The Flash: 10 best episodes, ranked

7. “Pilot” (Season 1, Episode 1)

The Flash probably wouldn’t have lasted as long as it did without the strength of that first season, and that first season wouldn’t have been as successful without the strength of that pilot episode.

Expectations were high going in. Arrow had already successfully proved that superhero stories on television in the modern day can be high quality, and Grant Gustin was incredibly well-received in his guest role as Barry Allen. But what we got in the pilot episode of The Flash exceeded expectations in every way imaginable.

Learning more about Barry Allen’s life and his motivations made audiences fall even more in love with him, as did Grant’s endearing performance. We also fell in love with Iris, Caitlin, Cisco, Joe, Eddie, Harrison Wells and everyone else introduced to us in that first episode. And we were all instantly enthralled by the central “Man in the Yellow Suit” narrative.

When Barry put on that suit for the first time to stop the first Weather Wizard, we all lost our collective minds. And the moment in which Harrison Wells told him to “Run Barry, Run” as he sped around the tornado? Goosebumps. Absolute goosebumps.

And with that, The Flash was born.