Broadcast TV The Flash - seasons 8 & 9 (The CW) (1 Viewer)

[Adam Lenhardt]

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In lieu of a traditional crossover event, the eighth (and final?) season of "The Flash" will kick off with a five-episode "graphic novel" featuring a large number of characters from the other Arrowverse shows, including the shows that recently ended:

A powerful alien threat arrives on Earth under mysterious circumstances and Barry (Grant Gustin), Iris (Candice Patton) and the rest of Team Flash are pushed to their limits in a desperate battle to save the world. But with time running out, and the fate of humanity at stake, Flash and his companions will also need to enlist the help of some old friends if the forces of good are to prevail.​

The special guests for the story arc, entitled "Armageddon", include:

• Javicia Leslie as Ryan Wilder/Batwoman
• Brandon Routh as Ray Palmer/The Atom
• Cress Williams as Jefferson Pierce/Black Lightning
• Chyler Leigh as Alex Danvers/Sentinel
• Kat McNamara as Mia Queen/Green Arrow
• Osric Chau as Ryan Choi/The Atom
• Tom Cavanagh as Eobard Thawne/Reverse Flash
• Neal McDonough as Damien Darhk

 

[Garysb]

I am guessing that the Supergirl series will end with Kara ether not in the present or on a different Earth. For Alex to be included but not Kara would seem to indicate Kara is unavailable.

Will they finally resolve the William kidnapping from the Green Arrow and the Canaries pilot?

Ryan Choi is not the Atom in the Arrowverse , at least not yet. There is online speculation that this event is where Ray Palmer turns over the Atom Identity to
Ryan Choi.

Of the guest stars only Javicia Leslie as Ryan Wilder/Batwoman has an ongoing series. Therefore they could do anything with the others
without having to worry how it will affect their ongoing series including I guess killing them.

 

[ponset]

I hope there is a scene with Flash playing chess with Depero.

 

[Garysb]

Trailer for the 5 part Armageddon Season 8 Premiere.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I'm not the biggest fan of the current writers on "The Flash", but that looks like a lot of fun. They got quite a few players from past Arrowverse shows to participate, too, it looks like.

 

[ponset]

New Poster for Season 8.

 

[Garysb]

Per TVline after the 5 episode Fall event ends, The Flash will not resume until March 9th on its new day Wednesday at 8 PM.
If the 5 episode event runs once a week without a break it should finish on December 14th.

The CW’s Midseason Schedule Teams Superman & Lois With Naomi, Sets Dynasty, Charmed and Kung Fu Returns

The CW's midseason schedule features "Superman & Lois" return date, "Naomi" and "All American" spinoff premiere dates.

tvline.com

 

[NeilO]

I had high hopes for this, but unfortunately the whole premise rubs me the wrong way.

Spoiler

Despero comes back from 2031, just 10 years in the future and The Flash has caused an Armageddon. Now, Barry has already even mentioned his children in this episode. They are from further in the future than that. I think they would have known if he caused Armageddon. "Hey. Despero, let my children take you to the Flash Museum in your future."

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I enjoyed Part 1 quite a bit. It was great to have Ray back, and Brandon Routh is still great in the role.

I like that the villain has altruistic intentions, and operates according to a code. The future Despero is trying to prevent is more the villain than Despero himself.

The subplot with Iris and Allegra played better than expected, too. The Arrowverse doesn't have a great track record when it comes to journalism, with CatCo on "Supergirl" being especially egregious. But the Citizen is new media, started as a glorified blog, and it makes sense that it wouldn't operate by the rules of traditional print media. When Iris promoted Allegra over the more experienced new hires, I groaned. But by the end of the episode, I understood why Allegra got the promotion; Iris didn't want the most accomplished journalist to take over, she wanted the person who best understood the Citizen's voice and point of view.

However, that doesn't mean the episode was devoid of all the problems that have plagued the show since Eric Wallace took over as showrunner. The theme of the episode was driven home with a sledgehammer; I never need to hear the term "level up" again. And some of the dialogue was laughably bad, like the matriarch of the Royal Flush Gang talking exclusively in card game metaphors.

Despero comes back from 2031, just 10 years in the future and The Flash has caused an Armageddon. Now, Barry has already even mentioned his children in this episode. They are from further in the future than that. I think they would have known if he caused Armageddon. "Hey. Despero, let my children take you to the Flash Museum in your future."

I'm thinking that something has changed the timeline since the Season 7 finale. If the event happens ten years in the future, Nora would still exist since she's due to be born in 2023. Bart is a question mark; he's seven years younger than Nora, so he would be born right around when Armageddon is supposed to occur. If the change in the timeline resulted in him dying or not being born, that could explain Barry's seemingly unhinged behavior.

 

[NeilO]

The Alex appearance this episode was just a cameo, but it looks like Black Lightning will be more substantial next episode.

I really do wonder why the writers make Barry so inconsistent. In the previous episode he defeats the Royal Flush gang by thinking faster than the one who can read minds. In this episode he goes against someone who can control minds and in his first battle he lets her take control of him. Then he tries a second time and gives her the time to do so again. Just bad writing there.

Speaking of bad writing, the whole business with the radiation leak was pitiful. They never did any maintenance on their detection hardware?

And Barry finally goes to Gideon, but ends up just completely shutting her down and not using her at all to assist in solving the situation.

 

[David Weicker]

Well, either Despero, or someone else is doing some strong psychic manipulation, or this is some alternate universe.

All the bad stuff happens on the same day (Barry accused of a crime and losing his job, Star Labs mysteriously failing a radiation test) but no one suspects sabotage? Plus Joe is suddenly dead even though Barry (and the audience know he was alive)

And quite an overreaction to Barry not knowing about Joe. Yelling at someone who is prophesied to lose it (instead of calmly talking about it) isn't the way to safety.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

The Alex appearance this episode was just a cameo, but it looks like Black Lightning will be more substantial next episode.

It does look like the crossover characters are being used sequentially for this five-episode arc rather than at the same time. The true crossover events also shuffled characters in and out based on the show and what they could afford, but they did a better job of disguising it.

Speaking of bad writing, the whole business with the radiation leak was pitiful. They never did any maintenance on their detection hardware?

There's got to be some sort of external manipulation going on, or the writing's gotten worse than I thought. As David said, there's no way he gets fired and loses Star Labs coincidentally on the same day, and then with Joe being retconned out of existence. Someone or something is taking out his support pillars one by one.

And quite an overreaction to Barry not knowing about Joe. Yelling at someone who is prophesied to lose it (instead of calmly talking about it) isn't the way to safety.

Yeah, the writing is so bad. It reminds me of the worst seasons of "Arrow", when the writers decided the best way to create drama was to just keep piling on and piling on with Oliver, including having the other characters blaming him for things that couldn't possibly be his fault.

I'm starting to wonder if Barry is in some sort of trance or coma, and this entire Armageddon arc is actually taking place inside his head. There's a lot happening that feels more like dream/nightmare logic than even the shaky "real world" logic of the Arrowverse.

 

[NeilO]

I'm starting to wonder if Barry is in some sort of trance or coma, and this entire Armageddon arc is actually taking place inside his head. There's a lot happening that feels more like dream/nightmare logic than even the shaky "real world" logic of the Arrowverse.

There is so much about these episodes that just doesn't make any sense. As much as I'd hate it all being some kind of dream, maybe that would be the best way out.

 

[NeilO]

Well, we got a lot of answers this time. Jefferson Pierce did play a major part in getting Barry's head on right again. I am looking forward to the next episode.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Well, we got a lot of answers this time. Jefferson Pierce did play a major part in getting Barry's head on right again. I am looking forward to the next episode.

Yeah; it's still sloppy, but at least we aren't expected to believe that Barry's life just went to shit on its own in one day.

 

[ponset]

The ending of Part 3 remains of the times in the comics which Reverse-Flash interferes with Barry and Iris's happiness.

 

[Garysb]

Hopefully they are not going to repeat the switched bodies from Identity Crisis crossover where everyone in the future thinks Barry is the Reverse Flash and vice versa.

I believe both Caitlen and Killer Frost were missing from the future scene so what's up with that?

I thought this arc would turn out to be Barry slipping through to a parallel world without realizing it and that would explain why Joe is dead without Barry knowing it and Barry attacking his friends. The Barry from the parallel world switched places with our Barry. This is not happening but its real silver age comics stuff which is when I read the comics. It would also make the characters aware there is still a multiverse.

On an unreleated topic Robbie Amell is returning as Ronnie Raymond sometime in 2022. Probably why Catlien mentioned him this episode. No word on how he returns as he is dead.
This info came from TVline. I think they said he will be in two episodes.

Per TVline:
Amell will first appear in Episode 11, long after the current “Armageddon” five-part event wraps up on Dec. 14. (The series will then resume with fresh installments on its new night, Wednesday, March 9.) No details are currently available about how Amell’s character will return or in what form.

 

[Garysb]

Reverse Flash Barry Allen and Eobard Thawne as The Flash from Episode 4.

 

[Garysb]

My question was addressed on TVline.

As has been pointed out elsewhere, The Flash‘s Caitlin and Killer Frost seem to have missed the party in the future. What’s up with that? –Butch
Oh, trust me, Frost is at that 2031 party. She’s just… busy. Bonus scoops from “Armageddon” Part 4’s very entertaining pre-wedding soiree: One familiar face has been living in London for a while, while another is a bit frazzled by baby talk….

 

[NeilO]

I liked tonight's episode the most so far. It actually had decent crossover action throughout. We now know exactly why Barry was having such a bad day, but I still think they should have figured it out in 2021.