The CW, buoyed by the success of last fall’s DC television superhero foray, Arrow, is taking steps to expand into other DC properties, beginning with the introduction of Barry Allen in episodes 8, 9 and 20, according to the series executive producer, Greg Berlanti, in the New York Daily News. Barry Allen, better known to comics fandom as The Flash, will initially demonstrate no power set in his debut within the CW’s slowly evolving DC TV universe, however, says Berlanti, “He does need powers to become The Flash. And he will be The Flash. He will wear a red costume, and he will go by that name.” If his introduction is successful, then he will be spun off into his own series.
The movie of The Flash pitched during this past Comic-Con is still a “go” for 2016, with Berlanti credited for both director and as one of the writers of the screenplay. Meanwhile, Amazon, a proposed Wonder Woman origin story that would have focused on a younger Diana, in the same vein as the younger Clark Kent in the 10 season Smallville, is “on pause”, according to CW President Mark Pedowitz in remarks made during the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour yesterday. “It’s better to wait and get it right than put it on now.”
Better to wait and get it right for Amazon, but the CW is going to fast track a Flash TV show as an Arrow spin off after introducing the character over just three episodes?
Let’s take a look at how well The Flash fared the last time they tried this back in 1990.