TV Review: The Flash – Season 1 Episode 4 “Going Rogue”

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

EPISODE 4: "Going Rogue"

SYNOPSIS: Felicity Smoak comes to Central City to visit her old flame Barry, but will that flame be quickly extinguished by the icy new villain Captain Cold?

RECAP (Beware of spoilers!):

It seems every week we are reporting exciting news about THE FLASH. Yesterday, it was announced that the premiere episode of THE FLASH was not only the most-watched premiere of all time, it was also the most-watched telecast in CW history! Additionally, data indicates that the show has a high viewer retention rate. No wonder it was already picked up for a full season.

In tonight’s episode, the hits keep coming, especially now that ARROW vet (and Barry’s former flame), Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards), is in town. For those that didn’t watch Barry’s appearance on ARROW last season, let me give you a quick rundown. Before he was “The Flash”, Barry helped Oliver and co. (not the Disney movie) solve a crime. He also used his science skills to save Oliver’s life when he was poisoned. After gaining the trust of Team Arrow, and finding out Oliver’s secret identity, Barry and Felicity started to develop a romantic relationship. However, Barry had to leave town in order go back to his job in Central City. Soon after he left, Barry was struck by the meta-human creating lightning bolt, which sent him into a coma for nine months.

But that wasn’t the end of the Felicity/Barry saga. As we know from ARROW, Felicity kept tabs on, and even visited Barry while he was in the hospital. When she arrives back in Central City to visit the now awake Barry, he has some explaining to do. Why didn’t he call, e-mail, or “race over” when he woke up? Yes, she knows his secret. Barry shows off his new super speed and takes Felicity to S.T.A.R. Labs to re-introduce her to the team (Felicity met Cisco and Caitlin on an episode of ARROW last season). There, Felicity also meets Dr. Wells who seems to know a lot about her and is really impressed by her intellect. Maybe Dr. Wells realizes that Felicity is important for Barry’s future? Fingers crossed.

Iris is a little too excited that Barry has a romantic interest in town. She decides to set up a trivia night double date. Under the team name “E=MC Hammer”, Felicity and Barry (unsurprisingly) kick ass. But I am still confused as to why the group is drinking coffee, instead of beer, at trivia night. Is that a thing? The double date ends abruptly when Barry has to go handle a crime. Since Felicity can’t use her usual Oliver excuses for Barry (e.g. nursing a hangover, at a nightclub with a girl), she suggests telling Iris he has diarrhea. Stay adorable, Felicity!

Don’t get me wrong, I ship Oliver and Felicity like any other sane person… but you also cannot deny the chemistry between Felicity and Barry (or “Smoaken” as I have come to find out). Whereas Oliver hasn’t been the most available of love interests, Barry is a great match for Felicity. They are both lovably awkward and super smart. Plus, the writers do a great job with the will they/won’t they back and forth. Even with that whole train conversation at the end of the episode, where Felicity and Barry agree that although they seem perfect together, opposites attract, I still have hope in Smoaken! After all, they part with a kiss!

Unfortunately for the show, the fantastic chemistry between Felicity and Barry highlight a major issue, Iris. How are we supposed to believe (and root for) Iris as Barry’s “soulmate” when he has MUCH more chemistry with Felicity (and Caitlin for that matter)? The relationship between Iris and Barry feels completely forced, and I think it’s only a matter of time before it gets phased out a la Laurel and Oliver in ARROW; at least I hope that is what happens.

Based on the stinger, and the fact that Wentworth Miller (PRISON BREAK) is guest starring as villain Leonard Snart aka “Captain Cold”, I think it’s safe to assume we will have our first multi-episode villain arc. Miller did a great job as the icy new villain, selling the cheesier, ice-related puns. Hopefully in future episodes we will get to see even more of a personality out of his character.

We first meet Leonard when he and his crew attack an armored car that is transporting the Kahndaq Dynasty diamond to a local museum. Just when they are about to nab the diamond, Barry shows up and thwarts the robbery. When one of the security guards is shot, however, Barry decides to take him to the hospital instead of pursuing the bad guys.

As it turns out, Leonard is extremely knowledgeable about the Central City police force. He studied their response times and realized it would be easier to attack a moving target as opposed to a bank. Now that the mysterious Flash is able to respond to robberies quickly, however, Leonard’s plan is kaput. That is, until he gets his hands on a freeze gun that was smuggled out of S.T.A.R. Labs. As it turns out, the gun was created by Cisco to be used against Barry in case he turned out to be a villainous meta-human. It is able to freeze objects to absolute zero, which would easily kill a human and severely slows down Barry’s powers.

Leonard uses the gun to steal the diamond from the museum, and shoots Barry in the process. Leonard then wants to see how fast Barry is and starts targeting innocent civilians. Due to the slowing effects of the gun, Barry is unable to save everyone and a civilian is murdered in front of him. Barry is upset that he couldn’t go faster to save the man and after he finds out Cisco is the one that designed the freeze gun, Barry is even more furious. However, thanks to another special pep talk (this time from Felicity), Barry realizes he needs his friends; being a superhero is a lonely path and he shouldn’t make it even lonelier by pushing people away. 

When the group tracks Leonard to the train station for a “final showdown”, Barry goes after him alone. In typical Felicity fashion, she encourages the group to follow him. Lucky Barry. As it turns out, this was all a set-up. Leonard lured Barry onto the train as a distraction. He uses the freeze ray to derail the train, making Barry again choose between capturing him or saving the people aboard. Of course, Barry chooses to save the people and quickly carries them out in an awesome special effects scene; the graphics on THE FLASH are so good, I sometimes forget I’m watching a TV show. As Barry is recovering from using so much of his power, Leonard shoots him again with the freeze gun. Just then, Caitlin, Felicity and Cisco show up, pretending a vacuum cleaner is another, more powerful freeze gun. They save Barry, but Leonard leaves with the diamond and freeze gun in hand.

Onto Joe/Eddie/Iris, a storyline I couldn’t care less about. When she is not working on her new blog about “The Streak”, Iris is still struggling with the fact that she is dating her father’s partner. Joe decides to be mature (sarcasm) about the situation and gives Iris the “cold treatment”, claiming her relationship with Eddie makes him lose focus on the job. Now he has to worry more about keeping his daughter’s boyfriend safe in the line of duty. After all, if something happens to Eddie, how will Joe and Iris be able to look at each other again? After Eddie saves Joe in the fight with Captain Cold, Joe suddenly realizes he may be underestimating his daughter’s boyfriend. He and Iris have a heart-to-heart and agree no more secrets (although Joe is still keeping Barry’s secret). With all of this continued focus on Eddie, Joe, and Iris (and the foreshadowing conversation about what would happen if Eddie is hurt) I am even more convinced that Eddie is going to die soon.

STINGER: Captain Cold is seen talking to a man off-screen. He recruits the man onto his new team and presents him with the heat gun acquired from S.T.A.R. Labs. “Still like playing with fire, Mick?” Ladies and gentlemen, meet Mick Rory (aka “Heatwave”). Note: Heatwave will be played by Dominic Purcell, Wentworth Miller's former costar on PRISON BREAK. Reunion!

DC UNIVERSE EASTER EGGS: In the comics, Kahndaq is an Arab country in Northern Africa. It is the birthplace of Black Adam (who will be played by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in the upcoming SHAZAM movie). Additionally, in the stinger, the camera shows a quick glimpse of where Captain Cold and Heatwave are talking, the Keystone Motel. Keystone City was the home of Jay Garrick (the original Flash) and eventually Wally West (the third Flash). Thanks to Barry Allen (the second Flash) Keystone City was also taken out of a state of suspended animation. 

COOL ALTERNATE USE OF "THE FLASH" POWERS: Barry is able to work on his multitasking skills and plays Caitlin in Operation, Dr. Wells in chess, and Cisco in ping pong. He also quickly flips through a book of mug shots to point out Leonard Snart.

FAVORITE QUOTE: Felicity awkwardly saying to Barry, “I want to see it… and by IT I mean your speed… in case you thought I was talking about something else, which I was not.”

FINAL VERDICT: