Ever wish you could avoid rush hour traffic by flinging yourself out of your gridlocked Ford Escort and sprinting home at the speed of sound? While that probably isn’t going to happen any time soon, at least you can live vicariously through Barry Allen aka The Flash.

The Flash was the second series to debut in The CW’s “Arrowverse”, the lower-budget television version of the DC and Marvel extended comic book universes whose films are currently lighting up the box office. Our titular hero is a mild-mannered crime scene investigator that was gifted with superhuman speed after being struck by lightning following a freak particle accelerator accident. Now, Barry uses his newfound powers to–of course–fight crime in his home of Central City.

As the show progresses, the storylines get stranger and stranger, introducing alternate dimensions, alternate timelines, and a slew of new speedsters, both bad and good. The Flash really leans into the time-travel and continuity-tinkering aspects of comic books that don’t get a lot of love on the big screen, so if that’s an aspect of comics that you enjoy, then the series is definitely for you.

Where to stream The Flash

Once found on Hulu, The Flash (along with all other CW programs) has since been removed from the service and is now streaming here on Netflix. Along with The Flash seasons 1-4, you’ll find a ton of other superhero TV series on Netflix, including other Arrowverse, shows like Arrow (the one that started it all!) and Supergirl, as well as Netflix Original Marvel, shows such as Daredevil and The Punisher.

If you don’t have it already, Netflix’s most popular plan, allowing for two simultaneously streaming devices, costs $11 a month, although the price is set to increase soon to $13.

Why use a VPN to watch The Flash

If you live outside of the United States, you may find some difficulty streaming The Flash. While Netflix is available in almost every country around the world (except China), the catalog of available titles varies from country to country due to licensing restrictions. This means that the Netflix catalog in your country may not have the title. What’s more, the season five episodes streaming on The CW website aren’t available outside the US.

The Flash not to be found in your country’s Netflix library? Never fear, there’s something you can do about it: purchase a subscription to a VPN. With a VPN (virtual private network) you can route your internet connection to servers around the world, making it seem as if you are actually connecting from within that country.

Connecting to a US server through your VPN before entering Netflix, on your PC or any other device, will allow you to choose titles from the US Netflix library, including The Flash. To sweeten the pot, episodes streaming on The CW website will be unlocked for you, as well.

In addition to unlocking regionally restricted content, a top VPN such as ExpressVPN comes equipped with a host of security features like high-end data encryption, HMAC authentication, and an automatic kill switch to keep you safe from nosy ISPs and hackers. Overall, a great value for the price.

How to stream The Flash from anywhere using a VPN

  • Subscribe to a great VPN with servers in the US (you can’t go wrong with ExpressVPN)
  • Download and install the VPN client on the supported devices you use to stream video and surf the web.
  • If you don’t have a Netflix account, head here to sign up.
  • Add the Netflix app to the devices you’ll be streaming The Flash on.
  • Using your VPN client, connect to a US server on your streaming device.
  • On the same device, open Netflix (or head to the Netflix website), and The Flash, along with the rest of the US library of titles, will now be unlocked. You can also now watch season five episodes on The CW website now, if you want.

Supported devices

  • VPNs support a wide swath of devices, including iOS and Android phones & tablets, digital streaming devices such as Roku and Amazon Fire, video game consoles, popular web browsers, and even select models of TVs. Before subscribing, check a VPN’s list of supported devices to make sure yours are included.
  • Netflix is compatible with Apple TV, all digital streaming devices, Android & iOS devices, web browsers, Chromecast, Blu-Ray players, game consoles, and certain TV models. View the complete list here.

Best VPNs for watching The Flash

ExpressVPN

Our top pick!
  • Always evades internet control in the PRC
  • Keeps ahead of the Netflix VPN detection algorithm
  • Benchmark tests show excellent speed

NordVPN

  • More US city locations than its rivals
  • Includes malware protection
  • No-logs policy

CyberGhost

  • Precise locations
  • Very large VPN server network
  • Offers a 45-day money-back guarantee

VyprVPN

  • Golden Frog, the business behind VyprVPN also runs a gaming platform
  • VyprVPN pioneered obfuscation techniques and they have always worked well
  • VyprVPN’s no logs policy is confirmed by an independent audit

Ivacy VPN

  • Over 200 servers in 80+ countries
  • Sleek, easy to use UI
  • Customer support via email, Skype, and ticketing