Created by Geoff Johns, Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg, the character was introduced in the pilot episode of The Flash.

In season one, Central City Police Department (CCPD) detective Joe West becomes the legal guardian to his neighbor Barry Allen after the boy's mother Nora was murdered and his father Henry convicted.

[2][3] Joe is aware that Iris and his partner Eddie Thawne have been dating, and although initially a bit upset, ultimately gives them his blessing.

[1] He later tells Iris, who believed her mother was dead based on Joe's lies, that Francine is actually alive and a former addict.

[11] Supported by Barry, Iris ultimately tells Joe about his son Wally who eventually shows up at their home.

[20] After Wally becomes a speedster, however, Joe eventually accepts his son's destiny thanks to H. R.[21] He also begins to move on from his widowhood by dating Cecile Horton.

[20][22] After the demise of Savitar, Barry decides to atone for creating Flashpoint by entering the Speed Force, entrusting Central City to Joe and Team Flash.

[25][26] Joe and Cecile attend Barry and Iris's wedding ceremony, but it is suddenly interrupted by invaders from the Nazi-dominated Earth-X led by the Dark Arrow and his Kryptonian wife Overgirl.

His friends and family also meet Nora West-Allen, Barry's and Iris's future daughter and therefore Joe's yet-to-be born granddaughter.

He later tells Iris he thinks Cicada is a father because of how he held Jenna's blanket and talked about family while holding his hostage.

[34] Eventually, using all the information gathered by Joe and Team Flash, detective Sherloque announces Cicada's true identity Orlin Dwyer.

[35] After the defeat of Dwyer,[36] and his niece's alternate future self Cicada II, and the erasure of Nora from the timeline, Joe commiserates with Barry and Iris over their loss.

[40] Following Carver's murder, Joe is released from witness protection and joins forces with Team Flash to rescue Iris from the Mirrorverse.

[51] It turned out that the Reverse-Flashpoint timeline was created by Thawne who had Joe pushed onto the tracks in front of a moving train.

[52] Executive producers Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg, and DC Comics CCO Geoff Johns, created the character of Joe West for the CW series The Flash.

[67] Reviewing the pilot episode of The Flash, IGN's Jesse Schedeen praised the dynamic between Joe and Barry, calling it "solid".

[68] In 2015, Leah Thomas of Bustle ranked Joe fifth in her list of "original characters who help complete DC Comics' TV Universe".