Flash s1Meet Barry Allen – forensic scientist turned superhero… the fastest man alive!

One accusation that cannot be levelled at this first season of tales for Grant Gustin’s Flash is that it mimics the downbeat tone of the latest big-screen adventure for DC’s mightiest superheroes. There’s an air of fun about the whole series, from the casting “in-jokes” of heroes and villains from the 1990s version turning up, to the sometimes-incessant jokes from Cisco, one of the crew at STAR Labs – but that doesn’t mean that it’s uninvolving emotionally. We grow fond of these characters as the series progresses, which means that there’s some shocks in store towards the end of the year.

As with any first season of a show (albeit in this case a spin-off from an established success), there are a few creative decisions that don’t pan out, but luckily none of them has led (yet!) to any major conceptual problems for the show.

There’s a good selection of extras provided, from a highly useful commentary on the first episode courtesy of Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg and Geoff Johns, to discussions with Mark Hamill and John Wesley Shipp, the veterans of the earlier series. There’s the usual insight into the genesis of the show and the special effects, and what seems the now-obligatory ComicCon footage as well as a quite lengthy blooper reel. Some of the deleted scenes are of good enough quality that you do wonder whether “extended” versions of the episodes with these incorporated might have been a good option.

Verdict: A highly enjoyable first season matched with some well put together bonus material. 8/10

Paul Simpson

The Flash Series 1 is out now from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on Blu-ray and DVD