Catching Up: The Flash Episode 203, "Family of Rogues"

Family matters on both sides of the law become the focal point of this latest episode of THE FLASH, "Family of Rogues." Joe West (Jesse L. Martin) grapples with the unexpected return of his wife, Francine (Vanessa Williams), who abandoned the family when Iris (Candice Patton) was just a child. He's told Iris that she died and painted a picture of her as a perfect mother, rather than tell her the truth -- that she was an addict who fled from rehab. Now Francine is back in Central City, and Joe has to decide whether or not to tell Iris the truth.

Francine isn't the only long-lost parent to make a return, however. Leonard Snart (Wentworth Miller), aka Captain Cold, is in cahoots with his father, Lewis Snart (guest star Michael Ironside). However, the partnership isn't exactly a warm-and-fuzzy reunion. Rather, Len is being forced to help, because dear old dad has turned his daughter, Lisa Snart (Peyton List), the Golden Glider, into a bomb -- a bomb he threatens to detonate if Len doesn't use his cold gun to assist in the robbery of some diamonds.

As Lisa turns to Cisco (Carlos Valdes) for help, Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker) is assisting Jay Garrick (Teddy Sears), the stranded Flash of Earth-2, construct a "speed cannon" that will stabilize the breach beneath S.T.A.R. Labs, opening a path for him to return home. But once stabilized, Jay has to decide whether to return home and learn how Zoom stole his speed, or stay on with Team Flash and mentor Barry as they try to find Zoom on Earth-1.

There's also blossoming romance in the air, as Caitlyn is developing an attraction to Jay, and Barry (Grant Gustin) finds himself continually bumping into rookie cop Patty Spivot (Shantel VanSanten).

Takeaways from this episode include:
-- Captain Cold can freeze laser beams?
-- Cisco gets a kiss
-- Martin Stein emits blue flames
-- "Excelsior!"
-- Someone familiar comes through the breach

An excellent episode that further develops the history of the Snart family and more deeply explores the unique relationship between Barry and Leonard. If you didn't already see this one, you need to catch it on The CW page, or get the episode from Amazon.