The Flash: Danielle Panabaker Shares Throwback Photos From Show’s First Season

The Flash in just over a week and as the Arrowverse series prepares to head into its final run, there’s plenty of nostalgia and reflection about the DC inspired series — particularly for the cast and crew. Recently, series star Danielle Panabaker took to social media to mark a major anniversary for her time on the series, celebrating the ninth anniversary of her being cast as Caitlin Snow. In her celebratory post, Panabaker shared a series of behind-the-scenes photos from the early days working on The Flash in its first season, particularly work on the series pilot.

“Nine years ago today I was hired to join the cast of The Flash,” she wrote. “Whew, what a wonderful ride it’s been. These are a few photos from the archives of my first few days on the job.”

In addition to starring on The Flash since the first season, Panabaker has served as director on the series as well. Panabaker has directed an episode of each season of The Flash since Season 5. Her director credits include “Godspeed”, “License to Elongate”, “Rayo de Luz”, and “Keep It Dark” and she will direct one more time in Season 9. She’s directing the ninth episode of the upcoming season.

“One of the things I love directing about Flash is that Eric really empowers every director to make their best version of the show,” Panabaker told ComicBook.com earlier this year about directing “Keep It Dark”. “You don’t need to stick to any formula. You can do whatever you feel best is needed to tell the story. And the movie he gave me for reference for this episode was Assault on Precinct 13, which is not a movie that I knew even. And so, it’s a different genre for me and its’ been fun the last couple of years. In Season 6 it was meant to feel like a Bond movie and then this year’s is shot a little differently. It’s a little darker, there’s a lot more handheld. So, it’s been fun to get to do and direct different episodes and get to explore all the different tools that come along with that.”

What do we know about the final season of The Flash?

The official synopsis for the season is as follows: “After defeating the Reverse Flash once and for all, the ninth season of The Flash picks up one week later following their epic battle, and Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) and Iris West-Allen (Candice Patton) are reconnecting and growing closer than ever before. But when a deadly group of Rogues descend on Central City led by a powerful new threat, The Flash and his team — Caitlin Snow (Danielle Panabaker), Meta-Empath Cecile Horton (Danielle Nicolet), the light-powered meta Allegra Garcia (Kayla Compton), brilliant tech-nerd Chester P. Runk (Brandon McKnight) and reformed cryogenics thief Mark Blaine (Jon Cor) — must once again defy impossible odds to save the day. But as The Rogues are defeated, a deadly new adversary rises to challenge Barry Allen’s heroic legacy And in their greatest battle yet, Barry and Team Flash will be pushed to their limits in order to save Central City one last time.”

The final season of The Flash will consist of 13 episodes and will debut on Wednesday, February 8, 2023, at 8/7c.