TV REVIEWS: FTN Reviews The Flash Season 8 Episode 7: The Fire Next Time

Allow me to regale you with a key storyline that myself and a dear friend of mine who is a diehard Arrowverse fan blasted year. It was during the Forces storyline where Barry decided to pull an Oliver Queen and force someone into a situation even though that wasn’t what he does. We were mad because here Barry was, 7 seasons/years into his career and he was making Season 1 mistakes. It was frustrating. This time around, in “The Fire Next Time”, the whole crux of the episode was that no one really believed Barry…even though he had more than earned their trust multiple times over. If this was Season 1? Sure, that would work, but Season 8? No. Just…no.

And the most baffling line (of many lines of dialogue in this episode that was baffling) was Frost saying, “you’re asking us to believe the impossible.” My response? BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT YOU DO!!!

Think about all that this team has fought against from Season 1-8. They’ve fought enemy speeders, masterminds who think 20 moves ahead, a woman who pulled people into a mirror dimension, a freaking blood monster, and an alien who wielded a powerful universal flame! Not to mention multiple multiversal threats! Yet suddenly, there’s “no possible chance” that there are TWO fire-type metas in a city? Or that one meta’s powers could imitate another? Did we forget about Allegra and how her powers can burn people? And how is that Frost is talking about the impossible when she went from a split personality to an entire other person for reasons that were never fully explained?

It was just frustrating, and even though Barry was honestly being rational, and explained everything that he was thinking and feeling, they didn’t give him ANY rope! Chester should’ve been jumping at the chance to help prove Barry right, but he was like, “uh, ok…I guess…” when Barry asked for his help. Do you think Cisco would’ve doubted Barry like this? I don’t think so!!!!

It also didn’t help that this storyline made very frustrating moves to try and “cement the man’s guilt” in ways that made no sense. Like how he broke out of a convoy without his powers, and then escaped the meta dampeners, and if he didn’t have the dampeners when he was in the prison transfer…why? And then at the end, the dude was like, “you’re taking my son from me! So I’m going to kill you all and my son for that!” …really? I was fine with his passion in the talk with Cecil because he knew no one believed him. But everything else? Not so much.

And while I was ok with the real killer not being caught (and being the focus of next episode), the whole plotline came off as hokey.

As for Iris, I’m glad that her and Allegra did a CCC storyline once again, as MANY people have wanted that. And this was fine…but it stumbled at the end. Allegra not wanting to do the influencer story? Totally get that as she (and Iris) wanted to do stories that matter. Her finding a former prison mate that needed her story told? A little hokey at times, but it worked overall. Iris being mad at Allegra? That was fair, as she asked her to do a tasks and she didn’t do it, and her wanting Allegra to apologize to her co-worker for what happened was great too.

…but…then that ending spot? The “I will destroy you” line and her sniping Allegra? That was too much. Her being mad was more than fair, but then she complained about Allegra “pulling a favor” even though she had gone behind her back before to ensure that HER story got done. And her going after Allegra being in prison was just so entitled and over the top it just didn’t fit. If anything, they could’ve kept it simple and had her storm out and FORCE Allegra to get her trust back later, which would’ve been compelling. But now, Allegra has “another enemy to lookout for” and that’s…just lame.

Oh, and where is Iris’ “time sickness”? Exactly.

In the end, “The Fire Next Time” didn’t really do anything but retread ground, and that’s not an issue we should be dealing with in the 8th season of a show.

2.5/5