BWW Recap: THE FLASH Does a GREASE Duet (Seriously), Andy Mientus Returns as the Piper

Barry (Grant Gustin) balances romance and being a superhero on tonight's ep, "Crazy For You." Let's get you caught up to speed with the fastest man alive.

We open on an overturned car with a power line about to ignite the gas spilling from it. Barry arrives to save the passenger and returns to save the driver, but not before the car bursts into a ball of flame. Since CW has already killed off and resurrected one of its comic book heroes already this season (ARROW), I'm guessing they aren't pushing for a hat trick (with Barry and 'iZombie" being two and three, respectively). The male passensger is overcome with grief until he notices Barry and the man's girlfriend standing right by him, both unharmed.

Back at S.T.A.R. Labs, Cisco (Carlos Valdes) tells Barry his feats were so cool, he almost forgives him for dirtying up the suit. Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker) informs Barry that he broke his speed record saving the couple. Dr. Wells (Tom Cavanagh) agrees, telling Barry that the couple wouldn't be alive without him.

Wells promptly gives everyone the nigth off. Cisco tries to get a bar night going, but Barry has movie night with Det. West (Jesse L. Martin) and Caitlin bows out because she is mad at him because he still hasn't given up looking for her once-deceased fiance Ronnie (aka F.I.R.E.S.T.O.R.M., played by Robbie Amell). Cisco fesses up that Hartley (aka Pied Piper, played by Andy Mientus) told him he knows what happened to him (Cisco leaves out the part where Hartley bargins for his release as he knows how to save Ronnie). Caitlin tells Cisco she's moved on, but we all know she hasn't.

Enter this week's villain and it's a minor one in the FLASH comic book canon, Lashawn Baez (aka Peek A Boo, played by Britne Oldford). Baez has the power to transport at will. She is a bit more tech savvy than she is in the comics and she has less of a noble backstory. In the comics, she initially is trying to steal a kidney to save her dad; here, she's busting her boyfriend Clay Parker (Micah Parker) out of prison. He grabs her hand and they both transport.

Barry and Det. West are sent to investigate the jail break, allowing Barry to briefly spend some quality time with his dad (John Wesley Shipp) who is still in the pokey for being wrongly convicted of killing his wife/Barry's mom. Seems West called in a favor with a guard to bring Barry's dad by for the brief visit.

In her apartment, Baez is trying to convince her recently sprung boyfriend to leave Central City. He owes a mob boss money and wants to use her powers to his advantage, steal enough to pay off the debt and then leave.

At S.T.A.R. Labs, the team is analyzing some of the residue Barry found in the cell. It contains both male and female D.N.A. Cisco runs the female portion through the crime lab database and viola, a match.

West and Barry go off to find Baez. Cisco, meanwhile, pays a visit to Hartley in his metahuman cell. It all feels very "Silence of the Lambs" with Hartley asking for Thai food as quid pro quo for information. Seems Professor Stein (Broadway vet Victor Garber) was at the lab when the accelerator exploded and never appears to have left. Comic book fans know that Ronnie and the professor share one body as F.I.R.E.S.T.O.R.M., and I can only assume this is where this is all leading.

Barry takes time from police work and crime fighting to grab a cup of joe with Iris (Candice Patton). Seems she has been a little light in filing stories for THE FLASH beat and is on the verge of being fired. Barry promises to help her find something.

Well, that didn't take Cisco too long to mull over Hartley's offer. He arrives with handcuffs (prompting Hartley to quip that he didn't know Cisco liked rough trade; it's a truly funny line perfectly delivered by Mientus). Cisco decides against letting Hartley out just yet.

Back in prison, Barry's dad is spilling some secrets to West and Barry, bacially catching them up on what we already know: Parker owes the money money.

Cisco finally takes Hartley on a field trip. Hartley shows him a shadow burned into the building just like what you find at a nuclear blast. And then Hartley makes a play to escape. They trade blows and as Hartley attempts to run, Cisco pulls a sonic sound device out of his pocket and Hartley falls to his knees in pain. Cisco tells him he wants answers or he won't make it stop ever.

Back at the lab, Barry and Caitlin comisserate about their lack of a social life. The computer brings the flirting to an end as our two thiefs are at work. Barry and Baez play --whatelse--peek a boo. Parker brings the fun to an end when he fires a bullet at Barry's head (which Barry catches). Cue the jokes about faster than a speeding bullet.

Barry then rushes to help Iris with her story, but it's date night and she and Det. Thawne (Rick Cosnett) are doing dinner with Eddie's mom. Barry calls Caitlin and invites her out to a few bars --in the interest of investigating Parker and Baez's old haunts. First stop is a karaoke bar. Caitlin arrives in a black number that makes you wonder why the girl is still single. Barry is definately underdressed. Caitlin tells him it's two birds one stone: investigate and put themselves back out there on the singles market. She downs a drink and then tells the waitress she'd like to start a tab.

Cisco and Hartley use Barry's lab to take a look at police footage from the explosion and it appears we will be following the comic book: Professor Stein and Ronnie have now merged into one being. While Cisco watches the tapes, Hartley is taking out his earpieces (thus neutralizing Cisco's sonic sound thing). His earpiece produces a piercing sound, causing Cisco to fall over. Hartley tells him he kept up his end of the bargain, smashes Ciscos sonic thing and then escapes.

Back at karaoke, a drunken Caitlin takes the stage and guilts him into joining her on stage. They sing "Summer Lovin'" from "Grease." She is terrible. He sounds like he's Broadway trained (which he is; I saw Gustin in a tour of "West Side Story"). Song finished, Barry tries to close out the tab, but the bartender is ignoring him. Linda Park (Malese Jow) steps in to get the bartender's attention. In the comics, Park is the girlfriend/wife of Wally West (the guy who takes up the mantle of THE FLASH after Barry disappears). She gives Barry her number as Caitlin arrives to tell him she doesn't feel good. He speeds her out of the bar (why doesn't anyone in the bar notice) just in time to have her throw up in the parking lot. Always the gentleman, Barry does hold her hair, though.

Parker and Baez drop off the money they have stolen, thinking the debt is now paid. The mobster pulls a gun on Baez, who transports out of the way, revealing her secret. The police arrive to bust the mob. Shots are fired. Parker is hit. Baez and he escape.

Barry has sped Caitlin home. He quickly gets her out of her dress and into flanel pajamas. He puts her to bed, staying until she falls asleep.

Next day at the lab, Caitlin is hung over, Barry ribs her for it and Dr. Wells brings everyone back down to earth when he makes Cisco reveal that Hartley has escaped because of him and what is more, Cisco couldn't let Ronnie go because he was the one who sealed him in the accelerator (granted, Ronnie told him to, but still the guy feels guilty). Caitlin tells him he did the right thing and reminds eveyone that they have a metahuman to catch.

Which is great as Dr. Wells has figured out her weakness: her powers work with light. Take away light and she essentially can't see to transport. Before Barry can't speed off, he gets a call. His dad has been stabbed (for being a snitch, no doubt). The plot seems all over the place tonight (or is it me).

As THE FLASH, Barry grabs the con who beat up his dad and takes him outside the prison. He tells the guy to tell him where the mob's next hit is or Barry won't return the guy to his cell (and the guy will have additional time added to his sentence when he is eventually caught). They guy sings like a bird. Barry leaves the guy to stop the robbery.

Barry catches up with Parker and Baez (she's already stolen some money). Bary and Baez flight in a tunnel. Barry smashes the lights in said tunnel. Parker leaves Baez to take the fall. Some boyfriend. She's taken to the lab's metahuman prison. Her cell is made of mirrored glass. She can't teleport out. As the villains in the make-shift prison stack up, I start to wonder how they eat, sleep or go to the bathroom.

Barry (as THE FLASH) gives Iris s lede: Clay Parker is still on the loose. Iris snaps a photo of him as he speeds away.

She runs into Barry at the paper and immediately think he is there to see her. Turns out, Linda Park also works there and Barry has a date.

It has to have been the speediest date as the next scene Barry is back in the prison telling his dad all about it. Dad shows him the photo that Iris took (it's on the front page). Dad puts two and two together: THE FLASH saved Det. West's life, the guy that beat him up was broken out of prison and threatened by THE FLASH. Barry tells him that if he were THE FLASH, he would be the first person Barry would tell. Dad plays the if game of all the things he would tell Barry if he were THE FLASH. Most importantly: that he is proud of him. Barry tears up.

Final moment: utility workers investigate issues in the sewer and come across graffiti: Grodd is written over and over again. We hear an ape's growl and the shadow of a giant ape slowly descends on the men.One of THE FLASH's most dangerous foes --the hyper-intelligent Gorilla Grodd-- has just made his presence be known in Central City. There was a lot of ground to cover in this episode, it almost seemed like it was too much. Or is it just me? Comment below and follow me @triggercric and follow @BWWTVWorld for all the latest updates, scoops and recaps

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