SPOILERS FOR THE FLASH SEASON 2 FINALE!!!
Okay, I have so many thoughts on this I might write up a detailed analysis of the season at some point. But here's my top of mind thoughts...
1) This season's second half has been weak-sauce. The first half was pretty good, leading up to the killer reveal of "Jay" as Zoom. Then the mid-season break came and everything after that was more flop than not.
All this led to a finale that was a real mixed bag of "what could have been." In the first 15 minutes, they gave us 5 - 6 key moments; all of which could have been an entire episode!! Why did we get half a season of crappy, mis-step filler when we could have had so many great shows?? Where was the episode where Wells-2 finally realizes the STAR Labs team is the "family" he's always been needing? Where was the episode that sets-up Zoom's master plan? Where was the episode where Wally discovers Barry's secret identity?? We got all that and more in 15 minutes; I'd have taken a show's worth of each with breathing room and real character development.
The Wells/ Sisco relationship is a perfect example. They were GREAT together in this one- where has that been all second half?? Why not have let that build up to instead of just dropping it on us so quickly.
2) Zoom was horribly managed. We started the season off with this near-perfect villain. Menacing, evil, unstoppable- Zoom had it all. And up to the reveal that he is- in fact "Jay"- it was fantastic! Then it all falls apart. Once out of the mask, Zoom's motivations become murky, his plan is unclear, and he seems incompetent compared to the first half. What was with all of Checkov's Metas?? Never explained. Why did he go from wanting to conquer worlds and be fast to "I'm going to start counting success in the number of bodies I drop?" and back again? It doesn't hold up.
In the end, Zoom's master plan actually fits the Zoom we first met- I'm going to destroy the multi-verse so I can rule this one planet AND do it by proving I'm the fastest man alive. Perfect!
It really- REALLY- felt like the first half of this season and the finale were written by one team of writers, and the second half was done by a group that didn't get to read what the others were doing. It's so disjointed, the characters are so out of line that it makes the whole season suffer from "what could have been."
And lastly.. the ending.
For two seasons we've been dealing with a Barry Allen racked and motivated by a guilt he cannot escape. It's driven him, but also limited him. This year, we got some real character development in the one bright spot episode of the second half. Barry goes into the speedforce and seems to emerge with real character growth. Confidence, purpose driven, at peace.
And then they undo it all in the final moments as Barry screws with the timeline for his own selfish, petulant reasons. They unraveled all his advancement for the sake of a cliffhanger; one they didn't even need. The show was already renewed. The audience would be back. They could have left us with a win and a happy ending but instead they went for the cheap trick.
I died a little.
I still like the show and I truly hope that next season is as much fun as the first and we all look back at #2 as the season that we dare not speak it's name. But the writer's room better learn from this because they can do better. I know it- I see the potential. I just want that little bit more.
No comments:
Post a Comment