The Flash at 12: The highs, lows and beautiful mess of the CW series

The CW series The Flash, centered around the world's fastest man, ran for nine seasons and 184 episodes before concluding on May 24, 2023. Initially, the show was praised as appointment TV, with seasons 1 through 3 (or 4) garnering high viewership. However, ratings dropped significantly in later seasons, culminating in a mere 430,000 viewers during the four-part series finale.

The show's high points included the shocking reveal of Wells as Eobard Thawne in Season 1, the emotionally charged finale of Barry choosing not to save his mother in "Fast Enough," and the musical crossover with Supergirl in "Duet" of Season 3. Additionally, the season 4 episode "Enter Flashtime," where the team battles time itself, was highly regarded by critics.

Conversely, the show's low points involved Barry attempting to fix his timeline through time travel in Season 3, the revelation that Savitar is a time remnant of Barry himself, and the confusing and underwhelming arc involving Iris in a mirror during Season 6. Other issues included the overcomplicated "The Forces" arc in Season 7 and the rushed, poorly executed finale fight in Season 9.

Season 4 is considered a fault line in the series, as it marked significant changes behind the scenes, including the departure of key co-showrunners and creators. This shift led to differing opinions among fans about the show's trajectory, with some attributing the decline to these changes and others appreciating the fresh direction.