As part of the DC FanDome virtual convention, the cast of The Flash on CW came together for a panel to discuss the show as well as give fans an idea of what to expect in the upcoming season 7.
Cast members Grant Gustin (Barry Allen/The Flash), Candice Patton (Iris West), Danielle Panabaker (Caitlin Snow/Frost), Carlos Valdes (Cisco), Danielle Nicolet (Cecile), Kayla Compton (Allegra), and Brandon McKnight (recent addition Chester) joined executive producer Eric Wallace for the discussion with Entertainment Weekly’s Chancellor Agard.
After Agard briefly introduced the panel members, discussion began about the show's 6th season and what the cast members thought about the evolution of their respective characters. While little new information was given at this time, it was illuminating to hear these moments of insight from these actors who have been part of the show since the beginning, as well as from those who joined later in the series.
The discussion was followed by a first look at season 7, bringing fans back up to speed on where the story left off. Barry is still losing his speed as current villain Dr. Eva McCulloch has seemingly succeeded in her schemes. Meanwhile, Barry and the rest of Team Flash are trying to fix his speed problems by manufacturing their own "Speed Force," which is the source of his powers. As he continues to search for a way to rescue Iris from her confinement in the "mirror verse," Iris herself works from the inside to try to escape, facing many mind-related dangers while Dr. McCulloch's accomplices try to move to the real world as well.
Showrunner and executive producer Eric Wallace elaborated on how current world events forced the show to stop filming early, saying "when we had the shutdown happen, as unfortunate as it was, we were on the last day of filming for what would have been the 20th episode of last season, which now will become partially the 1st episode of season 7."
The Flash, premiering in 2014 as a spinoff of the show Arrow, didn't take long to earn its place in the collection of stories that would be known as the 'Arrowverse.' Grant Gustin's serious yet high-spirited performance as Barry Allen/The Flash drew in fans while the ensemble of well-received characters surrounding him kept people coming back for more. The show's vibe set it apart from Arrow just enough to carve out its own niche, and 6 years later, it commands a loyal fanbase.
The Flash made the news earlier in the summer when Hartley Sawyer, who had been playing the character Ralph Dibny (aka Elongated Man), was fired from the show after offensive tweets from the actor surfaced. Fans were upset about both the tweets and the fact that a popular character would be leaving the show, but the overall reaction seemed to be that firing Sawyer was the right call.
While Dibny was a popular member of Team Flash, the show is not likely to lose much in terms of viewership numbers, as Sawyer's character was only one of the many reasons fans keep watching. Like many of the other 'Arrowverse' shows, the writing, setting, and character interactions tend to be its main draw. So no matter what, it will be exciting to see where The Flash goes in season 7 and beyond.
The Flash airs on The CW and the first 6 seasons can currently be streamed on Netflix, with season 6 coming to Blu-Ray and DVD on August 25th.
The Flash season 7 will air in 2021.