Based on DC Comics characters, THE FLASH and CONSTANTINE TV shows are two of the more hotly anticipated shows set to debut this fall. So you can just imagine what a treat it was to the more geek oriented of us when the pilots for both shows leaked. Now I won’t go into detail about what nefarious means I used to get my grubby mitts on these two shows but get them I did and now I shall share my thoughts on them.

Directed By: David Nutter
Written By: Greg Berlanti
Starring: Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Tom Cavanagh, Danielle Panabaker and Jesse L. Martin
Channel: The CW

Synopsis:A TV show centered around scientist Barry Allen, who suffers a freak accident that turns him into a superhero with the power of incredible speed. (Source)

The Good:
Grant Gustin is a great find as Barry Allen/The Flash. He brings a very Peter Parker-ish vibe to the role as an awkward guy with a deeper pain hidden underneath his affable exterior. His lighter personality is a nice twist on the tortured hero that tends to be the norm with these types of shows. The overall lighter feel of the show is a nice counterbalance to it’s much darker sister show ARROW.
The rest of the cast works too from the geek squad at STAR Labs to Barry’s surrogate family in the Iris West and her detective dad.
This show also has done a good job with the speed effects for the Flash and I am sure that any rough edges will be worked out over time.
This pilot episode also featured some amazing Easter Eggs that should make any fan of the comic squeal with unbridled nerd joy. This is especially true with an ending that carries so much storytelling potential that it is enough to make a comic book geek’s head explode.

The Bad:
The Flash running effect is very well done except for one caveat…it tends to look a bit hokey when they do extreme close-ups of the Flash running. I am hoping they clean that little bit of the visual effect up as the series goes on.
The villain for this pilot episode was not all that exciting and since the show is obviously going for a “Freak of The Week” when it comes to adversaries for the Flash, I am hoping that they work to make the bad guys more memorable.

The Ugly:
I am not getting much in the way of romantic chemistry between Gustin and Patton. Not sure if it is just because Patton’s character is not at the point where she sees Barry Allen as a viable love interest or not but as of this episode they are purely giving off a sibling vibe.

Final Verdict: A strong pilot episode for this show that sets up a world full of possibilities going forward. A strong cast, led by Grant Gustin’s hugely likable turn as Barry Allen, good effects and more than enough inside bits for the fanboys to latch onto without alienating non-comic fans.

Rating: B