THE FLASH: “All Star Team Up” Ladies Recap

While it’s very true that The Flash is all about Barry Allen, it’s also nice to look at the women in his life that keep him sane (and alive) on a weekly basis.

This week Barry’s case of the week is a woman, Brie Lavrin, who has taken over a case of nanotech bees to gt back at her former boss at Mercury Labs. It is great to finally have a woman be the bad of the week, even if she’s a little bit too much like a hive-mind for me.

That said, let’s look at the ladies in the life of Barry Allen, first up with our special guest of the week, Felicity Smoak. She came to visit Central City with Ray and just does a number to Barry’s status quo. At least she allowed Eddie to finally realize that Iris is the only one in Barry’s sphere to not know that he’s the Flash. Watch as I sigh. Please. With Ray around Barry to see, Felicity seems to go back to her bad puns and awkward moments, which does nothing to make her look as capable as she is (I mean, she did take down Lavrin – and has a nemesis – but still stutters when Ray’s there).

Iris, as mentioned above, is still the only one to not know Barry’s secret. She also can’t do more than be a girlfriend to Eddie – bent on his problems of not telling her Barry’s secret – and moving home when she knows that there’s a distance between them for a reason. Stay strong, Iris! You don’t really need anyone to tell you what you think and all the advise you get is equally bad. An ultimatum isn’t even the best choice you had, either. But it’s better than simply following allow with what Eddie says and does.

Lastly, there’s Caitlin, who doesn’t take the news of Dr. Wells being the Reverse Flash well when Barry does present that piece of information. But before that, there’s a supporting role for her once again, hanging back and driving vans or helping to revive Barry, though not without getting directly involved. It would be better if she’d had more chances to talk to Felicity or Iris, or anyone outside of Cisco and Dr. Wells. She clearly likes the time with Felicity, and could use more of it – or of something to do besides the lab work. Caitlin is so much better when she has agency and a plan of action that sees us from on part of the episode towards the end.

Th Flash airs on Th CW, Tuesdays at 8PM Eastern/7PM Central.