Ep 3. Dead Man Running

As the threat of Crisis on Infinite Earths looms over Central City, Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) is faced with a ticking clock in the latest episode of The Flash entitled "Dead Man Running." After the shocking finale of the previous episode, which saw Cisco Ramon (Carlos Valdes) bid farewell to the team, the Scarlet Speedster must contend with a new metahuman villain while also dealing with the repercussions of his deal with the mysterious Monitor (LaMonica Garrett).

The episode kicks off with a bang as a new villain, Ramsey Rosso (Sendhil Ramamurthy), is introduced. A former colleague of Caitlin Snow (Danielle Panabaker), Rosso is a brilliant haematologist who is obsessed with finding a cure for his rare form of leukemia. After experimenting on himself, Rosso gains the power to manipulate blood and decides to use his newfound abilities to try and cure himself. However, as is often the case with these things, Rosso's quest for a cure leads him down a dark path and he becomes a dangerous metahuman who can infect others with his own blood.

Meanwhile, Barry is dealing with the fallout from his deal with the Monitor. As we saw in the season premiere, the Monitor promised to help Barry save his city in exchange for a favor that would be revealed at a later date. Barry is now aware that he only has until the date of the Crisis on Infinite Earths to fulfill this favor, and the ominous nature of the situation is starting to wear on him. This sense of dread is compounded by the fact that the Monitor seems to be omnipresent, appearing in unexpected places and reminding Barry of the stakes at play. This leads to some tense moments between Barry and his team, particularly as he struggles to keep his true motives a secret.

As for the other members of Team Flash, Cisco's absence is keenly felt as they try to deal with Rosso and his blood-based powers. Caitlin takes it upon herself to try and reason with her former friend, believing that there must be a way to cure him without resorting to violence. However, it soon becomes apparent that Rosso is too far gone, and it's up to Barry to step in and save the day. This leads to a thrilling showdown between the Flash and Rosso, with some unexpected twists along the way.

Overall, "Dead Man Running" is an intense episode that sets the stage for the upcoming Crisis. While the villain of the week storyline is interesting in its own right, it's the ongoing plot that really grabs the viewer's attention. The specter of Crisis looms large over everything that happens in this episode, and the tension and stakes are palpable. It's a great reminder of why The Flash is one of the best superhero shows on TV, and fans will no doubt be eagerly awaiting the next installment.