‘The Flash’ Still Needs More Than Death

The superhero shows on The CW are routinely defined by their villains. In fact, seasons as a whole can be ranked based on how the villain challenges the hero and the threat they pose. The Flash has had some great ones. The Reverse-Flash, Zoom, and the Thinker come to mind. With the revelation that Deathstorm will be the big bad for this season, it brought a much needed influx of fresh air into the show. Though there is still a lot of work that needs to be done in terms of amplifying the danger and characterization overall.

On paper, Deathstorm is a great villain. He has an awesome look to him, he’s ruthless and menacing, and his death toll is already absurd. But the CGI nature of the character places a level of separation between him and the actors. As good as the special effects are for The Flash, it’s still not on the level it needs to be to have an emotional connection between CGI characters and live action. Deathstorm is all about grief and suffering. So for him to really have a profound impact on the real grief and suffering of the actors, he needs to interact with them a lot more than he is currently. They should really utilize his human form (Robbie Amell) to make that happen.

Also, the side plot with Iris (Candice Patton) and her time sickness feels like it’s tacked on to the show. It’s not a bad idea, but since it’s separated from the Deathstorm storyline, it feels like added weight that’s not really contributing in the way it should. Still, there is plenty to look forward to in the episodes to come. As Deathstorm wants to take Caitlin Snow (Danielle Panabaker) as his bride and Team Flash forms a plan to take him down, there is still time to up the ante on all aspects of this show before the finale is over.

The Flash airs Wednesdays on The CW.