The Flash (2014)

The lighter and more optimistic tone is unexplored territory that could be tough to navigate at any speed. For the first hour, anyway, The Flash makes it look easy.

The CW has done an impressive job building a snappy show out of one of the goofier heroes of the DC universe.

You don’t have to be a comic book fan to enjoy The Flash, but if you are one, there are so many Easter eggs in the pilot--especially the one at the closing moment--that you just might go into nerdgasms. The Flash isn’t stopping for anyone.

All the potential here is in the show’s resistance to the joyless atmospherics that have become the bane of comic-book shows and movies.

First, the series is completely on point with what the network is doing elsewhere (Arrow, etc.). Second, it's actually very well done. And third, it's wholly entertaining.

Its sprightly first hour is one of the most solidly entertaining pilots of the fall season, and it did the most important thing that first episodes must do: It made me eager to see what comes next.

An effervescent and super-engaging addition to television's increasingly grim comic-book wars.

The CW's The Flash is one of the most enjoyable, agreeable and infectiously exuberant new shows of the fall, a welcome respite from the angst-heavy gloom that burdens so many comics-inspired superhero action shows these days.

The Flash continues the CW's streak with the perfect mix of humor and gravity intrinsic to The Flash comics. [Sep/Oct 2014, p.83]

The Flash pilot, directed by David Nutter, is full of thrilling special effects, too. That adds up to a show that, at least in the early going, has something for almost everyone.

The Flash pushes most of the right buttons with its engaging first episode. It’s alternately action-packed, character-driven and poignant, with dashes of humor here and there.

If the show can maintain the quality of the pilot, [how long the show runs] might be quite some time.

A very good-looking pilot. That leaves Gustin, which is where nagging doubts crop up.... Gustin's Allen is blue of eye and clear of conscience. Sweet and gentle, he's immensely likable but not particularly intriguing, unlike Stephen Amell's Oliver Queen or even Tom Welling's Clark Kent.

The Flash sports a great cast, visually well-designed sets and effects, and the pace and atmosphere reflect the deft hands of directors and crew. But a superhero show can’t live on those elements alone.

It's fair to say that there isn't a single element in The Flash that you haven't seen before. It should all be a big yawn. And yet it's not. The earnestness puts it over.

There are moments where The Flash feels tied down in flashbacks. There are pockets over-acting and cheesy dialogue, but those are easily overlooked for the sake of establishing necessary emotional connections in 45 minutes of show time.

In all, The Flash pilot is an entertaining hour. It doesn't ask for too much of its audience except to sit back and let the new adventure unfold.

This is all shockingly straightforward, especially compared to the darker "Arrow" or to Fox's "Gotham," where even young Bruce Wayne has an attitude. But when your main character's moving this fast, it probably helps if he's someone viewers want to keep up with.

“Gotham” and “Constantine” were both bound to go the dark and violent route. The Flash goes another way, which might not endear it to the comics fans but could attract an audience just looking for something fun.

It’s not a revolutionary show but at a certain level it is a step away from the angst and a return to the positive, uplifting feelings evoked by the 1978 Christopher Reeve “Superman” movie.

Although not anywhere near as epic in scale as Fox's Batman prequel, "Gotham," The Flash does have a better sense of what it has set out to be: a sturdy superhero drama with an engaging lead character played by likable young star.

This more comicbook-y entry could be another solid anchor from sibling DC Comics.

There are no particular acting standouts in the premiere, but they’re at least serviceable, with plenty of potential to grow into their roles. And, for all its storytelling faults, the Flash pilot is never generic, and it makes plenty of strong choices--just a few too many of them. Crucially, if this pilot demonstrates anything, it’s that The Flash is going to be fun, and that’s just the kind of promise to make to audiences while the show still works out the nuts and bolts of its narrative formula.

The Flash forms a decent complement to “Arrow,” from which it has been spun off. If it doesn’t sparkle, it also doesn’t stumble.

Barry takes off so fast that a viewer hardly gets a chance to know him--or care much about where he’s headed.