Once upon a time there was a very special show on the WB
called Everwood. It was created and run
by a guy named Greg Berlanti. Greg was
so good at creating excellent characters, compelling stories and believable
situations that pulled just enough on the heartstrings that a recapper from the
once and famous TWoP renamed him Greg “Damn you!” Berlanti, because every time
Greg made us cry we would lift our fists in the air and shout, “Damn you,
Berlanti!”
Well, Greg had done it again, damn it.
The Flash premiered on the CW a few weeks ago as a spinoff
of another Berlanti juggernaut, Arrow, and thus far I’ve been consistently
shaking my fist in the air. It’s another
show with great characters, excellent storytelling and a lot of heart. The perpetually late Barry Allen is a just a nerdy guy
working CSI for his local police department, kind of obsessed with science in
general and with the very cool particle accelerator at Star Labs in
particular. There’s a storm the night of
the accelerator’s unveiling and the whole building explodes sending waves of
light and lightening into the air for miles. Barry is stuck at his lab across town and, looking out the
window, actually sees the building explode. He can’t believe his eyes and as he
races across the room lightening from the explosion crashes through his office
and hits him.
Barry is literally struck by lightning.
Not just any lightning, though. This lighting was fueled by
the particle accelerator and nine months later, when Barry finally wakes up
from the lighting-induced coma, he discovers that he is the fastest man alive.
Unfortunately, lots of other people were also affected by
the explosion that night and the police quickly discover that these Meta-Humans,
people like Barry who now have powers, aren’t all as good and decent as
Barry. These baddies serve as our Villains-of-the-Week, but there’s
always a heaping side-dish of character-angst.
For instance, Barry’s mother was murdered when he was just a kid and his
father was framed for it and is still sitting in Iron Heights Prison. Barry’s not too happy about that. Barry was subsequently adopted by Joe West, the officer on
the scene that night, which was good, but now Joe is Barry’s boss on the police
force and not super excited that the kid he fostered and loves keeps putting
himself in danger just because he has this crazy new speed. Crazy speed doesn’t make you bullet-proof, as
Joe sadly notes in episode three.
Oh, and of course there’s a girl. Who, of course, is totally digging on another
guy. Iris West is Barry’s bestie and foster-sister (which is kind of weird, I
know, but they do a good job with it).
Barry’s unrequited more-than-sibling/friend affection for Iris is both
adorable and painful. You’re rooting for
him right from the start.
The most interesting man in the room, though, is the guy who
started it all. Former Star Labs man
about town and particle accelerator inventor, Dr. Harrison Wells, played by
former Ed star Tom Cavanaugh, is the man to watch. While Barry was in his coma, Dr. Wells and
his team kept a close eye on him and when he woke up, they tried to take care
of him and help figure out the strange new reality of having super-speed. Unfortunately, something is just not quite right with Dr.
Wells. He does a lot of brooding and
secret-keeping. He’s good at protecting
Barry and defending him, but I’m not sure I trust him. He’s got too many characteristics in common
with Super Villains. Wells and his team work as Barry’s back-office, monitoring
his whereabouts via satellite and offering helpful hints and advice (and
sometimes directions) via ear piece.
Everything about the special effects is well-done but
really, what keeps me tuning in every week, especially as a non-comic book
person, is the heart of the show. In
Grant Gustin, the producers have found a Barry Allen whose unashamed, un-ironic
“aww shucks” face makes you want to root for the good guy, not because he’s
tortured (Arrow) or angry (Batman), but because he’s an honest-to-goodness
decent kid who just wants to do the right thing.
Also? Abs. He’s got
some fabulous abs.
Post by Kate
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