YMMV / The Flash 2014 S 4 E 17 Null And Annoyed

• Catharsis Factor: For Ralph's detractors, Barry getting on his ass about not listening to instructions was this. Hell, even some of the people who like Ralph appreciated it.
• It's the Same, Now It Sucks!: Some reviewers were highly critical of the fact that this episode seemed to focus on yet another personal growth story for Ralph, which they feel has been overused during the season at this point (while in this case it's technically Barry who grows, the basic concept is still more or less the same).
• One-Scene Wonder:
  • Crucifer only appears in a single-scene, but his appearance marks the debut of vampires in the Arrowverse.
  • On a less serious note, Jay and Silent Bob as security guards.
• Paranoia Fuel: Is Thawne back again? If so, how long?
• Shocking Moments: Harry entering the Time Vault, placing his Thinking Cap where the Reverse-Flash costume once stood and reactivating Gideon!
• Special Effects Failure: IGN noted in their review that the background of the world in which Crucifer is encountered was poorly rendered using green screen.
• Unintentionally Sympathetic: The episode wants us to believe Barry is being unnecessary harsh on Ralph and that he needs to lighten up and let Ralph do his thing. But given the severity of the situation Ralph's flippancy is very grating and his attempts to improvise end up doing more harm than good, so it's really hard to fault Barry being a hard ass.