The sequel season of The Flash wasn’t exactly happy-go-lucky viewing. Sure, season one may have had its fair share of darker moments but there was an equal sense of levity within it. Season 2? A bonkers plot and a villain who delighted in runnings rings of misery around Team Flash as he plotted to destroy a few realities along the way.
You’d imagine that season 3 would double up on the grim and gritty then. So far, there’s a new reality and two villains to deal with: Speed Force fanatic Savitar and Doctor Alchemy. But according to executive producer Aaron Helbing who spoke to TVline, season 3 of the Flash is going to scale back on that darkness:
Zoom, in general, was dark. It even got darker than we probably anticipated. So we’re making a conscious effort to go back more toward the tone of Season 1.
Even more, season 3 isn’t going for a hat trick with primary antagonists being speedsters, as the arrival of Savitar is more of a mind-game than a physical test to see just who has the quickest feet in Central City as Helbing explained:
[Season 3] is more about psychological warfare. Everything about [Savitar] is different than Zoom or Reverse-Flash. I can’t go into too much detail, but he’s quite a bit different.
So what’s the real advantage of doubling up on the big bads this year? Variety and creating a different kind of challenge for the scarlet speedster as executive producer Todd Helbing explained:
[We’re] trying to have the powers that they both possess play off of each other. It’s not just, ‘Oh, I have to catch this guy and take him down.’ It’s like, ‘Crap, now there’s this other guy, Dr. Alchemy,’ who has these transmutation qualities [via] this Philosopher’s Stone. You start to learn what he does with this stuff and how the both of them are coexisting.
I think part of what makes The Flash work, is optimism. I’m still convinced that Barry is blissfuly idiotic at times, but having a hero who can save the day with a smile on his face and the promise of a better tomorrow has been refreshing so far. And Grodd knows that The Flash 3 needs to find that lighter approach again.
Season three kicks off on October 4, just in time for me to lobby the CW to cast me as the Bizarro World Flash.
Last Updated: August 29, 2016
Fox1 - Retro
August 29, 2016 at 14:45
Flash has the perfect balance for a family show. Too many of Marvel’s shows on Netflix are competing for GOTY(Gore of the year) awards which starts to look fake after a while.
HvR
August 29, 2016 at 15:01
Season 1 was perfect in that sense; but season 2 sometimes reached points where I switched off for my son’s sake.
Admiral Chief
August 29, 2016 at 15:18
My daughter hated Zoom
chimera_85
August 29, 2016 at 16:09
Gore? Where haha?
Quint
August 29, 2016 at 16:16
Jessica Jones and Daredevil. The latter not so bad.
Zubayr Bhyat
August 30, 2016 at 07:51
They’re darker and more moody than Marvel’s in general. Netflix is also catering to adults. I have no issue with this 😀
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 29, 2016 at 14:46
Season 2 Barry whined. And when he wasn’t whining he was moping.
Original Heretic
August 29, 2016 at 14:53
And he whizzed. And whipped. And when he wasn’t whizzing and whipping, he was slow.
But luckily the slowness didn’t last very long and he went back to whizzing and whipping around.
RinceThis
August 29, 2016 at 14:55
Stop whining!
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 29, 2016 at 14:59
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
RinceThis
August 29, 2016 at 14:55
The season 2 ending was bloody stupid.
Original Heretic
August 29, 2016 at 15:02
All a set up for Flashpoint.
But for a supposedly genius character, it was a really stupid thing to do.
Zubayr Bhyat
August 29, 2016 at 15:14
It was an emotional choice. I’d like to see which other heroes join into the paradox.
Original Heretic
August 29, 2016 at 15:20
It’s not going to be as awesome as the comic book version, so I’m already a bit disappointed. I’d love to see Thomas Wayne as Batman! And Martha “Why did you say that name?” Wayne as Joker!
But I am very curious to see how they go about doing it.
Zubayr Bhyat
August 30, 2016 at 07:50
It’s The CW. Not sure what licensing they have. I’d love to see more of Mark Hamill 🙂
Original Heretic
August 30, 2016 at 07:54
He was super cool as The Trickster! Though, to be honest, seeing him there made me want him as the live action Joker.
If they ever do a live action The Dark Knight Returns, they gotta cast Hamill as the old Joker!
chimera_85
August 29, 2016 at 16:09
“lighter in tone”? How was the first 2 seasons dark haha or am I just being stupid hahaha.
chimera_85
August 29, 2016 at 16:10
If only The Flash was the fastest man alive in his 2 seasons on TV so far 😀