Gotham Episodes 11-14 review

As shows have returned from their winter break, it's my hobby to review, so let's get started with Gotham

Rogue’s Gallery

And Gotham is back, well, technically it was back weeks ago, but this is the first review I'm doing of it, in February, never mind. When we last left. Falcone was getting nervous about his lost money, and began raising his ‘taxes’ riling just about everyone. Jim Gordon took the fall for the Lovecraft murder and ended up as a security guard in Arkham. Penguin is a double agent for Falcone, working for Marone. Also Barbara Gordon Sr (not Batgirl) is a class A b*tch, came back to help Gordon against his instruction, only to be kidnapped and essentially ruin his entire plan, only to be so scarred by her ordeal that she leaves Gordon and goes to bed with Renee Montoya, again!

Let’s see how all this is played out in Gotham

Right, let me start with the two things that bugged me in this episode. One: Jim Gordon is a security guard, not a Doctor. He cannot be held responsible for patients in an insane asylum bursting out. His job is to contain these, and for what it’s worth, he did a decent job.

Second off, Barbara Gordon is still a b*tch. Whatever you need to do to make her character likeable, do it fast! Even Laurel Lance off Arrow during season 2 came off as a more likeable character.

OK, so main plot. There are a bunch of near fatal electroshock therapy sessions that weren’t authorised by the Doctors, Jim Gordon thinks a member of staff is responsible… and he’s wrong as it turns out a patient, controlled by another patient is responsible.

So, we’re introduced to the Electrocutioner (he isn’t called that till next episode, but if you’ve seen the teaser) whose name is not Lester Buchinsky or anything associated with the comic counterpart (possibly because of his easter egg in Arrow, his name appears on the list.)

So, he’s torturing people to try and get one under his control, and he succeeds with ‘Frog Man’ Jones, I assume a reference to Waylon Jones aka Killer Croc. And he kills a bunch of people and escapes.

Also we get Leslie Thompkins, she’s there for… Is it wrong I like her and Jim more together than him and Barbara. Not saying she’s much, she spends most of the episode expositing or running, but it’s better than nothing.

Meanwhile, Penguin, in move that seems remarkably out of character, is trying to raise taxes on fishermen, but they call the cops, and the Penguin spends the night in a cell before Marone calls him out on his hubris. Fish Mooney has Butch try and bump off one of her competitors, there’s a small period where we think he might betray her, but he doesn’t and shoots him.

Also, Selina Kyle finds Ivy Pepper feeling sick, and takes her to rest in Jim Gordon’s barely used house, this subplot is erm… is erm… is… what’s that meme again?

Oh yes, that’s the one.

This episode isn’t particularly strong, the main plot is decent but the subplots drag it down, making this episode an average at best.

Rating 7.5/10

A little bird told me

So, Jack Gruber is in fact an alias, for a guy named Jack Buchinsky – because when you want your identity changed, you want your first name to remain exactly the same.

You know, the Electrocutioner plot was practically the B-plot of this episode, the A-plot: Fish Mooney makes her move on Falcone. Eliza has wormed her way into his heart, all Fish had to do was tug at that string, and Falcone would fold. Except she didn't count on the Penguin knowing that Eliza was a mole, and that he was speaking with Falcone.

But Penguin almost makes a slip up on his own, leading Marone to suspect him of being what he is, a Falcone spy. Fortunately Oswald swears that he isn’t, and may god his mother with horrible torment if he’s lying… Here we go…

You know what, I read an article recently that said Danny DeVito complimented Robin Lord Taylor on his Penguin performance, and it lead to made me realise the perfect penguin is somewhere between the two of them. Danny Devito's Penguin was overly gross and disgusting, and was completely insane (thanks Burton for all of that) Robin Lord Taylor’s Penguin isn't any of those things. He’s cunning (sometimes) and manipulative, but he's not threatening, and that's what Danny Devito's Penguin did have.

So back to the B-plot. Jim is ready to show he has balls: he talks his way into getting himself assigned to the case, despite being in Arkham at the time. He has 24 hours to catch our Electrocutioner or he and Bullock are both going back to Arkham.

Fortunately thanks to timely intervention by Leslie Thompkins, they discover that he has a particular grudge for certain Don Marone. Gordon basically uses him as bait, and it works, Jack is captured and Gordon's reinstated, secretly telling the Commissioner that he'll make the next person who tries to fire him eat the badge.

Oh, and Barbara is staying with her parents, and they're cold as ice, I care so much…

No Bruce, Selina or Ivy this week, and I really don't miss them

Rating 8.5/10

Episode 13 – Welcome Back Jim Gordon

An interesting welcome indeed.

So, our A-plot revolves around a series of murders committed by an unknown felon, but when a key witness is murdered inside the police station, Jim suspects an inside.

Where the hell are detectives Montoya and Allen at the moment anyway? This sort of case sounds just up their ally.

So, let's sum up the B-plots. Fish Mooney escapes and tries to kill the Penguin, and fails, losing Butch (who is still alive, despite the fact he escaped custody once, smart move Zsasz) and having some me-time with Harvey Bullock before leaving the city, for now.  Bruce Wayne is looking for Selina, and… that's it.

So, we have another case of Jim Gordon going after someone, in this case a guy named Flass, who is a corrupt cop from the comics, and everyone else telling him not to. Gee, that sounds annoyingly familiar. Drop it already!

There are a few twists in this one, Jim goes to the Penguin to try and find evidence, Penguin is now the proud owner of Fish Mooney's bar (because that wouldn't be a little bit suspicious to Marone, just saying) and offers to find Gordon what he wants, but Gordon owes him something.

Oh, there is another B-plot, never mind. Nygma makes a move on Ms Kringle (what an odd choice of surname, last time I heard that surname, it was part of another alias for Santa Claus) but everyone laughs at him behind his back. He also doesn't like onions, who knew? This is a plotline I've barely mentioned, because his road to becoming the Riddler is unlikely to come this season, so it's just a small distraction.

Erm, does Penguin’s informant think Gordon has his family hostage, what? Seriously, someone explain that to me.

So, we have the final reunion between Bruce and Selina, where she claims that she lied and had no idea who shot Bruce's parents. (If this true then her entire arc has been a colossal waste of time, if she's lying to keep Bruce away, to protect him or something… Can Bruce actually do something?)

Thankfully the A-plot, whilst recycling tired elements is fairly decent, so I'll give this episode a decent score

Rating 7.5/10

The fearsome Doctor Crane

When I saw the promo for this episode, I worried it would more of the same plotline they've used for a while, which I detailed in the last episode, but thankfully, there is more to this plot. We're introduced to Todd Crane and his son Jonathan, who knew inducing fear would be a family business?

In subplot 1, Fish tells Marone that Cobblepot works for Falcone, Marone has Cobblepot almost crushed under a car, but Cobblepot escapes, vowing to rise as the Prodigal Son. The Penguin does slip up here, but at least we get the sense he's no moron, and is planning a few steps ahead (this is the reason I think revealing himself to Fish was idiotic)

In subplot 2, we have Edward Nygma wanting to work on the examination of the bodies, but being shunned by corruptymcdouchebag (yeah, I'm sure he has a name, I'm just gonna call him that anyway) but Nygma uses dirty tactics hiding dozens of bodyparts in locker, and corruptymcdouchebag is terminated from the premises following the discovery of the parts. It's interesting as it's something that could be considered a precursor to his crimes as the Riddler, and whilst I don't think that's coming this season, make no mistake, it's coming.

In subplot 3, Bruce decides to conduct his own investigation, and berates Gordon for making no progress, especially since Selina turns out to be a non-witness. I'd actually like to see Bruce embrace the detective side of Batman rather than the physical, brain training is something I can believe to be started from a young age and would feel less forced or a constant reminder that he's gonna be Batman someday.

In subplot 4, Fish Mooney's boat is attacked, and that's the cliffhanger, a plot that didn't even start before the last minute. Well played

But back to our A-plot, there's a bit of fallout after Flass' arrest last week, as everyone involved in his arrest has to watch their backs. We also get another pretty young woman for Bullock to flirt with, she almost drowns, he gives her the kiss of life. He really flippin loves this.

So, to Crane himself, he's using a phobia group to pick targets for an experiment where he kills them through their worst fear (including a guy who's afraid of pigs (possible reference to Professor Pyg? You decide)) and he has a son called Jonathan, who will eventually become the scarecrow.

Oh, and Gordon's in there somewhere, he stumbles across Selina in his errr… what are he and Barbara now? And he gets Leslie Thompkins to replace Corruptymcdouchebag.

Rating 8/10 

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Images used in this review are from Gotham and belong to their respective owners. All images in this review are subject to fair use.