"The Flash"

Above, Grant Gustin as The Flash.

Well, I just finished watching the premiere of The Flash on the CW television network.

For beginners, I found it entertaining with good special effects (computer-generated, of course). But the origin of The Flash was fairly faithful to the DC Comics version upon which the series is based.

Grant Gustin did a good job portraying Barry Allen/Flash. It is interesting that the producers decided to make Iris West (Barry's wife in the comics) black. She is portrayed by the very attractive Candice Patton.

In this episode, Barry Allen obtains his powers of super-speed by an explosion of an experimental particle accelerator that causes a lightning bolt to strike Barry Allen and some surrounding chemicals. Unfortunately, the explosion also created a super-villain who is able to control the weather. He isn't called such (as yet), but this villain seems to be based on one of Flash's arch-enemies, the Weather Wizard.

One nice touch, Allen pays a visit to Oliver Queen, also known as the Green Arrow (from the sister series, Arrow).

The episode went by in a flash (pun intended) and I think it warrants a look at next week's episode.

My main beef is the costume. It is too dark and looks too much like Daredevil's. I much prefer the costume (which was much more faithful to the comic book version) worn by the 1990s Flash, John Wesley Shipp. By the way, Shipp plays Barry Allen's father. He is to have a recurring role in this series, I've read. Nothing against Grant Gustin on this point, but couldn't the producers get a blonde actor to play Barry Allen (or dye Gustin's hair)? Barry Allen of the comics is blonde.

Above, John Wesley Shipp as the 1990s Flash.

My other beef is that too many people (mainly the techies at Star Laboratories) know that Allen has these powers. What's the point in having a secret identity these days?

Anyway, aside from the awful costume, this was an entertaining show. I liked last night's Gotham better.

My grade for The Flash: B+.