The Flash isn’t free of dumb moments, but it’s nevertheless the
most awesome show on TV right now. It’s
a lot of fun and massively endearing. And if the recent episodes of season two are
any indication, it’s only going to get even better.
One of my most favorite things
this season two, if not my most favorite, is the addition of Shantel VanSanten as
Patty Spivot. Prior this, I’ve
never heard of both the actress and the comic book character before (I don’t follow
the current, new 52 The Flash comics –
it isn’t nearly half as good as the show.
Moreover, I grew up on Wally West as Flash, so I’m not much familiar with
most of Barry Allen’s supporting cast), but I find The Flash’s version of Patty Spivot immediately likable right at
her very first scene (episode 2) – and, now, three episodes later, I have grown
to adore her.
Patty is basically The Flash’s answer to Arrow’s Felicity Smoak. The parallels are there. Both are based on some obscure comic book
characters; transmuted into the small screen as well-written, extremely lovable
characters – smart, attractive, full of charming personality, and wonderfully geeky. Now, Patty stands as a terrific character by her
own. But what makes her very appealing is
– like Felicity – she has this effortless romantic chemistry with Barry.
When Felicity visited Central
City during season one’s fourth episode, she and Barry displayed this charming,
nerdy rapport with each other. They make
an infinitely more interesting couple than Barry and Iris. This was very apparent to fans. Iris had
improved much as a character in the latter episodes of the first season, but
there’s just no spark between her and Barry – it’s impossible to root for them
to be together.
But now that we have Patty, we
can finally see the Barry-Felicity pairing that we’ve always wanted but won’t
ever get to have now, since, you know, OlliCity happened.
One of the things I love about The Flash’s rendition of Barry Allen
during the pilot was his Peter Parker-esque nerdiness and wise-cracking. But with each passing episode – though Grant
Gustin’s Barry Allen remains nerdy, terrific, and lovable – the Peter
Parker-esque element seems to have faded.
Can’t remember him making notable wise-cracks anymore (“Lightning gave
me abs?”) – most of the humorous quips are being made by Cisco for some time
now. And his nerdiness has been
minimally explored – again, most of the nerdy enthusiasm has been supplied by Cisco. Barry’s charming nerdy aspect only felt active
again once he began interacting with Patty.
And I love it. I love how they
feed on each other’s nerdiness – their great interest on science, the witty
conversations they exchange, the nerdy pop culture references they make. The part where they referenced Monty Python and the Holy Grail (season two episode
two) was simply fantastic. I want more of
this kind of stuff – much, much more – than the cheesy romantic angle on Barry
and Iris.
So I hope the writers of The Flash would opt to the pairing that
works – that is, Barry and Patty (“Batty”?
“Parry”?). Sure, Barry Allen and
Iris West married in the comics, but The
Flash isn’t required to follow suit.
Heck, in Arrow, the writers didn’t push
for Oliver and Laurel to be
together – considering that is what’s comic book-accurate – but instead, they went with OlliCity.
Likewise, The Flash can make –
should make – its own liberties with the love interest. Besides, if I get it right, in the New 52
comics, Barry’s girlfriend is Patty anyway, and Iris isn’t in the picture at
all.
Simply speaking, Patty Spivot makes
The Flash much more delightful. I hope that she’s going to be permanently
staying around for further seasons; hopefully being Barry’s ultimate love
interest. And, I’ll say it now, if the writers
actually fail to use this character properly, I will be mightily sore.
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| Gotta admit it. Their "blind" date in Ep. 5 kinda made me swoon... |
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