Review: The Flash 6×05 – “Kiss Kiss Breach Breach”
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Director: Menhaj Huda
Writers: Joshua V. Gilbert and Kelly Wheeler
Starring: Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Carlos Valdes, Danielle Panabaker, Matt Ellis, Tom Canavaugh, Danielle Nicolet, Victoria Park, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Mark Sweatman, Danny Trejo
Reviewed by: Jason Larouche
Summary
Cisco’s faith in leading Team Flash after Barry’s death is shaken by a stunning murder while Killer Frost hunts for Ramsey Rosso herself.
Positives
The theme of this week, behind the murder mystery, was the importance of both teamwork and self-reliance.
The writers brilliantly kept the lead in the background this week to allow Cisco to demonstrate his ability to solve a problem himself. Last week, Barry appointed him his successor to lead Team Flash post-Crisis, and now viewers got to see the heart of the team take center stage. What worked is, for the first time, Grant and Candace only had two scenes this week (you looked hot with the natural curls, by the way, Ms. Patton). It would have been a different episode if Barry was hanging back waiting to get involved. Of course, Carlos’s patented comedic timing worked in scenes introducing the B.A.R.I. and the always-awkward first encounter with Breacher. Bookending Cisco and Camilla taking that big step forward with the “L” word with the Gypsy’s murder was symbolic. Carlos and Victoria have great chemistry together, and she got a lot of great moments this week as well. In essence, they are billed as the future Barry and Iris. Further, Echo’s true identity kept in step with the notion of Cisco as his own worst enemy in this installment. He created an app to pass the buck when faced with a hard decision, he had difficulty telling Camilla how he really felt, and he was trying to hard to keep the team’s direction Barry-centered. Killing Gypsy off was a clever way of ensuring Cisco’s ex never returns since her portrayer Jessica Camacho is right at home as a series regular on CBS’s All Rise. Giving Carlos the final monologue was very poignant since we’re normally used to Barry learning something or reflecting on events. The writers were trying their utmost to sell to viewers who didn’t read Crisis on Infinite Earths the finality of Barry’s fate by seeing his successor’s personal development.
Danny Trejo’s deadpan as Breacher is always good when set against Carlos’s character. Like his name, he has no sense of boundaries which leads into funny and awkward moments. However, with the death of his daughter it adds depth to him and his relationship with Cisco. Whether he’s trying to kill him or inviting him to his daughter’s wake, Josh acknowledges how much he values Cisco. That is a huge leap from where they had been at one point in their encounters. The introduction of Breacher Syndrome could be a plot element the writing team could use in Cisco’s story this year. As fans recall, he removed his Vibe powers via the metahuman cure. Given the power level a breacher exhibits, who is to say that Cisco didn’t slip up somewhere in his calculations?
The mystery of Nash Wells deepens, as well as dimension. Having he and everybody’s favorite CCPD Captain trapped underground was the perfect plot device to get insight on him. However, surprisingly, we get to know more about Joe’s history. Jesse’s monologue about how he learned to value teamwork was very heartfelt. As to the characterization Tom delivers this year, it’s a true loner. He doesn’t believe in the cavalry and only takes interest in Joe when he mentions The Monitor. That self-interest is an obvious motivator at episode’s end. What makes this Wells so interesting lies in how little the writers reveal about his intentions. While that trait has been the norm, it’s intensified this year.
Negatives
The Killer Frost and Caitlin scenes this week felt a little out of place. While they served to further cement the rivalry between Team Flash and Ramsey, such sequences were best left to the next episode. It would have made more sense to pace Ramsey’s descent into madness. The confrontation in Rosso’s office would have served better as an intro scene or epilogue. Sendhil’s performance as a delusional physician is pitch-perfect which only makes this a wasted scene all the more. Also, why was it Frost checking over Joe after Ralph found him, and not Caitlin?
Verdict
I give this episode a 4 out of 5. While the Ramsey-Caitlin face-off was rushed, the Cisco-focused installment was thankfully not filler. Rather, it sold the notion that Team Flash need not be dependent upon Barry to zoom in and solve everyone’s problems. Cisco faced the worst possible version of himself and, in doing so, closed a chapter in his life and allowed he and Camilla to deepen their connection.
