The Flash
Season 3 Episode 17: “Duet”
Directed by Dermott Downs
Written by Aaron Helbing & Todd Helbing
Starring Grant Gustin, Jesse L. Martin, Danielle Panabaker, Candice Patton, Carlos Valdes, Tom Cavanagh, Keiynan Lonsdale, Tom Felton, Violett Beane
Created by Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, Geoff Johns
The CW
Air Date: Tuesday, March 21st, 2017, 8:00pm

Last night on Supergirl, a musical was briefly mentioned as a suggestion for a movie from Mon-El to Kara (Chris Woods, Melissa Benoist). Then… at the end of the episode, an alien was brought in who spoke to Kara, “I’ve been looking for you.” He breaks out of his cuffs and whammies her with his eyes. She passes out and opens her eyes to a dream state where she is all dolled up and pushed onstage to sing.

Spoilers for The Flash musical below.

The Flash 3.17 “Duet” review: The episode opens to Barry (Grant Gustin) and his mom watching Singin’ In The Rain. Flash forward (haha) and Barry is moping to musicals. Cisco (Carlos Valdes) is trying to cheer him up, but no dice. They are called to S.T.A.R. Labs because a breach has opened. Mon-El, J’onn (David Harewood), and an unconscious Kara come through. It’s a bit awkward though, with all the breakups.

The Music Meister (Darren Criss) has come for Barry and Kid Flash (Keiynan Lonsdale) too. He wants to teach them all a lesson. He does the weird eye thing to Barry and Barry passes out as well.

When Barry shows up to the dream world, she is singing “Moon River.” So pretty! Barry and Kara are the only real people there. The Meister shows up as a hologram to give them the rules. All you have to do is follow the script, but if “you die in here, you die out there.” We find out that Kara’s thing is The Wizard of Oz, and she quotes it often in this episode.

And in one of the greatest things I have ever seen on television, “Put A Little Love In Your Heart” is sung by the characters within the characters of Winn (Jeremy Jordan), Cisco, Merlyn (John Barrowman), and the Music Meister (meta). I was looking around for the blue blazers of the Dalton Academy Warblers, because those synchronized dance moves were on point. I already knew Blaine… I mean… Darren Criss had a magical voice. He was one of my Glee faves. I have heard Barrowman sing live at conventions, and have watched a Carlos Valdes music video (what? I’m a fan). But I had only read that Jeremy Jordan was a singer, and that voice… that voice is like butter. Excuse me while I go binge Jeremy Jordan on YouTube. Wait! I’m in the middle of a review.

Barry and Kara give a summary. “We’re singers and we work for a gangster.” The gangster is Merlyn. Barry gets hit on the head by Stein (not Stein), a gangster from a rival gang. When they wake up, they talk about their dismal love lives. Joe (not Joe) comes walking in, and wants them to find his daughter. They agree to move the plot along. Cisco (not Cisco) shows them to a room. They kick the door in and Mon-El and Iris (Candice Patton) are kissing each other, to Kara’s utter nausea. The pair convinces the other pair to fight for their love (blech). They quickly agree. That was easy.

In the real world, The Meister is stealing their powers, and robbing a bank. Wally, Cisco, and Martian Manhunter go to stop him. He challenges Wally and they chase each other. But the 3 quickly subdue him and put him in a cell.

Back in the dream, Barry finds out that Stein and Joe (Victor Garber, Jesse L. Martin) are a couple – “You got a problem with that?”

Barry: “I love musicals.” Haha!

Barry defends Iris’s love for Mon-El. “When you find a love like that, you gotta hold onto it.” The dads agree.

Kara defends Mon-El’s love for Iris. His dad seems to agree.

Barry and I had the same reaction when Joe West started singing – we both immediately sat down with our mouths open. The other 2 dads joined in for a lovely song, with great harmonies.

Grant Gustin is not usually the comic relief of the show (that usually falls to Cisco and HR), but he was the funniest one tonight, even getting up and clapping at the end of the 3-Dad song. The song didn’t really fix anything. When all the kids leave, the dads declare war.

The Meister tells Mon-El and Iris that they have the power to save them, but have to figure it out for themselves.

The trapped superheroes do a tap dancing duet – “I’m Your Superfriend.” The lyrics are adorable, the speaking parts in between the singing are adorable, and their dance moves are adorable. I believe they are Superfriends. After the song and dance, they hear shooting outside. The war has begun. They both get shot and are dying. Cisco vibes Iris and Mon-El into the dream world and thy save their loves with a kiss (2 kisses). The Magic Meister walks in, uncaged.

Meister: “I saw 2 people with 2 broken hearts. Love is about letting yourself be saved” He wasn’t a villain. That’s so refreshing! I did not see that coming at all.

Back in the real world, Barry serenades Iris and they slow dance to “Runnin’ Home To You.” He then proposes again. She is extra happy and surprised and says yes… again.

Yay! Every show needs a good musical episode and The Flash (and Supergirl) finally got theirs. It was so good, including the dancing. My only criticism is that there should be a musical every other episode, but I know that’s not fair. But please do another one! I know Chyler Leigh can sing (she did the Grey’s Anatomy musical), and I need to hear Jordan, Martin, Gustin, and Valdes sing more. The door is open for Criss to return!

I’m buying the soundtrack.

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

The CW’s synopsis:

The Flash
Duet (Ep# 317)
DARREN CRISS (“GLEE”) GUEST STARS AS THE MUSIC MEISTER IN THE FLASH AND SUPERGIRL MUSICAL CROSSOVER — Barry (Grant Gustin) and team are surprised when Mon-El (guest star Chris Wood) and Hank Henshaw (guest star David Harewood) arrive on their Earth carrying a comatose Supergirl (guest star Melissa Benoist) who was whammied by the Music Meister (guest star Darren Criss). Unable to wake her up, they turn to Team Flash to save her. However, the Music Meister surprises The Flash and puts him in a similar coma, one that Team Flash can’t cure. Kara and Barry wake up without their powers in an alternate reality where life is like a musical and the only way to escape is by following the script, complete with singing and dancing, to the end. Dermott Downs directed the episode with story by Greg Berlanti & Andrew Kreisberg and teleplay by Aaron Helbing & Todd Helbing (#317). Original airdate 3/21/2017.

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The Flash | Inside: Duet | The CW