I’m sure that all of you comic book
and DCU fans have been completely frazzled trying to get your hands
on that online copy of the CW’s FLASH pilot. Because, unless you've been living under a rock with no wifi, then you are aware it leaked online (at
your local neighborhood torrent sites everywhere).
Well, I’m a little bit more than
stoked to make as many of my friends “jelly.” Because while there
are those of you not able to get a sneak peak at the CW’s pilot, I’m
happy to report that I’m NOT in that minority. In the immortal
words of Daffy Duck, “No, not this little black duck!”
Let me begin by saying that it is rare
for television to see a more complete and satisfying superhero origin story. Its filled with Action, Comedy, Cameos, Drama, Effects,
One liners, a solid Origin Story, References for Comic Book fans (but
not too overpowering so that the general audience won’t get the
material), and even juicy spoiler nuggets that make you want more.
All in all, it was a gorgeous unfolding of the classic tale of Barry
Allen and did it great justice. In my opinion, it is one of the
quintessential Hero’s Journeys telling.
The Action is just enough (unlike Man
Of Steel). The comedy is put in just the right places (one liners are
my favorite here). The cameos (while some might think can get
gratuitous) are of people who fit into the world. The drama is hit
spot on where it appears, and even though they operate on a tight
budget, the effects are pretty kick ass.
As an actor, I’m really impressed by
this cast. Especially Grant Gustin's Barry Allen. As a comic book fan my favorite part of the entire show are
the comic book references; mostly because of their accessibility. You
see, when distributing productions rich with historic detail only
known to fans, there is a delicate balance that one must strike in
order to appeal to the general public and not just the locked in
demographic of fans. Flash does that successfully, with great ease,
and still satisfies the locked in comic book fans with rich Flash
mythology references. Kudos to writers Greg Berlanti, Gardner
Fox, Geoff Johns, Andrew Kreisberg, and Harry Lampert! Oh, and who
could miss the spoilers?!? Can you say, Gorilla Grodd, Professor
Zoom, Justice League, & Infinite Crisis?
The
Casting Call leaked in December..Buzz creator. The script leaked in January...Buzz creator. The
actual show leaked in June...BUZZ CREATOR! So, has interest halted? Hell, no! Fans are interested more than ever and are in even
MORE of an uproar than ever. The news is spreading around the globe faster than Jay Garrick, Barry Allen, Wally West, and Bart Allen can carry it! Even new hashtags like #BringItOnCW have emerged.
Personally, I think that the leak was deliberate. People, and when I say 'people,' I mean production companies, are learning that in this age of technology, more honesty and transparency helps to spread the word and popularity faster than you can say "speedforce." With a built in audience to give you guidance and feedback early in it's inception so that you can change anything necessary (and quick before it airs), it's the opposite of a leak. At that point it's a strategic and powerfully navigated man made river.
The CW already has
tons of practice putting together strong comic book television
series’ with Smallville, and most recently Arrow. They are finally beginning to
understand what they have in the iconic brand of DC Comics’ cast of
characters, for what these characters stand, how to represent them, and most
importantly how to tell their story. In addition, they are finally talking to each
other (something they learned from Marvel/Universal). So the marriage
is slowly becoming seamless and symbiotic.
The future is looking really bright for
the CW’s FLASH. While pilots are often great to raise interest
in a show, entice, and build excitement, I truly believe that FLASH
is nothing but a firm foundation upon which many future building
blocks (episodes) of gorgeousness will be placed. Thank you, CW. You have truly proven that lightning can strike twice for you. ;)
Brian J. Patterson is an actor and producer who splits his time between Los Angeles and San Francisco. He's a lifelong DC comics fan, who plasters his apartment with every picture of Wonder Woman imaginable.
Did you enjoy this article? Follow us on Facebook to get more great content! We have a weekly podcast you can find on our main site. Also follow us on Twitter and Tumblr!
No comments:
Post a Comment