Prepare to See a Lot Less of Papa Joe on The Flash

If you've noticed that this season of The Flashhas been a bit lacking in good, old Papa Joe West (Jesse L. Martin) moments, you're not wrong. In fact, we'll be seeing even less of Joe in episodes to come for a very good reason.

TV Guide has confirmed that Jesse L. Martin is taking a leave of absence from The Flash this season due to a back injury he sustained during the summer hiatus. He's popped up here and there in the first few episodes of Season 5, but due to his injury, he's almost always been seen sitting down. Now, it appears as though he'll be disappearing for an unspecified amount of time while Martin recovers from his injury.

"Jesse Martin is taking a medical leave of absence from The Flash. We wish him a full and speedy recovery and look forward to his return as Detective Joe West," Warner Bros. said in a statement.

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The Flash is going to have a hard time explaining why Joe would bounce on his wife and newborn daughter, but TV Line, who was first to report the news, reports that his absence will be addressed at some point in the show. Maybe he's going to take the baby to go visit Wally (Keiynan Lonsdale) in off-screen land?

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

(Full Disclosure: TV Guide is owned by CBS, one of The CW's parent companies.)

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