Amac Productions

This episode is crazy!

However, it does make perfect sense to have the highest rating on IMDB because it is an excellent episode. It is not my favorite episode, but it truly a well-done episode.

I actually remember watching this episode when it premiered. I do remember thinking it to be an odd episode because it was setting up for the time travel at the end.

Thus, it specifically showed us details that would be obvious later on.

Like Barry’s stop in the middle of the street at the beginning as a perfect set-up for the end for when he time travels back to the same place. Or Captain Singh pointing out that his fiancée just bought him this coat. Caitlin using the correct term for brain freeze. It did make the episode odd on the first watch but makes total sense now knowing what’s coming.

It’s also one of those episodes that because we have time travel, we can get away with things we wouldn’t normally do to our main characters.

Address the Barry and Iris issue without actually breaking her and Eddie up.

Linda can realize there’s something between them and confront Iris with no real consequences.

The characters get their first real glimpse that Wells isn’t who he says he is.

Cisco can die.

Iris and Barry can kiss.

Caitlin can find out that Wells can walk.

Joe can get his ass handed to him. The beating and all the broken bones to go with it, because we won’t have to sideline him beyond this episode.

Captain Singh can be paralyzed and unable to walk anymore.

All of these horrible things can happen because the stakes don’t really exist in a world we’re going to erase. The recklessness of this episode was definitely felt on the first watch through because I couldn’t believe how heavy-handed they were being.

Upon arriving at the end of the episode, it all made sense.

However, here’s the amazing thing about this episode. Despite having no stakes and cutting loose, all the actions the characters take still feel very grounded in who they are as people.

In the real timeline, it does take a lot for Iris to admit there’s more to her feelings for Barry than just good friendship.

Despite suspecting there’s something going on between them, Eddie is still at their side trying to find Joe every chance he can get. Not because he wants Iris to love him or pick him, he’s simply doing the right thing.

Just as he does at the end of his life.

Joe tries his best to listen and stay safely tucked in the station, except Martin comes looking for him there. And Captain Singh – a man he deeply respects – is injured trying to protect him from that monster. So much so, he may never walk again, never mind be a police officer.

Cisco is as brilliant as always, discovering the truth about Wells.

Caitlin is horrible at distracting Wells as she would always be.

The characters are still themselves as they make choices.

Honestly, I think the only one really out of place was Eobard Thawne killing Cisco. It revealed him to Caitlin by rushing off to kill him which does not solve his problem. If he had only killed Cisco, he could have maintained his cover with the other two. Except now, Caitlin was able to rush away and speak to Barry.

Sure, she conveniently did not have enough time to tell him the truth about Wells but there was no way to predict how that day was going to end.

Wells couldn’t have known he was going to get a do over.

I think that’s the only real action that doesn’t make sense to me. Unless he suspected Barry might time travel based on what he told him earlier about what he saw while running. Maybe he knew the day wouldn’t matter and Barry was getting faster.

Still, why risk letting Caitlin tell Barry beforehand?

Anyway!

Overall, I do really love this episode and while it is not my favorite nor the one I saw coming for this series – it still holds up all these years later.

Barry and Iris are still adorable together and totally clueless about their future together.

It’s so weird to me, to go back after all these years and watch a season where they’re not in love and married. Like oh, right, yeah. This was a thing.

Eddie thought they’d be together forever kind of thing.

It took nearly dying and her father being kidnapped for her to reveal to Barry that she did have feelings for him.

It took all this for Barry to finally break his deal with Joe and just tell Iris the truth. Because that was a whole thing that season about not telling her, but we could tell everyone else.

I mean, even in later seasons Barry is constantly just telling people who he is. Or they figure it out, like Captain Singh and Iris. It’s a wonder the whole damn city doesn’t know.

Even several enemies know.

This is the worst kept secret in Central City.

Also, just for my happiness and joy, I had forgotten that this was the same episode we meet Singh’s fiancée and the little moment he shares with Joe and Barry. I loved this scene then, despite the heavy-handedness because it was perfect regardless.

Barry and Joe and the show made no big deal about the fact that he was engaged to a man. It was simply fact.

When someone challenged that fact, they addressed it swiftly.

He is family.

Plain and simple.

I love that. Those moments are the kind of things I live for. A nice quiet moment of calm acceptance.

Because then he’s allowed in the room without fuss. Like oh yes, sorry we didn’t know. Come right in and sit with him where you belong. Love it.

Mark Mardon is a perfect villain for this kind of episode. Just powerful enough and vengeful enough to be a real threat but also enough in the background to let the characters do what they need to do.

For example, Barry comes to a realization in the next episode that he cannot be with Linda because he has feelings for Iris that haven’t gone away. It’s not fair to her.

Meanwhile, nothing has jarred those feelings loose next episode because Barry undoes everything. Therefore, she’s not ready to admit them to anyone. Not even herself.

We get character growth and regression that make perfect sense.

Everything ties together neatly with some very nice storytelling.

Fitting Mark Mardon into the story without making it feel annoying that he’s showed up now after all this time. His vengeance clear and precise as he just goes for it.

Eddie is feed up with feeling like a third wheel and talks to Iris about it.

He doesn’t lose his mind or go off in a jealous rage. He simply states that he feels like something has changed between them and he’s not comfortable with it.

Caitlin and Cisco work together to try understand why the plan failed with The Man in Yellow and make a shocking discovery.

Everyone has their part to play in the day. Everyone gets a little something to do. Something to be undone or twisted into something new in the next episode.

I really enjoyed this episode and can easily see why it’s got such a high rating.

Do you agree with the rating for this episode? Or do you think another one should be at number one?

Also, could someone explain to me why the high rated episodes I’ve reviewed so far, both involve time travel?

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