Not one of my favorite episodes, for sure.
The reason for that is because Bug-Eyed Bandit was an extremely underwhelming and ridiculous villain (yes, the kind of villain you would see on Gotham…and yes, this joke never gets old). What the show tried to pull off as creepy and intriguing (bees coming out of people’s mouths) ended up looking silly and atrocious. It was also hard to accept that the Flash isn’t faster than some robotic bees, but is fast enough to travel back in time. Very simply, I was not amused.
And as far as crossovers go, this was definitely the weakest attempt at bringing Arrow and The Flash together. Mind you, Arrow has some huge Ray Palmer issues and that’s partly why I could not enjoy any of his scenes in Central City, but even the final showdown between Felicity and bug-eyed lady was extremely anticlimactic. Sure, Felicity on The Flash is always lovable and charming, and a reminder of how delightful she was on season two of Arrow, but I just didn’t buy her and Ray’s presence in STAR labs.
And then there’s Iris. This show always suffered from a HUGE Iris problem, and will probably always remain until she finds out that Barry is the Flash (my money is on a season-finale reveal) or maybe until she bites the dust and is never mentioned ever again. The fact that literally everyone but Iris knows about Barry’s secret identity is just insulting and frustrating, and it needs to be fixed. At this point, though, I hardly believe there’s any chance this character can be redeemed. Call me a pessimist, but I’m seriously giving up on her right now.
Despite all that, it’s hard not to enjoy this show for what it is because the rest of the cast is doing quite an amazing job. A single (or couple) of missteps in what’s otherwise been an impressive debut season is acceptable, and we are just four episodes away from the finale. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us.
Speedy Bits
– I loved the teaser with Eddie, Joe and Barry. Everything after that felt extremely underwhelming in comparison.
– Ray buying out the entire restaurant was just not funny or amusing.
– That dinner scene between Felicity, Ray, Iris, Eddie and Barry was awkward and ridiculous. Seriously, Iris decided to argue with her boyfriend right then and there?
– Did Joe really tell Eddie that unless he becomes her husband, he doesn’t get to be involved in Iris’ life? If only she overheard that.
– Felicity’s excitement about finally having a nemesis was hilarious.
– I can’t wrap myself around Cisco’s flashbacks, if we can even call them that. How is he remembering something that never happened to him in this timeline?
– Emily Kinney’s guest appearance honestly feels wasted here. I wish she had something better to do.
– Interesting ending with Caitlin and Cisco now familiar with Harrison Wells’ secret. That alone gives me hope that the final episodes of the season are going to be exemplary.
Red Blurs & Quotes
Caitlin: Is that a bird?
Cisco: It’s a plane.
Felicity: It’s my boyfriend.
Felicity: Is everyone in Central City in a bad mood? I thought Central City was supposed to be the fun one.
Barry: Felicity knows.
Eddie: Wow, so everyone but Iris.
Barry: Feels that way.
Ray: I thought it would be nice if it was quiet, so I bought out the entire restaurant. Too much?
Felicity: Just a tad, sweetie.
Caitlin: You’re so lucky. Ray’s so nice and smart and hot.
Felicity: Yeah, it’s kinda like I’m dating Barry, but in Oliver’s body.
Felicity: Oh she’s good! She’s like my nemesis. I’ve never had a nemesis before. I kinda like it.
Conclusion
An unimpressive and easily forgettable crossover.
Chris Rating
B-
I don't think Joe meant that Eddie wouldn't be involved in Iris' life until he became her husband. I think he meant Eddie doesn't get to decide what's best for her until he does so.
Still sounds a bit sexist and just wrong. How about we let Iris decide what's best for Iris?