What I’m Watching: The Flash

The Flash: Season 2, Episode 9 “Running to Stand Still” (B-)

Now that the crossover with Oliver Queen and the ancient Egyptians is done, it’s time for this show’s last offering of 2015..a Christmas-themed hour? I’m not sure why such things are necessary, but I also know that I’ll have a hard time getting the image of a maniacal Mark Hamill sending an army of spinning dreidels at the Flash when I go to see the new “Star Wars” movie sometime in the weeks to come. It’s hard to keep track of all the villains that Barry has put away even in just over one season, but it didn’t take long to remember Hamill’s Jesse James and the Weather Wizard who was there when Barry first ran fast enough to travel back in time. All of the holiday-oriented moments of the hour didn’t do much for me, though the thought of Barry and his friends and family, including Jay, Harry, and new addition Wally West, gathering together to celebrate Christmas is somewhat heartwarming. And after much prodding from a newly single Cisco, Caitlin and Jay finally kissed and showed some attachment to each other. But what was most worthwhile for me in this episode was everything involving Patty, who was bold enough to bring a boot designed specifically to keep the Flash in one place so that she could execute the man who killed her father. It’s a good thing that the Flash talked her down and that he managed to do it without giving away his secret identity. More to come certainly in 2016, and I’m eager to see this show go back to its regularly scheduled storylines not involving pharaohs or Santas.