Flash- Season 9 (Final)

7/10

Bart Allen/The Flash (played by Grant Gustin) and friends deal with new threats in this the show's final season.

So, yeah... this season is mostly the same as the last two: the show doesn't hit the strong and more dramatic writing of its early years. But, what we get is a mostly fun selection of popcorn episodes that serve as decent light entertainment. (I personally prefer too-simplistic Flash over trying-too-hard-to-be dramatic Flash any day.)

Given that this is the last of the show, one'd hope it'd be like the end of Arrow and be a truly connected and thought-out culmination of the show over the years. Sadly, we don't get that here. Doesn't help that the show's sticking with the season-divided-into-two-big-threats strategy they've been doing in recent years. Yes, it helps the overarching storyline not to drag it out, but this being the big finale, it would've helped to have a more cohesive plan to it. Plus, this was a shorter season, so there wasn't the need to worry about the plot being stretched out.

Now, like I said, this isn't the culmination I wanted, but the writers are treating this as the final bow. Many faces from throughout the show pop up. Unfortunately if you wanted to know whatever happened to Golden Glider or General Wade Eiling, that never gets addressed. Plus, they don't have time (or possibly the scheduling) for all your favorite villains: no Trickster, no Amunet Black, no Weather Wizard, and no Ragdoll. It's especially unfortunate that former original member of the team and one of the most popular characters Cisco couldn't make any appearances. The actor was willing but had scheduling conflicts.

I know that not everyone is a big fan of Flash's later-introduced allies Allegra Garcia (Kayla Compton) and Chester P. Runk (Brandon McKnight), but I like them well enough. Both the actors do a solid job. Their romance is no great story, but I always felt it was decent.

Again, Gustin is a likable actor, but as is often in the show, there's another episode where Barry's shown as sanctimonious, which always makes him hard to like especially when he made a blunt one-sided decision over an ethically grey situation.

Mark Blaine/Chillblaine (Jon Cor) is still a member of the team. It still doesn't sit well with me that he's an immediate member of the group considering the major crimes he committed in his first appearance. The redemption and trust never felt earned.

Prepare to be disappointed with the storyline for Caitlyn Snow (Danielle Panabaker) this year. If you've been following the character all this time, you'll be disappointed with a direction no one ever asked for.

As for the finale, it's not necessarily the emotionally best of Flash season finales and there's an epilogue scene that makes you say "What?!," but it's got some fun ideas and fights and I thought the final threat was a really good idea.

Kinda recommended. If you liked the show but became disillusioned as it became a shadow of itself, this probably won't do anything to change your mind. If you still like watching, yeah you'll get more of the same and it'll be just fine.