IR TV Review: THE FLASH - EPISODE 1 (“Wednesday Ever After”) [The CW-S9]
The context of "The Flash" coming in cold on the first episode of Season 9 entitled "Wednesday Ever After" reflects in the ideas of guilt with Barry Allen in both protecting those who he loves without changing the future that might work or might turn against him. This is something that has ravaged human feeling superheroes all the way back to the original ending of "Superman" in 1978 or Henry Cavill's primal scream when he is forced to kill Zod in "Man Of Steel". Barry Allen doesn't want to feel pain but pain is part of his life (and always will be). In past seasons, he seems like he has battled foes and lost friends all across the spectrum. It is just a matter of how he deals with it.
The notion of consequence weighs heavily in his mind as it does with his wife. But he doesn't understand the necessity of fate through choice. Time is a finicky thing and most of the universe doesn't know how it works. With "Wednesday Ever After", there is a time loop structure that puts this idea to the test, both in terms of falibility but also in the idea of complacency. Happiness is a state of being and not one to be planned out ahead of time (because what is the fun in that?) The concept structure of an episode like this is always interesting because it brings into play what is subtle, what is real and what is yet to come. Of course, every action has an equal and opposite reaction and that is what is at play here. Barry Allen might not be fully in control but there is always something new waiting just around the corner. B+
By Tim Wassberg
