The sad truth of movies and TV series is that nothing is ever going to be perfect. It's hard to create a perfect piece of media and as such, everything will have some problems. However, problems arise when the audience refuses to acknowledge said flaws, especially with series like The Flash.
On the heels of its sixth season, full of great episodes, The Flash has seen Barry Allen race across Central City as the scarlet speedster, taking down baddies with the aid of his friends. Yet, the spectacle The Flash offers overshadows the flaws and lets fans turn a blind eye to the show's issues.
The Opening
"My name is Barry Allen, and I am the fastest man alive." That's the opening every fan hears when the show starts, a catchphrase that has become one of the best in the Arrowverse that encapsulates the story at hand and the nature of the Flash. If only it was true.
Just about every season, Barry meets someone who's faster and better than him. From Eobard Thawne, the Reverse-Flash, a character who's got some pretty big questions surrounding them, to Nora West-Allen, XS, and his own daughter, Barry isn't the only speedster and is the furthest thing from being the fastest man alive.
CGI
Now, creating CGI for movies and tv shows is as different as night and day. Movies have a larger budget to work with while series work with a smaller "allowance." However, sometimes it seems that even TV series don't understand that.
Too many times the superhero-oriented show has pushed its meager CG budget to the limit and sometimes, it just doesn't work. From the weird slow-mo of speedsters to King Shark and Gorilla Grodd looking wonky in some spots, the CG of the series just isn't always the best.
Same Old Story
No one wants to admit a story is similar to something they've seen before. Given the age we live in, there's always the chance that the stories will blend together or mimic another series or film. Yet, if the own series is copying previous ones, then the shows not doing all that well.
Every season seems to have the same obstacles recur: a bad guy flies in, creates problems, and then Barry fixes said problem with consequences that are resolved the next season. Same old story, all series long.
Villains Who Go Nowhere
Any time a villain makes their grand entrance in a series, audiences' hopes are always raised. It's always intriguing to see where a new villain, whether they be the main villain whose power levels vary depending on the character or a supporting antagonist, and how they'll fit into the narrative.
However, so many times the villains end up falling off the grid. From The Rogues to The Trickster, the first Mirror Master and so many others, promising villains end up falling off the grid and are replaced with new baddies who oftentimes lack the same level of characterization.
Repetitive Villains
Of course, that's not to say there aren't some interesting villains, right? After all, what about the guys like the nefarious Reverse-Flash, the brutal Cicada, and the ever intelligent Thinker? Don't they have some intriguing characterization to them?
Well, yes. But actually no. While the villains can be somewhat different, they all seem to blend together. They have a goal that involves the Flash in some capacity and have some kind of connection to them, whether it be through the particle accelerator, speed force, or through personal means.
Forced Redemption
By the time one separates the villains out in the two other categories, they're left behind with very few villains. The ones left behind, like Captain Cold and Gorilla Grodd, have intriguing aspects about them. Unfortunately, the series takes those fantastic villains in another direction: redemption.
Rather than utilizing the baddies in ways that work for their villainous nature, the show decides to take the few remaining ones and push them into the category of being redeemed. Sometimes, it does work but other times, it misses the mark terribly.
Awkward Humor
Some fans don't appreciate Cisco's unique brand of levity, but the awkward humor and moments actually appear when Cisco isn't even around.
With the other characters, even Barry, the humor just doesn't always work. When it does, it's goofy and cheesy at best but when it doesn't, it's like watching a sitcom and not having the laugh tracks after the jokes. Incredibly awkward to the point of being extremely painful and obvious.
Whiplash Changes
Development is always needed in the world of TV shows and movies. It's what keeps the characters fresh and interesting as well as shaping the plot to be the best it can. However, there are times when the series can make changes so fast, it feels like whiplash.
From relationships turning on a dime to characters vanishing without any rhyme or reason and not to mention Flashpoint being undone in two episodes, the series doesn't always execute the world-changing events to the best of their ability, thus hindering the show.
Crisis With Infinite Wells
In the beginning, the idea of alternate versions of characters was awesome. Getting a chance to see Harrison Wells be Wells without the influence of Eobard was intriguing for the series. At least, until the alternate Wells became a running gag.
Instead of just sticking with one Wells, the series constantly kept switching it up. One season, it was a dumb Wells. The next, a French Wells. There's even a council of Wells. Even with the most recent changes in the show, the Wells problem is still an issue.
The Whole Future Flash Thing
Now, right off the bat, the idea of time travel in The Flash is confusing. It can be one of the many times Barry's incredibly selfish, never fully explained and when it is, it just creates more problems. Problems like Savitar, the so-called god of speed who ends up being another version of Barry.
While a future version of Barry does go evil in the comics, they never explain it that well with Savitar. It's unclear whether he's a future version of Barry or an alternate one created by the timeline. Either way, it ruins the character as a whole.
