The CW's The Flash returned for its third season in dramatic fashion this week, and the Flashpoint arc pretty much blew us all away. However, we cannot forget everything that has led to this moment. The Flash is quite a bit of fun, but that doesn't mean some of that fun cannot be at the show's expense. A new Honest Trailer has just hit the web, and it completely tears apart the first two seasons of The Flash. Check it out, below.
In yet another brilliant Honest Trailer, the folks at Screen Junkies broke down The Flash into its most basic elements -- and proceeded to completely eviscerate the show. The trailer in question has a ton of fun with several elements of The Flash's core premise, but the overall criticism seems to be the show's odd balance of campy production quality, soap opera storylines, and completely ridiculous science fiction. With regards to the soapy narratives, the trailer points out that the will they/won't they romance between Barry Allen and Iris West can sometimes feel a little off. Sure, they're meant to be together, but Iris' insistence on making out with Eddie Thawne always seemed a bit odd during the first season of the series.
Then there's the science fiction aspect of the series, which The Flash has very clearly embraced over the course of the last two years. In particular, I've never really noticed how often Cisco and Harrison Wells (either version) have simply whipped up whatever gadget Barry happened to require during a given adventure. With several examples cut together, it really hammers home exactly how often the show uses that plot device.
Of course, the single greatest observation of the entire segment is the fact that nobody on Team Flash ever seemed to notice how obviously evil the first Harrison Wells was during The Flash's freshman season. The wheelchair bound scientist spoke with an obvious undercurrent of menace, and always appeared from out of nowhere like Batman. If that's not villainous, I don't know what would be.
Having said this, it's worth noting that the trailer does actually acknowledge the overall high quality of the series. Sure, it pokes quite a bit of fun at The Flash, but the narrator ultimately recognizes the sheer amount of fun within the show. The Flash has its fair share of flaws (clearly), but it's still one of the most fun superhero TV shows to ever grace the small screen.
Even if you consider yourself the world's biggest fan of The Flash, you should still definitely check this video out. It tears the Scarlet Speedster's solo series apart, but it does so with a clear reverence for the material. The Flash airs every Tuesday night at 8 p.m. EST on The CW; make sure to check out our fall TV premiere guide and fill out your television viewing schedules accordingly.
