In ‘The Flash’ recap, Barry and Kara are transported into a wacky Broadway nightmare courtesy of the Music Meister and they have to sing their way out…
By Damon Martin — Editor/Lead Writer
With a cast of actors and actresses with a rich history in singing it was only a matter of time before ‘The Flash’ finally presented a musical episode and Tuesday night finally delivered the goods.
The episode titled ‘Duet’ featured a crossover between ‘The Flash’ and ‘Supergirl’, which teamed up former ‘Glee’ stars Grant Gustin and Melissa Benoist as well as fellow alum Darren Criss, who played the villainous Music Meister.
But the two lead stars weren’t the only ones to show off their musical chops because this cast and crew had a bevy of talented people not to mention a few extra additions courtesy of DC’s ‘Legends of Tomorrow’ as well.
All told, ‘The Flash’ presented a fun, original episode that will probably rank No. 2 in terms of television musicals behind the all time classic from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” titled “Once More with Feeling”.
Kudos to the executive producers behind ‘The Flash’ for coming up with such an intriguing way to do a musical with a wide variety of song choices including two new originals written by the team behind the tracks in the Oscar winning film “La La Land”.
It’s also really evident after a third team-up that Barry Allen and Kara Danvers are a fantastic one-two combination and hopefully the on screen chemistry between that dynamic due will lead to even more crossovers between ‘The Flash’ and ‘Supergirl’.
Perhaps even more will be possible after my theory about a ‘Crisis on Infinite Earth’ storyline unfolding during the next season of ‘The Flash’ comes together. But for now just enjoy this latest episode as we recap ‘The Flash’ titled ‘Duet’…
Put a Little Love In Your Heart
As Barry laments about his fractured relationship with Iris while living at Cisco’s apartment, they soon get alerter to a breach opening up at STAR Labs. When the arrive, Team Flash finds three visitors from Earth-38 including J’onn J’onnz and Mon-El carrying a comatose Supergirl.
They tell the team about the prisoner who escaped custody that somehow put Kara in this condition before leaping through a breach and declaring he was going after the fastest man alive. That means this villain has landed on Earth-One and the home of the Flash.
It doesn’t take long to find the bad guy when he shows up in the middle of STAR Labs looking for Barry. A very brief fight ensues but it soon ends when the mysterious new villain hits Barry with the same hypnotism that puts him into a coma right alongside Supergirl. A second later, he disappears and the team is left clueless on how to save their friends.
Meanwhile, Barry wakes up a second later inside a 1930’s style nightclub where he sees Kara on stage performing ‘Moon River’ to a very delighted crowd. When she finishes her number, Barry meets up with her and they soon realize a few things. They both went up against this Music Meister and he put each of them into this strange comatose trance. It can’t be a dream because they are both in the same place at the same time. To make matters worse, neither of them have their powers.
Before long, Barry and Kara start running into some familiar faces including Cisco and Winn, who both work at the nightclub but they have much different names and occupations.
Finally, the Music Meister shows up and lays out the challenge ahead of our two heroes. Barry and Kara must follow the script of this musical world they’ve created and once they reach the end of the story, they can return home. According to the Music Meister, this world was created by Barry and Kara so that’s why they will now have to sing for their supper if they want to get out of here alive.
That’s a crucial point because if Kara or Barry die in here, they’re dead on the other side as well.
The Music Meister then pulls Winn, Cisco and the rest of the nightclub crowd into a number of “Put a Little Love In Your Heart” while encouraging Barry and Kara to do the same while they search for an end to this story so they can escape.
West Side Story
Barry and Kara quickly figure out the story when they get kidnapped by a pair of gangsters — alternate versions of Joe West and Dr. Martin Stein — who inform them that their daughter Millie has gone missing and she was last seen in a club belonging to their rival Cutter Moran (Malcolm Merlyn). They task Barry and Kara to finding her since they both work for him in his nightclub.
The duo agrees and quickly goes on a search to find the missing girl.
With some help from alternate-Cisco, he leads them on the right path to find Millie but when they bust into the room where they believe she’s being held captive, Barry and Kara are shocked at what they see.
Millie is actually Iris West and she’s caught in a lip lock with Tommy Moran aka Mon-El, the lost prince of Daxam.
Both of them get a little ill seeing their significant others kissing someone else, but in this fantasy land Millie and Tommy are star crossed lovers who have been forbidden from seeing each other because their families are at war. Barry realizes that this must be a ‘West Side Story’ like plot so he knows this must be a set up to convince the two crazy young lovers to abandon old grudges and tell their fathers that they are in love.
Millie and Tommy agree — without much convincing mind you — and they both go and tell their parents. Amidst a duet of the track “More I Cannot Wish You” it appears the two warring families are willing to put aside their differences for the sake of true love. Of course, two seconds after the song is finished they are both plotting to engage in war.
Face Your Fear
With Barry and Kara trapped in an alternate world, the rest of Team Flash along with Team Supergirl are tasked with tracking down this evil Music Meister while he creates havoc all over Central City. It turns out while the two superheroes are unconscious, the Music Meister has been siphoning off their powers.
Wally, J’onn and Cisco track down the Music Meister and team up together to stop him. The ensuing battle tests all of them, but eventually they figure out a way to stop the Music Meister and place him under arrest.
Back at STAR Labs, Mon-El and Iris confront the in tune criminal and ask him to release Barry and Kara from whatever nightmare he’s locked them inside. The Music Meister replies that they can escape but Iris and Mon-El are the key to getting them out.
As Barry and Kara’s vital signs continue to worsen, Mon-El and Iris convince Cisco to try and vibe them into this strange fantasy land where the people they love most are locked with no chance to escape. It’s a risky proposition but Cisco has managed to vibe into the Speed Force as well as vibe into the future to see Iris’ death at the hands of Savitar so why not try this trick because it might be the only way to save Barry and Kara from the Music Meister’s trap.
Super Friends
Before Barry and Kara can finish the musical, they have to perform an original number together — a duet full of innuendo about their friendship and secret identities they share. The track is called ‘Super Friend’ and they perform it together beautifully.
Barry and Kara believe this must be the end of the story until they hear gunshots ring from outside the club and they realize that Tommy and Millie’s families have ignored their wishes and are now at war.
The duo rushes outside to try and calm down the situation but things only escalate with more gunfire, which eventually cuts down both Barry and Kara. It looks like the Music Meister’s warning will come true as they both lay down on death’s doorstep.
A minute later, a breach opens with Mon-El, Iris and Cisco arriving to rescue their friends. Sadly, Barry and Kara are barely hanging onto life, which forces their significant others to face some hard truths. Of course Kara is angry that Mon-El lied about his true identity for the past nine months, but this experience has made her realize that the truth hurts sometimes and this is a perfect opportunity to forgive him so they can move forward. Meanwhile, Iris proclaims her love for Barry no matter the reason why they got engaged.
It’s all sealed with a kiss and a moment later everybody wakes up in the middle of STAR Labs — including Barry and Kara who are finally awake!
Everybody is safe and sound and that’s when the Music Meister once again appears out of nowhere. Of course, Cisco can’t help but wonder how he escaped their escape-proof cells but the Music Meister explains that he’s not exactly of this world and his only mission was to make sure that love prevailed.
He had to go to these great lengths to make Barry and Iris along with Kara and Mon-El realized that they are better together than ever being apart. A second later, the Music Meister disappears because his good deed has been done. Expect him to return, however, because if you remember Barry’s look into the future one of the items on the news was the Music Meister landing a book deal.
Kara and the rest of Team Supergirl go back through the breach once the day is saved while Team Flash is relieved to have Barry home where he belongs. Now the only thing missing is a song…
Once More with Feeling
Barry can’t say for certain what his relationship with Iris will be like after this experience, but he still returns home with her to the apartment they shared. Once they are inside, Barry turns on his phone with some music and proceeds to serenade Iris with a track all his own.
The song is called “Runnin’ Home to You” and when the final words sputter out from his lips, Barry once again presents an engagement ring for Iris. This time around, Barry is asking because he loves Iris and wants to spend the rest of his life with her.
She immediately says yes while slipping the ring back on her finger. Barry came running home to Iris and now he’ll never leave her side again.
A truly special episode of ‘The Flash’ and another highlight for the season. The soundtrack with all of the songs performed on the episode are now available on iTunes.
‘The Flash’ returns next Tuesday night at 8pm on the CW as an evil magician from the future named Abra Kadabara arrives in Central City and he knows Savitar’s secret identity…
