While The Flash typically rests squarely in the superhero genre of storytelling, sometimes it's nice to take a break from the norm and have a bit of fun. That's exactly what's happening in Episode 6 of Season 6, "License to Elongate." As the title might hint, it's a love letter to the James Bond franchise of films, and it manages to be one of the series most exciting installments.
The episode puts the spotlight on Ralph (Hartley Sawyer) as he takes Barry (Grant Gustin) along on a superhero-free adventure that happens to also be incredibly nerdy for Bond fans. "We sit in the writers' room with the geekiest people in the world, it's great," showrunner Eric Wallace admitted during a post-screening Q&A of the episode. "There are so many Bond jokes that we had to cut out of the script. It just would have been embarrassing at that point."
Still, there are plenty of nods to 007, including some very over-the-top villainy. Whether it's an overabundance of suave gentlemen in tuxedos, a few very exciting gadgets, and maybe--just maybe--a huge death laser. If you're not a Bond fan, though, there's still plenty of reasons to stick around. While there's a lot of fun and games throughout "License to Elongate," it's hard to forget that the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover is on the horizon--and with it the potential death of The Flash.
"Barry's preparing all the different members of Team Flash for life after Crisis [on Infinite Earths]," Danielle Panabaker, who plays Killer Frost and directs this episode, explained during the Q&A. "And this is his opportunity to prepare Ralph for life after Crisis and it leads them outside of Central City to try and find more information about Sue Dearborn and along the way, lessons are learned, I think by both characters."
Still, much of this season has been drenched in drama due to the upcoming crossover. This episode, however, this episode was a welcome reprieve from the sadness for the cast--especially Gustin. "Grant's so incredibly talented, and particularly this season as they're preparing for Crisis, we haven't gotten to see a ton of levity from him," Panabaker said. "To really give him the opportunity... to really lean into the comedy, there was, I think fun for him."
The Flash airs Tuesdays on The CW.
