The Flash Round Table: A Lot is Riding on a Hunch
Carissa Pavlica
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The round table for The Flash Season 1 Episode 11 is upon us and we're chatting about Iris, her career and friendship with Barry, the Pied Piper and the awesomeness that is Tom Cavanaugh.
Hit the comments so you can be a part of the discussion with TV Fanatics Jim Garner, Narsimha Chintaluri, Hank Otero, Tanya Moat and Carissa Pavlica...
How did you like Hartley Rathaway and do you hope to see more of him?
Jim: He was ok, not my favorite bad guy. That being said, he gave us some insight into Cisco and if he really knows where Ronnie is, then we will be seeing more of him.
Narsimha: I was not a fan of the actor or the character. He didn't ruin the episode for me, I still really enjoyed it, but I definitely did not like the casting. I hope he isn't too essential to the plot – but now that he "knows" more about Ronnie, I'm sure we'll see him again.
Hank: I thought Rathaway was obnoxious from the moment we met him. That's what the writers wanted from the character, so it's not a poor reflection on Andy Mientus at all. Since we all love Cisco, it was easy to dislike the Pied Piper, but he had some great lines. I'd like to see how he fits in with The Rogues!
Tanya: He wasn't my favorite villain, but I do appreciate getting more insight into the characters by their reaction to him. Cisco had some great one-liners, which made me love him even more. Given his tease about Ronnie, I'm sure we haven't seen the last of the Pied Piper. And once Wells is outed as Reverse Flash, he could make an interesting ally.
Carissa: He was definitely an ass, but his lines worked for me. Everyone can't be a good guy. What's great is he was always an ass. No need for a particle accelerator to explode to make him so. What I didn't get was exactly what was meta about him. Wasn't he using ear implants and hand mechs? Or were the ear implants to coat his ability to throw them off?
How did Iris handle her first day on the job at Central City Picture News?
Jim: I give her an "A" for effort, but she was a little overly zealous with pitching a story idea at a staff meeting that didn't seem to be a pitch meeting. In the end, with Wells' help, she gained a little ground.
Narsimha: She was too naive as usual, and the whole dynamic of the office itself didn't sit right with me. Her pushing Wells for an answer was fine and all, but I can't but hate everything Iris does.
Hank: Jim nailed it by saying she was overzealous, that describes her first day perfectly. Still, the Pulitzer Prize winner they partnered her up with was a real a-hole. It was nice that Harrison threw her a bone at the end. Hopefully, she'll get a little more respect now. I like this Iris and I'm excited for her!
Tanya: Ummmm … very Iris? A little obtuse, sassy and ultimately harmless? I'm still not her biggest fan, but Barry sharing his feelings with her and her getting a "real" job, already make her more interesting. I am curious as to how Wells knew to throw her a bone at the press conference. Or if he simply did it because he knew Barry would be grateful to him. He truly is a master manipulator.
Carissa: I was shocked and a little embarrassed by the pitch in a meeting that was clearly information only. Listening is probably the best skill for a reporter. She should do more of it and I think she will.
Talk about Barry's friendship with Iris now that he got the elephant off of his chest.
Jim: Glad to see they are talking again. I hated the awkwardness that was hovering between them.
Narsimha: They seem back to being closer than even Joe and Iris are at the moment. Barry's going to have to explain the sudden disappearances at some point though. Also, I feel like Barry's probably going to help Iris rise through the ranks at Central City News by making more Flash appearances, despite Joe's concerns.
Hank: I'm glad the awkwardness seems to be lifting a bit. It will always be there, until she realizes her feelings for Barry are more complicated than little bro. I like what Narsimha said about Barry helping Iris rise in the ranks at the CCPN by giving her more Flash coverage à la Peter Parker/Spidey. That could turn out to be a lot of fun for the two characters.
Tanya: So. Much. Better. It was getting annoying before, so I'm glad he has at least gotten one secret off his chest. Now they seem like real best friends and being able to at least partially confide in Iris immediately elevated her.
Carissa: It finally makes sense to me. They've never laughed together or felt equal. After one bad day at the office and with Barry's feelings off the table, they did. Thank God. I'm really looking forward to seeing their friendship blossom.
Joe's looking into Well's background. What do you make of his hunch?
Jim: Given how casually Wells gets up and walks around his house, I suspect it won't belong before Joe or Eddie find out that he can really walk. I just hope Wells doesn't do something fatal for one of them in return.
Narsimha: I don't see this ending well for Eddie – Joe is too important to get hurt by Wells (as a character, and simply because he's Barry's dad).
Hank: Joe's had a bad feeling about the guy for a while now. I mean, he's not a detective for nothing right? I also hope Well's doesn't hurt Joe to advance the Reverse Flash's cause. That would suck, Joe is easily one of my favorite characters on the show.
Tanya: Thank goodness Joe is around. I understand why Cisco and Caitlin are loyal to him and Barry, to an extent, as well, but as Oliver noted: there is something off about him. I'm glad one of the regulars finally saw it. However, I was surprised that Wells didn't realize that being uninjured would seem suspicious. But hubris is frequently the downfall of many villains.
Carissa: I hope something pans out. At the very least, it means there are more eyes on Wells than Joe, as Eddie is now on the case. Barry can't really be Joe's eyes and ears because his life depends on trusting him.
Tom Cavanaugh thrilled as past and present Harrison Wells. What do you make of his latest developments?
Jim: Any good sci-fi geek knows that Tachyons are part of time travel. Add to that the name Gideon and it makes me wonder if Wells is actually some version of Metron. I guess we will find out..... in time! (See what I did there?)
Narsimha: I just keep getting more and more confused! But the ending was awesome as usual (did anyone else notice the lack of a Wells-specific ending last week?), and keeps building the suspense.
Hank: Can't say I know anything about Metron, but the mention of the "Speed Force" was huge! This means the extra-dimensional energy that powers the speedsters is definitely at play on the series. In the comics, the Reverse Flash used technology to access the Speed Force in the distant future. We're talking serious time travel coming up for Wells/Barry (other speedsters?) and I could not be more excited. That's gonna rock!!!
Tanya: I say this almost every week, but Tom Cavanaugh is doing such a fabulous work on the show. The speed force and Metron references were all above my admittedly little knowledge of the Flash canon, but I am excited to learn more. I am also fascinated by how he legitimately seems to care one moment and manipulate the next. And I also want to know how long has been here? Has interacting and pretending to care about Caitlin, Cisco, Barry and others changed him? Or not? I can't tell and I love it!
Carissa: Cavanaugh is freakin' amazing. But I'm onto Wells now and I am 100% certain he's a bad dude. He knows exactly how to tug on the heartstrings to get what he wants. I've been tugged enough to see the writing on the wall. Yes, I once wore a big red S on my chest. It stood for SUCKER, but not anymore! Wells is going to pull the rug out from under those who trust them when they least expect it unless Joe can deliver the bad news first.
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.
