CW's The Flash Is Really Losing Its Way Lately

Over the course of two seasons, we came to know and love Team Flash (save for the many iterations of Harrison Wells). But in the Season 2 finale, Barry changed the timeline, and thus changed all of those characters and their relationships. Suddenly, Iris and Joe weren’t on speaking terms; neither were Cisco and Barry, as Cisco’s brother was killed in the new timeline. Tragic. Fortunately, Barry was able to use his charm to bring everyone back together and re-establish the relationships that once made them a close knit family.

The problem is that, accepting this new timeline, those relationships never existed in the first place! Flashpoint stripped away all character development before it— and it is implausible that the characters in question would just become a version of themselves that existed in another reality. Philosophical mic drop.

Jesse and Wally started dating in Season 3 despite any discernible chemistry. In fact, Jesse had even lamented how annoying Wally was when she was granted with powers and he wasn’t. That doesn’t bode well for romance, but there’s romance nonetheless. In Episode 14, Jesse’s father lies to Wally about being terminally ill so that Wally will push her to go back to Earth-2 with him. Well, it immediately backfires, leaving Harrison looking like an ass and Wally like an idiot, but it speaks to a larger issue: that Jesse Quick and Kid Flash’s relationship is just kind of ridiculous.

Case in point: at the end of Episode 16, Wally tells her he loves her, which she requites before running off to protect the Flash-less Earth-3. You’ve been dating for like a month. Slow your roll, children!

Oh, are you afraid of becoming Killer Frost, Caitlin? Because you haven't mentioned it in almost four minutes. Throughout the entirety of Season 3, Caitlin wrestled with the cold killer (or darkness, right, Arrow?) inside of her. Fortunately, they gave her a science necklace to keep her powers at bay. And yet, she still won't shut up about it. We just can't listen to you anymore, Cait! Just take off the necklace and let Frosty out. She may be evil, but at least she's less annoying.

That lip syncing, tho. Woof. Season 3's musical episode "Duet" was cute. Fine. But why was it necessary? Who was it for? This episode was a giant wheel of cheese caked in glitter. And the fact that Barry CANNOT sing didn’t help. Grant Gustin apparently can’t even hit a note in a sound booth because, as already suggested, that lip syncing would make Mariah Carey cringe. The worst part though, was that final scene between Barry and Iris.

Consider this: Barry was clearly lip syncing, which means that Candace Patton (who plays Iris) had to silently stare at Grant Gustin’s face as he pretended to sing an ENTIRE FREAKING SONG and ultimately shed tears. That was, without question, the most awkward four minutes of their lives.