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The Flash (2014– )
Barry Allen wakes up 9 months after he was struck by lightning and discovers that the bolt gave him the power of super speed. With his new team and powers, Barry becomes "The Flash" and fights crime in Central City.
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Storyline
Barry Allen is a Central City police forensic scientist with a reasonably happy life, despite the childhood trauma of a mysterious red and yellow being killing his mother and framing his father. All that changes when a massive particle accelerator accident leads to Barry being struck by lightning in his lab. Coming out of coma nine months later, Barry and his new friends at STAR labs find that he now has the ability to move at superhuman speed. Furthermore, Barry learns that he is but one of many affected by that event, most of whom are using their powers for evil. Determined to make a difference, Barry dedicates his life to fighting such threats, as The Flash. While he gains allies he never expected, there are also secret forces determined to aid and manipulate him for their own agenda.
I'm a big fan of DC (and Marvel) comics and I was excited but cautious when they announced this show mainly for the fact that I wasn't sure they would pull off the effects required to make a convincing Flash with a TV budget but my worries were quelled from the first episode. Other than a few of the villains abilities, the special effects in this show are great, especially concerning The Flash himself.
Aside from the show's capabilities visually, the story and various plot devices are fun and the characters are mainly likable. Obviously some shine through more than others (Barry Allen, Cisco, Detective West & Harrison Wells to name a few) but they all have their place in The Flash's team. Speaking of which, Tom Cavanagh may well play my favourite role of any TV show as the profoundly genius Harrison Wells and most of his story contributions are among the best in the show.
The show does take a villain of the week format (similar to Arrow) for the majority of the episode's which can get a little tiresome (mainly with some of the less interesting villains) but the main story line of season 1 made for the most entertaining season of a TV show I've seen yet. If you are not aware this show does share it's universe with channel CW's other show Arrow, which is based on the DC character Green Arrow and without spoiling anything I thoroughly enjoyed the crossover episode and can't wait to see more of these in the future (I am also a big fan of Arrow as well).
The show can seem silly at times when you see The Flash get hurt by some of the villains as sometimes a guy who can multiply himself but moves at regular human speed is somehow able to hit The Flash when really people look like they are moving in slow motion to him (as shown in the first episode). I mean he caught a bullet in the most recent episode in season 2 but somehow wasn't able to dodge a punch from a human moving at regular speed. Also Captain Cold and his Rogues are definitely a team of villains who come off better in the comic book than on the screen as you just don't buy The Flash being challenged by a team of standard humans with special guns (he could literally take the guns out of their hands before they could pull the trigger if he wanted). But hey, this is a show about a man who can run faster than the speed of light so you do have to be a little open-minded. :)
All of that is a very small part of the show though and is probably just my overly analytical mind doing what it does... Believe me when I say it does not detract from how enjoyable this show really is.
In summary, this show is excellent visually (especially for it's TV budget) and the story will keep you watching week to week with a smile on your face. I gave it a 10/10 as it is currently my favourite show on TV.