The Flash Season 1 Episode 14 Review: Fallout
Carissa Pavlica
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Not God. Grodd.
The continual hints of Grodd are really entertaining, especially when they rid us of pesky unwanteds like General Eiling. RIP Eiling. We'll miss you, Clancy Brown, but you'll soon be on another dozen shows so we aren't worried about your employment situation. Being dragged away like a limp doll by Grodd made our day!
The ability of The Flash team to make characters with whom it is so easy to identify truly amazes. In no time at all, Martin Stein won my heart. His enthusiasm for his life's work and his love for his wife were infectious. Why haven't they been able to do the same with Iris?
Ronnie and Martin were piling up the feels in The Flash Season 1 Episode 14 and reminding us about love and what's important (depending upon the moment, it can be your life's work or the love of your life). Once outside of Ronnie, Martin was a different man. He continued to call Ronnie Ronald, but it was in a loving way.
The two have shared something no two others likely will and when they first parted, their schoolboy bickering was amusing, but their genuine concern for one another when they sensed the other was in danger was truly touching and allowed them (with the help of Harrison) to merge in a more meaningful way going forward. They can now merge and part at will, but for the safety of those they love, they have gone on the road.
With Eiling gone, would it be safe for them to stick around Central City? Probably. Unless you take into account Iris is now intending to write a deep investigative story about her friends at STAR Labs.
Iris continues to be a really tough sell. She has yet to resonate with many people and now her first big story will be intruding upon people she has grown friendly with through Barry. They are not necessarily her friends, per se, but both her best friend and her father have grown close to them as they have taken on cases.
I haven't read the comics, so I don't know how reporting of the goings on of The Flash and his friends went over in them. Iris knows the face she saw was Ronnie Raymond and he's the burning man. Exposing that story will hurt Caitlin and possibly put people in danger. Yet, they say the first rule of journalism is to put aside your feelings to focus on the story. That's what she's doing.
She can't be faulted, certainly, but it's hard to see how it will win her a lot of fans. It's funny that Mason Bridges is supposed to be a big Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, because I'm not seeing that in his character. He's more interested in Iris doing the work. Won't he be surprised when her story is as big as it will, no doubt, turn out to be?
We batted around the idea of how long it would take Joe to tell Barry about him being there the night his mom died on The Flash Round Table. It took about a minute. Did you see the look on Grant Gustin's face at the news? He can really emote. That said, gosh, Joe is amazing. He has so much heart and faith. I love how he didn't quite buy into Barry's desire to write off Harrison's involvement with Nora's death, either. He'll play along for now.
Why is the mirror still set up in that woman's living room? Did she move out or is she just a really kind soul to have them coming and going at all hours? Perhaps I missed that explanation. All of the talk about time travel, with Cisco explaining it to Joe in terms of movies, was exactly the way we all tried to break it down.
I don't know how and I don't know when, but someday soon I'm going to be in this house again 15 year ago, and I'm gonna fail. Unless I don't.
Barry
Barry hated the idea he was set up to fail at the task set before him when he hadn't yet had an opportunity to make an attempt at it, and it's both fun and sad to imagine Barry doing the same thing before, hoping to save his mom. He's such a bright soul that nothing can really stop his determination.
There's a part of me that thinks he may just do it. Can this Barry Allen, our Barry Allen, really fail? It seems incomprehensible. It's his family. He would do anything to make it right.
Then there is the speedster in yellow. Is he a metahuman or is he just wearing a metahuman suit? He told Eiling he was, but I was under the impression it was the latter. Someone enlighten me please. Every time Barry pleads with Joe not to imagine Harrison capable of something evil, they flash over to him doing something bordering on sinister.
The Flash Season 1 Episode 15 preview looked pretty Reverse Flash intensive, so it's about time to get prepared. All in all, "Fallout" was another energizing and entertaining installment of the freshman series that has been nothing but since inception.
Talk about it in the comments and, don't forget, you can watch The Flash online via TV Fanatic to catch up on all things related to the Scarlett Speedster!
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.
