The Flash has been going strong on The CW ever since it premiered back in 2014 and expanded the Arrow-verse. The show has gone through a lot of changes over the years, and who could have guessed back in Season 1 that Barry and Iris' adult daughter would someday be working with Eobard Thawne to stop Barry from disappearing?
The Flash was renewed for Season 6 back in January along with a bunch of other shows, and now news has broken that there will be a big change behind the scenes. A new showrunner is on board.
Todd Helbing is stepping down as showrunner following the conclusion of Season 5, and he'll be replaced by Eric Wallace. Helbing has been showrunner on The Flash for the past two seasons, having taken over after previous showrunner Andrew Kreisberg was fired following a sexual harassment investigation. He is leaving to focus on his overall deal with WB TV. Eric Wallace is no newcomer to The Flash, as he has been on board as a co-executive producer and then executive producer since Season 4.
Unlike Andrew Kreisberg, Todd Helbing apparently leaves The Flash of his own volition. In a statement (via Deadline), Arrow-verse superproducer Greg Berlanti said that while everybody at The Flash is sad to see Helbing depart, everybody will "be better for the many shows he will no doubt create and run in the future." Berlanti went on to say this about the new showrunner:
Eric Wallace has proven his own exceptional talent and voice since season four, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to watch how he shapes the future of Team Flash and the many thrilling adventures that lay ahead for our characters and dedicated fans.
A big question is whether The Flash will be noticeably different with Eric Wallace as head honcho rather than Todd Helbing. If you hadn't known about the switch from Andrew Kreisberg to Todd Helbing back in Season 4, you might not have noticed a shift. That said, I noted a change in characters like Ralph Dibny, particularly with his interactions with the rest of Team Flash. I can't say whether this is because of the showrunner change or natural progression. What changes are in store for Season 6?
It's too soon to guess many specifics about what's to come, as there are still some big twists undoubtedly in store on the Nora and Reverse-Flash front. Still, the 2019-2020 TV season will be the end of an era in the Arrow-verse, as it will see the end of Arrow after a shortened Season 8.
There's also the "Crisis On Infinite Earths" crossover that could be the biggest and most ambitious Arrow-verse event since it began back in 2012. Once Arrow is done, The Flash will be the most senior superhero show on The CW.
You can catch new episodes of The Flash on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on The CW this midseason. Be sure to tune in to see the rest of Todd Helbing's run as showrunner before Eric Wallace takes over.
