The Flash Season 5: 6 Problems It Must Fix
3. Lack Of Focus On Barry Allen
Season 4 of The Flash kicked off with a well-oiled Team Flash attempting to free Barry from the Speed Force. By the middle of the season, Barry was wrongly imprisoned and it was up to the team to free him once again. After three episodes behind bars, he was finally released, only to go through the motions and save a few people.
Barry spent the vast majority of last season playing a supporting role to other characters. Whether he was constantly falling into DeVoe's traps or attempting to turn Ralph into a hero, he was always in somebody else's shadow - and as a result, there were times that the show just didn't feel like The Flash.
It wasn't until the final few episodes where Barry's story really kicked in. Though his guilt over Ralph's "death" divided viewers, it was worth it just to see the Scarlet Speedster get some spotlight in his own show.
Season 4 felt more like it was DeVoe's story (with Ralph thrown in for good measure). Thus, The Flash wasn't actually relevant to the villain's narrative, and was just a side effect that The Thinker had to deal with for wanting to take over the world. Not a good way to mark Barry's "rebirth".
While it's important to highlight other characters, the main hero should never be sidelined. Grant Gustin's portrayal of Barry Allen is the heart of the show, and last season, it felt like the show had lost that heart.