# Flash: new TV show (boxed spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 9, 2014, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flash-new-tv-show-boxed-spoilers/700818 "2014-10-09T01:14:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flash-new-tv-show-boxed-spoilers/700818/121 "2014-10-30T16:27:33Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > \The rest aren’t growing on me, including Barry. I’m finding Barry’s resemblance to new Spiderman distracting. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flash-new-tv-show-boxed-spoilers/700818/122 "2014-10-30T17:03:02Z")
> [@epbrown01](#): > > Knowing tv writers, they’ll want to keep Barry and Iris apart for multiple seasons anyway But, but, but what about Professor Zoom? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flash-new-tv-show-boxed-spoilers/700818/123 "2014-10-30T17:12:33Z")
I did think it was funny went Mr. Freeze gave that kid some gum. Don’t take candy from strangers, dumb kid! You told me to look for something suspicious. He went on the tour twice. No one does that! Want to see how fast I can run backwards? ::thwump!:: “It’s okay, he heals faster too.” ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flash-new-tv-show-boxed-spoilers/700818/124 "2014-10-30T19:02:46Z")
The show is generally fun, but MAN they are bad at thinking through Barry’s powers. So the guy has a freeze gun. Won’t help at ALL if he doesn’t also have superhuman reflexes. Particularly since he seems to enjoy a good monologue. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flash-new-tv-show-boxed-spoilers/700818/125 "2014-10-30T20:01:08Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > The show is generally fun, but MAN they are bad at thinking through Barry’s powers. So the guy has a freeze gun. Won’t help at ALL if he doesn’t also have superhuman reflexes. Particularly since he seems to enjoy a good monologue. And that scene on the staircase where the security guard has a gun pointed at Freeze while Freeze’s gun is down by his side. What? You can’t shoot him? ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2014, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flash-new-tv-show-boxed-spoilers/700818/126 "2014-10-30T20:35:02Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > The show is generally fun, but MAN they are bad at thinking through Barry’s powers. So the guy has a freeze gun. Won’t help at ALL if he doesn’t also have superhuman reflexes. Particularly since he seems to enjoy a good monologue. While I thought they did a rather good job at having the villain keeping Barry busy by shooting random people and derailing the train, I agree with the basic point you’re making—any confrontation where there’s even half a second downtime for Barry should just be it. Basically, it’d play out like the greatest street magician grift ever—“You’ve got a freeze gun, now I’ve got a freeze gun, now the freeze gun is disassembled into a thousand tiny pieces, now you’re cuffed, now you’re in jail. Ta-daa.” That just highlights the difficulties of writing speedster powers. I think we can allow for Barry being occasionally surprised and blindsided, since he presumably can’t have his powers ‘on’ all the time—it would be impossible, for instance, to have a normal conversation or move normally, like trying to move and speak in slow motion, and just picture him in a restaurant waiting for dinner a subjective million years—and there’s the fact that his powers are new for him, but even so, a short moment to gather his wits is all any opponent should ever get. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flash-new-tv-show-boxed-spoilers/700818/127 "2014-10-31T01:43:48Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Mr. Freeze Mr Freeze and Captain Cold would both kick your butt for getting them mixed up. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flash-new-tv-show-boxed-spoilers/700818/128 "2014-11-01T01:36:59Z")
> [@epbrown01](#): > > I love Felicity and the actress has legs to die for but her wardrobe is hilarious. She can’t be this lonely, nerdy hottie _and_ dress like a Vegas call girl. She’s a smart dresser. Thank you, I’ll be here all week. Don’t forget to tip your waitress! ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flash-new-tv-show-boxed-spoilers/700818/129 "2014-11-01T02:00:36Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > Mr Freeze and Captain Cold would both kick your butt for getting them mixed up. 😛 Yeah, I’m probably going to have a hard time keeping track of all the villain names. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flash-new-tv-show-boxed-spoilers/700818/130 "2014-11-01T06:36:09Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Yeah, I’m probably going to have a hard time keeping track of all the villain names. You better get used to Captain Cold because he’s going to be back. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flash-new-tv-show-boxed-spoilers/700818/131 "2014-11-01T07:22:30Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > You better get used to Captain Cold because he’s going to be back. You think? ---
**Author:** ![bmoak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@bmoak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bmoak)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flash-new-tv-show-boxed-spoilers/700818/132 "2014-11-01T13:05:57Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > The show is generally fun, but MAN they are bad at thinking through Barry’s powers. So the guy has a freeze gun. Won’t help at ALL if he doesn’t also have superhuman reflexes. Particularly since he seems to enjoy a good monologue. This Flash can only run several hundred miles an hour. The Silver Age comic book Flash could run ridiculously fast, yet almost his entire rogue’s gallery consisted of normal guys with hand-held gadgets or weapons (Captain Cold, Heat Wave, Mr. Element, Captain Boomerang, Weather Wizard, Trickster, etc) ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flash-new-tv-show-boxed-spoilers/700818/133 "2014-11-01T18:16:31Z")
> [@bmoak](#): > > This Flash can only run several hundred miles an hour. The Silver Age comic book Flash could run ridiculously fast, yet almost his entire rogue’s gallery consisted of normal guys with hand-held gadgets or weapons (Captain Cold, Heat Wave, Mr. Element, Captain Boomerang, Weather Wizard, Trickster, etc) Used to drive me crazy when I was kid. I still remember one issue where he changed a flat on a moving car he was driving, and later someone punches him. And speaking of his Rogue’s Gallery, no way can they do The Turtle (the slowest man alive). ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flash-new-tv-show-boxed-spoilers/700818/134 "2014-11-01T18:30:35Z")
Felicity asked what his top speed was and wheelchair guy said they don’t really know. So that’s open. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flash-new-tv-show-boxed-spoilers/700818/135 "2014-11-01T21:20:34Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Felicity asked what his top speed was and wheelchair guy said they don’t really know. So that’s open. That’s the toughest thing for writers to deal with, so he’ll be as fast as he needs to be for the story. In the JLU cartoon series, they always had the Flash running with the group into danger; sensibly he should always have been first, closely followed by Superman. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flash-new-tv-show-boxed-spoilers/700818/136 "2014-11-02T20:48:11Z")
I’m finding it distracting that they’re calling him The Blur. Too much Smallville, I guess… I did like that he blurred his face in the prison so his dad wouldn’t recognize him, though. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flash-new-tv-show-boxed-spoilers/700818/137 "2014-11-02T21:17:20Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > I’m finding it distracting that they’re calling him The Blur. I thought it was The Streak? ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flash-new-tv-show-boxed-spoilers/700818/138 "2014-11-02T22:45:44Z")
The Red Streak, yes. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flash-new-tv-show-boxed-spoilers/700818/139 "2014-11-03T00:10:22Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > Hal Jordan is the #1 Green Lantern of Sector 2814. Why is there an argument? Did you forget the 1990’s or are you trolling? > [@Uniqueorn](#): > > Was I imagining things or did the sign over the cinema advertise a movie with Rita Farr? > [@planetcory](#): > > That and a Blue Devil movie. Aw, that’s cute! > [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > Another shout out to the fans: early in the episode Barry is told something is happening on Waid Street (or Lane, or Road). Mark Waid wrote the Flash comics for years (and still may be, as far as I know). Not in a while now (more’s the pity). Waid wrote Wally’s adventures, the current version is a reboot Barry. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flash-new-tv-show-boxed-spoilers/700818/140 "2014-11-03T00:14:11Z")
> [@epbrown01](#): > > That’s the toughest thing for writers to deal with, so he’ll be as fast as he needs to be for the story. In the JLU cartoon series, they always had the Flash running with the group into danger; sensibly he should always have been first, closely followed by Superman. Yeah, and I told myself I wouldn’t nitpick his speed issues too much, but at a certain point it can almost get insulting to the viewer. We’re all fine with suspension of disbelief, but they can’t abuse it. There should be some internal consistency. It’s not a big problem in this show yet, but for instance Felicity hacking something in 1.5 seconds is just getting silly. I dunno. You can’t just handwave everything away with a laugh. Something that bugs me about Clark Kent, Flash and other super fast characters is how they experience time. Presumably, their thoughts speed up and time moves more or less normally for them when they’re at speed. Okay, but what about when they run across town, or across country? It would take all day to run across town and many days to run across country. But these characters will zip there and back like it’s no big deal. Just went to get a sandwich. How incredibly boring would it be to run across the country, just for a sandwich? To them, that’s days and days of boring running, isn’t it? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flash-new-tv-show-boxed-spoilers/700818.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flash-new-tv-show-boxed-spoilers/700818.md?page=8)