‘The Flash’ Beats ‘S.H.I.E.L.D.’

For the first time since its pilot episode, CW’s The Flash defeated ABC’s Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, at least in ratings. The superhero genre’s key demographic group is the 18-49 year age range. This is the demographic that The Flash won Tuesday night.

The margin of victory was large considering that this weekend will see the opening of The Avengers: Age of Ultron. This is the long-awaited sequel to Marvel’s blockbuster movie The Avengers. It is a bit surprising that Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was not able to hold viewership knowing that plotlines will be tied into the blockbuster opening this weekend.

The Flash brought in a rating of 1.5 on Tuesday night. This was in increase of 15 percent from the previous week. Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was able to pull in a respectable 1.4 rating. However, that was a 13 percent decrease from the previous week.

The Flash has been putting on a strong showing in its freshman season as one of the best superhero TV adaptions in recent history. It is doing this while being on the CW Network. A network that does not have the longevity or money of the other top TV networks.

The CW Network is slowly setting the standard for what a television superhero show is supposed to be, in part due to The Flash. With great storytelling and movie-like effects, CW is showing the world that superheroes no longer belong solely on the movie screen.

Smallville was the start of CW’s superhero universe. Telling the story of a teenage Clark Kent and all the teenage angst that came with him was perfect for the CW. They were able to delve slowly into the superhero pool. They did not really need to worry about great looking special effects. CW decided to take a darker turn when they launched Arrow.

Arrow tells the story of Oliver Queen and how becoming shipwrecked led him on the path that will see him eventually become the hero Green Arrow. With two successful superhero shows under their belt, CW decided to step into a world where special effects would become more important than the story. The Flash was born as a spin-off Arrow. It did not take long for The Flash to become a huge success. The Flash has been so successful for the CW Network that it has spawned its own spin-off series. This series is yet unnamed, but it will be introducing more superheroes into the DC television universe.

As we sprint to the end of the season will we see The Flash leave its television competition in the dust even more?

[Image via Getty Images]