The Flash Reborn

It sure didn't seem like it's been 6 months since the last time we saw an episode of The Flash, but that's the timeline the show is going with. And to that point, it was hard to come around to accepting an immediate return of Barry to Central City. Not that we shouldn't already be accustomed to a quick turnaround, considering Flashpoint only last 1 episode last season, but at least that had residual effects for the entire season. For some reason, the return of Barry or "rebirth" felt pretty cheap and unearned. Especially when you take into account the direction they went with him when he eventually did return.

Just as silly as having Barry deal with memory loss last season, was the decision to have Barry return, full beard, and spew out gibberish and draw out 'Arrival' like diagrams all over dry erase boards. Yeah, not exactly the return I expected. Granted, this could very well turn into something related to a further sub-plot involving the speed- force, or even a grander plan from The Thinker, but more on that later.

Tonight was a hodgepodge of various catch up sub-plots. Caitlin was miraculously back on Team Flash (not Team Kid Flash) after all that season 3 drama, Julian has inexplicably moved to London (maybe that's for the better), Iris made it clear she didn't want Barry back (because the writers want forced drama in their relationship), and we also saw the debut of season 4's supposed "big bad", The Thinker. With that said, tonight wasn't the most balanced episode, having to constantly jump from character to character without having a nice thru-line. But that's just the nature of having so many characters to service 4 seasons in.

I found myself intrigued in Caitlin's arc, up until it was revealed she's involved in with some sort of gang/mob with the guy from the bar. If we're going to get a season of Caitlin struggling with keeping Killer Frost inside, then I hope that conflict stays within her, not involve some outside force prying these emotions out of her. Iris on the other hand, had a much tougher week. I can't help but think she's gone back (at least for tonight's episode) to the stupidity of season 1 Iris. I came around to Barry and Iris' relationship after a while, but I didn't care to see Iris shut down Cisco's attempt to bring Barry back. We don't need her character to go back to those inexplicably awful decisions from season 1. But hey, she stepped up by offering herself up as a bait at the end of the episode, right…?

The one thing that you can't deny about tonight's episode is the show's renewed attempt at being a fun superhero show. They got away from it a little bit the last few seasons, but I think the energy seems to be back. It's just a matter of how well they use that light and quirky (but sometimes still poignant) tone to their advantage. I can tell you that having Wally randomly speak Japanese was not a good decision. This season could go many different ways. 1 episode isn't nearly enough time to determine that, but I have my worries because season 4 of Arrow was the time when it tried to do something different with its villain and bring magic into a grounded crime drama. The Thinker is an intriguing villain because he's different, but that doesn't mean it will be the right choice for the show. I'm certainly willing to keep an open-mind, but tonight wasn't exactly the right step for the show.

6.5/10

The thing i most hated in this episode is the fact that Iris is now the leader of Team Flash, isn't she supposed to be a reporter? Didn't she love journalism? Does anybody just throw their dream job in the trash like that? In season 3 all she did was sit at S.T.A.R labs and cry all day now all of a sudden she's leading the team and reacting with a judgmental look on her face about anything that happens around, i know they used the 6 month time skip to explain the changes (they do that every season) but i still don't get it, Cisco is the one who should be in charge and not in the field as he know how all the tech works there. And as i feared she is becoming (or already did become) just like Felicity on Arrow: she was really a good character on seasons 1 and 2, then on the 3rd season she starts to get really annoying and on the 4th season she is this nightmare that questions everyones choices and decisions, being a whiny bitch about everything and gets more screen time than the protagonist, i really didn't like the direction they took with the character and i think it's gonna destroy the show.

Now about how everything gets resolved in the next episode: this is one of the main issues with the show, along with the pep talks in the hallway, it's like the characters don't go through anything at all and the next day, everything is fine. It started in season 3: Flashpoint happened, it's resolved the next episode, Wally is trapped in the speed force, the next episode, he's back and now in season 4: Caitlin leaves Team Flash for the 2nd time to inexplicably work as a bartender, and for the 2nd time she is back by the end of the episode, Barry is back but crazy and again inexplicably gets back to normal when Iris is in danger and no explanation to those signs he was writing (yet?), also i hated when Barry sped out crazy hyper fast in STAR labs and Caitlin simply shot him with a cold gun like he wasn't even moving. It was a bad episode for a premiere.

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+ New suit + Crazy Barry (shame it didn't last longer) + Super fast Barry + The Thinker at the end + Wally speaking Japanese ___________________________________________

• Iris as leader of Team Flash - Iris being a bitch about everything - Caitlin's arc and coming back to the team AGAIN - Wally didn't really evolve in 6 months - All the problems from season 3 finale resolved in this episode - Unnecessary pep talks

Rating: 5/10

Before starting of this season I was huge fan of Team Flash and I rate Season 3 the best of all seasons but in the current season it has gone out of focus making Iris the central character and everybody rolling around her so my sincere request to the Team Flash is that please just limit the character of Iris being the love interest in Barry's life and side her character ASAP to the journalism that she does best otherwise you all are going to loose some true fans of the franchise!

The overall episode is decent, but the dislikeable character of Iris West truely ruins the episode for me.

the worst episode of the flash.i don't know, is this some kind of romantic drama!!!! this is a superhero TV series not some soap opera.i'm a die hard fan of dc comics.but the flash season 04 episode 01 is the worst episode of entire arrow-verse.the flash aka Barry Allan supposed to be funny but in this TV series they made the flash aka Barry Allan a romantic hero!!! i mean seriously!!!! the flash is now totally waste of time. in the comics i like Ires west but in the series i kind of hate her.same thing happened in the arrow,when Oliver and felicity in a relationship the show became boring and now the same thing happening in flash. please stop all that nonsense drama about Barry and Ires. i'm sorry if someone feel bad about my review, i'm just telling whats in my mind.