Law And Order’s Jesse L. Martin Joins THE FLASH Pilot

We’ve got our second cast member for the upcoming Flash TV pilot. Jesse L. Martin, most famous from Law and Order and Ally McBeal as well as multiple stage productions, has joined the cast as Detective West (no first name yet), the father of Iris West and surrogate father to Barry Allen after his mother’s death and father’s imprisonment. As noted in the original casting information, “he believes in Barry and supports his efforts to prove his father’s innocence.”

Martin is the second actor to be cast after Grant Gustin, who debuted as the character in Arrow last month. Ghostbusters actor Ernie Hudson was rumored for the Detective West role last month, but I guess the producers decided to go in another direction. The Flash has not been ordered to series yet, but CW President Mark Pedowitz said recently at the Television Critics Association press tour that he’s hoping that the series will launch “with a bang like we launched Arrow.”

In the New 52, Barry is taken in by Officer Darryl Frye after his mother’s murder and later became Barry’s boss at the Central City Police Department. While West may not be Barry’s direct boss in the show, I wouldn’t be surprised if he works with Barry on different crimes while acting as a mentor to him. I’m also guessing that Detective West will become The Flash’s main ally in the CCPD, much like how Quentin Lance is now assisting Oliver in Arrow.

I can’t really comment on Martin since I haven’t seen him in anything. I was hoping Hudson would get the role, but I’m hoping Martin will do great. Now I’m looking forward to hearing who will play Iris and “Detective Eddie Thawne” (we all know he’s that time-traveling menace Professor Zoom), and hoping they’ll announce soon that it’s getting a full season.

SOURCE: The Hollywood Reporter