The Flash 4x17 : Null And Annoyed review

Be warned there will be *SPOILERS* involved in this review. With that being said let's get into it

The Flash returns after what has seemed like an age away and while this episode isn't amazing by any means it was a fun ride to go along on. It begins as we see Barry and Ralph fighting the Thinker! or at least we think it is until Barry tells Ralph to stop and it turns out it's just a hologram created by Cisco to try and aid them in battle against the Izzy Bowan host of Clifford Devoe. Ralph is in true style cracking jokes a plenty which annoys Barry to no end. He even says that him Cisco and Barry should form a three man comedic superhero act that ''we could bring to DC comics'' which was just absolutely hilarious to me. All 3 walk into the main area of Star Labs and Harry still using his Thinking cap manages to locate and identify one of the remaining bus meta's that both team Flash and Devoe are after. Her name is Janet Petty and her powers include the ability to touch someone or something and send them flying into the air before ultimately crashing right back down. She does this to Barry later into the episode and he fills up and stays in the air much like a balloon would which lead to some of the most funny jokes of the episode of course all coming from Ralph. Say what you will about Ralph but me personally I think he's been a breath of fresh air this season and while not perfect by any means he adds another dimension to the team as Barry himself says later and it's just really good stuff to watch him develop further each week. It was also good to learn more of his back story in this episode as he tells Barry just why he always cracks jokes. It's because when he was young his dad walked out on both him and his mother and ever since then whenever he is scared he makes jokes to try and lighten the mood and make himself happier.  

Speaking of the latest meta though we're introduced to her during a brilliant Jay and Silent Bob style cameo where she touches a wooden crate that is filled with valuable jewels and a crown leaving the two guys dumbfounded. It might not sound like much but it was a highlight of the episode for me and just seeing those two on screen together again was really fun. Barry who continues to be annoyed by Ralph and his silly quips actually benches him later in the episodes telling him that he's a liability and that the whole Devoe situation is no laughing matter. So Barry decides to go and take down Null (the meta in the episode) to which he fails of course as she had already touched a car that had a person in it which caused it to lift into the air before falling right back down but not before Barry leaves Null to her escape and rescues the guy inside the car right before it hits the ground. More on the whole Null situation later. Breacher returns! Gypsy's father played hilariously by Danny Trejo vibes his way onto Earth 1 and tells Cisco that he can't vibe no more because of a battle with a vampire he had on another earth. Caitlin runs tests on him but finds out that it isn't because of this battle but because well Breacher is old and his body can't handle the power needed to use his vibe powers anymore. Cisco lies to him about all this as he just wants to see his daughter but he eventually tells him and Breacher leaves but not before coming back to tell Cisco that he has retired and that there is a spot open on his collection team with Gypsy if he wants to take it. So who knows what'll happen there as I don't see Cisco leaving the show but still it'd be cool to see Gypsy maybe become a series regular next season perhaps. 

More on Null now and the final showdown between her Barry and Ralph was pretty lackluster to say the least as at a charity auction she plans on stealing some more stuff when the hero's arrive. Shortly after she sends Barry high into the air leaving Ralph to work things out on his own. He subdues Null soon enough cuffing her feet together from a long distance away. But this is when Barry starts to fall right back down leading to Ralph becoming a giant whoopie cushion softening Barry's landing letting all the air out of Ralph in the process which was funny. So that's Null captured which now leaves 2 meta's from the bus to catch. The episode ends however as we see Harry enter the time vault that Eobard Thawne used in season 1. He places the thinking cap where the Reverse Flash suit was held and activates Gideon telling her that it's good to hear from her again. This was a weird way to end things as I don't ever recall Harry interacting with Gideon but what is this is actually Eobard Thawn in disguise again? what if he captured and imprisoned Harry from Earth 2 and it's been him impersonating him all along? that'd be a totally unexpected twist in my opinion. With that being said this episode while not perfect was a fun episode and it's so good to have this show back again after what seemed like a never ending break away. Welcome back Team Flash!

★★★