Spoilers - The Flash Spoilers & Speculation #52: Dear Speedforce, Give Barry Allen back! From The Flash fans. - Page 14

SuitUp · 10-09-2017, 12:35 PM

Same.

scififan2009 · 10-09-2017, 03:47 PM

More fun episodes would be a welcome change.

KatB · 10-09-2017, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MagnusBane (View Post)

“We’re going to need more diapers”

I agree with Penny there. Also that was such a great scene. Just have to say. Reading all this, makes me want to watch it, right now.

scififan2009 · 10-09-2017, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuitUp (View Post)

I can't wait to find out. Sounds like something Speedforce-like. Something from the future when Barry finds out they are going to have twins.

Man. I wish!

Tornado twins.

lianamed · 10-09-2017, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MagnusBane (View Post)

“We’re going to need more diapers”

The twins!!!

CityGal · 10-09-2017, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clarice83 (View Post)

Source: X
Source: X

Thanks for the latest.

Clarice83 · 10-09-2017, 09:20 PM

Quote:

The Flash’ Season 4 Review: Restoring Hope

In a somewhat unprecedented move, The CW made the first two episodes of The Flash’s new season available for critics. It was important for us to see the show’s return though, perhaps this year more than any other. After The Flash’s lackluster third season, what was once the crown jewel of The CW’s superhero lineup had fallen to unfortunate lows, mostly because of a poorly executed and repetitive villain (Savitar), and a fixation on one scene (the “death” of Candice Patton’s Iris) that we knew would never happen. The team had grown too large, the show didn’t seem to know what to do with any non-meta character, and dour emotional narratives suffocated what was once the most positive and upbeat of the network’s DC shows.

All of those series have gone through important course corrections in the past: Arrow had faced a similar slump in its third (and then fourth) seasons, and the series very specifically looked to rectify that in Season 5, with a focus on getting back to the show’s roots of tough vigilante justice. Similarly, after a messy opening season, Legends of Tomorrow remedied some of its major issues in Season 2 with a trio of excellent villains, and dumped the forced relationship drama to instead focus on a quip-filled team dynamic (it also stopped trying to pretend there were any rules to its timey-wimey storylines and just had bonkers fun — it worked). Supergirl changed networks, for the better, and thus it was time for The Flash to take a good long look at itself, and get back to its Season 1 roots: a fun superhero series that made the Villain of the Week formula work.

That wasn’t going to be an easy fix. One of the worst decisions at the end of The Flash’s third season was sending Barry (Grant Gustin) tra-la-la-ing back into the Speed Force. Although it has to be said, in the Season 4 opener, “The Flash Reborn,” things don’t seem to bad in a Barry-less world. Iris has finally been given a real job, for once, which sees her leading what’s left of the STAR Labs team in their quest to keep Central City safe. Cisco (Carlos Valdes) is using his Vibe powers regularly, Wally (Keiynan Lonsdale) is flying around as Kid Flash, while Iris’ new role means that she has taken on a Felicity-esque role as a kind of “Overwatch,” using tech and trackers to direct the team to their next case. And of course Joe (Jesse L. Martin) remains Team Dad, counsellor, and now chaplin.

Things are also much simpler with a streamlined team. HR (Tom Cavanagh) perished at the end of Season 3, and Harrison Wells 2.0 briefly returned to replace him. But now he and Jesse (Violett Beane) and Tracy (Anne Dudek) are nowhere to be found, and Julian (Tom Felton) has — rather unceremoniously — “gone back to London.” The result is that the show now has the space to give its core characters time to interact and have meaningful plot lines, even though the premiere is a little bit of a mess. Cisco works to retrieve Barry from the Speed Force (as we knew would happen), and his transition back is a little rough. But for the most part, the premiere wipes the slate clean, fixing a lot of the issues that plagued the end of the last season, and setting up a much more toned-down storyline. Most importantly, it’s brought back some fun.

It’s worth noting that for a little while, the show forces that fun a little too hard, but it’s a fake-it-til-you-make-it situation that doesn’t take long to smooth out. The second episode, “Mixed Signals,” is truly a delight. Here, again, the show takes time to focus on character relationships, and not just romantic relationships. There are fun storylines like Cisco stocking Barry’s new suit with tech that ends up turning on him, and emotional ones like Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker) continued struggle to control her inner Killer Frost. Each character starts the new season feeling like a refreshed version of themselves, with new narrative purpose. (Except, perhaps, poor Wally, who again gets instantly sidelined once Barry returns. How the show resolves The Flash / Kid Flash dynamic will be important moving forward, but for now, there’s enough else that’s positive to not get bogged down with that yet).

The series’ EPs have said for months now that Season 4’s villain would not be a speedster, and indeed, we see teases of the fabled Thinker in each new episode. The Thinker seems set up as an Alchemy-like villain who manipulates evil metas into The Flash’s path as part of some kind of masterplan, which is perfect. The Flash is a series that truly works best as a procedural (we even see Barry go to work once in these opening hours!), with the team finding creative ways to bring down Villains of the Week. By shrinking the team back to the essentials and introducing an expanded rogues gallery (controlled by a necessary, and for now distant Big Bad), the show could be poised to return to some Season 1 greatness. Barry is still working on being a hero again, but the series is confronting some of his hubris early on, especially in the way he has dismissed or run over Iris in her new role as team leader.

But Barry is back to being likable, which is a huge relief. It’s hard to dislike Grant Gustin, who has such a natural charisma, but the show surely tried. Now, it’s letting him (and us) have fun again with inventive speedster sequences, new ways of battling foes, as well as familiar (and drama-free) interactions among the team. We still have a long season ahead of us, but for those who were hoping The Flash might find itself again in Season 4, the future seems sunny.

Rating: ★★★ Good — Proceed with cautious optimism

Source: X

FireQueen · 10-10-2017, 02:48 AM

Westallen babies

Another review:

Quote:

The Flash Season 4 Review

Poor Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) just hasn’t been able to catch a break. While season 1 of The Flash served primarily as an origin story for how Barry developed and honed his powers, it also introduced the tragic backstory of his mother’s murder at the hands of Reverse-Flash. Subsequent seasons have seen Barry face off against similar speedsters like Zoom and Savitar, each one accompanied by a mysterious secret identity and their own set of personal demons for Barry to face. But when season 3 sent the Fastest Man Alive into the Speed Force seemingly forever, it felt like something different was around the corner, a suspicion that fans have seen validated by the showrunners in the lead-up to the season 4 premiere.

Indeed, “The Flash Reborn” sees Barry return from the Speed Force – through the show’s usual reliance on sci-fi gibberish, naturally – a very different man. Reliving your worst moments over and over is bound to have an impact on even the most stalwart speedster, as we learned last season. However, as the titles episode suggest, this premiere is drawing inspiration from the Flash’s comic book Rebirth, bringing him closer than ever to the light-hearted hero currently getting all the best moments in the Justice League trailers. Barry’s burden has become a heavy load over the course of these past three seasons, and considering Savitar’s identity, there isn’t much more the show could do to highlight his battle with his inner demons. So, it’s a relief that instead The Flash is mixing it up for season 4.

Gustin, as always, is a blast in the role, especially now that he gets to have so much more fun onscreen. Viewers who’ve harped on the prevalence of brow-furrowed, worrisome Barry can rest easy at last. In addition, Candice Patton continues to prove why Iris is such a strong leading lady, reaffirming Barry and Iris’s status as one of the best superhero TV couples ever. Much of the series has focused on their love story, and the first two episodes of season 4 really hinge on it as the couple readjusts to this reborn Barry and the new dynamics within S.T.A.R. Labs.

The show’s zippy sense of humor returns intact for season 4, embodied most of all by Cisco (Carlos Valdes), who remains a standout character. Not only does Cisco play an instrumental role in Barry’s return, but he gets more to do than ever before, earning a subplot or two that have nothing to do with his scientific mind or his Vibe alter-ego.

Likewise, Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker) is back after her Killer Frost plotline turned a corner last season. At this point, it’s unclear exactly where the show hopes to take that story in season 4, though it is apparent that we haven’t seen the last of it. Elsewhere in the cast, Jesse L. Martin and Keiynan Lonsdale are doing what they do best, doling out fatherly advice and playing the jokester hero, respectively. Unfortunately, neither of them has much to do in these first two episodes. Alas, no sign of Tom Cavanagh as Harry or any other version of Harrison Wells just yet.

However, we do meet season 4’s new Big Bad, albeit in the briefest of ways. Last year, the show dropped a casual mention of Clifford DeVoe aka The Thinker, and Neil Sandilands makes an appearance as the character in what is sure to be a season-long arc. Exactly what his agenda is will likely unfold gradually over the next several episodes, but the fact that he isn’t a speedster both gives the storyline a freshness lacking in the past and also a challenge it must rise to overcome. DeVoe’s vague scenes so far feel a bit jarring since we have little clue as to what’s going on, though there’s reason to trust that the classic supervillain will pose as intriguingly cerebral threat to Central City and its resident hero.

On the whole, The Flash season 4 is off to a terrific start. Setting aside its past self-seriousness (and even taking light jabs at it along the way), the show appears to have recalibrated into something brighter, more fun and far more in line with the source material. Gustin and company are certainly game for a change of pace, and The Flash has deftly dodged just about any indication that the series would become stale in season 4.

Team Flash is as charming as ever, leaving fans with 20-odd hours of adventures to look forward to this year. In many ways, The Flash has always been the crown jewel of the Arrowverse, blending the optimism of Supergirl with the mystery of Arrow. After so much of the latter, season 4’s decision to lean more on the former will come as a relief to longtime fans who may have wondered where their Barry went. We’re happy to report that he’s back and apparently here to stay.

The Flash Season 4 Review

SuitUp · 10-10-2017, 03:07 AM

Thanks for the reviews! I'm not reading them yet though. I wanna be a lil unspoiled. Only a little.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lianamed (View Post)

The twins!!!

I hope we're right. Fingers and toes crossed!

CityGal · 10-10-2017, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clarice83 (View Post)

Source: X

Thanks for the latest read.

FireQueen · 10-10-2017, 10:59 AM

Quote:

The Flash Showrunner Teases Barry Allen’s Season 4 Rebirth

Nobody emerges from the Speed Force unscathed is perhaps the harshest lessons Team Flash has learned over the years, though Barry Allen’s return from his six-month trip will result in a brighter future — eventually.

In the aftermath of Barry’s showdown with Savitar, the self-proclaimed God os Speedsters, he sacrificed himself to the Speed force, a move made in order to maintain the other dimension’s balance and prevent it from ripping reality to shreds. In The Flash‘s Season 4 premiere, “The Flash Reborn,” we’ll learn how Barry’s return is possible, while he discovers how his friends and family — including his fiancée, Iris West — have moved on in his absence.

Ahead of the show’s return tonight at 8 p.m. on The CW, showrunner Todd Helbing spoke with CBR about what, exactly, Barry’s rebirth will entail. We also dug into Caitlin Snow’s continuing identity crisis, the series’ take on classic DC cOmics hero the Elongated Man, and the unique threat the Thinker brings to Central City.

CBR: The Season 4 premiere is called “The Flash Reborn.” In what ways has Barry’s time in the speed force affected him?

Todd Helbing: As we see, whenever any of the speedsters go into the speed force, they have their own experience. Our number one goal this year was to return back to the fun and funny, and the joy of being a speedster. We orchestrated Barry’s experience when he came out of that, to allow us to do it. He’s let the past go. It allows us to have the Barry more akin to the Season 1 finale.

What about his powers? Have they been altered by the Speed Force?

All I will say is you’ll see a new power at some point this season. It’s pretty cool.

How has Team Flash stepped up in Barry’s absence?

Once Barry left, everything about [Team FLash’s] dynamic shifted. In addition to Caitlin not being part of the team, Iris stepped up and became team leader. Cisco went out into the field a lot more as Vibe. Kid Flash stepped up, and they were working with Joe in CCPD. We get to see this fun, new dynamic with Iris at the helm and telling these guys what to do and taking charge.

As Killer Frost, Caitlin turned against Savitar. How much is she struggling with where she fits in when she returns?

It’s a struggle for her, having those powers. We saw at the end of Season 3 when she left, Caitlin had to go deal with that on her own. When we meet Caitlin, she’s at a bar. She’s a bartender. It’s not the nicest bar. It’s full of seedy characters. You start to see this isn’t exactly the Caitlin Snow that we saw for the first three seasons. I think Danielle Panabaker is having a blast with that.

Iris and Barry end up seeing a therapist this year. What kind of issues are they dealing with?

You have to remember that Barry made this decision to go into the speed force. He was gone for six months, so, I would imagine any relationship where one of the people in it disappears for six months, when that person returns, you can’t just pick up where you left off. There are some hurdles along the way that the two of them have to get through. Communication is one of those big challenges. Before Barry left, the team was completely different. He was the leader and the one taking charge. When Barry comes back, all of that has changed. It takes a while for him to get up to speed.

Cisco and Wally certainly came into their own. What’s in store for them?

You get to see Vibe a lot this year. Simultaneously, his relationship with Gypsy is blossoming. One of the fun things we get to do is introduce audiences to Breacher, played by Danny Trejo, who I will say is not the most welcoming person towards Cisco. I don’t think he likes anyone dating his daughter.

Wally has an interesting journey. When Barry was gone, he stepped up. He became the resident Flash in Central City. When Barry returns, it’s like, “Wait a second, man. I was driving the ship for six months. I was doing a great job,” and now the Flash is back. There’s a lot of figuring out that new dynamic between the two.

What does season’s main villain, the Thinker, want, and how will he test the Flash’s mettle?

This guy is completely different than the villains from the previous three seasons when the big bads were speedsters. His whole approach is completely different. He’s the guy that is manipulating all the pieces on his chess board, so he’s not only creating the problems, he’s simultaneously solving them, the ones that he wants, and then creating new challenges for Barry and the team. It’s a much more psychological struggle for Barry.

Weddings never end well on television, as we’ve seen for years, perhaps most recently and famously on Game of Thrones. What can you tease about Barry and Iris’ nuptials?

I’ll say we don’t do the Red Wedding — but I don’t think the wedding necessarily plays out the way Iris West, nor Barry Allen, dreamt it would go.

Are there any new villains from The Flash’s comic book canon viewers can expect to see?

You get to see Kilg%re show up, which is a lot of fun, as well as Amunet Black, played by Katee Sackhoff. You get to see Hazard, which is one of the lightest episodes, in some regards, that we’ve done – and the most fun power that a villain has had.

What is the show’s take on the Elongated Man, Ralph Dibny?

Like in the comic books, he’s a private investigator. Ralph has detective skills that rival Batman’s. We tackle his abilities, which are going to be fun to do in live-action. We’re altering his backstory a little bit. He and Barry have this shared, checkered past. The two of them don’t get along from the onset.

What else has you pumped about the new season?

I’m really excited about the tonal shift that we’re doing. The episodes are just fun. The Thinker as a villain is so nice and refreshing. There’s his endgame, his motive and how he gets into the lives of Team Flash, and what he starts to do with all of them. To see Iris in S.T.A.R. Labs, running the team, is really a great way to see her on the show.

The Flash Showrunner Teases Barry Allen's Season 4 Rebirth

CouchCruisin' · 10-10-2017, 11:25 AM

All these savory morsels!! Thank you, thank you

FireQueen · 10-10-2017, 12:16 PM

You're welcome

jrenda182 · 10-10-2017, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FireQueen (View Post)

You're welcome

For any non-comic book readers: the dude with the 1 eye Cisco is annoyed with while talking to Caitlin is Hunk Norvok. Clifford Devoe worked for him in the comics until he tried to overthrow him. Hunk then tries to kill Devoe but instead is tricked into shooting a mirror which ricochets and kills him....needless to say Caitlin has obviously had some shady dealings if he frequents the bar she works at & she’s most likely very involved in the thinker’s plans this season

Clarice83 · 10-10-2017, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrenda182 (View Post)

For any non-comic book readers: the dude with the 1 eye Cisco is annoyed with while talking to Caitlin is Hunk Norvok. Clifford Devoe worked for him in the comics until he tried to overthrow him. Hunk then tries to kill Devoe but instead is tricked into shooting a mirror which ricochets and kills him....needless to say Caitlin has obviously had some shady dealings if he frequents the bar she works at & she’s most likely very involved in the thinker’s plans this season

Either she knows what happens at this bar, but she does not get involved, or just collects information for her own gain, and that will be a key factor for Team Flash having answers later in the story.
I do not think she's involved with the villains, only using what she knows about them and what they know and their contacts to survive in that environment.

Forum Affiliates
Spoilers Guide
Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page


Fan Forum > General Discussion > Spoilers > The Flash Spoilers & Speculation #52: Dear Speedforce, Give Barry Allen back! From The Flash fans.