First of all, let me express my happiness about this episode. It’s the first one of the season that has actually given us more of an insight into what's coming. Slowly gluing all the pieces of the plot together, to actually give us a direction of where the shows heading, I really am so pleased with “Elongated Journey Into Night” although it’s a shame it’s taken the show four episodes to get it right. Like always the show has done a great job of giving us a rundown of the previous episodes, reminding us of how much Team Flash messed up in bringing Barry back from the speed force.

This new threat they face isn’t any closer to being identified.

In this episode, we see Cisco frantically trying to escape the grasp of his girlfriend's dad, who is trying to kill him. Old acquaintances come back into the picture as Barry and Joe bump into someone from their past, and form a new superhero partnership. It's all exciting content, although it is still a little thin on the villain front to be perfect.

It’s more of an episode that offers hints and ideas of what to expect later on in this season, especially the ending scenes, but more on that later. The main reason for this episode is to introduce Ralph Dibny to the scene and keep him as the focus of the story. In spite of this, there still has to be a little distraction to keep the team busy for the 40-minute airtime, hence the introduction of Danny Trejo, who manages to develop ties connecting back to Dibny.

Cat and mouse chase

It was really pleasing to see Cisco and Gypsie's relationship blossom compared to what we usually see on screen, which is some playful banter and a peck or two.

Instead, we see the couple behind closed doors getting intimate and affectionate, showing truly their relationships hidden development.

Well, that’s until Cisco is almost blown up in his own home by Gypsie's over-protective father, Danny Trejo. Breaching in on the two before their intimacy goes to the next level, it’s possibly a couple’s worse nightmare, especially given that her father is a well-known and respected bounty hunter from her planet.

He makes it his job to find and detain people that try and escape him - good luck Cisco.

Danny Trejo as a new breacher character is a tactical and calculated move - one that distracts from the easily comedic side to the Ralph Dibny development. Danny Trejo only has to stand there in silence, gazing into the camera, to create a terrifying chill, which I’m sure everyone watching, felt. So, it’s understandable why Cisco takes to hiding throughout Star Labs. Carlos Valdez is hilarious in the way he effortlessly bounces off Trejo’s character throughout the episode, trying to find ways to stop the hunt for his life.

Stretch it back to normal

The casting of Hartley Sawyer as Ralph Dibny is a perfect match, really helping to capture the twisted comedic side to the character, without ever going overboard with a personality that's irritating and uninteresting.

He's more of a cocky, tainted Barry Allen, blinded by what he thinks is right and what is actually right. He’s seen to have instant chemistry with Team Flash, especially Barry, as they go back and forth with sarcastic remarks and unstructured insults. It’s very exciting to see this sort of relationship form and I cannot wait to see how much it will develop as the show continues.

I was particularly impressed with the VFX of the scenes throughout the episode and the way they captured the movements of Barry as the Flash, as well as how they have represented Dibny’s power to stretch. It’s really refreshing to see they have made an effort to not overuse it and therefore create a more natural and realistic feel.

I just pray they stay this consistent during Dibny’s scenes throughout the season.

Other thoughts

It’s amazing to see other aspects of the show develop and improve during this episode. Barry has officially both physically and mentally moved on from the murder of his mother, something we see when he shows it’s no longer the case presented on his investigation board. This is a massive step up for the Flash as a character, as I feel he is only now able to exceed his power's potential with this new weight lifted.

The mention of the name Devoe at the end of the episode really pushed the episode to the top.

It was perfect timing and execution of the introduction to the upcoming villain's name. Of course, we have known now for four episodes that there is a character lurking in the shadows, but now we know his name, and now we understand his relevance to this season. Barry realizes, as Dibny speaks his name, that he’s heard it before from past villains, all talking about a future where he faces someone with the same name. It's such an incredible way to leave the episode as it takes us back and reminds us of the significance of the name, Devoe. I just hope now that Barry knows this information he can leave his usual overconfident self at the door and actually tackle this problem as he should, with caution.

Conclusion

This episode was well placed and well executed, helping fans gain the faith they were starting to lose in the show. “Elongated Journey Into Night” has them back on board after such an uneven and shaky start to the season. The realization of the main threat paired with Hartley Sawyer becoming the newest member of Team Flash has fans vamped and excited for what’s to come.
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