The Flash’s ninth episode (“Don’t Run”) was not surprisingly cerebral. (Come on. You know I was going to make that joke at some point, right?) It felt very much like a chess game, arranging the pieces just so, right before going in for the kill. In this case, somewhat literally. The knife set, with one knife missing, was certainly Chekhov’s gun. And that was a brilliant little plot point, nestled in amid the chaos, until it was too late. (One minor quibble, if I may: those wounds would be visibly post-mortem, so maybe stabbing wasn’t the perfect murder.)
I’ve said this before, but the writers are crushing it this season. The endless supply of dick jokes, courtesy of Ralph, makes me chuckle (“I’m the dick, private and public.”). Cisco and Harry arguing over decorations and tinsel ratios was hilarious. Cisco snarking about Amunet’s hair (“You a time traveler? Because those white girl dreads came straight from the ‘90s.”) was awesome. And everything that came out of Katee Sackhoff’s mouth was utter brilliance.
Let’s talk about Starbuck for a minute. She’s crushing this part like nobody’s business. Her comedic timing is fantastic. Her expressions and mannerisms are dead-on. And even though it was for nefarious reasons, Amunet’s pep talk to Caitlin was nothing short of stellar. Sackhoff has made Amunet a memorable, fun villain. I mean, it’s not like I’d invite her to the Christmas party, but.
Speaking of ill-gotten invites, DeVoe’s machinations are extraordinary. His plotting has been a deliberately slow burn, a shifting of items until everything lines up. I am going to miss Neil Sandilands in the role. This episode showed us his character’s fierce determination, but also frailty. The frustration of a person with a brilliant mind and a malfunctioning meat suit. The devotion and love between him and his wife was sweet, if not hideously misguided.
Caitlin’s rescue, Dominic (Kendrick Sampson), was a good character on his own, before DeVoe stepped in. There was something compelling and sweet about his portrayal. His interactions with Caitlin made me wonder more about him, how he came to be Amunet’s captive. He never appeared to be a surface character, but I didn’t see the one-sided Freaky Friday thing happening. He managed Sandilands’ distinctive speech pattern and inflections fairly well. It was clear that he was Other, when speaking to his wife. Slipping the wedding ring on his finger was a nice touch, as well, symbolically.
Lastly, it should be noted that Iris was the MVP again. I love seeing her take charge. Of course, she accomplished this with a little assist from Harry. Harry’s really good at being everyone’s get-a-grip friend. He can be snarly and snarktastic, but he’s also the person that says what someone needs to hear—not what they want to hear. And in life, people like that are worth more than their weight in coffee.
Catch you in the new year, kittens.
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