FLASH SPOILER Review: Episode 4×10- “The Trial of the Flash”

Directed by:       Phil
Chipera

Pretty much picking up where we left off, Barry’s about to go on
trial for murder and quite frankly it doesn’t look good.  DaVoe’s covered the bases so well that they
find DNA evidence on him and that’s just impressive.

So after a montage showing us exactly how screwed Barry actually
is, the gang gathers at STAR Labs and tries to figure things out when Barry…
kicks off the first in a line of dominoes that I’m going to call “The gang is noble
beyond the point of stupidity” by saying he won’t run. If he’s convicted he’s
going to jail.

Meanwhile it’s time to check in with the Thinker and the
Engineer and we see the first crack in their relationship.  Admittedly, Clifford’s asking a lot of his
wife.  It’s one thing to know that it’s
your husband is in a new body, it’s another thing to accept it.

Next up, it’s trial time and quite frankly our prosecutor is
really up to the task.  Hope Cecile
brought her A-game. 

Somewhere in Central City some guy is applying for a bank loan
and strangely enough he’s leaving a pile of unconscious people in his
wake.  Good thing Barry’s on trial for
murder, he might have nipped this little problem in the bud.

At the Courthouse, the prosecutor is really kicking Barry’s ass.
He’s got the restraining order, he’s got DNA under Clifford’s nails.  He’s got the knife and what does Barry have?
Nothing.

Joe and Cisco investigate the bank incident and learn that Singh’s
been called to testify.  Speaking of
Singh testifying, Cecile’s finally got her chance to shine by asking Singh
about Barry’s character and we have one of those “feel good trial moments” but
hold on! Re-direct examination is a thing and Prosecutor cuts any points won by
Cecile off by implying that the CCPD has kinda been covering for Barry’s
lateness and unexplained disappearances for a long time.  Seriously, Barry this is getting bad.

Joe and
Ralph are trying to find something to help and they manage to catch the DaVoes
in an intimate moment. That could help guys and you’ll need it because those dominoes
are falling.  Barry refuses to testify
because he’ll have to lie, I’m not sure how it’s not like he’ll get on the
stand and they’ll ask: “Are you the Flash?” 
They’ll ask about the night of the murder and the best I can tell, Barry
didn’t kill DaVoe and even if they did that would only help the case.  Guess what Barry’s gonna do.

At STAR
Labs, Cisco, Harry and Caitlin figure out why everyone collapsed in the
bank.  It seems our Bus-meta is
radioactive. Literally. 

At the
trial, Mrs. DaVoe has taken the stand and she really put on a good show.  I mean there’s no actual tears but it’s
pretty good fake crying.  Cecile offers
up Ralph’s pictures and tries to get some traction with an infidelity angle but
thankfully it’s current year and she can play the “open marriage” card.  Boy Cecile, I know Barry’s tied your hands
but I’m starting to question your ability here.

Fortunately,
Mrs. DaVoe has pretty much goaded Iris into outing Barry. But Barry stops her,
because if people know he’s the Flash it puts everyone in danger and my eyes
are rolling right now… 

Seriously
Barry, the “No one can know my secret” thing is pretty played out.  But he convinces Iris not to do it even though
at this point it is crystal clear that Barry’s toast.

Alright
Ralph and Joe it’s time for a Hail Mary. 
Joe’s got a plan to plant evidence and Ralph’s happy to do it… After a
big noble speech about how this will ruin his life.  The stupid nobility is really spreading here.

So, the
trial is wrapping up because while the Prosecutor has hammered the hell out of
Barry. Cecile’s idiot client and his even dumber family have hamstrung her to
the point of her basically having to say “He totally didn’t do it, guys!”  It gets even better because thanks to our
freak of the week, Barry has to bail out of the court and fix that.

The team
manages to come together and stop our meta but the jury came together and
unsurprisingly decided Barry killed DaVoe. 

They do a
really cool thing during sentencing cutting between Barry being condemned as a
murderer and the Flash being celebrated as a hero but the damage has been done.

Just last
week, I praised the story they were telling and this is my reward.  They do the one thing you really shouldn’t do
to your hero; you made me think of him as stupid.  Hell, you made me think of all of them as
stupid because only stupid people are noble enough to lay down and let
themselves go to jail for murder.

I understand
what they were trying to do but that’s not the same as them doing it well.  In the end, this felt like another episode
they felt they had to get out of the way and like I said the last time we had
an episode that felt like that: “if
you’re not interested in telling that story the way you told it, you’re the
writers and producers, choose another way.”

Three Things We
Learned This Week: