The Flash
Season 3 Episode 11: “Dead or Alive”
Directed by Harry Jierjian
Written by Benjamin Raab and Deric A. Hughes
Teleplay by Zack Stentz
Starring Grant Gustin, Jesse L. Martin, Danielle Panabaker, Candice Patton, Carlos Valdes, Tom Cavanagh, Keiynan Lonsdale
Created by Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, Geoff Johns
The CW
Air Date: Tuesday, January 31st, 2017, 8:00pm

Last week on The Flash, HR (Tom Cavanagh) turned S.T.A.R. Labs into a museum, complete with a Cisco (Carlos Valdes) hologram, much to his chagrin. Caitlin asked Julian (Danielle Panabaker, Tom Felton) to join the team. Barry (Grant Gustin) and Cisco vibed back to the future (4 months from now), to figure out what the news was that day, so they could try and change it. Part of that plan was to have Kid Flash (Keiynan Lonsdale) capture villain of the day, Plunder, who appeared in that future news flash.

Spoilers below.

The Flash 3.11 “Dead or Alive” review: The episode opens on a harrowing situation for Barry Allen.

HR: “Look who has a vortex cannon. Ho, ho, ho.” And saves the day… in his story.

Barry and Kid Flash also save the real day, and are popular with the ladies – selfies with cheerleaders.

They map out the future, but Julian points out that the math will make it impossible for Barry to be fast enough to save Iris. Julian has to work on his people skills.

A bounty hunter is after HR. Cisco asks her out. It’s adorable. She found him because HR’s been posting chapters of his novel through the dimensions. He has to be punished for going through a breach – the punishment is death. Cisco cannot stop flirting.

“I can’t help who I’m attracted to, even if it’s the sexy intense deadly ones.”

Gypsy came to claim HR, and Barry, no Cisco, challenged her to trial by combat set for 24 hours. Is Kings Landing in Earth-19? That did not work out too well for Oberyn Martell.

Julian is helpful and points out a vulnerability.

Caitlin: “We need to work on your interpersonal skills.”
Julian: “I was really trying.”

Cisco wants to be there for all of the Harrison Wells. But HR does not want to risk him. He and Barry try to trick Gypsy and predictably fail. So the show must go on. They proceed to embark on a fighting tour of other earths, including Earth-2, and Earth-38’s National City right into the offices of CATCO. The last Earth looks suspiciously like Mustafar. Cisco uses Julian’s advice and defeats Gypsy, and spares her life.

Cisco: “Just a regular guy. Just a regular single guy.”

Barry finally figures out what I figured out 20 minutes earlier. Barry to Wally: “I’m not gonna save Iris from Savitar. You are.” Eureka!

I LOVED this episode. Any Cisco-centric episode is guaranteed awesomeness. But is Cisco destined to be single forever? That would be a waste. HR and Cisco could definitely be a spinoff. I’m enjoying them as well as Julian, fitting in perfectly with the team.

The Flash airs Tuesday nights at 8:00pm ET on The CW.

The CW’s synopsis:

The Flash
Dead or Alive (Ep# 311)
DC COMICS’ GYPSY ARRIVES ON EARTH-1 — H.R.’s (Tom Cavanagh) past catches up with him when a bounty hunter with vibe powers named Gypsy (guest star Jessica Camacho) arrives in Central City to bring him back to Earth-19 to stand trial for his crime. It turns out inter-dimensional travel is illegal on their Earth. H.R. surrenders but when Barry (Grant Gustin) and Cisco (Carlos Valdes) find out that H.R.’s only hope would be to challenge Gypsy to a fight to the death, they intercede and Cisco offers to fight Gypsy instead. Harry Jierjian directed the episode with story by Benjamin Raab and Deric A. Hughes and teleplay by Zack Stentz (#311). Original airdate 1/31/2017.

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