The Flash Season 5 News, Reviews, and Episode Guide
Everything you need to know about The Flash season 5!
| | The CW is expanding its scripted lineup from Monday through Friday to Sunday through Friday for the 2018-2019 season. You know what that means, right? Plenty of room for their roster of DC superhero TV shows!
The Flash Season 5 remains one of the most popular on the network, and it has consistently delivered traditional superhero adventure, terrific characters, and a hefty dose of weirdness when the situation demands it. Of course, The Flash Season 5 will run alongside renewals for Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, Black Lightning, and Arrow, not to mention a host of other beloved CW scripted shows.
You can read our explanation of The Flash Season 5 finale right here.
The Flash Season 5 Episodes
Here’s our The Flash Season 5 episode guide, where we’ll gather all the available info for upcoming episodes as it becomes available to us!
The Flash Season 5 Episode 1: Nora
“After an unexpected guest from the future, Nora West-Allen (Jessica Parker Kennedy), appears at their home, Barry (Grant Gustin) and Iris (Candice Patton,) must figure out how to get her back to the future without disrupting the timeline…even more than she already has. Team Flash must work together to send Nora back, while simultaneously fighting off another villainous meta.”
air date: 10/9/18
read our review of “Nora” right here.
The Flash Season 5 Episode 2: Blocked
“As Barry (Grant Gustin) helps his daughter, Nora (Jessica Parker Kennedy), become a better speedster, he and Team Flash also track down a meta stealing high-tech weapons, only to cross paths with a new foe named Cicada (Chris Klein), who is hunting the very same meta with nefarious intent.”
air date: 10/16/18
The Flash Season 5 Episode 3: The Death of Vibe
“After Cicada’s (Chris Klein) attack on The Flash (Grant Gustin), the team realizes they need to think outside the box to stop this dangerous new foe. Desperate to help her parents, Nora (Jessica Parker Kennedy) comes up with a plan that ultimately puts a member of Team Flash in danger. Meanwhile, Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker) delves into her past.”
Read our review of “The Death of Vibe” right here.
air date: 10/23/18
The Flash Season 5 Episode 4: News Flash
“Barry (Grant Gustin) and Iris (Candice Patton) face the ultimate parenting test when Team Flash battles Spin (guest star Kiana Madeira), a savvy millennial armed with meta tech, and a dangerous agenda for their daughter, Nora (Jessica Parker Kennedy). Ralph (Hartley Sawyer) is feeling defeated until an unlikely source issues a challenge to help boost his confidence.”
air date: 10/30/18
The Flash Season 5 Episode 5: All Doll’d Up
“Nora (Jessica Parker Kennedy) lets something slip about the future that devastates Iris (Candice Patton). In an attempt to distract his wife, Barry (Grant Gustin) asks Iris to team up to stop a new meta, Rag Doll (guest star Troy James). Meanwhile, Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker) learns something about her father.”
air date: 11/13/18
read our review of “All Doll’d Up” right here.
The Flash Season 5 Episode 6: The Icicle Cometh
“Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker), Barry (Grant Gustin) and Cisco (Carlos Valdes) learn something new about Caitlin’s father (guest star Kyle Secor). Meanwhile, Iris (Candice Patton) and Sherloque (Tom Cavanagh) follow a clue about Cicada (Chris Klein).”
air date: 11/20/18
The Flash Season 5 Episode 7: O Come, All Ye Faithful
“While Nora (Jessica Parker Kennedy) grapples with unresolved anger over her father’s disappearance in the future, Barry (Grant Gustin) and Team Flash must stop a powerful new meta, Weather Witch (guest star Reina Hardesty), from killing her own father, Weather Wizard (guest star Liam Mcintyre).”
air date: 11/27/18
The Flash Season 5 Episode 8: What’s Past is Prologue
“In the 100th episode, Barry (Grant Gustin) and Team Flash come up with a plan to stop Cicada (Chris Klein). However, the plan calls for Barry and Nora (Jessica Parker Kennedy) to travel back in time to gather some key necessities. However, Barry hesitates, concerned about his daughter seeing certain parts of his life. Meanwhile, Sherloque (Tom Cavanagh) takes his concerns about Nora to Iris (Candice Patton), and Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker) turns up a key asset in the fight against Cicada.”
Tom Cavanagh directs this episode!
air date: 12/4/18
The Flash Season 5 Episode 9: Elseworlds Part 1
“When Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) and Oliver Queen (guest star Stephen Amell) wake up one morning and realize they have swapped bodies with each other, the two set off to find out what disturbed the timeline to cause such a shift. However, things quickly go from bad to worse when they present their case to Team Flash and the gang doesn’t believe them. Barry and Oliver realize they need Supergirl’s (guest star Melissa Benoist) help and travel to Smallville on Earth-38 where they end up meeting Kara’s cousin, Clark Kent (guest star Tyler Hoechlin), and intrepid reporter, Lois Lane (guest star Elizabeth Tulloch). LaMonica Garrett guest stars as The Monitor.”
airdate: 12/9/18
read our review of “Elseworlds Part 1” right here.
The Flash Season 5 Episode 10: The Flash and the Furious
“While Nora (Jessica Parker Kennedy) grapples with the revelation that Thawne (Tom Cavanagh) killed her grandmother, Team Flash must stop the formidable team-up of a newly sprung from jail Weather Witch (guest star Reina Hardesty) and Silver Ghost (guest star Gabrielle Walsh), a new meta-tech villain who can control engines and motorized technology. Meanwhile, Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker) and Cisco (Carlos Valdes) discuss creating a meta-human cure.”
air date: 1/15/19
The Flash Season 5 Episode 11: Seeing Red
“During a battle with Cicada, Nora is severely injured; due to Cicada’s dampening powers, Nora’s speed healing isn’t working; Barry and Iris are scared for their daughter’s future; an enraged Flash confronts Cicada in a brutal battle.”
air date: 1/22/19
read our full review of “Seeing Red” right here.
The Flash Season 5 Episode 12: Memorabilia
“Sherloque wants to use a memory machine on Barry and Nora to help gain access to Grace’s memories; Ralph tricks Cisco into going out for a night out on the town.”
air date: 1/29/19
The Flash Season 5 Episode 13: Goldfaced
“Barry and Ralph must go under cover as criminals in an illegal black market to purchase a device that could help them stop Cicada; Iris investigates a lead on Cicada’s whereabouts and ends up in a dangerous situation.”
air date: 2/5/19
read our review of “Goldfaced” here.
The Flash Season 5 Episode 14: Cause and XS
“After Iris (Candice Patton) lands in serious danger, Nora (Jessica Parker Kennedy) races to save her mother. Barry (Grant Gustin) puts the finishing touches on the metahuman cure, leaving Cisco (Carlos Valdes) with a rare night off so he decides to take Kamilla (guest star Victoria Park) on a date.”
air date: 2/12/19
The Flash Season 5 Episode 15: King Shark vs. Gorilla Grodd
“When Gorilla Grodd (voiced by David Sobolov) attacks Central City, Barry (Grant Gustin) and Team Flash find themselves teaming up with an unexpected ally to defeat – King Shark (voiced by David Hayter). However, when they hit a snag, they bring in Dr. Tanya Lamden (guest star Zibby Allen) to try to reach the man behind the shark, Shay Lamden (guest star Dan Payne).”
air date: 3/5/19
read our review of “King Shark vs. Gorilla Grodd” here.
The Flash Season 5 Episode 16: Failure is an Orphan
“With the meta-human cure ready to use, Barry (Grant Gustin) and Team Flash must figure out a way to subdue Cicada (Chris Klein) long enough to take it. Killer Frost (Danielle Panabaker) steps in to help with the plan. Meanwhile, Joe (Jesse L. Martin) eases back into work, and Nora (Jessica Parker Kennedy) isn’t happy about the way her dad plans to stop Cicada.”
air date: 3/12/19
The Flash Season 5 Episode 17: Time Bomb
“Team Flash finds out that a suburban mom named Vickie Bolen (guest star Catherine Lough Haggquist) is in danger and they race to save her. Upon meeting her, they discover she’s a meta-human who is hiding her abilities from her family. Barry (Grant Gustin) encourages Vickie to share her secret with her family, which makes Nora (Jessica Parker Kennedy) realize she needs to come clean with her parents about Thawne (Tom Cavanagh).”
air date: 3/19/19
read our review of “Time Bomb” here.
The Flash Season 5 Episode 18: Godspeed
“After discovering that Nora is working with Thawne, Barry and Iris disagree about how to handle their daughter in the wake of this shocking news. Team Flash isn’t sure they can trust Nora, so they go through her journal to find out exactly how she came to work alongside their greatest nemesis.”
air date: 4/16/19
The Flash Season 5 Episode 19: Snow Pack
“When Icicle (guest star Kyle Secor) returns to enact the next phase of his devious plan, Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker) and her mother, Dr. Carla Tannhauser (guest star Susan Walters), must resolve their long-combative relationship to defeat the icy monster. After Barry (Grant Gustin) makes a big decision about their family without consulting her, Iris (Candice Patton) decides to take matters into her own hands.”
air date: 4/23/19
The Flash Season 5 Episode 20: Gone Rogue
“Barry (Grant Gustin) continues to struggle with how he feels about Nora’s (Jessica Parker Kennedy) betrayal. Brie Larvan (guest star Emily Kinney), Joss Jackam (guest star Reina Hardesty) and Peter Merkel (guest star Troy James) return to Central City. Meanwhile, Cisco (Carlos Valdes) makes a bold decision.”
air date: 4/30/19
read our review of “Gone Rogue” here.
The Flash Season 5 Episode 21: The Girl With the Red Lightning
“Team Flash is on high alert after Cicada II (guest star Sarah Carter) threatens to unleash a dangerous virus that would put all meta-humans at risk.”
air date: 5/7/19
read our review of “The Girl With the Red Lightning” here.
The Flash Season 5 Episode 22: Legacy
“Barry (Grant Gustin) faces off with his oldest, and most formidable nemesis, Reverse Flash (Tom Cavanagh).”
air date: 5/14/19
read our review of “Legacy” here.
And after all this wraps up? Don’t worry, because The Flash season 6 is already confirmed!
The Flash Season 5 Trailer
Check out the first trailers for The Flash season 5…
The Flash Season 5 Villain
Chris Klein (Election, Oz, American Pie) has signed on as series regular to play next season’s scourge of Central City, Cicada. He’s described as a “grizzled, blue-collar everyman whose family has been torn apart by metahumans, Cicada now seeks to exterminate the epidemic — one metahuman at a time.”
The Flash Season 5 Cast
Jessica Parker Kennedy has been promoted to series regular. As anyone who caught the Season 4 finale already knows, Kennedy will be playing Nora, the speedster daughter of Barry and Iris from the future.
Check her out in costume!
Hartley Sawyer is back as a series regular as Ralph Dibny. Dibny’s arc – Barry’s former police mentor, whose career ended in disgrace for fabricating evidence – was one of the defining parts of The Flash Season 4; an arc that was simultaneously comical and powerfully dramatic, going from sleazy private investigator to reluctantly heroic metahuman The Elongated Man. The character – often confused with DC’s powers-similar Plastic Man – debuted in the pages of The Flash comic book back in 1960.
Danielle Nicolet is back as Joe West’s mind-reading metahuman love interest, Cecille Horton, this time upgraded as a series regular.
While everyone survived Season 4, there’s a big question mark attached to Tom Cavanagh, who saw his Harry Wells exit the show in the season finale. But don’t worry, Cavanagh will return as a new character. “When I was up there shooting for the finale, [Tom Cavanagh] and I sat down and started talking about next season and a new character,” showrunner Todd Helbing told TV Guide. “I think we landed on one that’s pretty funny and unique, and I think it will give Tom a lot of meat to chew on.”
Is that a new Wells…or something else entirely?
Kiana Madeira is Spencer Young, the villainous Spin. We have more details on her character right here.
Kyle Secor will recur on The Flash Season 5 to play Dr. Thomas Snow, Caitlin’s mysteriously resurfaced father, reports EW. Thomas, who’s been missing for decades, is described as an extremely intelligent geneticist. However, there’s (obviously,) a seedy twist regarding his return; a twist that’s likely connected to Caitlin’s innate unlocked Killer Frost powers.
The Flash Season 5 Story
Here’s the official synopsis for The Flash Season 5!
Matching wits with The Thinker, who by season’s end had harnessed the powers of all twelve bus metas he created, stretched Team Flash to their limits, but with the help of some new allies, Barry Allen (aka The Flash) and company were able to put a stop to the Enlightenment and save Central City once again. However, with the arrival of Barry and Iris’ speedster daughter, Nora, who arrived from the future admitting to having made a “big mistake,” things are anything but status quo. Will parenthood be the challenge that finally slows The Flash down?
Mike Cecchini is the Editor in Chief of Den of Geek. You can read more of his work here. Follow him on Twitter @wayoutstuff.
Joseph Baxter is a contributor for Den of Geek and Syfy Wire. You can find his work here. Follow him on Twitter @josbaxter.