The Flash: Flash Back
March 30, 2016 9:01 AM - Season 2, Episode 17 - Subscribe
After discovering the true identity of Zoom, Barry is more determined than ever to stop him; to increase his speed, Barry goes back in time to look for help.
The inconsistency with the time travel rules on this show drives me batty, and Barry's total recklessness with this stuff is stunning, especially after the last time opened up a Singularity that two of his friends -- among others -- and endangered the entire planet (an also totally reckless event for which he has expressed effectively no remorse, and for which no one else has held him responsible either). And the gag with the Pied Piper suggests changes to the timeline that mean Barry's now killed ALL his friends and replaced them with highly similar clones.
This episode was a bummer. Fun at times, but I'm really souring on the DCTV Universe.
posted by gerryblog at 9:38 AM on March 30, 2016
This episode was a bummer. Fun at times, but I'm really souring on the DCTV Universe.
posted by gerryblog at 9:38 AM on March 30, 2016
Barry's messing with the timeline in this episode didn't strike me as being as egregiously irresponsible as his dithering around in Earth 2 and getting Joe-2 killed - I mean, I don't disagree with any objections to it, but I really enjoyed seeing evil-Thawne/Wells again, and everyone's past selves, so I didn't mind the nonsensicalness. Maybe I'm still on a high from how adorable the Supergirl crossover was.
Also, I got such a laugh out of seeing what's-his-name being all reformed in the new present timeline - it was like Biff at the end of Back to the Future being all "I waxed your car, Marty!"
posted by oh yeah! at 10:35 AM on March 30, 2016 [5 favorites]
Also, I got such a laugh out of seeing what's-his-name being all reformed in the new present timeline - it was like Biff at the end of Back to the Future being all "I waxed your car, Marty!"
posted by oh yeah! at 10:35 AM on March 30, 2016 [5 favorites]
I was sure they had Dawn Summersed him into the Star Labs gang, which would be an excitingly nuts thing to do with...um...a character who wasn't so annoying, to be honest.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 12:06 PM on March 30, 2016
posted by kittens for breakfast at 12:06 PM on March 30, 2016
Piper was a reformed criminal in the pre-Flashpoint times of DC comics though I don't recall him being hard of hearing. I think it would be fun to have another sometimes science friend roaming around, personally.
My only grump about the episode is that it feels like Cavanaugh has tried to differentiate Wells-2 with a much more hoarse/whisperish voice mannerism than I remember Thawne Wells having... but he sounded like that in the past too.
I could not figure out why Barry would immediately fuck up the timeline by subverting Piper's escape. Did someone get killed? I don't recall that as a result but it wasn't an episode that made a big impression on me. If it wasn't to prevent death then it certainly seems like a dumb "don't rock the boat" move.
posted by phearlez at 1:33 PM on March 30, 2016
My only grump about the episode is that it feels like Cavanaugh has tried to differentiate Wells-2 with a much more hoarse/whisperish voice mannerism than I remember Thawne Wells having... but he sounded like that in the past too.
I could not figure out why Barry would immediately fuck up the timeline by subverting Piper's escape. Did someone get killed? I don't recall that as a result but it wasn't an episode that made a big impression on me. If it wasn't to prevent death then it certainly seems like a dumb "don't rock the boat" move.
posted by phearlez at 1:33 PM on March 30, 2016
I thought for sure the "journal" clue was going to lead him to Gideon (Remember Gideon? Apparently no one in the show does) which is the closest thing to Thawne's journal we could have.
Ridiculously, present day Gideon probably already had all the data on Tachcyon whatevering, since Thawne just pulled it out of his instance of Gideon.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 5:10 PM on March 30, 2016
Ridiculously, present day Gideon probably already had all the data on Tachcyon whatevering, since Thawne just pulled it out of his instance of Gideon.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 5:10 PM on March 30, 2016
But Gideon's on the Wave Rider over in Legends of Tomorrow. I think.
posted by Mezentian at 11:22 PM on March 30, 2016
posted by Mezentian at 11:22 PM on March 30, 2016
It's a computer program, you can copy those, unless Gideon has some next level DRM.
posted by Pendragon at 4:31 AM on March 31, 2016
posted by Pendragon at 4:31 AM on March 31, 2016
unless Gideon has some next level DRM
As we know, security at Star Labs is Top Notch, and I expect their DRM to be similarly unbreakable.
posted by Mezentian at 4:38 AM on March 31, 2016 [6 favorites]
As we know, security at Star Labs is Top Notch, and I expect their DRM to be similarly unbreakable.
posted by Mezentian at 4:38 AM on March 31, 2016 [6 favorites]
Barry's messing with the timeline in this episode didn't strike me as being as egregiously irresponsible as his dithering around in Earth 2 and getting Joe-2 killed
Maybe not as irresponsible, but just so dumb. The sequence of events is (basically in real time as you are reading this):
EVERYONE: Just don't monkey with the timeline
*Barry monkeys with timeline*
It annoyed me, especially in a filler episode that did little to advance the season plot forward.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 10:00 AM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
Maybe not as irresponsible, but just so dumb. The sequence of events is (basically in real time as you are reading this):
EVERYONE: Just don't monkey with the timeline
*Barry monkeys with timeline*
It annoyed me, especially in a filler episode that did little to advance the season plot forward.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 10:00 AM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
Is it just me or was Eddie played as super huggable this episode? Maybe he hasn't changed and it's just been a while since he's been gone.
"Heyyyy Barry."
posted by ODiV at 10:15 AM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
"Heyyyy Barry."
posted by ODiV at 10:15 AM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
Oh yeah Eddie seemed like a puppy who was tagging along with the older puppies but they just couldn't say no to him because he was so nice.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 10:42 AM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 10:42 AM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
Is it just me or was Eddie played as super huggable this episode? Maybe he hasn't changed and it's just been a while since he's been gone.
It did seem weird, as wasn't this not that long after Eddie decked Barry over his statement of love to her? I wouldn't have thought about it except for the way Joe asked Barry if that wasn't in the past by now.
posted by phearlez at 10:43 AM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
It did seem weird, as wasn't this not that long after Eddie decked Barry over his statement of love to her? I wouldn't have thought about it except for the way Joe asked Barry if that wasn't in the past by now.
posted by phearlez at 10:43 AM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
Ah, Eddie was treating Barry with super kid gloves after the punching though because of some bullshit excuse someone (Caitlin?) thought up involving lightning trauma or something.
posted by ODiV at 10:47 AM on March 31, 2016
posted by ODiV at 10:47 AM on March 31, 2016
I could not figure out why Barry would immediately fuck up the timeline
Because the writers luuuuuurve to have Barry keeping secrets from absolutely everyone left and right until it is ABSOLUTELY IMPERATIVE FOR THE SAKE OF THE UNIVERSE AND THE WHOLE OF REALITY THAT HE KEEP SOMETHING SECRET, whereupon he immediately becomes Gomer Pyle.
They simply cannot figure out how to write one of these time-travel/alternate universe stories without having Barry fuck everything up by doing exactly what he was told not to do. It's highly annoying.
posted by soundguy99 at 6:14 PM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
Because the writers luuuuuurve to have Barry keeping secrets from absolutely everyone left and right until it is ABSOLUTELY IMPERATIVE FOR THE SAKE OF THE UNIVERSE AND THE WHOLE OF REALITY THAT HE KEEP SOMETHING SECRET, whereupon he immediately becomes Gomer Pyle.
They simply cannot figure out how to write one of these time-travel/alternate universe stories without having Barry fuck everything up by doing exactly what he was told not to do. It's highly annoying.
posted by soundguy99 at 6:14 PM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
I was genuinely touched when Barry thought to get a message from Eddie to Iris. For like almost the entire rest of the episode, till he decided the thing to do was claim he'd had this thing on his phone for an entire year and was only sharing it with her now as part of his prodding her to move on.
I don't know if Iris would be more annoyed by the idea of Barry lying about the video or recklessly messing with time travel and it seems like the show's not really going to question either, but it sure burned through my goodwill quick. This show really does have problems with Barry lying for no good reason.
posted by jameaterblues at 11:00 AM on April 3, 2016 [1 favorite]
I don't know if Iris would be more annoyed by the idea of Barry lying about the video or recklessly messing with time travel and it seems like the show's not really going to question either, but it sure burned through my goodwill quick. This show really does have problems with Barry lying for no good reason.
posted by jameaterblues at 11:00 AM on April 3, 2016 [1 favorite]
For some reason, I'm much more forgiving about time travel nonsense in this show than I am about other things. I think my mind just takes it as the premise: Barry goes back in time and does stupid stuff all as a means to the end of doing some fun character stuff. Seeing Evil Wells again and letting current Barry have a confrontation with him, and fighting / teaming up with his old self, and seeing Cisco geek out about it were all worth a big pile of time-travel nonsense and stupidity to get us there.
posted by straight at 2:16 AM on April 16, 2016
posted by straight at 2:16 AM on April 16, 2016
Most of this was really dumb, but I did enjoy how they somehow turned Harley into a nice dude by the end. I'd be happy to see that guy be around more under those circumstances. It's like all you had to do was give him a job or a purpose or something!
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:29 PM on April 30, 2016
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:29 PM on April 30, 2016
Sooooo did anyone else notice how the "Time Wraiths" looked suspiciously like a Dementor version of the Flash.?
I mean their face masks suuuuuuure looked familiar. Maybe Barry time travels one time too many and gets trapped on the time vortex, and whilst also being driven insane is trying to stop other version of himself from ending up the same way.??
Whatever.
Time travel is hellofva inconsistent on this show.
[Edited for typoes]
posted by Faintdreams at 12:08 PM on May 9, 2016
I mean their face masks suuuuuuure looked familiar. Maybe Barry time travels one time too many and gets trapped on the time vortex, and whilst also being driven insane is trying to stop other version of himself from ending up the same way.??
Whatever.
Time travel is hellofva inconsistent on this show.
[Edited for typoes]
posted by Faintdreams at 12:08 PM on May 9, 2016
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Kind of shocked by the lack existential concern in everyone who could at any moment be erased from the timeline. If I was being left behind, that would be my worry. And what's stopping another singularity from happening?
posted by ODiV at 9:25 AM on March 30, 2016