TV REVIEWS: FTN Reviews The Flash Season 8 Episode 7: Lockdown

After last week’s time travel-focused episode, it was going to be interesting to see how The Flash went and focused on the main characters once more. And…it was very…uh…Flash…ish…kind of.

Ok, it was as average as you can get, alright? “Lockdown” definitely had some moments to enjoy, but much of it, and the side stories, were wrapped up in way too much over-the-top comedy elements and cheesy dialogue to come off as true and meaningful.

For example, Kramer (whom I still don’t like) has suddenly decided she doesn’t like The Flash bringing in villains because…of legwork? Because he actually PREVENTS the crimes from happening and suddenly that’s…bad? Yes, we learn the reason why later, but it didn’t come off as good even then. Not to mention, some of the lines she delivered came off as overcompensating. Like how she would “die before hurting the metahumans of the city” even though she was trying to FORCE a cure on them not too long ago at all.

And while I do sympathize with her powerset and her wanting control over them (also, when did that 30 second rule come into play?), there were much easier ways to get in touch with The Flash/Barry. Not the least of which is Joe, whom we know she trusts. But she didn’t reach out for advice because, “it’s not easy for me to ask for help” even though she did just that with Joe to find her brother last season? So yeah, very inconsistent.

She did have some good moments, including her standing up to Goldface many times, the “it didn’t match my outfit” bit and even her realizing that Barry was The Flash at the end. A move mimicked from Black Lightning via Henderson. Hopefully, they grow her more because…she needs it.

I also felt they could’ve done more with Barry in his depowered state. But, to their credit, they did make use of his backstory with Goldface as well as his own brilliance to ensure they could stop the bad guys, and I dug that. The sonic screech for example was awesome, and lulling Goldface into a false sense of security in order to make him think he was betraying everyone when he was just getting the tools he needed.

But, going back to the dialogue, saying that Kramer was “one of the bravest people he’s ever met”? That was just cringe. Shall we name all the OTHER brave people that go far above Kramer? I would, but it’d fill up the rest of this review…so…I’ll pass.

As for Goldface, you could tell the actor was having a lot of fun, especially with the banter with his main henchman in regards to Moby Dick and having ‘dramatic effect’. But…did we REALLY need that “love talk” about him and Amunet Black? I bet many of you forgot that they were a couple. And yet they went ALL IN on making us recall that and that they’re “going all in”. Yeah…

That, of course, brings us to Caitlin, who finally went out on a date and…it was a disaster. Because of course it was. And it was broken up by Frost and Chillblaine…because of course it was. Look, I know this is a very CW thing to do, and this is “sitcom gold” but…this isn’t a sitcom. What’s more, Caitlin has had YEARS of being single (Season 2 she almost got with Zoom, remember?) and for her to FINALLY go on a date and then pull this very cliche stuff? It’s kind of a betrayal to her character. Also, we know she’s very detail-oriented so how is it that she booked a restaurant a YEAR in advance and didn’t realize it? All so that she could go to a bar where her “other half” and her boyfriend are at? Exactly.

And then that speech between her and Mark? Really? HE is lecturing HER on relationships? Plus, he said that he loves Frost “warts and all”, but that wasn’t the problem. The problem was that he tried to hurt her, betrayed her multiple times, and then left her multiple times over. So…it’s more like HE has commitment issues. I’m not saying that Caitlin’s storyline should’ve gone smoothly, but there were more tactful ways of doing it than this.

Oh, and the less said about those Chester/Allegra scenes? The better. I just…I just can’t with Chester sometimes, and Allegra with the corny dialogue tonight was too much.

Finally, the Iris storyline? That needs to be changed ASAP. She deserves better than this.

In the end, “Lockdown” had potential, but it didn’t really live up to it. But based on the trailer for next week, we might be getting back on track soon enough.

3/5