We’ve already got our fair share of comic-related shows on television, but later this year we’ll be getting even more in the form of “Constantine,” “Gotham,” and the upcoming “Arrow” spin-off “The Flash.” With all of these shows in development and with expected air dates this fall, we wanted to dive into the characters and stories that they originated from and pick out the things we hope to see in their live-action counterparts.
Production has already begun on the pilot for “The Flash” which will see Grant Gustin in the title role. “Arrow” co-creators Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg, along with Geoff Johns, have scripted the initial episode which picks up after the events of the “Arrow” episode where we saw Barry Allen gain his new abilities. The cast for the series has already been assembled and includes some fan favorite comic characters, including Iris West, Cisco Roman, and Eddie Thawne. With all that in mind, here are some things we hope to see in “The Flash” should it be picked up to series.
Hit Full Screen to read each of the points!
9 Things - The Flash
-
Play Up the Differences From Arrow
One thing that will be working against “The Flash” from the start, no matter how different the characters and setting are from “Arrow,” is that some will expect it to be similar to the series that spawned it. The thing that should be the sole similarity in these shows is that they're both about DC heroes. While Oliver Queen struggled with re-adapting to society and working as a force of vengeance in Starling City in his own series, Barry can go a totally different route, a beacon of hope for goodness in a place with its own brand of crime and corruption. Oliver and Barry are both tortured souls in the universe The CW has created, but their struggles and ideals are different enough that there should be no huge character similarities. There's also the whole super power angle, which will be far more prevalent in “The Flash,” and will no doubt make it a different animal from “Arrow.”
-
The Crime Scene Angle
It's not necessary for “The Flash” to become “CSI: Central City,” but there's another plot device already built into the character that gives it a different dramatic angle from “Arrow” - solving crimes. Sure, Oliver Queen does his best to stop burglars and murders and what have you, but the investigation aspects of those scenes are seldom elaborate and there's a chance to show those processes on this series. While Oliver has Felicity to do most of his investigations for him and the computer work, Barry has the upper hand in being trained in these areas.
-
Romance With Iris
Set to be played by Candice Patton in the upcoming series, Iris and Barry's relationship is one of the many memorable character traits about The Flash. Iris' profession also puts her in a unique position to counter with Barry's own occupation, he being a crime scene investigator and she being a reporter. This tension, coupled with any potential romantic inclinations, will no doubt create some very interesting and unique drama for the series. There's also the added bonus that “The Flash” executive producers have made Iris African American in the series, and adding a storyline with an interracial couple, one of them a superhero, is definitely something we can get behind.
-
Barry's Additional Powers
Running fast isn't all The Flash has going for him. He can phase through walls, doesn't really need to eat, has enhanced brain function, accelerated healing, and can even fly in very short spurts. Once Barry gets his powers in the upcoming series, though he won't know how to use them right away, and will likely stick to the quick running for much of the first season, he can't rely solely on running fast for the duration of the series.
-
How Does He Put on That Costume?
In the comics, Barry has this really neat ring contraption that with the press of a button will shoot his costume into the air, allowing him to change into his super identity in the blink of an eye. The costume ring is pretty signature to Barry himself, but we have doubts it will translate well to television, especially with how bulky the costume itself looks. So how does he put the costume on when he really needs it? Does he go the Superman route and run into a revolving door or phone booth? Hopefully this question gets answered in the first couple of episodes.
-
Variety in Super Origins
We already know that several other characters that will likely eventually gain super powers are set to appear in the upcoming series, including Vibe, Killer Frost, and Professor Zoom. It would be a disadvantage to the wealth of potential stories for the series to tie all of their super-powered origins to a similar event, like NBC's "Heroes," though we're not opposed to the S.T.A.R. Labs Particle Collider being a cause of a few of them given how many times it has been mentioned in “Arrow.”
-
Wally West
One thing that will work against “The Flash” from the start is that they have to catch up to “Arrow” in terms of world building. It took a few episodes before the world of Oliver Queen started to feel like a live-action DCU, and though it will no doubt take a few episodes for “The Flash” too, they should try and (ahem) work at a quicker pace. One way to do this is introducing Wally West. The stage is set for him as his aunt and father are already going to appear in the show, and one way that Barry can learn more about his own abilities is if he has someone traveling the same path as he. What makes us worry Wally won't appear on the series, at least not in a super-powered capacity, is that introducing a protege character on “The Flash” would emulate “Arrow” a little too much.
-
Oliver Queen
Shows set in the same universe, especially ones based on comics, should no doubt cross over throughout their duration. Even though the executive producers are busy trying to make “The Flash” different from “Arrow,” having star Stephen Amell show up as Oliver Queen could be a big draw for the ratings in the unlikely event that “The Flash” needs assistance. Furthermore, Queen's appearance on “The Flash” isn't detrimental to the growth of the series. Just look at Joss Whedon's “Angel,” itself a spin-off of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” which saw Sarah Michelle Gellar appear as her famous character in its eighth episode.
-
The Rogues!
You can't have The Flash without his very famous “Rogues.” A gathering of The Flash's various villains, the Rogues Gallery has previously consisted of Glider, Captain Cold, Heat Wave, Mirror Master, Weather Wizard, Trickster, Captain Boomerang and countless others. We're not saying that the rogues have to be assembled by the first season of “The Flash,” but if Arrow can have Suicide Squad AND the Birds of Prey, what's stopping “The Flash” from getting his Rogues?
