Oh how the turn tables.
My little brother is a comic book nerd. There’s no other way to put it. He’s like Brodie from Mallrats but without the really great quips, and amazing brown jacket.
So when I got to go to San Diego Comic Con this year, and HE had to stay home with his newborn baby, well, let’s just say there was contention. BUT, I did call him after preview night to say that I got to see the world premiere of The Flash.
The Flash is the newest DC universe show to come to the CW. It starts Tuesdays this fall. I knew nothing about it, but here’s the extended trailer (this is basically the whole pilot anyway).
Of course, I went into the premiere knowing nothing. My education on The Flash is pretty much relegated to my ex-boyfriend’s toy collection.
So, after comic-con was over (SADNESS) I decided to sit down with my little brother (we will refer to him as Budge because that’s what we call him IRL) and ask him to give me a real quick run-down on the new show.
We amazingly don’t fight until several comments in
Me: Look at us! Chatting on the internet. I’ve literally never done this with you.
Budge: You’re right, I don’t think we have. Weird.
Me: Not that weird. I didn’t talk to you in person until 2003.
Budge: Well, I wasn’t a real person until then.
Me: Real person, like not a tween? Exactly.
Budge: Ok, so… what would you like to know?
Me: Well, I went into this Flash premiere knowing nothing. So we will start with my first impressions. K?
Budge: Sounds good
Me: From the outset: Maybe it’s just because Jesse Martin is in it, but it was like Law&Order: Superhero Unit
Budge: I can understand that
Me: I mean, I guess this is some sort of Gotham/NYC/Chicago esque city right?
Budge: It’s called Central City, aptly named for being located roughly in the center of the U.S.
Me: So it’s like Kansas City. NEBRASKA. What is the middle of the country? Arkansas?
Budge: I googled a map of DC America, and Central City is roughly on the state line between Missouri and Kansas, just a bit north of Kansas City.
Me: OMG I was right about Kansas City. I won the geography bee in the 3rd grade. Remember that?
Budge: I don’t. What was I, one year old?
Me: UH, something like that. Also, shut up.
But Do MetaHumans Need Proactive?
Me: But here’s the thing, are all these superhero shows on the CW supposed to be about teenagers? Because guy playing the flash looks around 13.
Budge: No, the dude playing Green Arrow doesn’t look like a teenager.
Me: OK WAIT. You are getting too far ahead of me. That guy was a surprise. LET”S TALK ABOUT BARRY AND HIS PIMPLES!!
Budge: Ok, yes, the dude playing Barry does look a little young, but that’s just for marketing. Barry should be at least in his mid-twenties in order to be a forensic scientist.
Budge Ships Barris HARD
Me: So, the guy that’s in charge of the whole sciencey place? what’s his name?
Budge: You mean NOT Jesse Martin?
Me: Well, there’s Jesse Martin, and then non-Jerry Orbach (who looks just like Jerry Orbach) and then the guy who was in Ed TV or whatever who wears the glasses (so we know he’s the smart one)
Budge: OH, Tom Cavanagh, my bad. I thought you meant Barry’s boss at the precinct.
Me: OMG Barry works at the precinct? I didn’t catch that. Looks like he works in a loft on New Girl.
Budge: According to my research, (also known as IMDB), his character is named, “Harrison Wells,” but I have a feeling that isn’t his real name. Also, yes, Barry works at the precinct. He’s a police forensic scientist. Keep up.
HEH… keep up. We’re talking about the Flash.
Me: #DadJokes … IDK what’s going on except he likes Jesse’s Girl, and he looks like a middle schooler
Budge: Yes, he likes Jesse’s Girl, AKA Iris West, his future wife.
Me: WHOA SPOILER ALERT!
Iris is a great name though
Budge: Seriously, they’re more soul mates than Superman and Lois Lane
Me: OH GEEZ
Do you ship them?
SHIP THEM HARD?
Budge: I don’t have to ship them, DC does it for me
Me: It’s so pedestrian to ship canon couples, you know that right?
Budge: Barry once restarted the universe to keep Iris safe, don’t judge my shipping.
Me: Wow. I’m sure that was totally NOT problematic at all for anyone else on earth.
Budge: Meh.
You know who liked Smallville? MOM.
Me: Ok, so what do you think of the show itself. YOu’re a comic book fan? Is it good/not good/the worst?
Budge: From what I’ve seen, it looks to be staying pretty true to the character, while adding in some good modern flavors.
They’re keeping a more recent telling of Barry’s origin, which I kind of like
Me: But like, you know, as an outsider, there is NO WAY this show is going to stay on the air. It is BORING.
Budge: …what? I’m pretty sure people said the same thing about Smallville, and it was on the air for TEN SEASONS
Me: Um, I wasn’t into it. That was Mom.
I mean, how is it significantly different from spiderman or smallville or the new gotham show or whatever? So he’s fast, so WHAT
Budge: There’s going to be a mystery to it that will keep non-comic viewers intrigued.
And it’s not JUST that he’s fast. Yes, he’s the “Fastest Man Alive,” but his powers allow him to do much more. He’s so fast he can travel through time, break the speed of light. It’s a big deal, and presents lots of storytelling potential.
Me: Ok, so who is the antagonist then? Science guy or the guy in the barn?
Budge: I’m thinking Science Guy is neutral, for now. I need to actually see some episodes before I assign judgement.
Me: Well, having no notion of what’s in the comics, I think science guy is going to be a baddy. But I will never know bc I probably won’t watch it
Budge: I don’t really remember a guy in a barn? But the real antagonist is part of the big mystery.
Me: Some guy that can control the weather? He made a tornado
Budge: Ah, Weather Wizard. Yes, it’s a cheezy name.
Yes, he’s a bad guy, but only one of several. They’re called the Rouges, and they’re basically an organized gang of super-powered bad guys who work together to make money.
Me: OMG WEATHER WIZARD
Did your 7month old baby come up with this villain name?
Super creative name, DC writers.
Budge: No, he was created in 1960, when you could essentially get away with anything in comics.
Me: Are you googling all this info?
Budge: …not all of it…
Me: UH HUH.
Budge: I actually knew that one, I just googled to double-check myself.
At least someone in the Pilot was hot
Me: Some dude named Arrow showed up in this and my friend Jamie was really excited.
So … how is this show supposed to connect to the other DC universe shows?
Budge: Barry Allen, before getting his powers, showed up in the last few episodes of the most recent “Arrow” season (which I can’t name because I haven’t watched it.)
And I know what you mean by “other DC Universe shows,” but in reality, there are only these two.
“Gotham” doesn’t count, as it’s airing on Fox
Me: Oh. I thought there were more.
Budge: But Arrow does show up in the Flash pilot.
Me: Yeah, I know he does I SAW THE FLASH PILOT.
Budge: You asked about connections, I’m giving you connections. Damn.
Me: Watch your mouth. I like that guy that plays Arrow. Or is it Green Arrow?
Budge: Eh… they call him “Arrow” because they’re stupid and think Green Arrow is redundant
Me: And they aren’t worried about WEATHER WIZARD. Hokay, CW.
I need kissing … NOT FROM YOU, that’s gross
Me: Alright. SO LAST THING
Sell me on this. Should I care? Should I watch?
Budge: Yes, I think you should watch. The mystery surrounding Barry is going to be a good driving force, and like you said, it looks like Law and Order with super heroics for a reason. It’ll be like a police procedural with occasional superspeed.
Me: Will there be kissing?
Budge: I assume they’ll hold the kissing off for a while, if the show takes off, but yes, eventually there will be kissing.
Me: I like unrequited love as well. So I can hang.
Budge: Give it a few episodes. So far, they’re only slotted for eight, I believe. Trust me, the research into the murder is going to probably be a huge part of the show. So unrequited love, Barry trying to clear his father’s name of his mother’s murder, and super heroics sound like a win to me.
Me: Alright. MAYBE.
So … do you think you will be tuning into The Flash? Do you think it will get crossover fans from Arrow, The Arrow, Green Lantern, whatever that show is?
