document_title: The Shawshank Redemption

question_text: who does morgan freeman play in shawshank redemption

text: The Shawshank Redemption

text: Plot[edit]

text: In 1947 Portland, Maine, banker Andy Dufresne is convicted of murdering his wife and her lover, and sentenced to two consecutive life sentences at the Shawshank State Penitentiary. He is befriended by contraband smuggler, Ellis "Red" Redding, an inmate serving a life sentence. Red procures a rock hammer, and later a large poster of Rita Hayworth for Andy. Working in the prison laundry, Andy is regularly assaulted and raped by "the Sisters" and their leader, Bogs.

text: In 1949, Andy overhears the captain of the guards, Byron Hadley, complaining about being taxed on an inheritance and offers to help him shelter the money legally. After an assault by the Sisters nearly kills Andy, Hadley beats Bogs severely. Left crippled, Bogs is transferred to another prison, and Andy is not attacked again. Warden Samuel Norton meets Andy and reassigns him to the prison library to assist elderly inmate Brooks Hatlen. Andy's new job is a pretext for him to begin managing financial matters for the prison employees. As time passes, the warden begins using him to handle matters for himself and a variety of people, including guards from other prisons. Andy begins writing weekly letters to the state legislature requesting funds to improve the prison's decaying library.

text: Brooks is paroled in 1954 after serving 50 years, but he cannot adjust to the outside world, and he commits suicide by hanging himself. Andy receives a library donation that includes a recording of The Marriage of Figaro. He plays an excerpt over the public address system, and is punished with solitary confinement. After his release from solitary, Andy explains that hope is what gets him through his time, a concept that Red dismisses. In 1963, Norton begins exploiting prison labor for public works, profiting by undercutting skilled labor costs and receiving bribes. Andy launders the money using the alias Randall Stephens.

text: Tommy Williams is incarcerated for burglary in 1965. Andy and Red befriend him, and Andy helps him pass his GED exam. A year later, Tommy reveals to Red and Andy that an inmate at another prison claimed responsibility for the murders for which Andy was convicted. Andy approaches Norton with this information, but he refuses to listen and sends him back to solitary confinement when he mentions the money laundering. Norton has Hadley murder Tommy under the guise of an escape attempt. Andy declines to continue the laundering, but he relents after Norton threatens to burn the library, remove Andy's protection from the guards, and move him to worse conditions. After two months, Andy is released from solitary confinement, and he tells Red of his dream of living in Zihuatanejo, a Mexican coastal town. Red feels Andy is being unrealistic, but promises him that if he is ever released, he will visit a specific hayfield near Buxton, Maine, and retrieve a package Andy buried there. He worries about Andy's well-being, especially when he learns Andy asked fellow inmate Heywood to supply him with six feet (1.8 meters) of rope.

text: The next day at roll call, the guards find Andy's cell empty. An irate Norton throws a rock at the poster of Raquel Welch hanging on the cell wall, revealing a tunnel that Andy dug with his rock hammer over the last 19 years. The previous night, Andy escaped through the tunnel and prison sewage pipe, using the rope to bring with him Norton's suit, shoes, and the ledger containing details of the money laundering. While guards search for him, Andy poses as Randall Stephens and visits several banks to withdraw the laundered money, then mails the ledger and evidence of the corruption and murders at Shawshank to a local newspaper. State police arrive at Shawshank and take Hadley into custody, while Norton commits suicide to avoid arrest.

text: After serving 40 years, Red is paroled. He struggles to adapt to life outside prison and fears that he never will. Remembering his promise to Andy, he visits Buxton and finds a cache containing money, and a letter asking him to come to Zihuatanejo. Red violates his parole and travels to Fort Hancock, Texas, to cross the border into Mexico, admitting he finally feels hope. On a beach in Zihuatanejo he finds Andy, and the two friends are happily reunited.

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Tim Robbins as Andy Dufresne:A banker sentenced to life in prison in 1947 for the murder of his wife and her lover[4]
Morgan Freeman as Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding:A prison contraband smuggler who befriends Andy[5][6]
Bob Gunton as Samuel Norton: The pious and strict warden of Shawshank penitentiary[4]
William Sadler as Heywood: A member of Red's gang of long-serving convicts[5][7]
Clancy Brown as Byron Hadley: The brutal captain of the prison guards[8][9]
Gil Bellows as Tommy Williams: A young convict imprisoned for burglary in 1965[5][10]
James Whitmore as Brooks Hatlen: The elderly prison librarian, imprisoned since the early 1900s[11]

text: The cast also includes: Mark Rolston as Bogs Diamond, the head of "The Sisters" gang and a prison rapist;[12] Jeffrey DeMunn as the prosecuting attorney in Dufresne's trial; Alfonso Freeman as Fresh Fish Con; Ned Bellamy and Don McManus as, respectively, prison guards Youngblood and Wiley; and Dion Anderson as Head Bull Haig.[5]  Renee Blaine portrays Andy's wife, and Scott Mann portrays her golf-instructor lover Glenn Quentin.[13] Frank Medrano plays Fat Ass, one of Andy's fellow new inmates who is beaten to death by Hadley,[5][14] and Bill Bolender plays Elmo Blatch, a convict who may actually be responsible for the crimes of which Andy is accused.[15] James Kisicki portrays a bank manager.[16]

text: Analysis[edit]

text: The film has been interpreted as being grounded in Christian mysticism.[17] Andy is offered as a messianic, Christ-like figure, with Red describing him early in the film as having an aura that engulfs and protects him from Shawshank.[18] The scene in which Andy and several inmates tar the prison roof can be seen as a recreation of the Last Supper, with Andy obtaining beer/wine for the twelve inmates/disciples as Freeman describes them as the "lords of all creation" invoking Jesus' blessing.[19] Director Frank Darabont responded that this was not his deliberate intention,[20] but he wanted people to find their own meaning in the film.[21] The discovery of The Marriage of Figaro record is described in the screenplay as akin to finding the Holy Grail, bringing the prisoners to a halt, and causing the sick to rise up in their beds.[22]

text: Early in the film, Warden Norton quotes Jesus Christ to describe himself to Andy, saying, "I am the light of the world", declaring himself Andy's savior. But this description can also reference Lucifer, the bearer of light.[23] Indeed, the warden does not enforce the general rule of law, but chooses to enforce his own rules and punishments as he sees fit, becoming a law unto himself, like the behavior of Satan.[4] The warden has also been compared to former United States President Richard Nixon. Norton's appearance and public addresses can be seen to mirror Nixon's. Similarly, Norton projects an image of a Holy man, speaking down sanctimoniously to the servile masses while running corrupt scams, like those which made Nixon infamous.[24]

text: Zihuatanejo has been interpreted as an analogue for heaven or paradise.[25] In the film, Andy describes it as a place with no memory, offering absolution from his sins by forgetting about them or allowing them to be washed away by the Pacific Ocean, whose name means "peace". The possibility of escaping to Zihuatanejo is only raised following Andy's admission of guilt over his wife's death.[25] Similarly, Red's freedom is only earned once he accepts he cannot save himself or atone for his sins. Freeman has described Red's story as one of salvation as he is not innocent of his crimes, unlike Andy who finds redemption.[26] While some Christian viewers interpret Zihuatanejo as heaven, it can also be interpreted as a Nietzschean form of guiltlessness achieved outside traditional notions of good and evil, where the amnesia offered is the destruction rather than forgiveness of sin, meaning Andy's aim is secular and atheistic. Just as Andy can be interpreted as a Christ-like figure, he can be seen as a Zarathustra-like prophet offering escape through education and the experience of freedom.[25] Ebert argued that The Shawshank Redemption is an allegory for maintaining one's feeling of self-worth when placed in a hopeless position. Andy's integrity is an important theme in the story line, especially in prison, where integrity is lacking.[27]

text: Robbins himself believes that the concept of Zihuatanejo resonates with audiences because it represents a form of escape that can be achieved after surviving for many years within whatever "jail" someone finds themselves, from a bad relationship, job, or environment. Robbins said that it is important that such a place exists for us.[28] Isaac M. Morehouse suggests that the film provides a great illustration of how characters can be free, even in prison, or unfree, even in freedom, based on their outlooks on life.[29] Philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre described freedom as an ongoing project that requires attention and resilience, without which a person begins to be defined by others or institutions, mirroring Red's belief that inmates become dependent on the prison to define their lives. Andy displays resilience through rebellion, by playing music over the prison loudspeaker, and refusing to continue with the money laundering scam.[4]

text: Many elements can be considered as tributes to the power of cinema. In the prison theater, the inmates watch the film Gilda (1946), but this scene was originally intended to feature The Lost Weekend (1945). The interchangeability of the films used in the prison theater suggests that it is the cinematic experience and not the subject which is key to the scene, allowing the men to escape the reality of their situation.[30] Immediately following this scene, Andy is assaulted by the Sisters in the projector room and uses a film reel to help fight them off.[31] Then in the end of the film, Andy passes through a hole in his cell hidden by a movie poster to escape both his cell and ultimately Shawshank.[32]

text: Andy's and Red's relationship has been described as a non-sexual love story between two men,[33] that few other films offer, where the friendship is not built on conducting a caper, car chases, or developing a relationship with women.[34] Philosopher Alexander Hooke argued that Andy's and Red's true freedom is their friendship, being able to share joy and humor with each other.[4]

text: Production[edit]

text: Development[edit]

text: Darabont first collaborated with author Stephen King in 1983 on the short film adaptation of "The Woman in the Room", buying the rights from him for $1—a Dollar Deal that King used to help new directors build a résumé by adapting his short stories.[9] After receiving his first screenwriting credit in 1987 for A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, Darabont returned to King with $5,000[3] to purchase the rights to adapt Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, a 96-page novella from King's 1982 collection Different Seasons, written to explore genres other than the horror stories for which he was commonly known.[35] Although King did not understand how the story, largely focused on Red contemplating his fellow prisoner Andy, could be turned into a feature film, Darabont believed it was "obvious".[9]

text: Five years later, Darabont wrote the script over an eight-week period. He expanded on elements of King's story. Brooks, who in the novella is a minor character who dies in a retirement home, became a tragic character who eventually hanged himself. Tommy, who in the novella trades his evidence exonerating Andy for transfer to a nicer prison, in the screenplay is murdered on the orders of Warden Norton, who is a composite of several warden characters in King's story.[9] Darabont opted to create a single warden character to serve as the primary antagonist.[36] Among his inspirations, Darabont listed the works of director Frank Capra, including Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) and It's a Wonderful Life (1946), describing them as tall tales; Darabont likened The Shawshank Redemption to a tall tale more than a prison movie.[37] He also cited Goodfellas (1990) as an inspiration on the use of dialogue to illustrate the passage of time in the script.[38] King never cashed the $5,000 cheque from Darabont for the rights to The Shawshank Redemption;  he later framed it and returned it to Darabont accompanied by a note which read: "In case you ever need bail money. Love, Steve."[39]

text: At the time, prison-based films were not considered likely box office successes, but Darabont's script was read by then-Castle Rock Entertainment producer Liz Glotzer, whose interest in prison stories, and reaction to the script, led her to threaten to quit if Castle Rock did not produce The Shawshank Redemption.[9] Director and Castle Rock co-founder Rob Reiner also liked the script. He offered Darabont between $2.4 million[40] and $3 million to allow him to direct it himself.[9] Reiner, who had previously adapted King's 1982 novella The Body into the 1986 film Stand by Me, planned to cast Tom Cruise as Andy and Harrison Ford as Red.[9][41]

text: Castle Rock offered to finance any other film Darabont wanted to develop. Darabont seriously considered the offer, citing growing up poor in Los Angeles, believing it would elevate his standing in the industry, and that Castle Rock could have contractually fired him and given the film to Reiner anyway. But, he chose to remain the director, saying in a 2014 Variety interview, "you can continue to defer your dreams in exchange for money and, you know, die without ever having done the thing you set out to do".[9] Reiner served as Darabont's mentor on the project instead.[9] Within two weeks of showing the script to Castle Rock, Darabont had a $25 million budget to make his film[2] (taking a $750,000 screenwriting and directing salary plus a percentage of the net profits),[40] and pre-production began in January 1993.[37]

text: Casting[edit]

text: Freeman was cast at the suggestion of producer Liz Glotzer, who ignored the novella's character description of a white Irishman, nicknamed "Red". Freeman's character alludes to the choice when queried by Andy on why he is called Red, replying "Maybe it's because I'm Irish."[38] Freeman opted not to research his role, saying "acting the part of someone who's incarcerated doesn't require any specific knowledge of incarceration ... because men don't change. Once you're in that situation, you just toe whatever line you have to toe."[2]

text: Darabont looked initially at some of his favorite actors like Gene Hackman and Robert Duvall for the role of Andy Dufresne, but they were unavailable;[38] Clint Eastwood and Paul Newman were also considered.[42] Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, and Kevin Costner were offered, and passed on the role[9] —Hanks due to his starring role in Forrest Gump,[38] and Costner because he had the lead in Waterworld.[43] Johnny Depp, Nicolas Cage, and Charlie Sheen were also considered for the role at different stages.[43] Cruise attended table readings of the script, but refused to work for the inexperienced Darabont.[9] Darabont said he cast Robbins after seeing his performance in the 1990 psychological horror Jacob's Ladder.[44] When Robbins was cast, he insisted that Darabont use experienced cinematographer Roger Deakins, who had worked with him on The Hudsucker Proxy.[9] To prepare for the role, Robbins observed caged animals at a zoo, spent an afternoon in solitary confinement, spoke with prisoners and guards,[33] and had his arms and legs shackled for a few hours.[2]

text: Cast initially as young convict Tommy, Brad Pitt dropped out following his success in Thelma & Louise[9] (the role went to a debuting Gil Bellows);[2] James Gandolfini passed on portraying prison rapist Bogs.[9] Bob Gunton was filming Demolition Man (1993) when he went to audition for the role of Warden Norton. To convince the studio that Gunton was right for the part, Darabont and producer Niki Marvin arranged for him to record a screen test on a day off from Demolition Man. They had a wig made for him as his head was shaved for his Demolition Man role. Gunton wanted to portray Norton with hair as this could then be grayed to convey his on-screen aging as the film progressed. Gunton performed his screen test with Robbins, which was filmed by Deakins. After being confirmed for the role, he used the wig in the film's early scenes until his hair re-grew. Gunton said that Marvin and Darabont saw that he understood the character which went in his favor, as did the fact his height was similar to Robbins' allowing Andy to believably use the warden's suit.[36]

text: Portraying the head guard Byron Hadley, Clancy Brown was given the opportunity to speak with former guards by the production's liaison officer, but declined believing it would not be a good thing to say that his brutal character was in any way inspired by Ohio state correctional officers.[45] William Sadler, who portrays Heywood, said that Darabont had approached him in 1989 on the set of the Tales from the Crypt television series where he was a writer, about starring in the adaptation he was intending to make.[46] Freeman's son Alfonso has a cameo as a young Red in mug shot photos,[38] and as a prisoner shouting "fresh fish" as Andy arrives at Shawshank.[47] Among the extras used in the film were the former warden and former inmates of the Reformatory, and active guards from a nearby incarceration facility.[48][2] The  novella's original title attracted several people to audition for the non-existent role of Rita Hayworth, including a man in drag clothing.[40]

text: Filming[edit]

text: On a $25 million budget,[49] principal photography took place over three months[9] between June and August 1993.[50][51] Filming regularly required up to 18-hour workdays, six days a week.[9] Freeman described filming as tense, saying, "Most of the time, the tension was between the cast and director. I remember having a bad moment with the director, had a few of those." Freeman referred to Darabont's requiring multiple takes of scenes which he considered had no discernible differences. For example, the scene where Andy first approaches Red to procure a rock hammer took nine hours to film, and featured Freeman throwing and catching a baseball with another inmate throughout it. The number of takes that were shot resulted in Freeman turning up to filming the following day with his arm in a sling. Freeman sometimes simply refused to do the additional takes. Robbins said that the long days were difficult. Darabont felt that making the film taught him a lot, "A director really needs to have an internal barometer to measure what any given actor needs."[9] He found his most frequent struggles were with Deakins. Darabont favored more scenic shots, while Deakins felt that not showing the outside of the prison added a sense of claustrophobia, and it meant that when a wide scenic shot was used, it had more impact.[2]

text: Marvin spent five months scouting prisons across the United States and Canada, looking for a site that had a timeless aesthetic, and was completely abandoned, hoping to avoid the complexity of filming the required footage, for hours each day, in an active prison with the security difficulties that would entail.[52] Marvin eventually chose the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio to serve as the fictional Shawshank State Penitentiary in Maine, citing its Gothic-style stone and brick buildings.[52][51] After nearly a century of use, the facility had been closed three years earlier on New Year's Eve, 1990,[53] due to inhumane living conditions.[51]

text: The 15-acre reformatory, housing its own power plant and farm, was partially torn down shortly after filming was completed, leaving the main administration building and two cell blocks.[51] Several of the interior shots of the specialized prison facilities, such as the admittance rooms and the warden's office, were shot in the reformatory. The interior of the boarding room used by Brooks and Red was in the administration building; exterior shots of the boarding house were taken elsewhere. Internal scenes in the prison cellblocks were filmed on a soundstage built inside a nearby shuttered Westinghouse Electric factory. Since Darabont wanted the inmates' cells to face each other, almost all the cellblock scenes were shot on a purpose-built set housed in the Westinghouse factory[51] except for the scene featuring Elmo Blatch's admission of guilt for the crimes for which Andy was convicted. It was filmed in one of the actual prison's more confined cells.[54] Scenes were also filmed in Mansfield, as well as neighboring Ashland, Ohio.[55] The oak tree under which Andy buries his letter to Red was located near Malabar Farm State Park, in Lucas, Ohio;[42] it was destroyed by winds in 2016.[56]

text: Just as a prison in Ohio stood in for a fictional one in Maine, the beach scene showing Andy and Red's reunion in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, was actually shot in the Caribbean on the island of Saint Croix, one of the U.S. Virgin Islands.[57] The beach at 'Zihuatanejo' is the Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge,[58] a protected area for leatherback sea turtles.[59] Scenes shot in Upper Sandusky included the prison wood shop scene where Red and his fellow inmates hear "The Marriage of Figaro" (the woodshop is now called the Shawshank Woodshop),[42] and the opening court scene which was shot at the Wyandot County Courthouse.[58] Other shooting locations included Pugh Cabin in Malabar Farm State Park, where Andy sits outside as his wife engages in an affair,[60] Butler, Ohio which stood in for Buxton, Maine,[61] and The Bissman Building in Mansfield, which served as the hotel where Brooks stayed following his release.[62]

text: While the film portrays Andy escaping to freedom through a sewer pipe described as a "river of shit", Robbins crawls through a mixture of water, chocolate syrup, and sawdust. The stream into which Robbins emerges was actually certified toxic by a chemist according to production designer Terence Marsh.[47] Of the scene, Robbins said, "when you're doing a film, you want to be a good soldier—you don't want to be the one that gets in the way. So you will do things as an actor that are compromising to your physical health and safety."[63] As for the scene where Andy rebelliously plays music over the prison announcement system, it was Robbins' idea for Andy to turn the music up and not shut it off.[47] While in the finished film the inmates watch Rita Hayworth in Gilda (1946), they were originally intended to be watching Billy Wilder's The Lost Weekend (1945), a film about the dangers of alcohol. As the footage was too costly to procure from Paramount Pictures, producer Niki Marvin approached The Shawshank Redemption's domestic distribution rights-holder Columbia Pictures, who offered a list of lower-priced titles, one of which was Gilda.[64]

text: Post-production[edit]

text: The final cut of the theatrically released film runs for 142 minutes,[1] and was dedicated to Allen Greene, Darabont's former agent who died during filming from AIDS.[65] The film's first edit ran for nearly two and a half hours, which Glotzer considered "long", and several scenes were cut including a longer sequence of Red adjusting to life post incarceration; Darabont said that in test screenings the audience seemed to be getting impatient with the scene as they were already convinced that Red would not make it.[33] Another scene cut for time showed a prison guard investigating Andy's escape tunnel; it was thought this slowed down the action.[66] The film originally had a cold open that played out Andy's crime, with his trial playing throughout the opening credits, but these scenes were edited together to create a more "punchy" opening.[67] One scripted scene, which Darabont described as his best work, was left unfilmed because of the shooting schedule.[68] In the scene, a dreaming Red is sucked into the poster of Rita Hayworth to find himself alone and insignificant on the Pacific shore, saying "I am terrified, there is no way home." Darabont said that he regretted being unable to capture the scene.[69]

text: In Darabont's original vision for the end of the film Red is seen riding a bus towards the Mexican border, leaving his fate ambiguous. Glotzer insisted on including the scene of Red and Andy reuniting in Zihuatanejo. She said Darabont felt this was a "commercial, sappy" ending, but Glotzer wanted the audience to see them together.[9] Castle Rock agreed to finance filming for the scene without requiring its inclusion, guaranteeing Darabont the final decision.[70] The scene originally featured a longer reunion in which Andy and Red recited dialogue from their first meeting, but Darabont said it had a "golly-gee-ain't-we-cute" quality and excised it.[71] The beach reunion was test audiences' favorite scene; both Freeman and Robbins felt it provided the necessary closure. Darabont agreed to include the scene after seeing the test audience reactions, saying: "I think it's a magical and uplifting place for our characters to arrive at the end of their long saga..."[70]

text: Music[edit]

text: The film's score was composed by Thomas Newman. He felt that it already elicited such strong emotions without music that he found it difficult to compose one that would elevate scenes without distracting from them. The piece, "Shawshank Redemption", plays during Andy's escape from Shawshank and originally had a three-note motif, but Darabont felt it had too much of a "triumphal flourish" and asked that it be toned down to a single-note motif. "So Was Red", played following Red's release from prison, and leading to his discovery of Andy's cache, became one of Newman's favorite pieces. The piece was initially written for a solo oboe, until Newman reluctantly agreed to add  harmonica—a reference to the harmonica Red receives from Andy to continue his message of hope. According to Darabont, harmonica player Tommy Morgan "casually delivered something dead-on perfect on the first take", and this is heard in the finished film.[72] Newman's score was so successful that excerpts from it were used in movie trailers for years afterwards.[35]

text: Release[edit]

text: Theatrical[edit]

text: Leading up to its release, the film was test screened with the public. These were described as "through the roof", and Glotzer said they were some of the best she had seen.[9][73] It was decided to mostly omit Stephen King's name from any advertising, as the studio wanted to attract a "more prestigious audience" who might reject a film from a writer known mostly for pulp fiction works like The Shining and Cujo.[74]

text: Following early September premieres at the Renaissance Theatre in Mansfield, and the Toronto International Film Festival,[75][16] The Shawshank Redemption began a limited North American release on September 23, 1994. During its opening weekend, the film earned $727,000 from 33 theaters—an average of $22,040 per theater. Following a Hollywood tradition of visiting different theaters on opening night to see the audiences view their film live, Darabont and Glotzer went to the Cinerama Dome, but found no one there. Glotzer claimed that the pair actually sold two tickets outside the theater with the promise that if the buyers did not like the film, they could ask Castle Rock for a refund.[9] While critics praised the film, Glotzer believed that a lackluster review from the Los Angeles Times pushed crowds away.[9][73] It received a wide release on October 14, 1994, expanding to a total of 944 theaters to earn $2.4 million—an average of $2,545 per theater—finishing as the number nine film of the weekend, behind sex-comedy Exit to Eden ($3 million), and just ahead of the historical drama Quiz Show ($2.1 million), which was in its fifth week at the cinemas.[35][49] The Shawshank Redemption closed in late November 1994, after 10 weeks with an approximate total gross of $16 million.[76] It was considered a box office bomb, failing to recoup its $25 million budget, not including marketing costs and the cinema exhibitors' cuts.[9]

text: The film was also competing with Pulp Fiction ($108 million),[3] which also premiered October 14 following its Palme d'Or award win, and Forrest Gump ($330 million)[3] which was in the middle of a successful 42-week theatrical run.[73] Both films would become quotable cultural phenomena. A general audience trend towards action films starring the likes of Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger was also considered to work against the commercial success of The Shawshank Redemption.[9] Freeman blamed the title, saying it was unmemorable,[9] while Robbins recalled fans asking: "What was that Shinkshonk Reduction thing?".[21] Several alternative titles had been posited before the release due to concerns that it was not a marketable title.[46] The low box office was also blamed on a lack of female characters to broaden the audience demographic, and the general unpopularity of prison films.[21]

text: After being nominated for several Oscars in early 1995,[9] the film was re-released between February and March.[76] In total, the film made about $28.3 million in North American theaters, and about $30 million from other markets for a worldwide total of $58.3 million.[3] In the United States, it became the 51st-highest-grossing film of 1994, and the 21st-highest grossing R-rated film of 1994.[49]

text: Post theatrical[edit]

text: Despite its disappointing box-office returns, in what was then considered a risky move, Warner Home Video shipped 320,000 rental video copies throughout the United States in 1995. It went on to become one of the top rented films of the year.[35] Positive recommendations and repeat customer viewings, and being well-received by both male and female audiences, were considered key to the film's rental success.[21]

text: Ted Turner's Turner Broadcasting System had acquired Castle Rock in 1993, which enabled his TV channel, TNT, to obtain the cable-broadcast rights to the film.[3] According to Glotzer, because of the low box office numbers, TNT could air the film at a very low cost, but still charge premium advertising rates. The film began airing regularly on the network in June 1997.[3][9][9] TV airings of the film accrued record-breaking numbers,[21] and its repeated broadcast was considered essential to turning the film into a cultural phenomenon after its poor box office performance.[9] Darabont felt the turning point for the film's success was the Academy Award nominations, saying "nobody had heard of the movie, and that year on the Oscar broadcast, they were mentioning this movie seven times".[44] In 1996, the rights to The Shawshank Redemption were passed to Warner Bros., following the merger of its parent company Time Warner with the Turner Broadcasting System.[77]

text: By 2013, The Shawshank Redemption had aired on fifteen basic cable networks, and in that year occupied 151 hours of airtime, rivaling Scarface (1983), and behind only Mrs. Doubtfire (1993). It was in the top 15 percent of movies among adults between the ages of 18 and 49 on the Spike, Up, SundanceTV, and Lifetime channels. Despite its mainly male cast it was the most watched movie on the female-targeted OWN network. In a 2014 Wall Street Journal article, it was estimated that based on the margins studios take from box office returns, home media sales, and television licensing, The Shawshank Redemption had made $100 million. Jeff Baker, then-executive vice president and general manager of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, said that the home video sales had earned about $80 million.[3] While Warner Bros. does not report what it earns in licensing the film for TV, in 2014 current and former  executives at the studio confirmed that it was one of the highest valued assets in Warner Bros. $1.5 billion library.[78] That same year, Gunton said that by its tenth anniversary in 2004, he was still earning six-figure residual payments, and was still earning a "substantial income" from it, which was considered unusual so many years after its release.[79]

text: Reception[edit]

text: Critical response[edit]

text: The Shawshank Redemption opened to generally positive reviews.[83][84][85] Some reviewers compared the film to other well-received prison dramas, including: Birdman of Alcatraz, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Cool Hand Luke, and Riot in Cell Block 11.[86][87] Gene Siskel said that like One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Shawshank Redemption is an inspirational drama about overcoming overbearing authority.[87]

text: Entertainment Weekly's Owen Gleiberman said that Freeman makes the Red character feel genuine and "lived-in".[6] Janet Maslin of The New York Times said that Freeman was quietly impressive, but lamented that Red's role in the film had limited range, restricted to observing Andy. She considered  Freeman's commanding performance made him a much stronger figure than simply an observer. Maslin said that Freeman's performance was especially moving when describing how dependent Red had become on living within the prison walls.[88] Variety's Leonard Klady suggested that Freeman had the "showier" role, allowing him "a grace and dignity that come naturally", without ever becoming banal,[80] and The Washington Post's Desson Howe called Freeman a "master" of comedic and poignant cadence.[89] Even Kenneth Turan's Los Angeles Times review, which Glotzer credited with derailing the film's box office success, praised Freeman, saying his "effortless screen presence lends Shawshank the closest thing to credibility it can manage".[90]

text: Of Robbins' performance, Gleiberman said that in his "laconic-good-guy, neo-Gary Cooper role, [Robbins] is unable to make Andy connect with the audience".[6] Conversely, Maslin said that Andy has the more subdued role, but that Robbins portrays him intensely, and effectively depicts the character as he transitions from new prisoner to aged father figure,[88] and Klady stated that his "riveting, unfussy ... precise, honest, and seamless" performance anchors the film.[80] Howe said that while the character is "cheesily messianic" for easily charming everyone to his side, comparing him to "Forrest Gump goes to jail", Robbins exudes the perfect kind of innocence to sell the story.[89] The Hollywood Reporter stated that both Freeman and Robbins gave outstanding, layered performances that imbued their characters with individuality,[81] and Rolling Stone's Peter Travers said that the pair create something "undeniably powerful and moving".[86] Gunton and Brown were cited as "extremely credible" as villains,[80] Howe countered that Gunton's warden was a clichéd character who extols religious virtues while having people murdered.[89]

text: Maslin called the film an impressive directorial debut that tells a gentle tale with a surprising amount of loving care,[88] and Klady saying the only failings came when Darabont focused for too long on supporting characters, or embellished a secondary story.[80] The Hollywood Reporter said that both the directing and writing were crisp, while criticizing the film's long running time.[81] Klady said that the length and tone, while tempered by humor and unexpected events, would dampen the film's mainstream appeal, but the story offered a fascinating portrait of the innate humanity of the inmates.[80] Gleiberman disliked that the prisoners' crimes were overlooked to portray them more as good guys.[6] Turan similarly objected to what he perceived as extreme violence and rape scenes, and making most of the prisoners seem like a "bunch of swell and softhearted guys" to cast the prison experience in a "rosy glow".[90] Klady summarized the film as "estimable and haunting entertainment", comparing it to a rough diamond with small flaws,[80] but Howe criticized it for deviating with multiple subplots, and pandering by choosing to resolve the story with Andy's and Red's reunion, rather than leaving the mystery.[89] Ebert noted that the story works because it is not about Andy as the hero, but how Red perceives him.[75]

text: Deakins cinematography was routinely praised,[80] with The Hollywood Reporter calling it "foreboding" and "well-crafted",[81] and Travers saying "the everyday agonies of prison life are meticulously laid out ... you can almost feel the frustration and rage seeping into the skin of the inmates".[86] Gleiberman praised the choice of scenery, writing that the "moss-dark, saturated images have a redolent sensuality" that makes the film very realistic.[6] The Hollywood Reporter said of Newman's score, "at its best moments, alights with radiant textures and sprightly grace notes, nicely emblematic of the film's central theme",[81] and Klady describing it as "the right balance between the somber and the absurd".[80]

text: Accolades[edit]

text: The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards in 1995, the most for a Stephen King film adaptation:[91] Best Picture (Marvin), Best Actor (Freeman), Best Adapted Screenplay (Darabont), Best Cinematography (Deakins), Best Editing (Richard Francis-Bruce), Best Sound Mixing (Robert J. Litt, Elliot Tyson, Michael Herbick, and Willie D. Burton),[92] and Best Original Score (Newman, his first Academy Award nomination).[72] It did not win in any category.[91] It received two Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture for Freeman, and Best Screenplay for Darabont.[93]

text: Robbins and Freeman were both nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role at the inaugural Screen Actors Guild Awards in 1995.[94] Darabont was nominated for a Directors Guild of America award in 1994 for Best Director of a feature film,[95] and a Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.[96] Deakins won the American Society of Cinematographers award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography,[82] while producer Niki Marvin was nominated for a 1994 Golden Laurel Award by the Producers Guild of America.[96]

text: Legacy[edit]

text: Darabont later adapted and directed two other King stories, The Green Mile (1999) and The Mist (2007).[97] In a 2016 interview, King said that The Shawshank Redemption was his favorite adaptation of his work, alongside Stand by Me.[98]

text: The oak tree, under which Andy leaves a note for Red directing him to Zihuatanejo, became a symbol of hope for its role in the film, and is considered iconic.[56][99] In 2016, The New York Times reported that the tree attracted thousands of visitors annually.[100] The tree was partially destroyed on July 29, 2011, when it was split by lightning; news of the damage was reported across the United States on newscasts, in newspapers, and on websites as far away as India.[101][99] The tree was completely felled by strong winds on or around July 22, 2016,[99] and its vestiges were cut down in April 2017.[102] The remains were turned into The Shawshank Redemption memorabilia including rock hammers and magnets.[103]

text: The prison site became a tourist attraction,[51] with many of the rooms and props remaining including the false pipe through which Andy escapes,[53] and a portion of the oak tree from the finale, after it was damaged in 2011.[42] The surrounding area is also visited by fans, while local businesses market "Shawshanwiches" and Bundt cakes in the shape of the prison. The prison itself was to be torn down completely following filming, but was eventually sold to enthusiasts for $1.[53] According to the Mansfield/Richland County Convention and Visitors Bureau (later renamed Destination Mansfield),[57] tourism in the area had increased every year since The Shawshank Redemption premiered, and in 2013 drew in 18,000 visitors and over $3 million to the local economy.[42] In late August that year, a series of events were held in Mansfield to celebrate the film's 20th anniversary including a screening of the film at the Renaissance Theatre, a bus tour of certain filming locations, and a cocktail party at the Reformatory. Cast from the film attended some of the events including Gunton, Scott Mann, Renee Blaine, and James Kisicki.[16] As of 2017, Destination Mansfield operates the Shawshank Trail, a series of 15 marked stops around locations related to the film across Mansfield, Ashland, Upper Sandusky, and St. Croix.[57]

text: Lasting reception[edit]

text: Contemporary review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes offers a 91% approval rating from 66 critics, with an average rating of 8.2/10. The consensus reads, "The Shawshank Redemption is an uplifting, deeply satisfying prison drama with sensitive direction and fine performances."[104] The film also has a score of 80 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 20 critics indicating "generally favorable reviews".[105]

text: In 1999, film critic Roger Ebert listed Shawshank on his list of The Great Movies.[85] The film has been nominated for, or appeared on, the American Film Institute's lists celebrating the top 100 film or film-related topics. In 1998, it was nominated for AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies list, and was No. 72 on the 2007 revised list, outranking Forrest Gump (No. 76) and Pulp Fiction (No. 94).[106][107] It was also No. 23 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers (2006) list charting inspiring films.[108] The characters of Andy and Warden Norton received nominations for AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains list;[109] AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes list for "Get busy livin', or get busy dyin'";[110] AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs list for "Duettino – Sull'Aria" (from The Marriage of Figaro);[111] and AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores for Newman's work.[112] In 2005, the Writers Guild of America listed Darabont's screenplay at No. 22 on its list of the 101 Greatest Screenplays,[113] and in 2014, The Shawshank Redemption was named Hollywood's fourth favorite film, based on a survey of 2,120 Hollywood-based entertainment industry members; entertainment lawyers skewed the most towards the film.[114] In 2017, The Daily Telegraph named it the seventeenth-best prison film ever made.[115] The Shawshank Redemption appeared on several lists of the greatest films of the 1990s, by outlets including: Paste and NME (2012),[116][117] Complex (2013),[118] CHUD.com (2014),[119] MSN (2015),[120] TheWrap, Maxim,[121][122] and Rolling Stone (2017).[123]

text: Cultural impact[edit]

text: In November 2014, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences celebrated the film's 20th anniversary with a special one-night screening at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California.[44] In 2015, the film was selected by the United States Library of Congress to be preserved in the National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". Darabont responded: "I can think of no greater honor than for The Shawshank Redemption to be considered part of our country's cinematic legacy."[83] Variety said that the word "Shawshank" could be used to instantly convey images of a prison.[35]

text: Critics have sometimes struggled to define the immense public appreciation for the film.[83] In an interview, Freeman said, "About everywhere you go, people say, 'The Shawshank Redemption—greatest movie I ever saw'" and that such praise "Just comes out of them". Robbins said, "I swear to God, all over the world—all over the world—wherever I go, there are people who say, 'That movie changed my life' ".[9] In a separate interview, Stephen King said, "If that isn't the best [adaptation of my works], it's one of the two or three best, and certainly, in moviegoers' minds, it's probably the best because it generally rates at the top of these surveys they have of movies. ... I never expected anything to happen with it."[124] In a 2014 Variety article, Robbins claimed that South African politician Nelson Mandela told him about his love for the film,[9] while it has been cited as a source of inspiration by several sportsmen including Jonny Wilkinson (UK), Agustín Pichot (Argentina), Al Charron (Canada), and Dan Lyle (USA),[125] and Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York.[126] Gunton said he had encountered fans in Morocco, Australia, South America,[127] Germany, France, and Bora Bora.[36] Director Steven Spielberg said that the film was "a chewing-gum movie—if you step on it, it sticks to your shoe".[38]

text: It has been the number 1 film on IMDb's user-generated Top 250 since 2008, when it surpassed The Godfather, having remained at or near the top since the late 1990s.[9][74] In the United Kingdom, readers of Empire magazine voted the film as the best of the 1990s, the greatest film of all time in 2006, and it placed number four on Empire's 2008 list of "The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time" and their 2017 list of "The 100 Greatest Movies".[21][128][129][130] In March 2011, the film was voted by BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra listeners as their favorite film of all time.[131] It regularly appears on Empire's top 100 films, was named the greatest film to not win the Academy Award for Best Picture in a 2013 poll by Sky UK (it lost to Forrest Gump),[132] and ranked as Britain's favorite film in a 2015 YouGov poll. When the British Film Institute analyzed the demographic breakdown of the YouGov poll, it noted that The Shawshank Redemption was not the top-ranked film in any group, but was the only film to appear in the top 15 of every age group, suggesting it is able to connect with every polled age group, unlike Pulp Fiction which fared better with younger voters, and Gone with the Wind (1939) with older voters.[73] A 2017 poll conducted by Gatwick Airport also identified the film as the fourth-best to watch while in flight.[133] When film critic Mark Kermode interviewed a host of United States moviegoers, they compared it to a "religious experience".[73] It was also voted as New Zealand's favorite film in a 2015 poll.[134]


document_title: The Flash (season 4)

question_text: releasing date of the flash season 4 episode 14

root

text: The Flash (season 4)

text: Episodes[edit]

text:
No.
overall
No. in
season
Title
Directed by
Written by
Original air date
Prod.
code
U.S. viewers
(millions)

70
1
"The Flash Reborn"
Glen Winter
Story by : Andrew Kreisberg
Teleplay by : Todd Helbing & Eric Wallace
October 10, 2017 (2017-10-10)
T27.13401
2.84[2]

Iris has been aiding Team Flash in Central City for six months, but refuses to grieve Barry. A flying samurai with superpowers appears in Central City, threatening to destroy the city if the real Flash does not face him. Cisco reveals he has formulated a way to bring back Barry without destabilizing the Speed Force and tracks down Caitlin for help, but is forbidden by Iris to bring Barry back. Against Iris' orders, Team Flash successfully returns Barry, who rambles random statements and continually writes symbols on the walls. Wally engages the samurai, but is defeated. Cisco deciphers Barry's writings and finds an apparently meaningless sentence. In an attempt to recover Barry's memories, Iris gives herself up to the samurai. The plan works and Barry speeds away, rescuing Iris and defeating the samurai, who is revealed to be an android. Caitlin rejoins Team Flash, but is revealed to have been working for a mobster called Amunet, while also continuing to prevent the Killer Frost personality from emerging. The "Samuroid" is revealed to have been controlled by the Thinker, whose plan was to draw out the Flash for his next schemes.

71
2
"Mixed Signals"
Alexandra La Roche
Jonathan Butler & Gabriel Garza
October 17, 2017 (2017-10-17)
T27.13402
2.54[3]

When Barry, Joe, and Cisco report to a crime scene, they discover remnants of a mysterious code. Cisco presents Barry with a technologically advanced suit, intended to facilitate his activities. He tests it out, trying to save someone from a haywire car controlled by metahuman Ramsey Deacon. Gypsy arrives on Earth-1 for a date with Cisco, who is forced to cancel it so as to focus on Deacon. Acting on a suggestion from Caitlin, Iris signs her and Barry up for couples therapy to sort out their relationship. Deacon kidnaps a witness, a former member of a tech team that stole his idea for profit. Barry and Wally go to save him, but Deacon uses his abilities to send Barry's suit haywire. On Iris' instruction, Barry throws lightning at himself, shorting out his suit. He then incapacitates Deacon, who is locked up in the meta wing of Iron Heights, revealed to be part of the Thinker's plan. Cisco finally goes out with Gypsy. Wondering how Deacon gained his powers being absent during the particle accelerator incident, Barry and Joe learn from Deacon that there are "others."

72
3
"Luck Be a Lady"
Armen V. Kevorkian
Sam Chalsen & Judalina Neira
October 24, 2017 (2017-10-24)
T27.13403
2.62[4]

In flashbacks, the Thinker observes Becky Sharpe, a woman with seemingly unending bad luck, and determines that she will be easily manipulated. In the present, Becky robs a bank, and gets away when Barry slips on marbles. Harry arrives from Earth-2, and tells Wally that Jesse has decided to break up in order to focus on her vigilantism. Cisco deduces that Becky is a metahuman with the power of favorable luck while inducing misfortune to others. Barry realizes that the portal he used to escape the Speed Force exposed an entire busload of people, including Becky and Deacon, to transformative dark matter. Harry informs Cisco that Jesse has expelled him from her crime-fighting team due to his attitude. Becky's powers expand out of control, reactivating the particle accelerator, which Harry deliberately allows, nullifying Becky's powers and leading to her incarceration. Cisco and Harry identify twelve new metahumans created on the bus, and the latter suspects that an unknown party has manipulated events surrounding Barry's return. Wally decides to leave on a journey to find himself. The Thinker is revealed to be spying on S.T.A.R. Labs through the "Samuroid" helmet. Joe learns Cecile is pregnant.

73
4
"Elongated Journey Into Night"
Tom Cavanagh
Sterling Gates & Thomas Pound
October 31, 2017 (2017-10-31)
T27.13404
1.99[5]

Gypsy's father, Breacher, attacks Cisco, vowing to hunt and kill him in 24 hours, allowing the romance should he survive. Team Flash learns that the bus driver was murdered and tracks down another passenger, Ralph Dibny, former corrupt CCPD detective exposed by Barry and currently an infamous private investigator. As two thugs attack Dibny, he is revealed to have the power to stretch. Caitlin stabilizes his powers with a serum. The team learns that Ralph has been blackmailing Mayor Bellows for adultery, with the latter revealed to have hired the thugs. Barry confronts Ralph for his actions while the latter scolds him, claiming to have been a "good cop". He later stops blackmailing Bellows, who still attempts to kill him while Breacher mistakes the former for a Plastoid, the species that invaded Earth-19 previously, and attacks him. Cisco intervenes and saves Ralph, whom Barry, having revealed his alter-ego, convinces to help arrest an escaping Bellows. Admiring Cisco's gallantry, Breacher allows the relationship. Barry recruits Ralph for Team Flash and learns that someone named DeVoe instructed Ralph to watch Bellows. Barry remembers that Abra Kadabra and Savitar both mentioned DeVoe. Meanwhile, Caitlin finds a message on her apartment door.

74
5
"Girls Night Out"
Laura Belsey
Lauren Certo & Kristen Kim
November 7, 2017 (2017-11-07)
T27.13405
2.38[6]

While failing to track DeVoe, Team Flash is visited by Felicity, who joins Iris's bachelorette party. Mocking Cisco's plans for Barry's bachelor party, Ralph takes the men to a strip club, where they learn that Cecile's daughter, Joanie, is working. Joe confronts her, who states she is only doing feminist research. Ralph incites a brawl, leading to the men's arrest until Harry posts bail. Meanwhile, Amunet's enforcer, Norvock, demands Caitlin's return and attacks the women when she refuses. Killer Frost emerges and repels him, later telling Iris that Caitlin accepted Amunet's employment in exchange for the means to control Frost. Learning that Amunet is holding a metahuman she calls "the Weeper", whose tears are a strong narcotic, prisoner and intends to sell him, Iris's party decides to stop her. Though Caitlin refuses to join, she attacks Amunet when seeing her friends in danger. Using a strong magnet, the team robs Amunet's metal shards, leaving her powerless. Iris dissuades Frost from killing Amunet, who promises revenge. Both parties refuse to tell each other about their adventures. Iris asks Caitlin to be her maid of honor while Joe convinces Joanie to tell Cecile about her research. DeVoe captures the Weeper.

75
6
"When Harry Met Harry..."
Brent Crowell
Jonathan Butler & Gabriel Garza
November 14, 2017 (2017-11-14)
T27.13406
2.46[7]

Barry trains Ralph to use his abilities, with Cisco making a stretchable suit for him. Another bus metahuman, a Lakota Sioux Native named Mina Chayton, who can animate statues, starts attacking Central City & stealing pieces of a Black Bison necklace, which she claims belongs to her tribe. When Barry and Ralph catch up to her, she attacks Barry with a caveman statue and attempts a getaway. Ralph chooses to stop her, but a little girl is injured in the process. Ralph regrets his actions, but is comforted by Barry. Chayton escapes CCPD, going after the last necklace piece held at the museum. When Barry and Ralph confront her, she brings a dinosaur skeleton to life. Barry arrests Chayton while Ralph saves a security guard from the skeleton. Later, Ralph reveals he mailed the necklace back to Chayton's tribe, before visiting the little girl in the hospital, using his abilities to entertain her. Meanwhile, Harry, trying to make friends, works with his doppelgangers of alternate Earths, The Council of Wells. They figure out that DeVoe is a man named Clifford DeVoe. Barry and Joe head to DeVoe's house, to find out that he is a middle-aged man in a wheelchair.

76
7
"Therefore I Am"
David McWhirter
Eric Wallace & Thomas Pound
November 21, 2017 (2017-11-21)
T27.13407
2.20[8]

Barry and Joe interrogate DeVoe and his wife to try and get more information. In flashbacks, DeVoe and his wife build a thinking cap to improve his brain capacity, powering it through the particle accelerator explosion. DeVoe's increased brain power accelerates his amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, forcing his wife to build him a special chair to keep him alive. Barry discovers the camera in the Samuroid head and goes to DeVoe's house, narrowly avoiding being caught by DeVoe's wife. Barry later confronts DeVoe, who reveals his true identity, leading to Cisco dubbing him "The Thinker". Wally returns to Team Flash from Blue Valley.

77
8
"Crisis on Earth-X, Part 3"
Dermott Downs
Story by : Andrew Kreisberg & Marc Guggenheim
Teleplay by : Todd Helbing
November 28, 2017 (2017-11-28)
T27.13408
2.82[9]

Barry, Oliver, Sara, Alex, Martin and Jax wake up in a Nazi concentration camp on Earth-X wearing power dampeners. The arriving SS Sturmbannführer is revealed to be the Earth-X doppelgänger of Quentin Lance, who plans to execute them, but they are saved by Citizen Cold (the Earth-X doppelgänger of Leonard Snart) and Ray Terrill. Snart and Terrill take them to the headquarters of the Freedom Fighters, where the team meets the resistance movement's leader, General Schott (Winn Schott's Earth-X doppelgänger). They learn that the only way back to Earth-1 is through a temporal gateway in a research facility, which Schott plans to blow up to strand Dark Arrow (Oliver's Earth-X doppelgänger) on Earth-1. Oliver disguises himself as Dark Arrow to infiltrate the facility and discovers the Nazi doomsday device against parallel Earths is a militarized timeship called Wellenreiter. Barry and Ray battle the Freedom Fighters' Red Tornado to stop it from destroying the gateway while the rest of the team enters the facility to reactivate its portal, during which Stein is shot and gravely wounded. On Earth-1, Thawne prepares to perform surgery on Kara to save Overgirl. Felicity and Iris try to stop him, but are captured.

This episode continues a crossover event that begins on Supergirl season 3 episode 8 and Arrow season 6 episode 8, and concludes on Legends of Tomorrow season 3 episode 8.

78
9
"Don't Run"
Stefan Pleszczynski
Sam Chalsen & Judalina Neira
December 5, 2017 (2017-12-05)
T27.13409
2.22[10]

While out Christmas shopping, Barry is ambushed and kidnapped by DeVoe while Caitlin is kidnapped from Jitters by Amunet. Iris claims they have to look for both of them, despite Harry's claim that they have insufficient time and resources and that they can only afford to search for one. Barry is held in DeVoe's lair. Caitlin is forced by Amunet to perform surgery on a metahuman named Dominic Lanse, who can read minds. They try to escape, but Amunet blocks their exit. Caitlin manages to briefly incapacitate Amunet, and she and Dominic flee the building they are being held in. Once outside, they are rescued by Cisco and Ralph, as Iris has chosen to focus on finding Caitlin. Barry manages to escape from DeVoe. Team Flash celebrates Christmas at the West house and Dominic joins them. Barry gets a security alert from his apartment. When he arrives, he receives a phone call from Dominic, who reveals that Amunet re-kidnapped Dominic and DeVoe has transferred his consciousness into Dominic's body. Barry discovers DeVoe's original body dead on his apartment floor and he realizes DeVoe has framed him for his "murder"; the police arrive, and Barry lets himself get arrested, not wanting to leave Iris again.

79
10
"The Trial of The Flash"
Philip Chipera
Lauren Certo & Kristen Kim
January 16, 2018 (2018-01-16)
T27.13410
2.51[11]

Barry stands trial for the murder of Clifford DeVoe, with Cecile representing him. Cisco and Joe have to leave during the trial for a meta investigation, in which a meta caused people to collapse. Singh reveals to Joe he is appearing as a witness for the prosecution against Barry. The meta is eventually discovered as Neil Borman, who is a meta who produces radiation, which is causing the illness and collapsing. Barry takes him on, but is ill equipped to deal with the situation. Cisco and Killer Frost travel to the scene where Caitlin tries to freeze Borman, who quickly defrosts and incapacitates Caitlin. Barry creates a vacuum seal around Borman to contain the radiation, with Cisco transporting the radiation to the dead Earth-15, draining the meta and defeating him. Barry is eventually found guilty by the jury and is sentenced to life in prison.

80
11
"The Elongated Knight Rises"
Alexandra La Roche
Sterling Gates & Thomas Pound
January 23, 2018 (2018-01-23)
T27.13411
2.12[12]

Barry uses his speed to secretly help the guards contain the other inmates during a prison riot. He also befriends Dave Ratchet, his father's former cellmate. The next day, Barry meets Axel Walker who was later broken out of prison by his mother Zoey Clark, his father's one-time partner Prank. Axel challenges Ralph by threatening to cause chaos in the city. Ralph attempts to stop him but is wounded by Axel and is evacuated by Cisco. Ralph sneaks into the prison to talk to Barry about how scared he is. Barry reassures him that being a hero isn't about not being scared, but about having the ability to rise above your fear. Cisco and Caitlin go to rescue the hostages, but get captured by Axel and Zoey, who intend to kill them. Ralph arrives, and attempts to shield the two from an acid shower, until Wells manages to hack into the shower system to neutralize its acidity. Iris visits Barry in prison, where they reaffirm their love for each other. Ralph and Cisco go to get coffee, where they meet the excitable girl from the wedding. The girl writes in her journal, where she appears to be writing in the language Barry was using when he came out of the Speed Force.

81
12
"Honey, I Shrunk Team Flash"
Chris Peppe
Sam Chalsen & Judalina Neira
January 30, 2018 (2018-01-30)
T27.13412
2.60[13]

Cecile develops telepathic abilities as a result of her pregnancy, combined with dormant dark matter in her cells, which Caitlin assures her should be temporary. In prison, Barry learns that Ratchet is innocent of a robbery-homicide that was actually committed by Sylbert Rundine fifteen years prior. Barry asks the team to look into the case. Rundine turns out to be a bus meta with the ability to shrink and enlarge objects, and he shrinks Cisco and Ralph while escaping. Harry's attempted cure backfires, and Caitlin determines that if they are not re-enlarged within a certain period of time, their bodies will explode. The team confronts Rundine at a warehouse, where Harry tricks him into re-enlarging Ralph and Cisco. Rundine is arrested, but refuses to confess to the earlier crime. Barry gathers that even if Ratchet went free, he would be as unhappy in the city as he is in prison; he wishes to live in a secluded Chinese village called Jiaju, but fears he will never get there. After Joe assures him that he will always do his best, Barry uses his speed to take Ratchet to Jiaju, where he can live out his dream. After discovering Barry is the Flash, the prison's warden, Gregory Wolfe, locks Barry in his private metahuman wing, intending to sell him to Amunet.

82
13
"True Colors"
Tara Nicole Weyr
Jonathan Butler & Gabriel Garza
February 6, 2018 (2018-02-06)
T27.13413
2.28[14]

Wolfe plans to sell Barry and the imprisoned bus metas (Ramsey Deacon, Becky Sharpe, Mina Chaytan, and Sylbert Rundine) to Amunet, so they plan to escape. Cecile discovers Wolfe's plans after reading his mind. Ralph encounters a former colleague and his negative interaction with him prompts the discovery that he can shapeshift. His lack of mastery of the new ability prevents his attempt to foil Amunet's deal with Wolfe. Barry helps the metas escape the power dampeners, but they are cornered by Wolfe and Amunet. DeVoe arrives and again uses his chair to extract the metas' abilities, before transferring his mind into Sharpe's body. He then crushes Wolfe's skull as Marlize looks on in horror; Amunet flees. Ralph uses his shapeshifting ability to appear as the original DeVoe at Barry's appeal, claiming that he was unconscious at Barry's loft but not dead, which clears Barry's name. Team Flash realizes that DeVoe is only stealing powers from metahumans who were on the bus when the dark matter wave was unleashed, which means he will likely target Ralph as well. Back at the DeVoes' house, their marriage continues to deteriorate, and DeVoe drugs his wife with the Weeper's tears to maintain her devotion towards him.

83
14
"Subject 9"
Ralph Hemecker
Mike Alber & Gabe Snyder
February 27, 2018 (2018-02-27)
T27.13414
2.12[15]

Barry is put on indefinite leave at the CCPD due to his connection with the DeVoe case. The team encounter another bus metahuman named Izzy with sound wave abilities, amplified by her violin. She manages to use her abilities when DeVoe (inside Sharpe's body) comes to claim her. Barry and Ralph help to train Izzy to refine her abilities, which proves difficult when she gets hurt. Eventually DeVoe shows up once again, using Dominic's and Becky's abilities to make Barry experience a brain aneurysm, while using Rundine's abilities to incapacitate Ralph. DeVoe then once again uses the chair to transfer his mind into Izzy's body and escapes. Both Ralph and Barry comfort each other over their respective losses: Barry being let go from the police force and Ralph losing Izzy to DeVoe. These losses enforce both Barry's and Ralph's determination to bring DeVoe down and save the three remaining metas.

84
15
"Enter Flashtime"
Gregory Smith
Todd Helbing & Sterling Gates
March 6, 2018 (2018-03-06)
T27.13415
2.04[16]

Jesse comes to Earth-1 to have a talk with her dad. Eco-terrorist Veronica Dale sets off a nuclear bomb, which Barry tries to stop, entering a form of superspeed known as Flashtime, where everything is frozen. However, the bomb has already detonated, and he and Jesse cannot stop it or save everyone with superspeed. Jay Garrick comes from Earth-3 to help, but they are still unable to stop it. Barry remains in Flashtime for hours, bringing each of his friends into it, in an attempt to find a solution; they discuss options such as freezing it or sending it to another Earth, but none of those solutions prove to be viable. Eventually, Iris gives him the idea to retrieve the Quark Sphere from the Speed Force to send a blast lightning through the bomb, enough to disable it. Barry does so, and throws the Sphere back into the Speed Force, saving Central City. Jay admits he is retiring and going to train a new "female" speedster. Jesse and Jay return to their Earths, and Caitlin and Wells go for a coffee, where they encounter the mysterious girl.

85
16
"Run, Iris, Run"
Harry Jierjian
Eric Wallace
March 13, 2018 (2018-03-13)
T27.13416
2.09[17]

A metahuman with fire powers tries to rob Central City bank. Another bus meta named Matthew Kim touches the metahuman, which causes his powers to transfer to another individual. When Joe, Iris and Barry turn up to ask Kim a few questions, Barry and Iris come into contact with Kim, causing Barry to lose his speed and Iris to gain superspeed. Inspired by Thawne, Harry plans to build his own thinking cap to outwit DeVoe. With their roles reversed, Iris becomes Central City's hero speedster, while Barry must learn to act as team leader. The new metahuman demands money and terrorizes the city with his fire powers. Using Wells' thinking cap, the Team comes up with the idea for Iris to create a tidal wave, negating the flames and defeating the meta. Back at S.T.A.R. Labs, Kim touches Iris and Barry again, restoring the Flash's speed. At home, Iris admits that while she did enjoy having superspeed, Central City needs the light that Barry was, and she is happy being team leader. Wells uses his thinking cap once more, determining the final two bus metas are Janet Petty and Edwin Gauss.

86
17
"Null and Annoyed"[18]
Kevin Smith
Lauren Certo & Kristen Kim
April 10, 2018 (2018-04-10)
TBA
TBD

87
18
"Lose Yourself"[19]
Hanelle Culpepper
Jonathan Butler & Gabriel Garza
April 17, 2018 (2018-04-17)
TBA
TBD

88
19
"Fury Rogue"[20]
Rachel Talalay
Joshua V. Gilbert & Jeff Hersh
April 24, 2018 (2018-04-24)
TBA
TBD

tag: table

text: Cast and characters[edit]

text: Main[edit]

text:
Grant Gustin as Barry Allen / Flash[21]
Candice Patton as Iris West[21]
Danielle Panabaker as Caitlin Snow / Killer Frost[22]
Carlos Valdes as Cisco Ramon / Vibe[21]
Keiynan Lonsdale as Wally West / Kid Flash[21]
Neil Sandilands as Clifford DeVoe / Thinker[23]
Tom Cavanagh as Harrison "Harry" Wells[21]
Jesse L. Martin as Joe West[21]

tag: ul

text: Recurring[edit]

text:
Danielle Nicolet as Cecile Horton[24]
Kim Engelbrecht as Marlize DeVoe / Mechanic[23]
Jessica Camacho as Cynthia / Gypsy[25][26]
Patrick Sabongui as David Singh[27]
Richard Brooks as Gregory Wolfe[28]
Hartley Sawyer as Ralph Dibny / Elongated Man[29]
Katee Sackhoff as Amunet Black / Blacksmith[30]
Sugar Lyn Beard as Rebecca Sharpe / Hazard[31] and Clifford DeVoe / Thinker
Kendrick Sampson as Dominic Lanse / Brainstorm[32] and Clifford DeVoe / Thinker

text: Guest[edit]

text:
Britne Oldford as Shawna Baez / Peek-a-Boo[33]
Mark Sweatman as Norvok[34]
Dominic Burgess as Ramsey Deacon / Kilg%re[35]
Donna Pescow as Sharon Finkle
Chelsea Kurtz as Mina Chayton / Black Bison[36]
Violett Beane as Jesse Chambers Wells / Jesse Quick[37]
Danny Trejo as Josh / Breacher[23][26]
Vito D'Ambrosio as Anthony Bellows
Emily Bett Rickards as Felicity Smoak[30]
Riley Jade Berglund as Joanie[38]
Matt Afonso as Weeper[39]
Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen / Green Arrow and Dark Arrow[40]
Victor Garber as Martin Stein / Firestorm[40]
Caity Lotz as Sara Lance / White Canary[40]
Chyler Leigh as Alex Danvers[40]
Franz Drameh as Jefferson Jackson / Firestorm[40]
Paul Blackthorne as Quentin Lance / Sturmbannführer
Jeremy Jordan as General Schott[40]
Juliana Harkavy as Dinah Drake / Black Canary
Melissa Benoist as Kara Zor-El / Kara Danvers / Supergirl and Overgirl[40]
Wentworth Miller as Leonard Snart / Citizen Cold[41]
Russell Tovey as Ray Terrill / The Ray[40]
Frederick Schmidt voices Metallo-X
Mark Valley as Anton Slater[42]
Devon Graye as Axel Walker / Trickster[43]
Corinne Bohrer as Zoey Clark / Prank[43]
Bill Goldberg as Dave Ratchet / Big Sir[43]
Derek Mears as Sylbert Rundine / Dwarfstar[44]
Miranda MacDougall as Izzy Bowin / Fiddler[45] and Clifford DeVoe / Thinker
John Wesley Shipp as Jay Garrick[46]
Leonardo Nam as Matthew Kim / Melting Point[47]
Max Adler as Jaco Birch / Pyro[48]
Anne Dudek as Tracy Brand[49]

text: Production[edit]

text: Development[edit]

text: The series was renewed for a fourth season on January 8, 2017,[50] earlier than usual for the series. Executive producer Andrew Kreisberg said on this, "The great thing about our dear friends at The CW and Mark Pedowitz picking the shows up as early as they did has allowed us to start building the schedules for next season."[51] In May 2017, it was announced that Aaron Helbing would not return as an executive producer for season four, with only Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, Sarah Schechter, and Todd Helbing returning from previous seasons.[52] Todd Helbing and Kreisberg were slated to serve as the season's showrunners.[53][54] In November 2017, Kreisberg was suspended from his role as executive producer and showrunner on The Flash over allegations of sexual harassment.[55][56] By the end of the month, he had been fired, with his name eventually being removed from the credits from all shows he worked on. In addition, Berlanti would take additional responsibilities working with Helbing to co-showrun the season.[57]

tag: p

text: Writing[edit]

text:
The way I see it is, time is non-linear and everything is happening at once in the Speed Force. In some ways he's had an awakening and he's had a rebirth. Our first episode is called 'Reborn,' and it is a rebirth for Barry, but he's kind of scrambled, too, because he's experienced so much so quick over the course of six months, even though for him it was an eternity. He's not Barry when we see him for the first time.

—Grant Gustin on the rebirth of Barry in season four.[58]

tag: div

text: In March 2017, Kreisberg confirmed that the main villain for the fourth season would not be a speedster, like the previous three seasons.[59] Executive producers Aaron and Todd Helbing also mentioned that there would be less time travel in the season, with Aaron saying, "We like playing with the timelines and the different time periods and future and past. For now, I think we're going to focus on the present."[60] In June 2017, Clifford DeVoe / Thinker was reported to be the main antagonist of the season. He was first hinted in the third season episode "Abra Kadabra" when the titular villain mentions him among the Flash's greatest enemies, and again in the season finale "Finish Line" when Savitar mentions facing DeVoe but states that the Flash has not dealt with him yet.[61] At the series' San Diego Comic-Con panel, the speculation was confirmed, with Todd Helbing saying, "With three Speedsters in a row, this year it's the fastest man alive against the fastest mind alive."[24] He added that the writers were "making a conscious effort this year to get the fun quotient back up".[62]

text: Regarding the possibility of Wally West taking on the mantle of the Flash in Barry's absence, Keiynan Lonsdale said that "It's not something that's on my radar. I feel as though there is so much story to tell and Wally has so much growing to do... We need to see how these character realistically get to where they are headed for."[63] With the action picking up six months after season three, Kid Flash and Vibe are left to protect Central City, with Carlos Valdes saying "the team is sort of clutching at straws to keep the city together,... there is a unanimous feeling amongst the remaining members that it's just not the same without Barry... So in light of that, Cisco does whatever it takes to get his friends back."[64] Valdes also confirmed the return of Cisco's more lighthearted joking manner.[64] Candice Patton explained Iris West's larger role within Team Flash as "a way of distracting herself,"[64] adding that "[Iris] is forced to deal with that anger and resentment and abandonment by kind of focusing on protecting Central City... We're seeing a very different Iris, almost a very hardened Iris."[65] Kreisberg also hinted at some major growth for Iris this season, and noted that "the season premiere is all about Iris and Cisco, not Barry".[66]

text: In July 2017, Sterling Gates, DC Comics comic book writer, joined as a member of the fourth season's writing staff.[67] At the Television Critics Association press tour in August 2017, Pedowitz stated that the fourth season of The Flash is "going to try to find the lightness... of the Barry Allen of the first two seasons,"[68] and said that the show was likely "done with Speedster villains".[69] Later in the month, Kreisberg confirmed the return of Harry Wells from Earth-2, saying that "season 4 for Harry is really realizing what he's missing in his life and what it is he needs to become a better, more complete person, and so he's going to be going on a fairly epic emotional journey this season that is tied to the Thinker's plan," in addition to confirming the introduction of a new version of the Wells character.[70]

text: In September 2017, Helbing noted "There's a lot of love in the air this season," and compared Barry and Iris' reunion to "somebody going off to war for six months and coming back. There's a lot that Iris experienced that Barry didn't when he was gone, and it's really [about] the fun and the emotional component of making up that time when they weren't together." Helbing also explained that the Speed Force "let [Barry] deal with all of the baggage [from the past three seasons]. When he comes out, he's sort of left that all behind."[71] That month, Kreisberg also confirmed that Barry and Iris will be getting married this season,[72] while also revealing that the pair will be going to couples therapy since "[they] keep comically clashing inadvertently because [both are] used to being in charge, and so they wind up going... to work through it." He added, "The two of them with the therapist is some of the funniest stuff we have ever done on this show, but it also leads to a deepening of their relationship."[73]

text: Casting[edit]

text: Main cast members Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Danielle Panabaker, Carlos Valdes, Keiynan Lonsdale, Tom Cavanagh, and Jesse L. Martin return from previous seasons as Barry Allen / The Flash, Iris West, Caitlin Snow / Killer Frost, Cisco Ramon / Vibe, Wally West / Kid Flash, Harrison Wells, and Joe West, respectively.[21] Cavanagh will portray Harry Wells from Earth-2 at the start of the season, without ruling out the possibility of introducing another incarnation of the Wells character later on.[64] Teasing the arrival of a new Harrison Wells, Cavanagh said, "We're going to start with Harry and then find a way, I think, to try and get a different version of Wells in there, be it some version of Harry or whatnot as the season's gaps present themselves."[74] Also returning from earlier in the series are Jessica Camacho as Gypsy,[25] and Anne Dudek as Tracy Brand.[49] It was revealed that Tom Felton, who joined the cast as Julian Albert in the third season, would not be a series regular in the fourth season, and that there were no plans for him to appear.[75] Julian's absence will be addressed "pretty quickly — there's a reason why he's no longer with the team," said Helbing.[76] In the season premiere, it is revealed that Julian has returned to London.[77] Kreisberg also confirmed that he had put on hold the planned return of Violett Beane as Jesse Quick due to the high number of speedsters on the show, but did not rule out a possible return in the future.[78] Beane eventually appeared as Jesse on the episode "Luck Be a Lady".[37] Britne Oldford, who previously appeared as Shawna Baez / Peek-a-Boo in the first season and the web series The Chronicles of Cisco, reprised her role in the season premiere.[33]

text: In July 2017, Neil Sandilands was announced to be cast as Clifford DeVoe, a metahuman genius who embarks on a seasonlong battle with the Flash in order to fix all that he deems wrong with humanity; while Kim Engelbrecht was announced as The Mechanic, Devoe's right hand and a highly intelligent engineer who designs devices for him; and Danny Trejo as Breacher, a bounty hunter from Earth-19 and the father of Gypsy.[23] Also in June, the series was looking to cast a role that "should put the visual effects department to the test",[79] with the role later revealed to be Ralph Dibny / Elongated Man, a metahuman with the ability to stretch his body to superhuman lengths and sizes.[80] Hartley Sawyer was cast in the recurring role that July as the fast-talking private investigator who after discovering his abilities will help Team Flash solve one of Central City's greatest mysteries.[29] The character was previously mentioned in the first season, as one of the fourteen people who seemingly died as a result of the particle accelerator explosion.[81] The next month, Katee Sackhoff was announced in the recurring role of Amunet Black / Blacksmith, who operates an underground black market of metahuman supervillains.[30]

text: Filming[edit]

text: Filming for the season began on July 4, 2017,[82] in Vancouver, British Columbia, and is set to conclude on April 21, 2018.[83] Kevin Smith will return to direct an episode in January 2018.[84]

text: Music[edit]

text: In August 2017, series composer Blake Neely and Nathaniel Blume began to compose the music for the fourth season.[85]

text: Arrowverse tie-ins[edit]

text: In May 2017, The CW president Mark Pedowitz officially announced plans for a four-show Arrowverse crossover event, crossing over episodes of the television series Supergirl, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Arrow.[86] The crossover, Crisis on Earth-X, began with Supergirl and a special airing of Arrow on November 27, 2017, and concluded on The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow on November 28.[87] In August 2017, Berlanti noted that it would be "a big life event for a few different people" that would bring them all together for the crossover, adding "There are many life events that happen."[88] Prior to that, Arrow actress Emily Bett Rickards appears as Felicity Smoak in the fifth episode of the season.[30]

text: Release[edit]

text: Broadcast[edit]

text: The season began airing on October 10, 2017, on The CW in the United States,[89] and on CTV in Canada.[90] Sky One acquired the rights to air the season in the UK & Ireland, airing it alongside the other Arrowverse shows. The season premiered October 17.[91][92]

text: Marketing[edit]

text: In July 2017, cast from the series appeared at San Diego Comic-Con International to promote the season, where exclusive footage was shown.[93] During the panel, a trailer for the season was shown, with James Whitbrook at io9 feeling that despite the "grim" tone, there was "some fun signs of the team coming together to protect the city without [Barry],... Sprinkle in a few wacky things, like, say a goddamn Samuroid ripped straight from the comics, and ladies and gents, you've got a good season of The Flash lined up."[94] Ben Pearson with /Film felt seeing Iris West deal with the absence of Barry was "a nice change of pace for that character", but anticipated that "Barry [would] be back two or three episodes in at the latest."[95] Collider.com's Allison Keene also noted Iris "getting an actual storyline" with Barry gone, and similarly presumed that he "[would] be back in the fold by the end of the first episode" alike to Flashpoint in the third season. She added, "There are some new foes, lots of action, plenty of tech — it's great!"[96]

text: Reception[edit]

text: Ratings[edit]

text:
No.
Title
Air date
Rating/share
(18–49)
Viewers
(millions)
DVR
(18–49)
DVR viewers
(millions)
Total
(18–49)
Total viewers
(millions)

1
"The Flash Reborn"
October 10, 2017
1.1/4
2.84[2]
0.7
1.92
1.8
4.77[97]

2
"Mixed Signals"
October 17, 2017
0.9/4
2.54[3]
0.8
1.82
1.7
4.36[98]

3
"Luck Be a Lady"
October 24, 2017
1.0/4
2.62[4]
0.8
1.84
1.8
4.46[99]

4
"Elongated Journey Into Night"
October 31, 2017
0.7/3
1.99[5]
0.7
1.79
1.4
3.79[100]

5
"Girls Night Out"
November 7, 2017
0.9/4
2.38[6]
0.8
1.84
1.7
4.22[101]

6
"When Harry Met Harry..."
November 14, 2017
1.0/4
2.46[7]
0.7
1.83
1.7
4.29[102]

7
"Therefore I Am"
November 21, 2017
0.8/3
2.20[8]
0.8
2.08
1.6
4.28[103]

8
"Crisis on Earth-X, Part 3"
November 28, 2017
1.0/4
2.82[9]
0.7
1.83
1.7
4.64[104]

9
"Don't Run"
December 5, 2017
0.8/3
2.22[10]
0.6
1.45
1.4
3.67[105]

10
"The Trial of The Flash"
January 16, 2018
0.8/3
2.51[11]
0.7
1.55
1.5
4.06[106]

11
"The Elongated Knight Rises"
January 23, 2018
0.7/3
2.12[12]
0.7
1.69
1.4
3.81[107]

12
"Honey, I Shrunk Team Flash"
January 30, 2018
0.9/3
2.60[13]
0.8
1.84
1.7
4.43[108]

13
"True Colors"
February 6, 2018
0.8/3
2.28[14]
0.9
2.00
1.7
4.28[109]

14
"Subject 9"
February 27, 2018
0.7/3
2.12[15]
0.8
1.86
1.5
3.98[110]

15
"Enter Flashtime"
March 6, 2018
0.7/3
2.04[16]
0.8
1.83
1.5
3.87[111]

16
"Run, Iris, Run"
March 13, 2018
0.7/3
2.09[17]
0.7
1.58
1.4
3.67[112]

text: Critical response[edit]

text: The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 7.36/10 based on 14 reviews. The website's consensus reads, "After an unsteady turn in season three, The Flash returns to its roots with a fourth season packed with humor, spectacle, and a whole lot of heart."[113]

text: Reviewing the first two episodes of the season, Allison Keene writing for Collider.com, felt the premiere "wipes the slate clean, fixing a lot of the issues that plagued the end of the last season, and setting up a much more toned-down storyline. Most importantly, it's brought back some fun." She added that with a "streamlined team," the core characters now have time to interact and have meaningful plot lines. On the second episode, Keene described it as "truly a delight" with the show taking "the time to focus on character relationships, and not just romantic relationships" and each character "feeling like a refreshed version of themselves, with new narrative purpose". She also highlighted the setup of the Thinker "as an Alchemy-like villain who manipulates evil metas into the Flash's path as part of some kind of masterplan", saying "The Flash is a series that truly works best as a procedural, with the team finding creative ways to bring down Villains of the Week."[114]

text: Accolades[edit]

text:
Year
Award
Category
Nominee(s)
Result
Ref.

2018
Kids' Choice Awards
Favorite TV Actor
Grant Gustin
Nominated
[115]

Favorite TV Show
The Flash
Nominated

Saturn Awards
Best Guest-Starring Performance on Television
Hartley Sawyer
Pending
[116]

Best Superhero Television Series
The Flash
Pending

Best Supporting Actress on a Television Series
Candice Patton
Pending