Fall TV First Impression: The Flash 

The broadcast networks have more than two dozen shows debuting this fall, including a new 

Shondaland drama, Katherine Heigl‘s TV comeback, a third 

. To help you prep for it all, TVLine is offering First Impressions of the not-for-review pilots.

PHOTOS Fall TV Preview: Your Guide to What’s New!

THE SET-UP | ‘Member the lightning bolt that zapped Barry Allen back in Central City at the close of the

episode “Three Ghosts”? Well, let’s first rewind a bit to show you Barry’s mild-mannered life

 visiting Starling City, and then we’ll fassssssst-forward to months later, when Barry finally emerges from his coma and embarks on a, um,

RELATED The CW’s Fall Schedule Opens in Early October,

THE FIRST IMPRESSION | The bright ‘n’ bubbly cousin to dark ‘n’ brooding Oliver,

affords effortless entry into Barry Allen’s world, efficiently introducing father figure Det. West and his daughter/Barry’s unrequited crush Iris, “pretty boy” cop Eddie Thawne and S.T.A.R. Labs super-genius Harrison Wells (whose haywire particle accelerator is to blame for the pulse of energy that not only made Barry fleet of feet but spawned other metahumans within its radius). On the casting front: Anyone who perhaps fretted that Gustin was too slight for the lead will promptly have such concerns quashed; Patton has the requisite crackling chem with her TV “brother”; and Cavanagh-as-Wells was a rather inspired call. (Future episodes promise to shed greater light on Panabaker and Valdes as Wells’ wonks – and at least one had better follow up on a certain and infamous “escapee” from S.T.A.R. Labs!)

-human effects, DC Comics Chief Creative Officer had promised a “fresh and exciting… cinematic” approach to the scarlet speedstering, and while the close-ups flirt with being a touch too comical, the longer-range and in-profile views of Barry’s booking are quite electric and jibe with the series’ overall feel, which is one of fun, fun,

obviously skewing older, ABC trotting out untried comedies and Fox’s reality series

— a possibility, given the plan to encore early episodes out of

I liked the pilot its really good. All the characters are great. Just hope the do more with Iris than simply making her a love interest.

I hope I like Iris a lot more than I like Laurel

Iris is the complete opposite of Laurel. The writers are not making the same mistake.

I also saw the pilot and enjoyed it. I love Iris already. She is fun, sassy, intelligent, and she is a very supportive friend to Barry. I do hope however that the writers do give her a decent storyline and not have her wandering around each episode just to chat once in a while with Barry. The character has so much potential and Candice did a great job in the pilot.

Loved the pilot too, made me even forgive the slightly-too-young-this-is-UPN/WB/CW-after-all-cast.

It doesn’t take itself as seriously as fellow DC properties Gotham or Constantine, but given the central hero, that makes sense. Feels closer in spirit to Smallville than Arrow, for better or worse.

I am curious to see whether/how introducing metahumans into Flash will spill over into the (somewhat) more grounded world of Arrow.

I can’t wait until the fall!!!! However it does scare me that it’s going against The Voice and NCIS.

Not dark enough for me. Way too fizzy and peppy-geared to a younger audience. After watching the pilot,i’ll pass.

Now while i am like you and like my entertainment dark and gritty….not everything is dark and gritty. I mean this is Flash…hes not Batman…he is light, and positive and “fizzy”. I dont think something can be less good because its not dark and gritty.

So many of you have said “I’ve seen the pilot, it was ______”….where have you seen the pilot?! lol.

I think that DC seems to be hitting it out of the park in the TV department. And what is great is that these don’t all come across as cheap webisode-style tie ins, simply meant to promote the movies.

In fact, I WANT them to use Arrow in the JL movie, but the odds seem slim.

Any show that is willing to tease Gorilla Grodd as a future character in the show I will happily give a full season to. Also amazing what a difference not taking itself too seriously can make…

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