The Flash (TV Series 2014– )

You mean this one? It had 22 episodes.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098798/

 

Yes that one ! Loved it to bits.

 

I remember it with some fondness. I have the DVD set somewhere, have to dig it out and check it out.

I decided not to follow this new one after watching the first few. It was just so much like the Arrow production-wise with that Canadian filming thing, I have been watching Arrow, didn't want to also add this one. I'll probably check it out on disc when that becomes available. . .

 

Out of curiosity; what's the beef with canadian series ? I like them, and can only tell minor differences with american series apart from the actors and budget. I've read (not here) many derisive comments but don't get the point.

 

To me at least, Vancouver has a very distinctive look. I wouldn't mind one of these series set in the south or southwest.

 

This has probably been mentioned before, but the star of that show (John Wesley Shipp) plays the father of the 2015 Flash in the current series, which I thought was an excellent idea.

The American studio producing the show (Warner Bros.) and the American network paying for the show (the CW) is shooting a show for American audiences with mostly American actors, playing American characters, in a city set in the United States, but all shot in Canada solely to save money. Shows like this put Americans out of work. And the level of expertise is not as good as a show shot in Hollywood with American union technicians, in my opinion and in my experience.

But... it's still written in Los Angeles, and all the editing, sound mixing, and color correction are being done in Los Angeles.

 

American audiences? It was a Canadian resident who started this thread. And I worked in the movie and television industry in Toronto from '96-'01, and I take umbrage with your comments; can we leave the flag waving out of the thread? Thank you.

Anyhow, tonight's episode was an excellent one, with Cisco getting in some great lines, and scenes of the Reverse Flash in action without his suit.
We get, iirc, the first mention of the Speed Force, and perhaps, insight into Dr Wells plan?

I'm guessing he intends to use Barry's speed to fix his own speed issues, which is why Barry's welfare is so important to him.

 

This became a more important episode than I realized. I guess the Piper will reveal how to save Ronnie. For a minute, I really thought they were going to have Barry master his internal molecules to save himself from that weapon.

 

You may want to have a look at this link, where the producer gives away some details of upcoming shows.
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2015/01/...lash-secrets-time-travel-speed-force-and-more

I was correct, according to this article; that was the first mention of the speed force.

My theory is, Dr Wells is losing his connection to the speed force, and through time travel, returned to cause Barry's accident and train him to access the speed force willingly, at which time Dr Wells will use that to return himself to full strength, at a cost to Barry's life.

 

I thought that too.....in the comics, he can do stuff like that, but of course, we're seeing a superhero not yet familiar with his powers.

We've seen that there's a crisis where Barry disappears in the future, and we know Harrison has super speed that isn't functioning properly...I think we've seen that he's not connecting properly to the speed force, so it makes sense that his goal is to teach Barry how to use his speed, so that he will connect to the speed force, allowing Dr Wells to utilise that ability for his own needs.

 

Good episode, though I'm confused about how STAR Labs can run a super villain prison without toilets in the cells.

 

I think we are supposed to pretend it's a fully functioning prison.

 

I was also thinking of the ramifications of keeping prisoners with no "justice system" involved to say how long.

If you've read Marvel's Civil War, you'll know Peter Parker had the same issues with Stark's plans to hold those disagreeing with the new laws.

 

I would be interested to find out exactly how Star Labs managed to take a known terrorist like the Pied Piper and imprison him in their own facilities without a trial. From what I can see, they don't even have a way to feed their prisoners, who are locked up in a 6x6 cell without a toilet for their entire stay.

Still, I enjoy the show.

I never read Civil War, I've heard of it and read the summary, but I stopped reading comics in 1988. I do read some independent stuff now that I can buy them on an iPad, but that's about it.

 

An interesting arc would have had Barry capturing a meta-human villain, whom then was sent to an ordinary prison and quickly escaped. I suspect the powers that be would demand Wells keeps them locked up at that point.

 

Hey! I said the same thing! And no cable TV, either.

Am I incorrect that American money is paying for this show, and it's produced by an American studio (Warner Bros.) and intended for an American TV network (the CW), with about 90% American actors?

If they shoot a CBC show set in Toronto, only they shoot it in Mexico City with an all-Hispanic cast and an all-Hispanic crew, using CBC funds, would that be a problem? You see my point.

I have no problem with international productions shooting anywhere in the world, particularly sprawling productions like Bond films or Lord of the Rings-type fantasy films. I get that. But I'm very irked by the cheapness of American networks -- especially the CW -- shooting shows outside the U.S. to save a buck. As we saw some years back with X-Files, the visual quality of the show improved remarkably once they moved to LA, and the locations got better and the cinematography was improved. Plus it wasn't raining all the time.

 

Some of the production might take place in Portland. I've noticed that several of the establishing shots are clearly Portland, Oregon.

 

Yeah, the Vancouver shows typically will send second units out to Seattle, Portland, and surround areas, but generally without the actors. Or they'll use lookalikes from a distance, car drive-bys, establishing shots, skylines, and stuff like that.

 

I remember reading an interview with the late Stephen J. Cannell where he talked about the pros of moving production to Canada and when you're on a tight budget, that makes sense. The Robocop 1995 tv series was another show which blatantly looked and felt like it was made in Canada.

 

That sounds a 1,000 % more entertaining than anything the CBC actually produces.

[Setting aside the exaggerated difference in your theoretical scenario and the actual situation with production of 'The Flash'] ... The obvious difference in your Mexican analogy and 'The Flash' show is that the CBC uses [wastes is a more accurate term] taxpayers money while the network and production company behind 'The Flash' are private companies using their own money to hopefully make a profit and avoid a financial loss. If I'm a Canadian taxpayer seeing my tax dollars which are intended to support television production in Canada instead be spent in Mexico, I might be upset. As for a private company, if they want to shoot a tv show in Mexico even if it is suppose to be set in Canada, and then broadcast it in Canada, I'll either watch it or not based upon how entertaining I find the show regardless of where it is shot.

A a more accurate analogy probably would have been about an American made car which uses parts manufactured in Mexico or China or Korea, if using those parts made the car less expensive for the consumer and gave the auto company a better chance of making a profit. Is the auto manufacturer under a moral obligation to buy all of its parts for its American car from American manufacturers?

You're also neglecting the fact that the series might never have been made if not for the financial advantages of shooting at least part of it in Vancouver, and therefore all of the jobs held by Americans for work on this series exist because of that.

And do you similarly object to tv and film projects set in other parts of the world or the USA but are shot in California?

My recollection is that many/ most 'X Files' fans felt the show lost its character and were quite disappointed when shooting left Vancouver for California, as they thought the climate and environs of Vancouver gave the show the correct feel and mood.

 

Vidiot, I asked you not to wave the flag on this thread, thanks for ignoring that. I refuse to debate it further here.

Go start a thread debating it if you like, but this ain't the thread for it.

I know it's already started, and people feel the need to respond, but I'm asking you not do that here. Take it to messages, take it to another thread, whatever, but please show some self-control, and quit derailing this thread.

 

So when will Barry and the rest of the gang learn that Wells can walk?

 

Detective Joe West and Eddie are investigating Dr Wells....so it will be soon, I think. If you read the link I posted, the producers are afraid of having us know a lot more than the characters on the show, so I think the characters will be finding out soon enough, but a new mystery will surface to keep us engaged and slightly ahead of the characters.

 

I think it will happen in the season closer. They can then spend next season dealing with the rivalry.

 

Location isn't everything. In one episode of 'Nikita' they were supposed to be in London, UK. They had the right props in terms of a phone box and a sign for the underground (subway) but they forgot to do something about the Vancouver traffic lights and street furniture. Also, I've never seen a toilet on the starship USS Enterprise so I wonder what happened when one of the crew had to go - to boldly go etc etc.