The Flash Season 6 (2019) Review

After a long delay I have now managed to finish the 6th season of The Flash and even though the production of the show had to shut down due to Covid 19 they got a pretty complete show and here is my review for it. The premise of the season sees Barry attempt to prepare the team for the upcoming Crisis while a new villain arises aiming to take over the city. 

Main Character

Grant Gustin has played the character of Barry Allen for 7 years now and he has done a great job, but I thought this was one of his weaker turn outs as the character. He is still good and provides a lot to the character but I just think it is the way he is written. He spends a lot of the season moping and brooding and I would rather that be saved for Arrow, this show and character has always had dark elements to it but it has always been hopeful but I feel like this season went away from that more then usual. 

Supporting Characters

Tom Cavanagh has played many different versions of the character Harrison Wells and have normally done a good job at it, he plays Nash Wells this season a multiverse archaeologist and I ended up liking this character. He starts off as a bit of a weak character but he grows throughout the season and actually has a nice arc that makes him an entertaining character by the end. Danielle Panabaker gets a chance to play Frost more this season and she does a good job in the role, her character is interesting and really does a good job in separating the characters Caitlin and Frost which I think the show struggled with in previous seasons. But the rest of the cast struggled for me, Candice Patton as Iris has been a strong character in previous seasons, though not always given the best writing and she struggles with that this season. Patton does her best but the character's arc isn't interesting and it is hard to talk about it without spoilers but I wasn't a huge fan of the direction they take her character. Carlos Valdes as Cisco has been one of the most likeable characters on this show but for some reason I found him annoying this season, he again goes a darker route with the character and it seems like the majority of scenes he is in, he is angry with somebody. I also wasn't a fan of Joe's and Ralph's story arcs as they felt like an afterthought and just shoved in there, also the villains of the season were just really dull and among the most lacklustre that the show have had. 

Story

The story, is much stronger during the first half of the show. It deals with Barry trying to prepare the team and it is interesting in the different ways he goes by this and how the characters develop, also the villain before Crisis is the better one of the two villains but he gets his legs swept from under him. Similar to Arrow, this show struggles in a post Crisis world, it has to focus on the changes made by the crossover that it finds it difficult to focus on its story and kind of becomes muddled. Also the ending is a bit abrupt, it is difficult because of Covid 19 but it still does feel like this season is incomplete. 

Script

The script of this show has usually been quite strong but again it is a weaker point of the show. The humour isn't as funny and the drama isn't emotional, it has its moments when it shows the quality of the show and the characters but these are few and far compared to previous seasons.

Style

The style of the show has usually had impressive visuals and this show still has some, though not as much as usual. It is cool seeing The Flash run through Central City stopping bad guys and the different power sets of villains is well handled. But there are some that look poor, mainly Elongated Man's powers which has always looked bad and does still here, but we won't have to see it for much longer due to real life implications. Also the pacing of the show struggles because of the Crisis crossover and the Covid 19 pandemic, it feels like the story needs a few more episodes to get the story across but fails at this. 

Overall

Overall, I actually think this is the weakest season of The Flash and like other shows in this universe it struggles with dealing with the Crisis crossover and really only true fans of the show will be still watching.

Rating - 5/10  

 Supergirl Season 5 (2019) Review

After a longer runtime then usual due to the pandemic and the crisis on infinite earths crossover I have finished the 5th season of Supergirl and here is my review for the show. The premise of the season sees Supergirl attempt to stop an ancient organisation called Leviathan, while Jonn Jonzz has to deal with the return of his long lost brother.

Main Character

Melissa Benoit is back as Supergirl this season and I have just never fully cared about her performance as the character as she is just a bit cheesy and dull, but she is fine and really comes across as a superhero. She has grown into the role well and their are elements of her performance I like and I actually thought her normal identity was more interesting but they don't give it enough time to get the chance to breath and develop. 

Supporting Characters

The show has plenty of characters to try and balance this season and doesn't always do a great job of it, the main one being David Harewood as Jonn Jonzz AKA The Martian Manhunter. The first half od the season does a great job with the character as he has a real personal story, and Harewood delivers a really strong dramatic performance. But then he is just forgotten about for the second half of the season. Braniac 5 played by Jesse Rath has the opposite problem, he doesn't really have much to do in the first half of the season, but after the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover he gets an interesting new story that fleshes out the character and puts him on a different course then he was in the beginning of the season. But lets get to the show stealer of the show, again he doesn't do anything till after the crossover but Jon Cryer is back as Lex Luthor and he steals every scene that he is in. His character is just so well written and it makes him possibly the most complex villain that there has been in this whole universe. But there are also some weaker characters, Katie McGrath is back as Lena Luthor and they showed promise for the character at the end of last season but they follow it up poorly and take a potentially interesting character and turn her into a bland character. Chyler Leigh as Alex has probably been the most important supporting character but I thought this was the season where the show doesn't give her much to do and actually at times her character actually came off as quite annoying. I thought Nicole Maines as Dreamer was a really important character last season, but this season basically forgets about her for the majority and it is such a let down, there is one episode where she stands out but it doesn't make up for the weak use of her character. The main villains of the season are a group called Leviathan but they are so generic and dull that it really hurts the season as a whole. 

Story

The story has some good individual arcs to it, the highlight being Martian Manhunters in the first half of the season, Brainiac 5's and Lex Luthors from the second half. They are done well, especially seeing Luthor plot and scheme as it adds more complexity to the plot, But due to the Coronavirus, the majority of these plots aren't finished to a satisfying degree and it left me disappointed, even though I am sure they will try and make up for it in the 6th season. They do have an interesting concept of technology versus nature but they miss the mark which doesn't help with the villains being ultimately forgettable and a huge let down.

Script

The script is a mixed bag, the writing for some of the characters is done well, but then the others are done poorly. There is some good drama here again mainly to do with the characters I mentioned that are treated right, but then there is some poor drama too that feels forced and the majority of the humour didn't quite work unless it involved Lex Luthor. 

Style

The style of the show has some exciting action scenes, this show is possibly the show that involves the biggest action scenes and the spectacle usually works, even though sometimes the CGI doesn't quite hit the levels they want to. Also the fact that there are 19 episodes is just too many, but also at the same time due to the pandemic it actually feels like an unfulfilling ending which is quite ironic.

Overall

Overall, this is once again a pretty average season of this show. After enjoying the 4th season of the show I was hoping for a great follow up but it doesn't achieve that and unless you are already a fan of this show this won't do much for you.

Rating - 5/10      

 Arrow Season 8 (2019) Review

So after 8 years we have finally come to the end of the DC show that started a huge universe of its own Arrow and here is my review for the 8th and final season of the show. The premise of the season sees Oliver Queen have to work with The Monitor in an attempt to stop the upcoming Crisis. 

Main Character

Stephen Amell has become known for playing the role of Oliver Queen/The Green Arrow and he does a great job in his last outing as the character. He gives a really emotional and dramatic performance as he struggles with the crisis that is coming and how he plays into it. I have always liked how this character has moved with the times, in a world with aliens and speedsters he acknowledges it and becomes a better character for it. It is also clear to see the development that his character has gone through from the first episode to the last one and it shows a really well crafted and well developed character. 

Supporting Characters

David Ramsay as John Diggle is really the only other character who has been on the show since day one and really he has developed just aswell as Oliver. There friendship and brotherhood is on full display this season and again seeing how the character's friendship has grown since day one has been a really great watch and it continues here. Katie Cassidy as the Earth 2 version of Laurel Lance has had a good character arc since her introduction in season 5 of the show and it kind of comes full circle here and shows just how much of an interesting character she has become here. Katherine McNamara playing an older version of Mia Queen is much better this season then she was in Season 7, they do something interesting with her character and seeing her story arc is an interesting watch. But I also feel like certain characters that have been at the forefront of previous seasons are pushed to the side this season, such as Rene Ramirez and Dinah Drake played by Rick Gonzalez and Juliana Harkavy, they get very little to do here as the show focuses on other elements of its story. 

Story

The story is interesting, I think what this season does well in terms of its story is highlighting the journey that the characters have been on and showing how the past has shaped them into the characters that they are in this final season. Also most of the characters get satisfying endings, though it is clear that there are future plans for some of these characters in terms of there journeys in this universe. But this shows story feels unbalanced and just very different, the show feels more in line with The Flash and Supergirl in terms of its more science fiction elements and kind of loses the grit rough edge the show previously had. Also this show lacks a big bad and feels like a big build up to the Crisis, so when that is over the show feels a bit lost in what exactly it wants to do in it's last few episodes even though the finale is pretty satisfying. 

Script

The script here is a mixed bag, the drama really works. I think because of this being the last season it allows the actors and actresses to put more emotion into the story and make you care more about the characters. Though with being a bit grim, it does feel the little bit of charm is missing that has been there in previous seasons and that is a bit of a missed chance.

Style

I have always said that Arrow has some of the best action scenes in any TV show or film out there and this continues this season. The combat is fantastic and is filmed brilliantly, it just feels so forceful and gritty and shows just how good the performers and filmmakers are at showing action scenes. Though this film has a bit of a struggle with its pacing, luckily it is only ten episodes but with the crisis being such an important part it feels like that takes up so much of the focus that it takes away from its own individual story. 

Overall

Overall, this is an above average final season of Arrow. It struggles in having to focus to much on the crisis crossover, but it still has some good things and as I said finishes this show in an appropriate way for the characters. If you are a fan of this show it should be seen and I think new fans should get into this show as there are some real highlights during the 8 season run.

Rating - 6/10

Crisis On Infinite Earths Crossover Event (2020) Review

So finally all 5 parts of the DC Arrowverse crossover Crisis on Infinite Earths has hit the UK and I have got through them all and here is my review for it. The premise of the crossover sees the heroes of the multiverse have to come together and stop The Anti Monitor from unleashing power to destroy every Earth in existence. 

Main Character

Stephen Amell is at the end of his road with playing Oliver Queen/Green Arrow and for his last crossover he does a good job here. He is given a different role then he is used to in the previous crossovers but it is done well and it feels like the show gives Oliver more of a spotlight for being the first hero in this universe. Though I thought other main characters The Flash played by Grant Gustin and Melissa Benoit as Supergirl weren't given the shine as much because of it, it just feels like ther importance isn't played up as much which feels surprising considering how much the first half of The Flash season 6 has been setting up The Flash for Crisis. It is not that they are bad it is just they don't have that much to do. 

Supporting Characters 

There is a huge supporting cast here but I will mainly aim for the ones who have the largest role here. I have watched the first half of the first season of Batwoman and I haven't been sold on Ruby Rose's performance as Kate Kane but I actually think she is better here bouncing off of the other heroes, I mean it looks like this will be her last crossover and that is a disappointment as I feel there was potential for her to improve here. Sarah Lance played by Caity Lotz has always been a great character whether on Arrow or Legends Of Tomorrow and she is really great here, she really takes charge in the last few episodes and gets more time to shine and she does a great job adding some depth to the drama in the show. I have to admit that when Jon Cryer was cast as Lex Luthor I wasn't sure if he was a great choice, but wow I was wrong. He is fantastic in the role and just has such a quick wit and charisma that he is devilishly charming in the role and even though he is a clear villain you can't help but find him entertaining. But this show also wastes some of his characters, I mean if you are a fan of certain characters in this universe you will be let down as quite a few of the characters aren't really here or given a chance to shine. Plus the characters of The Monitor and The Anti Monitor are wasted and ultimately boring, Arrow set up The Monitor to be more interesting but this crossover fails on that and he just becomes a boring character and The Anti-Monitor is more boring as he is just a dumb villain that literally has no character. 

Story

The story is the largest this universe has ever done and it demonstrates that pretty well, some things happen here that feel huge in nature and it feels like it could affect it for the future and this really allows some exciting things that could happen in the future. But this character does struggle with balance, it has so many characters and it tries to give too many of them individual story arcs and especially at the beginning of the crossover it can be hard to follow and feel like too much is going on for unnecessary reasons. Also there are some cameos that feel really forced here which takes away from the story and it feels like it doesn't do much to help the telling of this tale. 

Script

The script is okay, it has some decent drama and nice humour I mean mainly from Lex Luthor but I can't deny that it is here. Though it must be said there is some poor dialogue here that feels pretty cringe which isn't the first time that it has happened with these shows. 

Style

Now this is the largest ever event in this universe so the action should be the biggest yes, and yeah it is, it is large in scale and it does feel cool seeing all these heroes working together and fighting these large forces. But the enemies aren't that interesting and it is clear that the budget was stretched here and at times the CGI looks poor and like it just can't hold up what is needed. 

Overall

Overall, this should have been the biggest and best crossover for The Arrowverse but for me it just felt pretty short. It is just distinctly average and doesn't do enough to hit the levels that it wanted to and it feels like the build to this hasn't been worth the time and hype. 

Rating - 5/10