Struck by lightning during a freak electrical storm brought on by the powering up of a particle accelerator, Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) is a young man who has been in a coma for nine months, waking up in the present day to find himself at S.T.A.R. Labs, greeting by Cisco Ramon (Carlos Valdes), Caitlin Snow (Danielle Panabaker) and Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanagh).
With the trauma of the past weighing heavily on his mind, Allen is a confused soul whose mother has been murdered and whose father has been wrongly imprisoned, accused of killing his wife.
Though it sounds like a tragic affair, the first season of The Flash manages to become a breezy, energetic and enjoyable series, upbeat from the early minutes right through up until the awe-inspiring finale. There are moments of madness that will have you cackling with delight, but also tender touches of raw emotion which should illicit a teary response.
Upon discovering that the lightning storm didn't just render him incapacitated for nine months, but turned him into a 'metahuman' and a 'speedster', Barry decides to use his power of super speed for good, taking criminals off the street and solving crime with an ability that the rest of the world can only dream of. But, this is a superhero series, and with the good must of course come the evil.
Battling villains such as Weather Wizard and The Trickster (a returning Mark Hamill!), fans of the DC world will be more than impressed with the brilliant roster brought forward by the debut season, and as if that wasn't enough, there's a crossover episode which sees Oliver Queen AKA The Arrow (Stephen Amell) join in on the action, bringing some of his friends from Starling City along for the ride.
Special mentions must go to the special effects team, who bring the best-looking CGI gorilla to life in Grodd, a mind-bending, gigantic and telepathic gorilla who isn't looking to make friends. As a member of the Rogues in the world of DC Comics, fans would have been in uproar if his time on-screen was anything short of spectacular, and fortunately we were treated to some of the best animation from Encore VFX there could have been.
Wentworth Miller's brilliant portrayal of Captain Cold is also worth mentioning. Though he's also a member of the Rogues Gallery, and a villain who seems willing to do whatever it takes for riches and infamy, Miller manages to balance the character's personality perfectly, allowing viewers to engage and enjoy the chaos he brings about, which likely solidified his inclusion in the upcoming DC's Legends of Tomorrow series.
Though The Flash was first conceived as an Arrow spin-off, the show has done well to stand alone as a unique take on the fan-favourite superhero, solidifying its place on television whilst not distancing itself from the material which allowed this series to happen. Whether you're a lifetime DC fan or new to the universe it presents, The Flash can capture the heart and imagination of anybody who watches it, and that's something to be commended.
Special features include:
- The Fastest Man Alive!
- Creating the Blur
- The Chemistry of Emily and Grant Screen Test
- Behind the Story: The Trickster Returns!
- DC Comics Night at Comic-Con 2014 Presenting Gotham, The Flash, Constantine and Arrow
- Audio Commentary
- Deleted Scenes
- Gag Reel
The Flash: The Complete First Season is available now on DVD and Blu-ray.
Tagged in The Flash