The Flash Review: Episode 1×12 - “Crazy For You”

New Love Connections, Bad Karaoke, A Break-out, and Some Snappy Photography On This Episode Of The Flash

On this episode of The Flash, a young woman named Shawna Baez breaks her boyfriend Clay Parker out of Iron Heights prison by using the ability to transport anywhere she can see. When law enforcement investigates, they discover DNA particles all over the scene which Barry brings back to S.T.A.R. labs to identify the woman. Barry and Joe then utilise the help of his father Henry, who is also in Iron Heights prison. But when Henry gets too close to Clay’s involvement with a local crime boss, will he be putting himself in unspeakable danger? And will he ever learn the truth about Barry’s secret heroic doings? But Henry’s not the only uncovering secrets, as Cisco carries on visiting Hartley to learn more about what happened to Ronnie. With new connections being made, and new villains introducing themselves, there’s plenty to discuss. Let’s go!

You Should’ve Moved On

Shawna Baez is first introduced when she is shown breaking her boyfriend Clay Parker out of Iron Heights prison. She’s got her little telescope in hand so she has a greater range of places she can see, since her metahuman ability to transport is limited to what’s within seeing range. Everything about their story indicates that the wisest course of action would be for them to run away together. But Clay owes money to a local crime boss, who was planning to perform a heist, so he insists on staying. Then, bafflingly enough, she stays with him. She attempts to be of assistance to him and does a rather spectacular job at it but it’s still little surprise when Barry and team S.T.A.R. Labs takes her down by luring her into a tunnel in which they shut off the lights, thus preventing her from jumping anywhere since she can’t see a thing. Then she’s just another name on the roster of folks trapped in the S.T.A.R. labs meta-human prison.

“Not too many men can keep up with me.” ~ Shawna Baez

We were thoroughly confused by Shawna’s story. Her introduction made her out to be so charismatic and interesting. The break-out sequence was excellent, and the music with all its percussive grooviness was every bit the perfect accompaniment to a memorable heist sequence. Shawna also had great styling, as she looked much like a glamourous rebel-rockstar. But instead, her characterisation was entirely comprised of her pining after a loser criminal that had little appeal of his own to offer. It felt like a gaping plot hole to have her be considered enough of an asset to Clay that he’d use her for his own criminal escapades, but for her to expect that she wasn’t enough of an asset to be able to keep them on the run. How exactly is this crime boss supposed to track them down if she can poof off like that? It just didn’t make any sense. If she’s going to be brought back, as a proper villain or as an anti-hero, please give her character her own agency and not make her arc all about a loser boyfriend. Her character was sorely wasted.

Barry And Iris: Just Keeps Getting Better

Barry spends the majority of this episode on the trail of Shawna Baez and her mediocre boyfriend but the writers still found time to ensure that he got some quality time with Iris. Iris is of course, still busy at work with her new job as a journalist. But just as it begins to seem like perhaps some more-than-friendly feelings are manifesting in Iris, Barry starts to hit it off with a new lady, Linda Park, whom he meets while out at a karaoke bar with Caitlin to do some recon for their mission to find Shawn and Clay. Linda works at the same place as Iris, as a sports reporter, which leads to a rather awkward introduction where Barry shows up and Iris thinks he’s there to see her, only for him to say he’s actually there to see Linda. But in the end, the show reminds viewers what the end game is as we see Barry go out of his way to give some information, as the Flash, to Iris in order to help her standing at work.

“You’re not the only one who’s fast.” ~ Iris

Though Barry and Iris’ arcs in this episode remain apart from much of the time, when they are together, once again Grant Gustin and Candice Patton’s chemistry is strongest. The nuances in Patton’s performance are worth noting, as we see how she ever so slightly shows that Iris is seeming to have her feelings shift for Barry. We were also thrilled to see the return of John Wesley Shipp, since it had been a while since there had been any scenes with Barry and Henry. It was a nice way of developing both the character of Henry Allen, as well as the relationship between Henry and Barry. Seeing how hard Henry worked to help in the investigation that Barry and Joe were working, even when it meant putting himself in harm’s way and he found himself badly beaten, showed just how upstanding and honourable his character is and also gave a more in-depth perspective on just where it is that Barry’s through and through goodness comes from. Also, the speech Henry delivered to Barry where he all but outright said that he knew that Barry is the Flash proved once again that John Henry Shipp knows precisely how to convey emotionality and move the audience by doing so.

Hartley Might Break Out But Cisco Is The Break-Out STAR!

When last we saw Hartley, he was assuring Cisco that he would be the one to let Hartley out of the meta-human prison because Hartley had information regarding what happened to Ronnie. If you were thinking you’d have to wait several episodes to return to this plot point, you were mistaken because Cisco was far too curious to let that potential lead just sit and simmer for long. One clue leads to another and eventually, Cisco learns what comic fans (or people with the ability and desire to research it on Wikipedia) knew was coming: Dr. Martin Stein and Ronnie merged during the explosion. However, we still have yet to see Dr. Stein’s proper on-screen introduction, since we’re not counting that surveillance footage as such. Hartley tries to get away, leading Cisco to lay one epic smack-down we didn’t see coming, which he punctuated by using some technological alterations he had made on Hartley’s cochlear implants to disarm him. However, Hartley later manages to get away anyway.

“You’re not the only one who understands vibrations, Hartley. Those cochlear devices you’re wearing, I made a few adjustments.” ~ Cisco
“No please don’t.” ~ Hartley
“If you know how to find Ronnie, then you better tell me, right now.” ~ Cisco
“Please, make it stop. Please, I’ll show you.” ~ Hartley
“Try that again and I won’t make it stop. Ever.” ~ Cisco

We’ve been clamouring for Cisco to get some more character development going, since we always knew he had more to offer than just comic relief and jazzy nicknames for meta-humans (oh and a super-brain, and wicked awesome technology skills of course). We wanted the writers to dig a little deeper and show us what Cisco is made of and apparently it’s just the finest butt-kicking sorcery you never saw coming. Barry has been largely hogging the action when fighting opposite his weekly nemesis but of course much of those skills stem from his meta-human speed. But Cisco (at least for now) doesn’t have meta-human abilities. He may be super, but there’s nothing meta about it. So the stunt team were able to show off a bit more fanciful fight choreography. Admittedly, it was brief, but it was so surprising that the character development was made all the more exciting. Carlos Valdes and Andy Mientus maintain strong tension when acting opposite one another, and it makes all the more excited for Round 2 of Cisco v. Hartley. Best of all, there’s both brains and brawn involved so this is one formidable match.

FINAL VERDICT

Despite our issues with the arc-of-the-week, our main takeaway from his episode is that Cisco knows how to kick butt and that no matter which of Barry’s fathers (Henry or Joe) gets a monologue, we’re definitely going to be reduced to a pile of emotions. Writers Aaron Helbring and Todd Helbing did fantastic work on Henry’s speech to Barry that was “for the Flash,” as it was entirely heartfelt and moving. Director Rob Hardy’s best work came from the episode’s stand-out action sequences, namely Shawna’s heist and Cisco’s Hartley-beatdown. We’re most pleased with the development in the main arcs, and that exciting ending with the return of Gorilla Godd, whom we had yet to see in the present-day time frame of the show. It was delightfully unexpected and jam-packed with action so now we’re most keen on seeing how that character will be used from here on out. We’d almost forgotten that they’d made mention of Gorilla Godd before but it was a welcome surprise. We didn’t care much for the drunken karaoke with Caitlin, though, as it felt like the writers were trying to pander to people who for some reason think there’s anything more than friendship between Barry and Caitlin. It felt stiff, forced, and entirely uncomfortable. But Malese Jow was that sequence’s saving grace, with her ease on camera and cool delivery. Overall, the show has stayed steady in quality, though.

Questions, Comments, Concerns…

• Look at Cisco dropping this truth. Give him more screen time, already! Give. Me. More.
• DAYUM, Shawna Baez is doing everything for me with that outfit, hair, makeup… everything! #WurkHoney
• I’m not crying, it’s just some Barry-seeing-his-dad in my eye.
• This man’s a damn fool. Come on, Shawna, make a run for it! You don’t need this basic boy!
• Is it just me or did Hartley get hot all of a sudden? #ExcuseYou
• Those were the magic words, Iris. Barry will totally come through for you!
• HOLD THE EFF UP WHEN DID CISCO GET MOVES LIKE THIS NOW I’M ALL FLUSTERED
• Yeah Hartley, get with it, don’t ever underestimate the BAE, Cisco, ever ever ever again. Ever.
• Caitlin has literally never done that before, these writers are pulling garbage out of their bums to appease the racist Sn*wbarry noise-makers. Stand your ground, my gawd.
• I’mma let you finish, but Ichabbie had the best karaoke of all time.
• No but really, someone put that dead animal out of its misery. Oh wait, that’s Caitlin trying to sing.
• Yaaaaas Malese is here, yaaaaaas!
• Nooooooooooo not Barry’s dad, noooooooooooo *begins sobbing*
• Hot damn, Iris, if reporting ever doesn’t work out, you should consider a career in photography! #MadSkills
• Uh oh… looks like Iris finally woke up! #PiningAfterBarry #LikeWhoa
• HENRY ALLEN TOTALLY KNOWS LOOK AT HIS FACE HE KNOWS DO NOT FIGHT ME ON THIS HE KNOWS
• Gawddamnit John Wesley Shipp always makes me ugly cry! #StahpIt #MyEmotions