The Flash Season 5: 5 Ups & 2 Downs From ‘Failure Is An Orphan’

3. Memory Lane

Sometimes an episode of television will produce a moment so great that it absolutely eclipses everything else that came before it or after it, staying with us for quite some time to come. The Flash gave us one of those this week, and it was a moment so great that it reminded us why we fell in love with the show in the first place and all it has been missing in recent years.

As Barry found himself struggling over what to say to Cicada, Joe found himself questioning his own actions in regards to his recent argument with Cecile. When they crossed paths, the pair ended up sharing their woes with each other and it was just like old times as Joe, ever the father figure, managed to provide Barry with some incredibly meaningful advice. However, this time, the matured Scarlet Speedster was able to return the favour and give his surrogate father some pointers on how to mend things with Cecile.

Whether it was the fact that we hadn't seen a real moment between Joe and Barry in a very long time or just the memories it jogged when we saw them in the CCPD lab together, this was, without a doubt, one of the best moments in the show's five-year history. It illustrated just how integral this pair's relationship is to the show while also highlighting how far they'd come, and Grant Gustin and Jesse L. Martin bounced off each other so well, like they were thrilled to be sharing the screen together one more time.

Over the years, The Flash has often lost sight of what originally made it tick, but this was a reminder of what it does best. There were no metahumans, no explosions and not a single costume in sight - just a father and son reconnecting in a genuinely special moment.