The Flash: Season 1, Episode 10

The Flash

Episode Title: “Revenge of the Rogues”

Channel: CW

Director: Nick Copus

Writers: Kai Yu Wu and Geoff Johns

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Runtime: 43 min

Rated: TV-PG

Original Air Date: January 20, 2015

The Flash is finally back from its winter break! After the events of the mid-season finale we all knew that the Flash's world was going to change, and “Revenge of the Rogues” does a great job of giving us our first glimpses of what to expect. The most noticeable change in Barry comes from the realization that he is not the fastest man alive. This knowledge drives him to remedy that as soon as possible, by pushing himself in training for more than he has in the past. Dr. Wells plays a large part in Barry's decision to focus on his training instead of his day to day hero-ing and when a threat rises in Central City, Joe immediately questions Barry's reluctance to enter the fray. The dynamic between those three characters will be fun to watch unfold, Joe is trying to get Barry to be the hero he claimed he wanted to be early on, and Dr. Wells is grooming him for some unknown future events. Ultimately Barry decides that the two missions can coexist and he enters the fray.

This week saw the return of Captain Cold, and this time he brought a friend, as Dominic Purcell reunites with his Prison Break co-star to assume the role of Heat Wave. I know we're watching a television show based on a comic book, but the performances from both men seemed to be a little overcooked for me. Hopefully they'll tone down the camp in future appearances. When the confrontation between the villains and Barry finally arrives it was a little underwhelming. I'm all of any reason whatsoever to include a Ghostbusters reference, but the handling of the showdown left a lot to be desired. I know that there isn't much conflict at all if Barry just takes both guys out at the speed of sound, but it was tough to suspend disbelief enough to buy the necessity of the 'crossing the streams' resolution. It seems as if some mechanic could have been added to the script to make this the only viable way to defeat the villainous duo. Camp and the shaky mechanics behind the final fight aside, I'm glad the writers are experimenting with the idea of recurring villains, something comic fans have seen for years. An interesting side effect of the battle between Captain Cold, Heatwave, and the Flash is that now the citizens Central City knows the scarlet speedster exists. Their collective reactions to his successes and failures will add a new dynamic to the show.

The emotional moments in this episode really hit the mark. Barry and Joe's moments were again the cream of the crop. With Iris moving in with Eddie, Joe was preparing to live the life of a bachelor and it's decided that it would be good for both Barry and Joe if Barry moved back in. The casual, non-crime fighting moments between these two characters are so fun and genuine that any excuse to get more of them is an exciting prospect. After Barry revealed his feelings to Iris their relationship has become strained, but at the end of the episode it looked like they were both willing to move forward and attempt to repair the damage. The audience was also treated to a little more information regarding Firestorm. The way this information was revealed was more organic than in the previous episode, as Caitlin's foray out of S.T.A.R. Labs was necessary for her capture, and the initiation of the showdown. She might as well be revealing some pertinent information while she does it. Cisco also had what I felt were his best moments in the series so far, attempting to repair relations between the labs and the police, gaining their trust, and eventually their respect.

Conclusion: While not as strong as “The Man in the Yellow Suit,” this episode served as a great way to kick off the second half of the season. If some of the corniness of the villains can be shed things look good going forward. Barry's uncertainty concerning what he should be doing next feels genuine and his emotional moments with his friends and family served as highlights of the episode.

Rating: 7.75/10