The Flash first appeared in DC comics in November of 1939 and has been one of their most popular characters ever since. He is a crime-fighting superhero who has the power to move at superhuman speed. Over the years he has been portrayed by different characters and in the Fall of 2014, he made his way to television in the CW series, The Flash. On October 9, 2018, the critically acclaimed show premiered its fifth season and was renewed for a sixth season shortly thereafter. In anticipation of the show's return this fall, The Flash The Complete Fifth season has been released on Blu-ray and is now available for purchase.
The Flash television series centers around Barry Allen (Grant Gustin; Glee), a somewhat socially awkward crime scene scientist who gains a superpower when he accidentally gets caught up in an advanced particle accelerator malfunction. He becomes a crime fighter with superspeed who, along with his wife Iris (Candice Patton; The Guest) and a group of superhuman friends, stop criminals. Over the course of four seasons, they have battled all manner of bad guys and season five is more of the same with a twist thrown in.
At the end of season four, a mysterious woman arrives and reveals she is Barry and Iris' grown daughter from the future, Nora (Jessica Parker Kennedy; Black Sails). Throughout the season we see Barry and Iris adjust to their newfound parenthood while Nora navigates through the "mistake" she made that brought her back in time. The group also spends the season chasing a supervillain by the name of Cicada (Chris Klein; American Pie), Meanwhile, Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker; Sky High) deals with the fact that her father is alive and Cisco (Carlos Valdes; Arrow) debates Whether or not having meta powers is worth it or not.
The Flash has consistently been a critical favorite since it first premiered in 2014 and despite a slight blimp in season four, it has maintained the level of excellence we have come to expect. Season five has brought us exciting villains, top-notch writing, and incredible effects. There is something for everyone to enjoy and the storylines are always being reinvented in a way to keep the core audience interested and entertained. With new villains and favorite characters, the writers continually bring something fresh to the table while maintaining a level of quality we have come to expect.
The cast is a well-oiled machine who work so well together because they have a genuine likability and chemistry amongst them. Gustin and Patton helm the show well and they are so entrenched in their characters by this point that they have become Barry and Iris to fans. The addition of Parker Kennedy adds a new dimension to the show and she fits in well with the team. Klein, on the other hand, is hit or miss. The character is well-written but he plays cicada very hard and is a little over the top even with some humorous dialogue thrown in here and there.
The Blu-ray is presented in 1080p video with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio. The details can be seen in the characters' costumes, the backgrounds, and the faces of the actors. The colors are sharp and clean. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is also extremely strong with the dialog and the effects easily heard. The combo pack has a few extras hosed across all discs. They include a gag reel, deleted scenes, Villains: modes of Persuasion, Inside the Crossover: Elseworlds, Best of DC TV's Comic-Con Panels San Diego 2018, and the Evolution of Killer Frost.
The Flash is an example of what is right with television today as it entertains with great characters, strong writing, and excellent storytelling. It has a built-in audience that will keep it going for as long as it maintains the levels at which is it produced.
With Season Six set to begin on October 8, 2019, now is the time to pick up The Flash The Complete Season Five and catch up on a terrific show.
Grade: A-
