The Flash: Danielle Panabaker Talks Stepping Behind the Camera for "It's My Party And I'll Die If I Want To" (Exclusive)

With The Flash coming to an end, Season 9 of The CW series was guaranteed to have some memorable moments, but this week's episode, "It's My Party And I'll Die If I Want To" may be the most memorable to date. The episode serves, in a sense, as the final Arrowverse crossover with the return of Oliver Queen/Green Arrow (Stephen Amell) but also sees the return of other familiar faces as well — John Diggle (David Ramsey), Wally West (Keiynan Lonsdale), and Ramsey Rosso/Bloodwork (Sendhil Ramamurthy). It also marks her fifth time stepping behind the camera to direct an episode of The Flash. ComicBook.com sat down with Panabaker to talk about "It's My Party And I'll Die If I Want To", and what it was like paying homage to Arrow while directing an episode of The Flash's final run.

Warning: spoilers for this week's episode of The Flash beyond this point. 

Nicole Drum, ComicBook.com: As a viewer, I always get excited for the episodes that you direct. This one, however, has some special significance not only because it's in the final season, but it sees the return of so many familiar faces. What was it like for you, as someone who is part of the show but also behind the camera, approaching this episode given that aspect of things? 

Danielle Panabaker: Great. I mean, I was thrilled that this would be episode that I got to direct. I think, because I've been a part of the Arrowverse for so long, I think I have an intimate knowledge of... not only The Flash characters, but obviously I don't know them as well as Steven and David do, but I know those characters and I know the storylines. And I followed them as well. And in particular, this episode, I was so glad I got to tell it because I really wanted to do justice to the Oliver and Diggle storyline, in a way that maybe necessarily wasn't tied up for their series finale. So that was something that, as a true fan, was important to me. I don't know that a typical journeyman director would've cared as deeply as I did about telling that story well, particularly for the fans. And for those who felt like they didn't get it before.

I was surprised in this episode, it does so much heavy lifting in that it feels like it's telling a lot of stories at once. There's a lot in there. How do you balance such a packed episode? I know you mentioned being excited to give people that closure with Ollie and Diggle, but was there anything else that you were excited to take on?

I mean, to your point, this was an incredibly well written episode. And I have to give a lot of credit to Sam and Emily, who are very talented writers who I think did a stellar job with this script. So that really set us up for success, in a variety of ways. So, yes. There were a lot of stories. But that makes the scenes more fun because there's scenes within a scene. And there are subtle things you can layer into each moment without... while still telling the story that's entertaining. You can see the depth. I do think in particular, it's an interesting story for Barry. And it's great that Keiynan came back to help show the growth that Barry's had over these nine years playing The Flash. Or nine years as The Flash. So, I just... I felt grateful that there was so much to work with.

There's also a lot of lovely little callbacks to Arrow. The last time you and I spoke, you said that you really hoped those things came through and I feel like they did. Was there a particular callback that was special for you to include?

I don't know if there was a particular one. Again, I wanted to keep it going through the whole episode. And to keep those themes there. And again, you have the highs and the lows, and the big obvious emotional notes that we're hitting. But everything's a little bit more layered. I will say, it was fun to see... there's stuff that I don't even have to do, because it's inherently there in the writing. And then the actors do it, in terms of the relationships between Barry and Oliver, but also between Diggle and Oliver. That's stuff you can't write. I mean, it really is the chemistry of the actors, and to get to... and it's just my job to capture it. And capture it well and get out of the way.

It feels like they really set you up for success here with that.

Yeah. I mean, because that's the important part. Because ultimately, you're the director. If you see me directing, if you see something that takes you out of the story, then I'm not doing my job anymore. Do you know what I mean? It's my job to let the story sing. And I've got to... again, set everyone up for success in every department. To let them do that to the best of their ability, and then get out of the way.

Now, I know for previous episodes you've directed there have been thematic inspiration from films. Did you have any cinematic inspiration for this episode or was this really just digging into the Arrowverse itself?

To be honest, I don't know that it did. This feels like a big superhero episode, to have those four guys in their suits standing on set together. I wanted it to feel bigger. We definitely used a crane a lot more, and that's something that overall, Eric really wanted for this season, is to have it a little bit more of a cinematic look. And it was nice to get to lean into that and know that I wasn't going to have to cut straight into the closeups for talking heads on television. To really lean into the environment and used our wider lenses and that sort of thing.

Did that provide more of a technical challenge for you this time around compared to other episodes you've done?

In different ways. It was funny. I was talking to Beth Schwartz when I directed my first episode of television... so whatever, that was five years ago now. And you can... as a director, you come in as prepared as you can be. And then it's all the things that you don't see coming, that are going to throw you off track. So yes, there were some technical issues on this episode that we had to deal with. I mean... yeah, numerous ones. That, hopefully, I and the technicians will be the only ones who ever know about. But again, that's my job just to help the story sing regardless of what's going on the floor.

While there are a lot of serious moments in this episode, there's also a lot of fun in this episode. I particularly loved the Mindscape television show that Barry finds himself on. For you, as the person running this as it were, what was the most fun aspect for you in this episode?

That every day was different. And this also felt like a throwback to some of our older episodes that we started with at the beginning of the series. There's a bad guy. And he's a very scary bad guy, and it's got big implications if the good guys don't meet the bad guy. So, to get to tell a story like that. And then, every day was different. It wasn't a typical. I remember, again, in earlier seasons, it used to sometimes feel like we were just spending days in the cortex, and we were just spouting exposition. And we didn't even show in the cortex in this episode. So, every day was different. And obviously, presented its own set of challenges, but that's exciting and it keeps me and the crew on our toes, I think.

Now, I know Kayla Compton is directing an upcoming episode of The Flash as well. And since you're now the seasoned veteran at this, did you have any advice for her as she stepped behind the camera?

I hope you get a chance to talk to Kayla about her episode, because honestly, I'm curious what she'd have to say about me. I do feel like I really pushed her. I think she probably cursed my name a few times along the way. But because I think she's so capable and so talented, I really did encourage her. And I very much feel like she's my little sister and I wanted to do everything I could to help her succeed. So, yes. I'm sure I gave her too much advice, and I'm sure she couldn't wait to be rid of me by the time it was done. But I think, she did a wonderful job and I'm really proud of her.

I just think it's so exciting that Arrowverse ladies are directing episodes of their own shows. It's inspiring. It's empowering.

It's true. And when I look back at our first season and... I mean, maybe we had one or two female directors. And it never occurred to me that it was something that I could do. I watched Tom Cavanagh direct in Season 3, and I was like, "Oh, wait. I could do this." And it was Greg Berlanti, it was his idea, and he and Todd helping, really supported me and pushed... and pushed me in this. So, I will be eternally grateful to them for this.

The Flash airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.