Rating: 
Country: USA
Release Date: January 10, 2006
Distributor: Warner Home Video
Cast:
· John Wesley Shipp
· Amanda Pays
· Alex Desert
· Richard Belzer
Related Sites:
· IMDb: The Flash
· Rotten Tomatoes: The Flash
Grade: B-
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DVD Review: The Flash - The Complete Series
by R.J. Carter
Published: February 1, 2006
When a bolt of lightning shattered a shelf of chemicals, striking and dousing police scientist Barry Allen, it gave birth to a new breed of superhero -- and the Flash was born.
In this live-action series, Allen is portrayed by John Wesley Shipp (Dawson's Creek), the younger son of a family of policemen. Brother Jay (Tim Thomerson) -- a nod to the Golden Age Flash, Jay Garrick -- is the street cop, the one who gets all the attention from father Henry. After all, what danger could Barry encounter? Tripping over a test tube? But when Jay gets murdered by the leader of a marauding motorcycle gang, Barry uses his abilities to bring the killer to justice.
The Flash Rogues arrive, but
too late to save the show.
TOP DOWN: David Cassidy,
Michael Champion, and
Mark Hamill
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Of course, every hero has to have his weakness. For Flash, it comes in unexpected blackouts and the need to continually feed his rapid metabolism. Assisting him with his physical problems (and providing the occassional scientific boost) is Dr. Tina McGee (Amanda Pays, Max Headroom), who constructs his suit and mask, constantly monitoring Barry's health.
The series had a promising start, despite going several episodes without bringing in any of the familiar villains from Flash's rogues gallery. The Trickster (Mark Hamill) doesn't show up until the twelfth episode. Captain Cold (Michael Champion) and Mirror Master (David Cassidy) make appearances even later, revamped and remodelled for television. Additionally, the series introduces some new characters: the Ghost (Anthony Starke), a survivor of the 1950s who controls the city through television, and the Deadly Nightshade (Richard Burgi, "In Her Shoes", "Fun With Dick and Jane"), a vigilante who emulates his Golden Age hero, Nightshade (Jason Bernard), but with deadly intent.
Unfortunately, the series had a hard time catching on, due to constant news interruptions from this little thing called the Gulf War. But to blame timing isn't entirely fair to the war. As the series closed out, it's as though the writers (often Howard Chaykin and John Francis Moore) had given up; things got campier than the William Dozier Batman series, with only a (slightly) bigger budget. "The Trial of the Trickster" is a sad ending to what started out with some healthy promise (although you get to see Mark Hamill work out the crazy clown schtick that would later become evident in his voicing of the Joker for the Batman animated cartoons that came later.)
Special features? Alas, there are none to be had here. No previews, no commentary -- not even a historical retrospective from any of the folks at DC Comics. One would think the Scarlet Speedster would get a little more respect. The fanfold case holds two discs per page in the increasingly common overlap method.
Featuring groundbreaking special effects for the era, a rousing yet somewhat familiar theme composed by Danny Elfman (hot off his "Batman" work), a simple yet somewhat cool menu, and some pre Law & Order appearances from Richard Belzer, this set is definitely one for Flash fans, but not necessarily the best representation of superhero action.
The Flash
The Complete Series
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Disc 1
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Disc 2
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01. Pilot
02. Out of Control
03. Watching the Detectives
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04. Honor Among Thieves
05. Double Vision
06. Sins of the Father
07. Child's Play
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Disc 3
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Disc 4
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08. Shroud of Death
09. Ghost in the Machine
10. Sight Unseen
11. Beat the Clock
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12. The Trickster
13. Tina, Is That You?
14. Be My Baby
15. Fast Forward
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Disc 5
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Disc 6
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16. Deadly Nightshade
17. Captain Cold
18. Twin Streaks
19. Done With Mirrors
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20. Good Night, Central City
21. Alpha
22. The Trial of the Trickster
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CD Giveaway - Paper Bird, "Rooms"
Ends May 28, 2013
Drifting ever so slightly away from traditional folk music, this Colorado band delivers harmony and energy aplenty. |
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