The Flash
Season 2 Episode 1: “The Man Who Saved Central City”
Directed by Ralph Hemecker
Written by Gabrielle Stanton, Andrew Kreisberg
Starring Grant Gustin, Jesse L. Martin, Danielle Panabaker, Candice Patton, Carlos Valdez, Tom Cavanagh, Victor Garber
Created by Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, Geoff Johns
The CW
Air Date: Tuesday, October 6th, 2015, 8:00pm

Hooray! My favorite night in television came speeding back yesterday! The Flash returned Tuesday night, and was just how I remembered – fun, fast, and funny. This Arrow spinoff began last year with Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) – a skinny, get-sand-kicked-in-your-face kinda guy, a genius lab rat for the CCPD, whose mother was murdered when he was a boy, and his dad wrongly jailed for it. One night, S.T.A.R. Labs particle accelerator exploded during its unveiling, causing the creation of Metahumans, people infused with extraordinary, and very specific power. Barry was struck by lightning dropping him into a 9-month coma. When he woke up, he was The Flash (sans costume at first). He began to work with Dr. Wells (Tom Cavanagh) and his team, Cisco and Caitlin (Carlos Valdes and Danielle Panabaker), to defeat Metahumans (because they were, for the most part, evil). His dad’s friend, Detective West (Jesse L. Martin) had taken him in as a boy, and he grew up with his daughter Iris (Candice Patton), and nurses a secret crush and a secret superhero identity. The season saw the identity of his mother’s murderer, and the selfless death of Iris’s boyfriend, Eddie (Rick Cosnett).

Tons of spoilers. The episode was great. I was giddy throughout. So freakin’ good!

The Flash 2.1 “The Man Who Saved Central City” review: It is 6 months after the freak black wormhole singularity. Barry Allen works alone. Cisco is the scientific advisor for the CCPD. And Central City wants to celebrate Flash Day.

They do show us what exactly happened 6 months ago. And it is clear why he’s a lone wolf. Barry went into that singularity, but Firestorm finished it. He (they) flew up into the black hole and separated. Barry saved Dr. Stein (Victor Garber), but not Ronnie (Robbie Amell). This is why he pushed everyone away. Is this why Robbie Amell wasn’t in the listings for DC’s Legends of Tomorrow?

Anyway, Barry blames himself, of course, for Eddie and Ronnie’s deaths.

The Meta of the day is Atom Smasher (played by WWE’s Edge aka Adam Copeland). Atom Smasher absorbs the radiation that exists everywhere, to be super strong, and as an added bonus – grow giant-sized. Barry doesn’t want help, but pretty much gets his ass handed to him.

One of the big double delight surprises, is a video made by Dr. Wells to Barry – the age-old, “If you are watching this, I am dead,” trick. In it, he confesses to the murder of Nora Allen, thus freeing Henry (John Wesley Shipp), and allowing the season 1 mission to be truly over. Plus, Barry now gets his own lab – S.T.A.R. Labs. Their dynamic is still super interesting and complicated. I really can’t wait until the original Dr. Wells comes into the picture (if Thawne never existed, he never killed the real Dr. Wells and his wife). The time paradox thing is so fascinating. Cisco actually slips into another time where he saw Atom Smasher before.

Geekiest moment: Barry flashes the “Flash” signal to draw out Atom Smasher.
Caitlin: “What made you think of that?”
Cisco: “I don’t know. I think I saw it in a comic book somewhere.” Squeal!!!

I’ve probably written this 1000 times, but I heart Cisco.

Oh s**t! Jay Garrick strolls in! He’s The Flash too!

Who is Zoom?

Solid start to one of my favorite superhero shows ever.

The Flash airs Tuesday night at 8pm ET on The CW.

The CW synopsis:

The Flash
The Man Who Saved Central City (Ep# 201)
BARRY DECIDES HE NEEDS TO PROTECT THE CITY ON HIS OWN — Picking up months after the Singularity attacked Central City, Barry (Grant Gustin) is still struggling to forgive himself for Eddie’s death. Concerned about putting his friends in danger, Barry has pushed everyone away and has chosen to protect the city on his own. When a meta-human named Atom Smasher (guest star Adam Copeland) attacks the city, Iris (Candice Patton) tells Barry that he needs to let his friends help him protect the citizens of Central City. Meanwhile, Cisco (Carlos Valdes) helps Joe (Jesse L. Martin) with his Meta Task Force. Ralph Hemecker directed the episode with story by Greg Berlanti & Andrew Kreisberg and teleplay by Andrew Kreisberg & Gabrielle Stanton (#201). Original airdate 10/6/2015.

Video

The Flash | The Man Who Saved Central City Clip | The CW

A superhero’s work is never done. Don’t miss the season premiere of The Flash Tuesday at 8/7c!