The Flash returns in time for Armageddon
Plus, documentary Simple As Water, and the return of Riverdale (and Sabrina!) and Queen Sugar
TV Lists The Flash
Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Tuesday, November 16. All times are Eastern.
Top pick
The Flash (The CW, 8 p.m., season-eight premiere): Jarrod Jones described last season’s finale as a “manic catharsis after a season that’s been forced to rebuild its own house before it can move on to a brave (and bold!) new world.” The eighth season premiere has to contend with losing some of the best of Team Flash, but luckily, the world ending is a great and interesting distraction. The aliens do not seem as cool or as helpful as the mushroom aliens of Legends Of Tomorrow, so they need some defeating! Ray Palmer, or The Atom (Brandon Routh) guest stars, and Scott Von Doviak returns to recap.
Wild cards
Riverdale (The CW, 9 p.m., season-six premiere): Magic continues its way into the Riverdale-verse as Sabrina Spellman of Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina makes an appearance! But how will she stack up against Cheryl Blossom’s own witchy machinations that we saw last season?
Queen Sugar (OWN, 8 p.m., season-six finale): Ava DuVernay’s OWN drama ends its sixth season with Ralph and Darla welcoming a new baby, while Rutina Wesley’s Nova struggles with exposing police and political corruption. Storylines also include political ambitions, PTSD, frat brothers, secrets and confessions, and a prodigal daughter returning home after 20 years.
Simple As Water (HBO Max, 3:01 a.m.): Oscar-winning documentarian Megan Mylan returns with this intense story about Syrian families struggling to find normalcy after war and displacement. The story spans the world, with filming taking place in Turkey, Greece, Germany, Syria, and the U.S., and across time by covering five years of the main characters’ lives. According to Deadline, “many of those involved behind the scenes are Syrian refugees, themselves.”
14 Comments
at least we have Sweet Ray-Ray in the crossover to ease us out of the Supergirl era.
These shows and the PJs they force these poor bastards to wear.“This is your super suit, you are going to be playing a grown man who wears this in public. People will take you seriously when you speak.”
Hey! I went to see the Force Awakens in my Darth Vader Onesie, in Manhattan and I was told I was the coolest person walking the streets that night! And they weren’t lying, were they? No they were laughing with me, laughing with me!
“Where’s my super suit?!?”
I checked out on the Flash back in season 5. I did watch the Crisis On Infinite Earth’s crossover, but outside of that haven’t bothered with it. One thing I did know when the show started that if it went long enough, they’d eventually have to address his disappearance that was mentioned in the first season. So I’m guessing this is it.One other point, the newspaper from the future mentioned that The Flash disappeared. But that’s the only thing we see. There’s a good chance that the next day’s paper says “Flash is back!”
I think a lot of the problems with The Flash came from the fact that they couldn’t set and end date for it. So they just ended up spinning things out endlessly.
Yeah, I checked out some time during last season’s Mirror-verse finale, right after Crisis. I always thought Mirror Master would be a lot of fun, but of course it was just an excuse to re-use sets. Not to mention, they were setting up Ralph and Sue so well, it’s a shame for the show’s sake that the actor torpedoed all of that. I don’t think the show really recovered, it was the only fun part remaining.
Also, the first 2 seasons they burned through villain-of-the-week until they ran out of villains. The past few seasons the villains have been stretched so thin, it’s become as morose and repetitive as the last few seasons of Arrow. It’s just a matter of time before they pull the plug. It’s run as far as it can.
Also, also, I wouldn’t be surprised if DC/WB pivots their B-list superheroes to HBO and away from the CW if Lantern Corps becomes a hit. Legends has already shed its superhero pedigree, Stargirl, The Flash and Batwoman are pretty much all that remains (all while there’s concurrent Flash and Batgirl movies on the horizon).
I checked out on Legends as well. I can only do so much of the CW shows before it’s too much. The nice thing is I can always go back and start watching again if I get the urge.
but for now, I’ll just let them do their thing.
I’m almost there with Legends. Last season was a bit of a dip and this season is kind of boring.
“Crisis on Earth-X” is still the gold standard.
Since this column covered the HBO Gordon Parks documentary yesterday just want to mention that for the next couple of Tuesdays TCM is running blocks of some of Mr. Parks’ film work. Tonight they are showing The Learning Tree, Shaft, Shaft’s Big Score, and a couple of shorts he did. In with next weeks block they are airing his documentary Gordon Parks: Moments Without Proper Names.
I like the Flash and LOT and Stargirl is awesome. But man AV Club should review season 3 of Doom Patrol. Holy shit does it deserve emmy buzz and Brendon Fraser better get nominated at least. I’m only 8 episodes in and I’ve cried a couple of times.Anyway the Flash has to stick around long enough so this Barry can end up in the Flash movie for a minute.
It would be justified if ‘Brina has a one-line tossed off excuse as to how she’s back from being dead – as she was at the downer ending/blown cliffhanger of her own series.“Meh. Tried being dead. It didn’t take.”
I was glad to hear Queen Sugar is renewed but it’s for a final season. The show always had such great atmosphere but in having to come up with new storylines has gotten a little gimmicky and/or repetitive. The elements are still there, so I think it should likely have a lovely conclusion.