not to rescue him prior to his entry into the Speed Force. The Team decides to extract Barry from the Speed Force when Cisco and Wally aka Kid Flash (Keiynan Lonsdale) realize that they are struggling to keep the evil meta-humans in Central City at bay without The Flash. So, with the help of an item that Cisco calls a “Quark Sphere,” the Team liberates Barry; though they are on the Central City outskirts to execute this metaphysical disruption, Barry emerges mid-downtown. Barry is not cognizant of his surroundings for quite some time; only when Iris is in danger does he regain his faculties and sense of the normal passage of time. What’s more, the opening of the Speed Force causes a release of dark matter to affect a bus of ordinary citizens just trying to live their ordinary lives – until they are made extraordinary by this exposure. Listen to the podcast episode for details.
2) How much time will have passed while Barry is gone, and what will have happened to the other characters left in Central City, particularly Iris, Wally West aka Kid Flash, Joe, and Cisco Ramon aka Vibe?
ANSWER: Six months pass while Barry is in the Speed Force. Iris has been elevated to captain/commander of Team Flash while trying to soldier on without Barry. Kid Flash and Vibe try to lead the superhero brigade in Central City with occasional help from a less enthusiastic Killer Frost, who emerges every so often when an emotional reaction is triggered for Caitlin. Joe, in the meantime, marries Cecile and prepares to have a child, as Cecile is quite pregnant at the start of this season.
3) Is Caitlin Snow, in fact, fully transitioned to Killer Frost? Does this mean she will be Barry’s enemy permanently? What is she involved in while Barry is away?
ANSWER: No, Caitlin is not permanently Killer Frost – or vice versa. Caitlin and Killer Frost are two separate, disassociated personalities within the body of one woman. Neither personality has a hold over when she emerges or disappears into that woman’s body. In any visage, though, both Caitlin and Killer Frost act as friend/ally or reluctant ally (respectively) to Barry and to Team Flash. We learn later in the season, however, that Caitlin seeks help in suppressing Killer Frost, and/or Killer Frost seeks help in not being suppressed, with the help of a meta-human called Amunet aka the Blacksmith, played by Katee Sackhoff. Let’s just say that “Cait” walks on her wilder side and lives to regret some of her decision-making – and by her, I mean both Caitlin and Killer Frost.
4) Will we see another dimensional doppelganger of Harrison Wells? Or, will Earth 2’s Harry return for a long-term visit, since his daughter, otherwise known as Jessie Quick, is currently on Earth 3 in Jay Garrick’s stead?
ANSWER: Harry Wells, the Earth 2 version of Harrison Wells, stays for the length of Season 4; however, he returns to Earth 2 at the end of the season for reasons discussed below.
5) Is Julian gone for good? Will we ever see Doctor Alchemy again?
ANSWER: We have not seen either Julian or Doctor Alchemy again (yet). We have not even seen Draco Malfoy! We would be happy to see any version of him, as long as the face is still Tom Felton’s.
6) It has been announced that Wentworth Miller, who plays Leonard Snart aka Captain Cold in the Arrowverse, is filming his last episodes for the CW DC universe. Will he appear on The Flash, and how will his final appearance take shape?
ANSWER: Yes, Wentworth Miller appears on The Flash one final time as Leo Snart, the Earth X version of Mr. Snart, to whom we are first introduced in the Crisis on Earth X crossover event that aired in December 2017. Leo is a happier, gay version of Leonard – he is marrying The Ray, after all – and finds time to counsel Barry through a period of grief, when Barry believes that Ralph Dibney is the latest fatality of the Thinker’s serial murders of the bus meta-humans. Listen to the podcast episode for details.
7) Who will be the season-arching villain for Season 4? Which of Flash’s rogues will appear and/or return in the fourth season? Will they appear together, as panelist Kyle would like to see?
ANSWER: The season-arching villain of Season 4 is Golden Age “Flash” baddie Clifford DeVoe aka The Thinker, who is determined to be the smartest man on Earth Prime. The Thinker, however, does not work well with others, so we do not see him join forces with any other big “Flash” villains. Gorilla Grodd, however, returns for a visit in Season 4, and the panel is always happy (and impressed) when they see him.
8) Will Barry and Iris finally get married?
ANSWER: Yes. In the mid-season crossover, Crisis on Earth X, Barry and Iris finally chuck it all and tie the knot – and then get upstaged by Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) and Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards) in what the panel has deemed to be the biggest “dick” move of Ollie’s career, which we have discussed in prior DCTU episodes.
9) Will Barry Allen/The Flash emerge from his framing for murder by The Thinker unscathed? The panel believes that he will end up in the ARGUS/Iron Heights facility for some time as the Thinker originally seemed to intend, but what is The Thinker trying to do?
ANSWER: Ultimately, yes, Barry succeeds in un-framing himself but not without a tidy prison sentence thanks to the Thinker in the meantime. Barry is saved at his appeal by a shape-shifting Elongated Man, who morphs into the initial version of Clifford DeVoe in order to show the presiding judge that the murder/DeVoe’s death are fake. Barry spends about three episodes in Iron Heights before achieving absolution. As for what the Thinker is trying to do, it appears that each step in his nefarious master scheme, including ejecting Barry from the Speed Force, creating a bus full of meta-humans, framing Barry for his not-murder, and subsequent events, was designed to position Barry to be a host for Clifford’s consciousness while simultaneously rendering the world catatonic with some brain-busting satellites under control of STAR Labs as part of what DeVoe labels an Enlightenment Machine. The panel is not certain that the show executed the best possible storytelling while making use of the Thinker as a villain, but Barry’s framing occurs due to DeVoe’s master manipulation, or so he asserts during the season. Does it all make sense? The panel spends considerable time discussing the conceivable answers to this question in the podcast episode.
10) Why does Amunet (Katee Sackhoff) matter at all? The panel finds her somewhat lame, and panelist Spencer takes special issue with her accent.
ANSWER: Well, as far as we can guess, Amunet really only matters because she is able to fashion a “bomb” out of some metal she has to carry around in a bucket in order to use her special ability. Panelist Kyle calls her “Discount Magneto.” Panelist Spencer remains offended by her accent. The rest of the panel continues to cry “lame” at the very thought of her. Sorry, Katee.
11) Will Harry Wells have to square off against The Thinker in his new, BrainStorm meta-body?
ANSWER: Unfortunately, Harry never gets the chance to go up against the Thinker meaningfully by himself and, certainly, not while the Thinker is occupying BrainStorm’s body. Harry sets out on a quest to become as smart and as quick-thinking as the Thinker by inventing a “thinking cap,” which does not look dissimilar to the contraption that Doctor Emmett Brown fashions in 1955 in Back to the Future. Harry, as he expands the programming of the device, becomes addicted to it, so much so that he asks Gideon, in the white room, to enhance the cap so that he might be able to stop the Thinker. Despite Gideon’s protests and warnings, Harry forces the artificial intelligence to go forward with the enhancement process; however, it backfires as she originally estimated and fries Harry’s synapses. He spends the remainder of the season trying to rewire his brain back to some semblance of intelligence, so that he does not lose thoughts, memories, and sense of self, though even he recognizes that he will never be the stellar mind he once was upon regaining some normalcy of cognition. It is for this reason that he returns to Earth 2 and to his daughter Jessie.
New Questions
1) Will Gorilla Grodd return?
2) With the appearance of Nora, Barry and Iris’ daughter from the future, how much time will she spend on the show, and which comic story are they trying to channel? Is it Flashpoint Redux or something else?
3) Will Ralph become a permanent member of Team Flash?
4) Will the Trickster, as played by Mark Hamill, ever return?
5) Will we see other Barry/Iris future generations, such as Nora’s son Bart Allen, who becomes another incarnation/version of Flash in the comics?
6) Will the show return to more of a classic format: strong villain, an advisory version of Harrison Wells, and Barry being the primary speedster? The panel votes yes; some panelists hope profoundly that the Nora character will not be overused or become too omnipresent in Season 5, though those panelists might be facing profound disappointment as a result.
7) What is the writing that Barry uses when he emerges from the Speed Force, and that Nora is using near the end of the season? Does it mean something? Is it important? Is it Kryptonian? Is it something else?
8) Was Cecile’s meta-ability of being able to read minds exclusive to just her pregnancy, as Caitlin initially theorizes, or is Cecile some lingering type of meta herself? Alternatively, will her baby daughter one day be a meta?
9) Who is the new female speedster that Jay Garrick said he was training as he transitions into retirement from being Earth 3’s Flash?
10) The show is seeding the idea that Caitlin might have always had Killer Frost in her, and that her disassociated personality might not have been caused by the particle accelerator explosion in Season 1. What did cause that split in Caitlin’s past? How is she able to manifest freezing powers because of it?
11) Will we learn more of what happened to Barry while he was in the Speed Force in Season 5?
12) What is Nora’s “big, big mistake?” Helping her future dad in the past? Or something else?
13) Will we get to see Eobard Thawne aka Reverse Flash next season (with a plausible explanation as to how and why)?
14) Who will be the season-arching villain for Season 5? Which of Flash’s rogues will appear and/or return in the fifth season? Will they appear together, as panelist Kyle would like to see?
PARTING SHOTS
The CPU! DCTU panel continues to universally recommend The Flash to fans of comic books, particularly from the DC universe, and of the Flash franchise, though now some of the panel’s members are growing more restless with The Flash and what they consider to be two weaker seasons compared to the show’s strong two first seasons. Still, most if not all of the panel continues to believe, generally, that even casual comic book/superhero fans will find something to love in what the panel primarily regards to be the Arrowverse’s most consistent if not best series. The panel also continues to universally praise the ensemble cast as the series’ most solid feature and the general direction of the show, though, with the publication of this episode, there are some panelists who quibble with writing decisions, particularly around the third season’s main villain, Savitar, and the fourth season’s villain, the Thinker. As several panelists note in tonight’s episode, however, even though this season might not be as mesmerizing as Seasons 1 and 2 (though the panel unanimously agrees that Season 4 surpasses Season 3 in quality, in lieu of the stumbling around the “Flashpoint” story line in the last season), the weakest seasons of The Flash still surpass the strongest seasons of many other series, including at least one of the other Arrowverse series. The panel, though, remains overall appreciative of the faithful and loving adaptation of a hero who may not have received the same star treatment as his Justice League compatriots and co-founders, Batman and Superman, at least in modern memory. Further, the panel will always laud Grant Gustin’s portrayal of Barry Allen readily and enthusiastically over the film version played by Ezra Miller, which the panelists spend some time discussing yet again, vis-a-vis network and corporate interference with regard to the Arrowverse. As always, take a listen and see if you agree with the panel’s general thoughts on these controversial matters.
LOOKING AHEAD
The fifth season premiere of The Flash aired last night, on October 9, 2018, and while it is too early in the season to hear about renewal announcements, The Flash is expected to be a network mainstay for some years. CPU!’s next DCTU episode will focus on the third season of Supergirl and will publish next week. Like, follow, and/or subscribe to the blog, iTunes, YouTube, Stitcher Radio, Google Play, or our social media accounts to stay abreast of new episodes in the DCTU podcast series as well as of new episodes for all of our podcast panels! And, if you feel so inclined, please leave us a review. Thank you!🙂
NEXT CPU! LIVE!
CPU! is going live again!!! CPU! will next be LIVE at Grand Rapids Comic-Con. for our third annual appearance at the Con, on November 10, 2018, at 7:00 PM! In that live podcast (also streamed to our Facebook page), a brand new panel will gather together to debate the multifaceted, multi-generational universe behind Star Trek. This panel will also seed a new ongoing series panel for the podcast! Like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter and Instagram to keep abreast of all the details! Stay tuned!
A new podcast episode of Couch Potatoes Unite!, which is based on a blog of the same name hosted at couchpotatoesunite.wordpress.com. In this episode, recorded in October 2017, our DC Television Universe or DCTU panel – including moderator Kylie, Hilary, Kyle, Spencer, Kristen, and Nick – reconvenes Around the Water Cooler for the ninth episode of our DCTU ongoing series. In this episode, the panel discusses Season 3 of first Arrowverse spin-off, The Flash. If you have not watched any of The Flash, be aware that there are MAJOR SPOILERS! Tell us what you think in the comments below and check out the blog and YouTube for other TV related discussions, in both podcast and blog format. Also, if there are other shows you’re interested in the blog covering, sound off below! Tell us what you like or don’t like. Keep the discussion going!
Who: “The Flash” is a superhero/action/mystery drama centered on events and characters inspired by The Flashfranchise/DC Comic Universe, which currently airs on the CW, fall to spring Tuesdays at 8:00 PM.
What: “The Flash,” a series developed by Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, and Geoff Johns, based on the DC Comics character Barry Allen / The Flash, a costumed superhero crime-fighter with the power to move at superhuman speeds. This series is considered a spin-off from Arrow. The series follows Allen (Grant Gustin), a crime scene investigator who gains super-human speed, which he uses to fight criminals, including others who have also gained superhuman abilities.
SYNOPSIS
After witnessing his mother’s (Michelle Harrison) supernatural murder and his father’s (John Wesley Shipp) wrongful conviction for the crime, Barry Allen (Gustin) is taken in by Detective Joe West (Jesse L. Martin) and his family. Allen becomes a brilliant but socially awkward crime scene investigator for the Central City Police Department. His obsession with his tragic past causes him to become an outcast among his peers; he investigates cold cases, paranormal occurrences, and cutting-edge scientific advancements that may shed light on his mother’s murder. No one believes his description of the crime—that a ball of lightning with the face of a man invaded their home that night—and Allen is fiercely driven to vindicate himself and to clear his father’s name. Fourteen years after his mother’s death, an advanced particle accelerator malfunctions during its public unveiling, bathing the city center with a previously unknown form of radiation during a severe thunderstorm. Allen is struck by lightning from the storm and doused with chemicals in his lab. Awakening after a nine-month coma, he discovers he has the ability to move at superhuman speeds. Dr. Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanagh), the disgraced designer of the failed particle accelerator, describes Barry’s special nature as “metahuman;” Allen soon discovers that he is not the only one who was changed by the radiation. Allen vows to use his gifts to protect Central City from the escalating violence of metahuman and other criminals. He is aided by a few close friends and associates who guard his secrets.
When: Season Three aired on the CW from October 4, 2016, to May 23, 2017. The CW began airing Season Four on October 10, 2017.
Where: The action is set in fictional Central City, one of the primary settings of The Flash franchise. The action does branch out in the occasional crossover with Arrow to Star City (formerly Starling City) and, occasionally, to other dimensions in a “multi-verse.”
Why: To find out why individual podcast panelists started watching this show, listen to the podcast episode via the link below! It should be noted that CPU! Chief Couch Potato Kylie previously picked up this show during the 2014 Fall Preview, noting,
The DC comics universe is attempting some major expansions now that Marvel is push and shove proliferating on big and small screens everywhere. The Flash is a classic hero; he was given an appearance on Smallville, and there is some crossover with Arrow, which I’ve decided to catch up on, since the CW is offering DC Comics a chance to implement those crossovers. Also, I like the choice for the title role. The Flash is a non-flashy guy, almost DC’s equivalent of Spider Man, given an extraordinary ability, as opposed to several. It could be an engaging new take on an old superhero story.
How – as in How’s It Going? – THOUGHTS
This is the ninth episode in CPU!’s DCTU series. Here are the prior episodes in the series (as we flush out seasons, though, older episodes will only be searchable via the website – click the upper right dialog box in the header).Listen to each episode here:
DCTU Series, Episode 1, “Arrow,” Seasons One and Two
DCTU Series, Episode 2, “Arrow,” Seasons Three and Four
DCTU Series, Episode 3, “The Flash,” Seasons One and Two
DCTU Series, Episode 4, “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow,” Season One
DCTU Series, Episode 5, “Supergirl,” Season One
DCTU Series, Episode 6, the DCTU Mid-Season Roundup
DCTU Series, Episode 7, “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow,” Season Two
DCTU Series, Episode 8, “Supergirl,” Season Two
In our last episode, our cheeky and feisty and newly full DCTU panel – namely Kyle, Hilary, Spencer, Kristen, and Nick – continued addressing the most recent full seasons of each of the four “Arrowverse” series in order of the airing of each season finale by discussing the second season of Supergirl. Tonight’s episode finds the panel returning to the Water Cooler to talk the third season of The Flash, following a somewhat disappointing outing for the Arrowverse’s crown jewel, in the ninth episode of our DCTU series. The discussion herein tackles the viability and adjudicates the success of the writers’ take on one of the most historically famous DC Comics story arcs – “Flashpoint” – and the relative overuse of speedster heroes and villains in this third season, even as The Flash remains the panel’s universal favorite of the four Arrowverse series.
This particular episode was recorded in October 2017, and there are, without question, MAJOR SPOILERS, as the panelists cover key plot points of Season Three of The Flash. Listen at your own risk, and let us know what you think by commenting below!
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter (@cpupodcast), Instagram (@couchpotatoesunite), Pinterest (@cpupodcast), or email us at couchpotatoesunitepodcast@gmail.com – or subscribe to this blog, the YouTube channel, our iTunes channel, our Stitcher Radio channel , and/or find us on Google Play to keep track of brand new episodes. In the meantime, let us know what you think! Comment or review us in any of the above forums – we’d love your feedback!
Remember, new episodes and blog posts are published weekly! Next Wednesday, our DCTU panel returns a final time (for now) to the proverbial Water Cooler to discuss Season 5 of Arrow, as our Arrowverse revisits continue. Stay tuned!
Questions, Impressions, and Future Considerations
1) How; when, particularly within our timeline; and where on Earth prime will Barry return from his journey into the Speed Force following the events of Season 2?
2) How much time will have passed while he is gone, and what will have happened to the other characters left in Central City, particularly Iris (Candice Patton), Wally West aka Kid Flash (Keiynan Lonsdale), Joe, and Cisco Ramon aka Vibe (Carlos Valdes)?
3) Is Caitlin Snow (Danielle Panabaker), in fact, fully transitioned to Killer Frost? Does this mean she will be Barry’s enemy permanently? What is she involved in while Barry is away?
4) Will we see another dimensional doppelganger of Harrison Wells? Or, will Earth 2’s Harry return for a long-term visit, since his daughter, otherwise known as Jessie Quick, is currently on Earth 3 in Jay Garrick’s stead?
5) Is Julian (Tom Felton) gone for good? Will we ever see Doctor Alchemy again?
6) It has been announced that Wentworth Miller, who plays Leonard Snart aka Captain Cold in the Arrowverse, is filming his last episodes for the CW DC universe. Will he appear on The Flash, and how will his final appearance take shape?
7) Who will be the season-arching villain for Season 4? Which of Flash’s rogues will appear and/or in return in the fourth season? Will they appear together, as panelist Kyle would like to see?
8) Will Barry and Iris finally get married?
PARTING SHOTS
The CPU! DCTU panel continues to universally recommend The Flash to fans of comic books, particularly from the DC universe, and of the Flash franchise, but the panel believes, generally, that even casual comic book/superhero fans will find something to love in what the panel regards to be the Arrowverse’s best series. Our panel cannot recommend this one enough, even to those who might be put off by superhero/comic book fiction, because the show is written, directed, and performed so well. As the panel notes in tonight’s episode, even though the third season might be the series’ weakest to date, the weakest season of The Flash still surpasses the strongest seasons of many other series, including at least one of the other Arrowverse series. The panel also continues to praise this faithful and loving adaptation of a hero who may not have received the same star treatment as his Justice League compatriots and co-founders, Batman and Superman, at least in modern memory, though anyone familiar with the “Flashpoint” story line from the comics will, most likely and invariably, be at least somewhat disappointed. Plus, the writers pushed the envelope for comic book adaptations – and exploited the Arrowverse’s trove of Broadway and Glee alumni – by giving us a musical episode in Season Three, to which our panel admittedly responded with mixed reactions, though you, gentle viewer and listener, can watch and judge for yourself. See? THERE’S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE!
LOOKING AHEAD
The fourth season premiere of The Flash aired on October 10, 2017, and while it is too early in the season to hear about renewal announcements, The Flash is expected to be a network mainstay for some years. CPU!’s next DCTU episode will focus on the fifth season of Arrow and will publish next week. Like, follow, and/or subscribe to the blog, iTunes, YouTube, Stitcher Radio, Google Play, or our social media accounts to stay abreast of new episodes in the DCTU podcast series as well as of new episodes for all of our podcast panels! And, if you feel so inclined, please leave us a review. Thank you!🙂
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