As The Flash prepares to make its return to our television screens for a third season, we are beginning to see hints of what might be in store for Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) and his friends and colleagues. One of the biggest indicators of future plot directions is the intermittent casting announcements – and today we have a new one, in the shape of Susan Walters (The Vampire Diaries, Teen Wolf).
Susan Walters will be joining the cast of The Flash for season three – starring as Dr. Carla Tannhauser, a formidable intellect and noted as being one of the top biomedical engineers in the world. In addition, she is the CEO of a large research company, and is also the mother of Caitlin Snow (Danielle Panabaker). Viewers will be familiar with Snow’s mother, as the young woman has mentioned her in conversation before – specifically describing a mother-daughter relationship that is contentious, at best.
Now, the question is what the impact of Tannhauser’s arrival will be on the characters in the show. Caitlin Snow is herself a scientist, working within S.T.A.R. Labs to support Barry Allen – also known as The Flash. In her own storyline, she discovered her Earth-2 doppelganger is a supervillain named Killer Frost. Will this information be revealed to Caitlin Snow’s mother? Does Tannhauser have a supervillain doppelganger of her own? Will we see a professional rivalry develop within the walls of the lab?
We can safely say that the introduction of Susan Walters as Dr. Tannhauser opens up a number of narrative possibilities for season three of The Flash. The show does not return to The CW until October 4th, 2016, however, so there is plenty of time for more casting announcements, and a further healthy dose of speculation and anticipation.
