Television Review: The Flash, Season 4

Synopsis: Barry Allen lived a normal life as a perpetually tardy C.S.I. in the Central City Police Department. Barry’s life changed when the S.T.A.R. Labs Particle Accelerator exploded, creating a dark matter lightning storm that struck Barry, bestowing him with super-speed and making him the fastest man alive — The Flash. But Barry wasn’t the only person who was given extraordinary abilities that night. The dark matter also created meta-humans, many of whom have wreaked havoc on the city. New threats also arrived from parallel earths and dimensional breaches, under the direction of evil speedsters Zoom and Savitar. With the help of his adoptive father, Joe West, his fiancée Iris West, and scientist friends at S.T.A.R Labs, Caitlin Snow, Cisco Ramon and Julian Albert, as well as Harrison Wells from an alternate Earth, Barry races to protect the people of Central City from these powerful threats.

Programme: The Flash, Season 4

Company: DC Entertainment

Date: 2018

Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3

I didn’t quite anticipate watching the next season of The Flash as quickly as I did. But it was coming off Sky. As this was the season I was actually up to (for once), I knew it would bug me if I missed it/had to wait for it to come back. For once, however, I’m actually be up to date with a show! I’m certain it won’t last.

So, how did I feel about season 4 of The Flash?

I thoroughly enjoyed it!

In fact, I enjoyed it far more than the last season.

Part of this was because the story lines were a bit different this time. We see Barry on the wrong side of the law, we see him admit that he’s wrong about someone and we see him, for the first time in several seasons, seem genuinely happy. Compare this to the brooding Barry Allen of the previous season, and it made a nice change!

Iris has taken control of the team in Barry’s absence and is given the chance to prove to herself that she has what it takes to be a hero. Cisco faces his own choices as he falls in love and is offered something more than this team and this earth. Caitlyn learns to accept who she is: all of her. There has been steady development across all the characters.

One of the things I particularly enjoyed about season 4 is Barry’s return to being the only speedster. I liked Wally, don’t get me wrong, but it felt a little like the Flash’s powers were being diluted because there were so many other speedsters running around. He has the help of his friends, but it’s more enjoyable watching them combine their different powers to save the day rather than just a couple of people running really fast.

Leading on from this, this season gives Barry the chance to be a hero out of the outfit as well as in. He makes choices that are hard, knowing they affect the ones he cares about, but ultimately goes through with it because he knows it is the right thing to do. He felt like a more rounded hero this time – knowing when his powers had to be put on the side-line rather than being the answer to all of his problems.

I also liked the return to the original trio, just with added powers. It was good to see Barry, Cisco and Caitlyn working just the three of them to save the day near the end of the season: tension is high by then and the trio go back to their roots.

Of course, what would be a season of The Flash without there being the ultimate bad-guy? DeVoe was an interesting opponent as the team weren’t able to outthink him. Their final battle, however, was meaningful but also didn’t ultimately result in Barry being the victor: the way he inspires others is what made the difference.

What can I say: I enjoyed this season!

Amazon

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