The Flash: Coming to the CW - How to Make It Great

"The Flash" features the Barry Allen version of the character from DC Comics, who was created by Robert Kanigher, John Broome and Carmine Infantino. "Arrow" executive producers Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg are at the helm of the series, and co-wrote the pilot script with DC chief creative officer Geoff Johns. It also stars Jesse L. Martin, Rick Cosnett, Danielle Panabaker, Candice Patton, Carlos Valdes, Tom Cavanaugh, John Wesley Shipp, Michelle Harrison and Patrick Sabongui.

I'm really excited about this show.  I have a fondness of the Flash that dates back to the 90's TV show. It's one of the reasons I went from being a Marvel Zombie to also being a DC fan.  I remember wishing that John Wesley Shipp would team-up with Christopher Reeve and Michael Keaton to star in a Justice League movie.  I was so disappointed when the show was cancelled after just one awesome season.

More recently, the Arrow TV show has gone from an okay Dark Knight ripoff to one of the best comic book to TV adaptions ever.  It's truer to the character than Smallville ever was and it looks like it might make better use of the entire DC Universe too.  The couple of episodes on the Arrow that featured Barry Allen were great.  They really got his characterization as man that is very noble and moral, but also very determined right from the beginning.  That fact that they showed him as always being late was just perfect.

Now with the upcoming Flash show, I'm pretty hopeful that we'll be getting a great series.  Tom Cavanaugh has so far been a great fit for Barry Allen and he looks pretty good as Flash.  I think with some of the other actors involved with the show, they should be in good shape.  They just need to have some really wonderful writing to pull this show together.

The following list includes elements I personally would like to see in the show in order for it to really be great:

• The Rogues Gallery - The Flash has some of the best and most colorful foes in comics and it would be a shame to to not use as many as possible on the show.  They have such interest dynamics with the hero and even more so with each other. Weather Wizard, Trickster, Captain Cold, Heat Wave, Pied Piper, Captain Boomerang, Rag Doll, Turtle, the list goes on and on. They can be played from so many angles; campy, serious, psychotic, redeeming, scary, or badass. Use them any way you want, just be sure to use them on the show.
• Legacies - One of the things that really disappointed me when they lost it in the comics, was the sense of history.  I always loved that fact that the current Flash wasn't the first nor was he the last person to bear that name.  I really hope that Jay Garrick and Wally West both get a chance to be speedsters on the show.  Heck, I hope we get to see a whole range of speedsters including some Flashes of the future.  Which leads into my next item...
• Time Travel - The Flash is going to need to spend some time in the future and not just for one episode.  Time travel is as much one of Flashes superpowers as superspeed.  He needs to be able to  fight a time paradox as readily as a super villain. 
• Team-Ups - Bring in other DC Super-Heroes!  The Flash works great with others.  It's a pretty sure bet that he'll team-up with (Green) Arrow at some point, but don't stop there.  Introduce some Green Lanterns (maybe not Hal Jordan) and other Justice League members.  I'm rooting for Aquaman to be on the show!  I think on the Arrow it has already been hinted that Vibe is going to be a part of Star Labs in Central City (Flash's hometown.)
• Gorilla City -  I don't know how they can pull this off on a TV show but I need to see a Rise of Planet of the Apes level of gorilla action.  Grodd is practically Flash's Joker or Lex Luthor.  It would suck to not include him.  I don't want some cheesy gorilla suit though.  If they use him, do it right.
• Carb-Loading -  This might be a silly detail but, I love the fact that on the old show and some of the 80's Wally West comics, the Flash had to do some serious eating in order to replenish the energy he burned off.  With the introduction of the Speed Force (the source of the Flash's speed) I don't think it's necessary, but it was a fun little draw back to having powers.

Other than those items listed above, I just hope they have some fun with the show.  It doesn't need to be grim and gritty like Arrow or Dark Knight Trilogy, just some good superheroic action and drama.

-Brunpuppies

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