THE DC UNIVERSE
Is the DCTVU all about its first seasons?
Our overview of The Flash, Arrow and Legends Of Tomorrow.
UK Broadcast Sky 1, finished US Broadcast The CW, finished Episodes Reviewed 4.01-4.23 (Arrow), 2.01-2.23 (The Flash), 1.01-1.16 (Legends Of Tomorrow)
If there’s one thing that Greg Berlanti and the DC TV Universe he’s sculpted have proven, it’s the ability to hit the ground running. While all four of the DC shows Berlanti has overseen — Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl and Legends Of Tomorrow — have fulfilled the dreams of many a fan, their initial seasons have, on the whole, yielded the highest levels of satisfaction thus far. Some may decry Arrow’s first year, but only its second has surpassed it. Few would argue that The Flash’s second season topped its first. And while Legends has only enjoyed one outing thus far, it’s proved more entertaining than this past season of Arrow and Flash. As has sister show Supergirl.
To be fair, season four of Arrow offered perhaps the show’s finest actor yet in Neal McDonough, who made Damien Darhk as charmingly twisted as any of Buffy’s Big Bads. And Echo Kellum’s Curtis Holt was a worthy successor to Brandon Routh’s Ray Palmer in the laughs department. But the soap operatics surrounding Felicity’s maiming and Laurel’s death proved more overwrought than moving. Though we’ll take Darhk’s plan to destroy Oliver’s city any day over the lacklustre strategy of Ra’s al Ghul in season three.
Meanwhile, in just its second year The Flash recycled the central storyline of its first season, in which a seemingly benevolent benefactor – then Harrison Wells, now Jay Garrick – was revealed to be a supervillain with a secret, evil agenda. Since the character of Garrick has long been one of the most revered in DC Comics, fans were left with a sour taste in their