A Speedingly Good Show

The Flash.

Most fellers my age might remember the quick slash of crimson that was the fiery costume belonging to the speedster superhero. Some might also recall the fixed lightening bolt that travels across his chest. Much like the classic mode of superhero insignias.

But this red whirlwind of speed is far more than that. He is an everyday guy. The man who got passed his ordinariness to become something extraordinary. A really likable guy.

Those are many of the memories I retain when seeing, for the first time in over ten years, the series The Flash on DVD. Finally. It was showcased on prime network for a brief stay. Just a season. Not even.

Which is unfortunate. Because it’s a really good show. You won’t find literary themes in this series. You won’t find sophomoric messages about global warming or how pollution is causing many health concerns.

Nope.

It’s always the classic battle of good and evil. Easy as that. And this is what makes the series so entertaining. What struck me most, of all things, is how close an adaptation it was to the original comic book. Which is still amazingly popular to this day. With a wealth of lore for one’s choosing. What interests me is the fact that they used the character Barry Allan to recreate the superhero enigma.

Barry Allan. One of the first greats of superheroes. His costume is decidedly simply, very catchy. And his powers remain very simple as well. He runs fast. But there’s a lot of tricks and turns to his situations. The thrust of red dashing across the grounds, in a burst of energy, is always exciting to see. Even when I was a kid drowning myself in a comic book fixture. The Flash always remained the cool dude for me.

The TV series recreates very nicely the character of Barry Allan (Played well by John Wesley Shipp). He’s been struck by lightning which is also in the comic books. The series is set in Central City, which is very cool. That is his native town from illustrated history.

However, there are some slight departures which is to be expected in such a television venture. His love for his wife Iris is one of the things that made him a great person, his warm dedication to her, his ability to express that love. That isn’t in the TV series. She disappears in a flash after the pilot show.

His powers seem more believable in the series. His explosions of speeds causes him to have a far greater metabolism rate. Which does make sense.

Most of the first half of the series has him dealing with regular street thugs and junk heaps looking for power trips. Bike gangs and the like. But it is the later half, starting with the Trickster, that the series digs deeper into the series history for some enlightening revelations of the Flash character.

Any one of us could be the Flash. But it is Barry Allan. And he carries the burden like anyone… he has his emotional wounds. He bears the scrutiny of human flaw.

Some of the best episodes of the series is with Mark Hamill playing the crazy magician who becomes the Trickster. His exhilarating antics and moments of zaniness is a definite precursor for his voice part as the Joker in the upcoming Batman animated series which followed a year later. Here he is the absolute antagonist of the Flash. He doesn’t make sense. He has flashes of insane inspiration. His costumes are goofy.

A policeman mentioned to the Flash in one of the episodes, and these words along the lines as, “It’s all your fault. These costumed clowns started appearing when you showed up. Now we got to deal with them too. You’re a magnet for them.”

Which left the Flash thinking about his true purpose in Central City.

It’s an interesting thought to play with and it coincides nicely with Batman and his gallery of villains who crop up in Gotham City like a contagious disease.

However, Batman does fight in the shadows, keeping himself hidden from the public spectacle. He prefers to work in total darkness to provide his mystique.

The Flash plays it out in the open, defeats his opponents in front of the crowds. He is a more accessible hero. People can look up to him as a good role model.

Many of the stories do help develop his somewhat platonic relationship between the Flash and the Christina 'Tina' McGee character Amanda Pays portrays. (Though her character deals with Wally West rather than Barry Allan in the comics). Their rapport is very easy to see from the beginning. They do have good chemistry. In some ways, with several supporting characters, it does become very much a family show.

But fate has changed the course of the mile run for the speedster. The series lasted only twenty two episodes before falling victim to poor ratings.

But if you like the character of the Flash, you can check out the animated film “Justice League New Frontiers,” which they used Barry Allan as the Flash. There are other Flash characters who came before and after him. But Barry's the one I remember the most.

If you’re looking for some straight forward entertainment, the Flash series would suit your needs. And he would take you by the hand and give you a good run for your money. Maybe, just maybe, you might catch a glimpse on how much fun it can really be.