On this episode of the The Flash, we have a special episode that for the most part, takes place outside of the main storyline for this season. There are a couple references to current events, but it is a primarily one-off episode. It is a special episode though, because it is a musical episode. It also was a cross-over episode, bringing in several cast members of Supergirl. Check out Josh’s recap of Season 3 Episode 17 of The Flash, titled Duet, followed by both Josh’s and Violet’s thoughts about the episode!
The episode actually begins with an unconscious Supergirl being brought through a portal, with J’onn/Martian Manhunter and Mon-El. They ask for Team Flash’s help with Kara, who is comatose due to being attacked by the Music Meister on her Earth. Unfortunately for Barry, the Music Meister shows up to pay him a visit as well, and hits Barry with the same thing — making the two heroes comatose together.
Barry then wakes up in what looks to be a jazz club, and sees Kara singing on a stage. After she concludes her song, Kara and Barry talk, and Kara says she is not sure what is going on. Oh, and both Kara and Barry are powerless as well. They soon realize though, that they are seeing many familiar faces in this “world”, but they have been Wizard of Oz’ed — they are different people despite having the same faces. For example, Malcolm Merlyn is a club owner, who basically enslaves Kara and Barry to sing for them. Cisco is a waiter in the club, Winn is the pianist, and Joe is a rival mobster (along with Stein from Legends of Tomorrow that is apparently romantically involved with Joe in this universe).
The Music Meister then shows up in the episode, and tells the two what is going on — they are stuck in this dream world, which was constructed from both of their imaginations, which apparently was filled with musicals that Barry used to watch with his mom as a kid, and his recent infatuation with them, and Kara’s love of The Wizard of Oz. Also, the Music Meister tells them that they have to follow the “movie plot” to escape, and that like The Matrix, if they die here, they die in real life. Then the Music Meister decides to get the two in the musical mood by ushering in a number to sing Put a Little Love In Your Heart. Kara is not really having it, however Barry seems like he is about to break, but then the song ends.
So the episode continues, with Professor Stein (who is a rival gangster to Malcolm Merlyn) kidnapping Barry and Kara. The reason for the kidnapping is that Joe (known as Digbsy in this dream-world) says his daughter is missing, and wants these two to figure out if Malcolm Merlyn’s character has kidnapped her. Barry and Kara figure this is a part of the script for them, so they agree to it.
Kara and Barry find Millie (Iris in the “real world”), and it turns out she is having a secret romance with Tommy (Mon-El in Supergirl’s world). This strikes both Barry and Kara hard because they are each respective’s (ex) boy/girlfriend. But they resolve to follow the story through, and tell the two of them that they need to tell their families about the affair. Tommy and Millie refuse at first, saying their families would go to war, but they give in pretty easily. So Millie and Tommy go to their parents, and they seem pretty receptive too, after Barry and Kara help with persuasion. Things aren’t what they seem though, as when the two lovebirds leave their parents, the parents decide it is time for war.
Another musical number comes in, with Barry and Kara talking about how they are “Superfriends”. It is a fun little piano/tap song.
But then war comes, and Barry and Kara head outside to try to stop it. They are both shot in the crossfire, which causes their lives in the real world to be in danger.
Speaking of the real world, Team Supergirl and Team Flash are trying to figure out their plan to save Barry and Kara. Wally and J’Onn decide to try to capture the Music Meister, since he is responsible for this problem in the first place.
It turns out the Music Meister has absorbed Barry and Kara’s powers, and winds up attempting to rob a bank. After a bit of teamwork, the two are able to snatch up the Music Meister, and put him in a containment cell.
But Barry and Kara’s lives become in danger because of the shot inside the dream they are joined in. The Music Meister then shows up, and apparently cannot be contained by the cells in STAR Labs. He tells Iris and Mon-El that they can save the two of them in the dream.
Cisco winds up vibing the two into the dream despite being very worried about doing so. The two end up right where Barry and Kara are lying, dying. Kara and Barry receive a kiss form their respective concerned parties, and that seems to snap the two out of the dream.
Then the Music Meister shows up, and tells everyone that he was sorry for the big fuss he created, but he was just trying to help Kara and Barry. He then takes off…for now.
Meanwhile, it seems Kara and Mon-El are doing better, as are Iris and Barry.
We later see Barry and Iris back at their apartment, with Barry moving back in. He has a musical number with Iris, which eventually has him re-proposing to Iris, and telling her that it is up to him to save her from Savitar.
His Thoughts on The Flash, Season 3 Episode 17: Duet
So, I thought this episode was a pretty good one. I thought the interesting take on the episode was a lot of fun. I wish the songs were a little better, as most I did not recognize. The first group song was a fun one, and the “Superfriends” song was fun, but the rest were a bit “meh”.
I also enjoyed the tap-dancing done by Kara and Barry, and they clearly have the skills themselves, as the shots never cut away from their bodies when they are doing the tapping. It is kind of obvious that they had prerecorded the songs, but that is to be expected in something like this.
Overall, this didn’t drive the plot forward at all for either party, but all in all, it was a fun episode. I certainly look forward to the next “fun” one we see. Now it is back to figuring out what to do about Savitar!
Her Thoughts on The Flash, Season 3 Episode 17: Duet
Sometimes I don’t like it when a show goes off-course from the main story arc to do an essentially one-off episode that doesn’t really drive the main storyline forward. But if there is ever a good excuse to do so, it’s when it’s a musical episode! I had a lot of fun with this episode, and my only complaint is that it wasn’t more musical! I was kind of expecting there to be more singing than there was. In any case, I felt like it was done very well, and I really enjoyed it. It was also a nice wink to Glee fans when they brought in yet another Glee cast member into the episode to play the Music Meister.
As I mentioned before, I had thought there was something odd about the way that we didn’t get to see Iris’s response to Barry’s original proposal. Now we know that it’s because that wasn’t the “real” proposal. This was. Barry’s song to her was so perfect, and we actually got to see Iris’s reaction this time. Everything was genuine and heartfelt, with no ulterior motives. I’m glad they resolved their issues so that we can get away from relationship drama and get back to more important things – like defeating Savitar!
Scenes from The Flash, Season 3 Episode 18: Abra Kadabra
Preview of Season 3 Episode 18 of The Flash
