The Flash: Best Superhero TV Show Ever?

Yeah, It kind of is.

Despite being conceived of as a spin-off to "Arrow," CW's "The Flash" has achieved in a single episode what its counterpart took an entire season to come closer towards and what countless superhero series throughout the ages have utterly failed to do; it tells the story of a heroic individual that desires to protect people without trying to immaturely pretend that its material is "serious business."

The events of the episode begin chronologically before protagonist Barry Allen fateful accident depicted in season 2 of “Arrow” and display everything not only wrong with the premise as it had been built up to in “Arrow,” but even with “Arrow” itself. The bleed over from “Arrow’s” intensity along with the very “CW” nature of the production (pretty young people doing hipster things) doesn't leave a strong impression at first.

Grant Gustin’s miscasting, mainly due to his undeniably young age, along with the awkwardly on the nose direction of his dialogue and interaction with his supporting cast do little to instill faith in the idea of him carrying an entire show on his own. Fortunately, the accident leaving him comatose in the events of “Arrow” is not delayed long and its aftermath is where “The Flash” takes off.

When forced to go beyond his one note dorky demeanor, Gustin actually manages a solid performance as a man that has suffered loss and is obsessed with justice but carries a more optimistic outlook on life.

Barry’s optimism informs the tone of the show which, unlike “Arrow,” “Smallville,” or “The Cape” before it, manages to depict streetwise cop drama without being ashamed of its superhero trappings. “The Flash’s” sheer level of sincerity makes it shine above other programs of its kind and even other sci-fi/fantasy series on its own network. Its Hollywood pseudoscience isn't bogged down by overly expository technobabble attempting to desperately convince the audience of its own claptrap’s validity but simply presented quickly and straightforward, leaving room for the development of Barry and his motley crew of scientists that get him into the superhero field.

Debuting in a brawl with classic Flash villain the Weather Wizard, the show’s interpretation of its hero’s predominantly petty villains manages to perfectly update the concept of the Flash’s rogues and the idea of super villains in general by depicting what a small thinking criminal with inhuman abilities might actually be like in the modern day, without stripping the fantasy from the premise.

Many of the Pilot’s executions show a promising start of things to come while wrapping up the episode as a whole with the start of an interesting mythology arc that enhances the building mystery of the show and does more potential world building for the idea of a “television universe” than “Arrow” has managed in 2 entire seasons.

In terms of tone, “The Flash” is lighthearted, fast, and above all else fun, making no effort to be anything but. Yet in choosing to embrace the fanciful and stay honest about what its material is, the resulting product manages to somehow be smarter, more enthralling and even more mature than several of its peers.

Barry is a well adjusted and mature realist living in the real world and chasing his own agenda but doing so because he believes in justice. He doesn't let his past traumas shut out the world that he has to live in and wants to be a hero to, while his city’s criminals aren't cartoonish thugs with a taste for theatrics but simply people using the new incredible tools that they have at their disposal. The juxtaposition between this show’s approach and “Arrow” is demonstrated nowhere better than when Barry seeks out Oliver Queen’s council in Star City (yes, I know its name in the show is “Starling”) in the obligatory Arrow cameo. The gritty Arrow costume almost looks laughably out of place in the show’s production despite Stephen Amell's straight performance. While the journey ahead will require quite a bit of balancing and fleshing out, its core characters all get a chance to shine in their onscreen roles, showing that while Gustin may not have been the ideal choice for a lead, despite his surprisingly solid performance, he has a strong cast to fall back on.

“The Flash’s” strongest asset is its willingness to respect its material’s potential to be respected by audiences as it is. In an effort to create a lighter and softer alternative to television’s treatment of superheroes, the showrunners have succeeded in making a reverent and fantastical program that doesn’t backpedal on itself like “Smallville” but feels more mature than “The Cape” or even its own sister series, which didn't find its sweet spot until halfway into its run. Hopefully this will be indicative of a promising future ahead.