Blu-ray

Struck by lightning and doused with unknown radiation when an advanced particle accelerator malfunctions, crime scene investigator Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) discovers he has gained the ability to move at superhuman speeds. With the aid of a trio of science boffins from S.T.A.R. Labs, Allen transforms himself into the Flash and sets about stopping those other 'metahumans' who were transformed by the same radiation wave and are using their superpowers to criminal ends.

While DC Comics may be lagging behind Marvel on the big screen, when it comes to smallscreen superheroics it's streets ahead of the competition. Having clearly learnt from the mistakes of Smallville and the first season of Arrow, The Flash embraces its comic book origins wholeheartedly and delivers episode after episode of breathtaking spectacle. Smart, confident and quick-on-its-feet, this first season of The Flash is a blast from start to finish, and leaves us hungry for future additions to DC's connected TV universe.

Picture: Like its sister series Arrow, The Flash looks superb in hi-def. However, unlike that show's brooding hero, Central City's more cheerful Scarlet Speedster doesn't stick to the shadows quite as much, resulting in a series of brighter and more colourful 1.78:1-framed 1080p encodes.

In addition to plenty of richly-saturated primaries, the uptick in daylight sequences also helps with the clarity of the image. As such, intricate textures and fine detailing are evident at all times. While some minor technical issues (digital noise, black crush) rear their head on occasion, they appear to be a by-product of the show's reliance on digital visual effects, rather than issues with the Blu-ray's AVC encodes.
Picture rating: 4.5/5

Audio: Given its TV origins, The Flash lands on BD with a series of agreeable DTS-HD MA 5.1 mixes. While more spectacular set-pieces (such as the train crash in Chapter 6 of the episode Going Rogue) don't engage the rears quite as aggressively as you might hope, movement around the front of the soundstage is excellent. Dialogue is reproduced flawlessly.
Audio rating: 4/5

Extras: Producers Greg Berlani and Andrew Kreisberg team up with DC Comics CCO Geoff Johns for an informative chat-track on the pilot. Elsewhere you'll find two in-depth Making of… documentaries, a gag reel, a chat with Mark Hamill about returning to the role of The Trickster, screen tests, deleted scenes and a half-hour San Diego Comic-Con panel discussion.
Extras rating: 3.5/5

We say: Make like the Flash and race to pick up this superb series on Blu-ray

The Flash: The Complete First Season, Warner Bros., All-region BD, £40 Approx
HCC VERDICT: 4/5