The Flash Round Table: Can Barry Change the Past?
Carissa Pavlica
at
.
On the Round Table for The Flash Season 1 Episode 14 we're chatting about Firestorm and Iris' investigation into him, Harrison, time travel and the Reverse Flash.
Get in on the fun and join TV Fanatics Jim Garner, Tanya Moat and Carissa Pavlica by planting your thoughts in the comments. You know you have them. Why not play along?
Considering how things ended, what's next for Firestorm?
Jim: SPIN-OFF!!!! Ok, that's wishful thinking on my part. I suspect we will see him from time to time, it's good to have another heroic meta-human in the world!
Tanya: I'm with Jim – I want a Firestorm spin-off!! I'm loving the character (or characters?) and they are doing a great job with the special effects.
Carissa: Haha. Spinoff? The CW would be nothing but DC comics at the rate we're going! I don't know that a spinoff is in the making, but I'm really taken with Dr. Martin Stein, even more so than Ronnie Raymond. From the way he calls Ronnie Ronald to the utter joy and excitement at talking about the space time continuum (and can we say... squeeeeeeee?), he is simply adorable. I'd like them to be around a lot more.
Is Iris doing the right thing investigating Caitlin's boyfriend and Barry's friend?
Jim: She wouldn't be a reporter if she didn't. Besides how else is she going to find out that Barry is the The Flash so they can fall in love? Uh... again?
Tanya: Ugh. Such a hard call. Like Jim said, she is absolutely doing her job, and this gives her something to do relevant to the story. The flip side is that it still doesn't make me like her. And I think I'm supposed to root for her and Barry to eventually get together. But I don't. At all. I kind of wish Wells had given Iris to Grodd, rather than General Eiling.
Carissa: That's what I said in my review. A reporter is supposed to put aside emotions to do their job, but it's not making my job as a viewer any easier. She's so difficult to like. I can't say I want to like her, because I don't know her well enough to want to, but since Barry does, I feel like I should. It's a tough road with Ms. West. It seems the road will get rougher before we're onto smoothing sailing!
Barry wants to focus on doing things differently to change the past. Is it even possible?
Jim: Knowledge is power, knowing what he did the first time didn't work will give him a fighting chance to make it different. Doc Brown proved you could change things while Terminator proved you couldn't... Guess we get to wait and see which the show follows.
Tanya: Sure, maybe? I don't know. What would it mean if he did? It would change everything. I'm excited to see how they handle time travel and love that Barry is focused on trying to change the past. It would be very hard to realize you were destined to fail.
Carissa: I loved his logic. It can be found in The Flash Quotes. Gosh, he sounds awfully certain he can pull it off, but you have to wonder if he already did all of this before. Is it a loop? Has he tried and he's just back again, spinning his wheels? Then again, it seems unlikely, as Harrison would be aware of the loop. Barry isn't one to be told he'll fail, so he just might change it this time. Our Barry seems capable of anything. I just love time travel and I can't wait to see where they go with it!
It seems Harrison will do anything to keep from getting his hands dirty. When do you expect that to change?
Jim: I'm not sure I agree with this statement. I would say delivering the General to Grodd was getting his hands dirty.
Tanya: He has gotten his hands dirty in the past, but he's always been able to hide it. Giving Grodd the General was a big move on his part. He is someone who will definitely be missed. It was also interesting to learn why he did it. Is he really trying to protect Metas or is that just his excuse or a bit of both?
Carissa: That's so interesting, because I asked the question to see how you saw the Grodd business. I saw it as Wells using Grodd to do his dirty work. He had a chance to kill Eiling when they were together earlier. He chose not to do it. He waited, instead, to let Grodd do it. I still don't think he's doing anything for the good of it, but only for his own ends. I guess we'll find out soon enough!
The trailer for The Flash Season 1 Episode 15 teases the reveal of Harrison as Reverse Flash. How would you expect that to affect the series going forward?
Jim: I'm sure he will have an explanation that he is not the real Reverse Flash, that he's just using the costume to push Barry into being ready so he can save his mother.
Tanya: I'm really excited because I didn't expect Wells to be outed as Reverse Flash until the end of the season, so I'm hoping this isn't one of those misleading previews! If it's not, then it will have a huge impact on the show. Cisco and Caitlyn are very loyal to him as is Barry, and it would be devastating to learn that someone you so deeply trusted and admired was the enemy. I am excited to see the fallout whenever it happens.
Carissa: I don't see how he can use the excuse that he's using the costume to push Barry to help his mother, especially after frightening Joe by threatening Iris and putting a knife through her photo at his place. He's also well aware of the yellow streak at Barry's house when he was a kid and of the one in STAR Labs recently. If he cops to it at all, he'd best not make excuses. The trailer looks so good I cannot believe we have to wait until March 17th to see it all play out!
The Flash Season 1 Episode 15, "Out of Time," airs Tuesday, March 17 at 8/7c. Check out the preview clip below!
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.
