The Flash (2014 TV series)
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| The Flash | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | |
| Based on | Characters appearing inDC Comics |
| Developed by | |
| Starring |
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| Composer(s) | Blake Neely |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Originallanguage(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 1 (List of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executiveproducer(s) |
|
| Location(s) | British Columbia |
| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Productioncompany(s) |
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| Distributor | Warner Bros. Television Distribution |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | The CW |
| Original run | October 7, 2014 – present |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | Arrow |
| External links | |
| Official website | |
The Flash is an American television series developed by writer/producers Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg and Geoff Johns, airing on The CW. It is based on the DC Comics character Flash (Barry Allen), a costumed superhero crime-fighter who was created by Robert Kanigher, John Broome and Carmine Infantino. It is a spin-off from Arrow, existing in the same universe. The pilot for the series was written by Berlanti, Kreisberg and Johns, and directed by David Nutter. The series was officially picked up on May 8, 2014.[2]
Contents
[hide]Premise
After witnessing his mother's strange murder and his father's wrongful conviction for the crime, Barry Allen is taken in by Detective West and his family. Allen becomes a brilliant but socially awkward crime scene investigator for the Central City Police Department. His obsession with his tragic past causes him to become an outcast among his peers; he investigates cold cases, paranormal occurrences, and bleeding-edge scientific advancements that may shed light on his mother's murder. No one believes his description of the crime—that a ball of lightning with the face of a man invaded their home that night—and Allen is fiercely driven to vindicate himself and to clear his father's name. An advanced particle accelerator malfunctions during its public unveiling, bathing the city center with a previously unknown form of radiation during a severe thunderstorm. Allen is struck by lightning from the storm and doused with chemicals in his lab. After a nine-month coma, he discovers he has the ability to move at superhuman speeds. Harrison Wells, the disgraced designer of the failed accelerator, describes Barry's special nature as "metahuman"; Allen soon discovers that he is not the only one changed by the radiation. Allen vows to use his gifts to protect Central City from the escalating violence of metahuman criminals. He is aided by a few close friends and associates who guard his secrets.[1]
Cast
- Grant Gustin as Barry Allen / Flash, a Central City assistant police forensic investigator. An accident at the S.T.A.R. Labs particle accelerator causes a thunderstorm, which precipitates a chemical explosion in Allen's laboratory. When he revives from a coma, he has superhuman speed.[3]
- Candice Patton as Iris West, the daughter of Detective West and the best friend of Barry Allen.[4]
- Danielle Panabaker as Dr. Caitlin Snow,[5] named after the civilian identity of the DC Comics character Killer Frost. A highly intelligent bioengineering expert, Snow believes she lost her fiancé, Ronnie Raymond[5] during an explosion at S.T.A.R. Labs.[6]
- Rick Cosnett as Eddie Thawne, based on the DC Comics character Professor Zoom. A recent transfer to the Central City Police Department, Thawne's past is a mystery and he harbors a dark secret.[6]
- Carlos Valdes as Cisco Ramon, named after the civilian identity of the DC Comics character Vibe. A mechanical engineering genius, Ramon is the youngest member of the team of scientists at S.T.A.R. Labs.[7]
- Tom Cavanagh as Dr. Harrison Wells, the mind and money behind Central City’s S.T.A.R. Labs Particle Accelerator, who becomes a pariah after the lab explodes until he learns he created the Flash.[8]
- Jesse L. Martin as Detective Joe West, a cop who acts as a surrogate father to Barry and is the father of Iris West.[1][9]
John Wesley Shipp has been cast as Henry Allen, Barry's father, in a recurring role. Shipp previously portrayed Barry Allen / Flash in the 1990 television series.[10] Michelle Harrison was cast as Nora Allen, Barry's mother, in a recurring role.[11] Patrick Sabongui was cast as David Singh, Central City Police Captain. Sabongui's role in the pilot is a guest star and could be expanded to recurring status.[12] Robbie Amell was cast in a recurring role as Ronnie Raymond, a maintenance worker at S.T.A.R. Labs and Caitlin Snow’s fiancé.[5]
Guest stars include: William Sadler as Simon Stagg;[13] Wentworth Miller as Leonard Snart / Captain Cold;[14][15] Kelly Frye as Bette Sans Souci;[16] Clancy Brown as General Wade Eiling;[17]Greg Finley as Tony Woodward / Girder;[18] Dominic Purcell as Mick Rory / Heat Wave;[15] and Amanda Pays, who reprises her role as Dr. Tina McGee from the 1990 television series.[19]
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Production code | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Pilot" | David Nutter | Story by: Greg Berlanti & Andrew Kreisberg & Geoff Johns Teleplay by: Andrew Kreisberg & Geoff Johns | October 7, 2014 | 296648 | 4.79[20] |
| Barry Allen, a forensic crime scene assistant for Central City Police Department, is struck by lightning during a storm that is created after a particle accelerator from S.T.A.R. Labs explodes. In a coma for nine months, Barry awakens in S.T.A.R. Labs, having been placed in the care of his scientist idol, Dr. Harrison Wells, along with his assistants, Dr. Caitlin Snow and Cisco Ramon. Barry quickly learns that he can move at extraordinary speeds, and that there were other "metahumans" created from the explosion. One of them, Clyde Mardon, is robbing banks and murdering people in the city with his ability to control the weather. In order to stop Clyde, Barry is outfitted with a suit that can withstand his high speed of movement. He tracks down Mardon and with the help of Detective West, who learns of Barry's abilities, he is able to stop him. With his new powers, Barry vows to his father of finding out who killed his mother when he was a child, believing him to be another metahuman who has similar abilities of speed as his. Elsewhere, in a secret room at S.T.A.R Labs, Wells reveals he is not paraplegic, while reading a newspaper from the future concerning Barry's fate as the Flash. | ||||||
| 2 | "Fastest Man Alive"[21] | David Nutter | Story by: Greg Berlanti & Andrew Kreisberg Teleplay by: Andrew Kreisberg & Geoff Johns | October 14, 2014 | 3J5352 | |
| 3 | "Things You Can't Outrun"[22] | Jesse Warn | Alison Schapker & Grainne Godfree | October 21, 2014 | ||
| 4 | Geoff Johns & Kai Wu[23] | October 28, 2014[24] | ||||
| 5 | ||||||
| 6 | "The Flash Is Born"[25] | Millicent Shelton | Jaime Paglia & Chris Rafferty | 3J5356 | ||
| 7 | ||||||
| 8 | "Flash vs. Arrow"[26] | Glen Winter[27] | ||||
Production
On July 30, 2013, it was announced that Arrow co-creators Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg, Arrow pilot director David Nutter and Geoff Johns, would develop a Flash TV series for The CW that would detail Barry Allen's origin.[28] Kreisberg revealed after the announcement, that Allen would first appear as a recurring character on Arrow in three episodes of season 2, all written by Berlanti, Kreisberg and Johns, and that the last of the episodes would act as a backdoor pilot for the show. As well, Kreisberg added that Allen will be a forensic scientist and the introduction of his superpowers, as well as the reactions to this, will be very human and grounded. On the character, Johns stated that the Flash in the show will resemble his comic book counterpart, complete with his trademark red costume and not a poor imitation, to which Kreisberg added, "No sweat suits or strange code names; he will be The Flash." The producers are looking in to how to depict the Flash's lightning speed, but Johns stated it would not just be the standard "blurring around". Finally, it was revealed that casting for Allen had begun, overseen by the same team that was working on Arrow.[29]
In September 2013, Grant Gustin was cast in the titular role.[3] In November 2013, it was announced that the third appearance of the Flash on Arrow would no longer be a backdoor pilot, with the studio opting to make a traditional pilot instead. By doing so, it allows the creative team to flesh out the Flash's story and his world on a bigger budget, opposed to being constrained to incorporating Arrow characters with a backdoor pilot. The decision was made after CW executives saw material from the Flash's first two episodes on Arrow, which was well received. The pilot would be written by Berlanti, Kreisberg and Johns, and directed by Nutter. The show would still be tied to Arrow, as that is where Barry Allen first makes an appearance.[30] On January 29, 2014, The Flash was officially ordered for a pilot episode.[31]
In early February 2014, The Hollywood Reporter reported that the only remaining regular role to be cast is for the part of Hartley Rathaway.[32] On February 28, 2014, it was announced that production on the pilot would begin at the start of March in Vancouver, British Columbia,[33] as well as revealing the costume worn by Gustin for the series. The costume was designed byColleen Atwood, who also designed the costumes for Arrow.[34] The entire pilot was screened at the Warner Bros. Television and DC Entertainment panel at San Diego Comic-Con International in July 2014, along with the pilot of Gotham, and footage from Constantine and the third season of Arrow.[35] Arrow composer Blake Neely also composes for the series.[36] In late September 2014, The CW ordered three more scripts beyond the series' initial order of 13 episodes, due to executives positive reception of installments shot after the pilot. The order is strictly developmental, and not an episodic extension.[37]
Broadcast
The Flash premiered on The CW on October 7, 2014 during the 2014–15 television season[38] and also premiered in Canada on the same night.[39] The show scheduled to premiere inAustralia in December.[40]
Reception
Regarding Gustin's debut as Barry Allen in Arrow and the potential for a series, IGN's Jesse Schedeen stated his concern: "Gustin doesn't come across as leading man material. His awkward bumbling intertwining with Felicity's was cute, but rarely did I get the impression that this character could or should be given his own spinoff series."[41] Schedeen eventually warmed up to the character, however, once the "dorkiness and social awkwardness" were downplayed a bit and the emphasis was placed on "his keen scientific mind."[42]
Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes calculated a 95% critic approval rating based on 39 reviews, with an average score of 7.1 out of 10. The site's consensus states, "The Flash benefits from its purposefully light atmosphere, making it a superhero show uniquely geared toward genre fans as well as novices."[43] Metacritic gives the show a score of 72 out of 100, based on 22 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[44] IGN's Eric Goldman and Joshua Yehl praised the show's premise and cast after viewing a press screening copy of the pilot. Goldman and Yehl favorably compared it to Arrow, stating that The Flash progresses with a confidence that Arrow did not get until later in the series.[45]
