Welcome back Gothamites. As you may be aware of by now, we’re trading off on this bonkers show week by week, with many (most, actually) of us having had little to no interaction with this show. I, unfortunately for my sanity, am not of that category. I have seen each and every minute of this trainwreck of a show so bear with me if I’m slightly less (and slightly more) confused than my fellow reviewers.
So, without any more introduction, here are my five thoughts on the good, the bad and the Gotham, as Dany Roth would say.
…Oh boy.
1. Wayward Pines Villains
What is with Fox’s obsession with bald, murder creatures with sharp teeth and a penchant for snarling? Wayward Pines had them and used them well for a couple episodes (and then ruined them with an entire season). Now Gotham has one in the form of Dog Boy, who is tasked with killing Alex, this week’s body to motivate Bruce, and getting this vaguely important knife.
Ra’s, instead of, oh, I don’t know, using the League of Assassins or going after the kid himself (which he has the skills to do), he sends taser-face and his pet abbie off on the errand. It goes about as well as you expect and then Ra’s steps in and, shock of all shocks, does what he should’ve done from the start of the episode.
2. Indiana Al Ghul
The best part of this episode (other than the always hilarious Robin Lloyd Taylor as Penguin) has to be when Ra’s Al Ghul goes full Indiana Jones and just walks into the GCPD as an antiques appraiser for the government of Nanda Parbat. I want more of this guy and I kind of wish he were around in the cast earlier, like, sure, WE know who Ra’s Al Ghul is but Bruce and the GCPD wouldn’t have to know. It’s too late now but there is a missed opportunity here.
3. Grit Those Teeth and Eat That Gravel
What happens when Lucius Fox, Harvey Bullock, and Selina Kyle aren’t in an episode of Gotham? You get the gravel fest that is this episode. I don’t think Gordon knows how to talk above a low growl and ever since Bruce got hit with the angst stick, he hasn’t either. Which is sad. You can only listen to someone gargle pavement for so long before you stop caring about what they have to say.
4. The Rap-O-Gram
Do I need to elaborate on this? If you’ve seen the episode, you know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, consider yourselves lucky. Of all the stupid plot points of this episode (of which there are many), this might be the worst.
Other notable writer decisions: Have Bruce Wayne drop the knife at the last second and alert Dog-Boy.
Throwing a bone out a window and Dog-Boy chasing it.
Gordon constantly flaunting the law because….he’s Jim Gordon and can do no wrong.
Alfred being constantly wasted as a character and being turned into the “WHERE IS BRUCE?” tank.
Also….
5. That Kiss. Fuck that Kiss
Can the Gotham writers make one, ONE female character who doesn’t want to pork Gordon? Apparently not. And the scene was going so well (by Gotham standards) up until then too. Sofia Falcone is such an intriguing character, playing Penguin and Gordon.
She stands up to Gordon’s bullshit (of which he peddles quite a lot of), basically calling him out on his false righteousness, and is poised to be the next big challenger to Penguin…and then Gordon in a passionate? (read gross) moment, forces a kiss upon her after smashing her wine glass, and then they kiss onto the sofa?
Ugh. I really hope the show writers get wise to the awful Gordon they’ve constructed and start taking him down a peg or thirty instead of making him the hero who can do no wrong that he obviously isn’t. It won’t happen but I can dream.
What do you all think? Was I too harsh on the ridiculousness that is Gotham or is it worse? Leave us a comment and, while I won’t see you next time, the next review is sure to be a fun one.
Continued belowLine of the night:
Oswald (chewing the scenery, threatening Sofia, points to Zsasz): “Otherwise…”
Zsasz (ruining the subtle motion, whispers): “We’ll stab you” (as he nonchalantly makes a stabbing motion).
