On The Air: The Flash midseason review (2019-20)

Sorry this has taken so long to get around to, but hey.

The Flash

Season: 6
When: Tuesdays at 8 (ET).
Previous rating: B-.
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Where we are: The CW held back the start of the 2nd half to February 4, which might not have been a good idea.

In the wake of Crisis on Infinite Earths, which wrapped last month, all of the Arrowverse characters, which now includes Black Lightning, are on one earth. Extra earths are reserved for the movie universe, and shows airing on DC Universe (i.e. Titans, Doom Patrol, & the forthcoming Stargirl). This opens a myriad of crossover possibilities without the need for an annual sweeps stunt.

Season 6 shows that new showrunner Eric Wallace, unlike his predecessors, actually has a clue. The big bad in the first half, Bloodwork, a Geoff Johns creation, is gone. A new story arc began on February 4, and, once again, the writers have decided that Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) has to be basically oblivious to the most obvious of scenarios.

Case in point: Wife Iris (Candice Patton) has been shunted off to a mirror universe, and replaced by a doppleganger whose true intentions will be revealed in due course. Just how long defines "due course" in this case is unknown.

Meanwhile, explorer Nash Wells, aka Pariah (Tom Cavanaugh), finds a doppleganger of his own, which conceivably could be Eobard Thawne (Cavanaugh, instead of Matt Lescher), who killed Harrison Wells and assumed Wells' identity in season 1. Fans have anticipated the return of Thawne, who had but a small part to play in event crossovers the last two seasons. Cisco (Carlos Valdes) has taken a leave of absence, but I'd not be surprised if they bring him back toward the end of the season in May.

By splitting the season into two extended arcs instead of one protracted one, interrupted only by the event crossover, it gives the writers more flexibility. Unfortunately, they waste this opportunity by continuing to insult the intelligence of the older comics fans who are not in the target demographic the CW is looking for.

With Arrow having ended its run, Flash now becomes the elder statesman of the CW-DC line. The only thing that would kill this show dead is if the writers and Wallace run out of ideas.

Rating: B.