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I love Gotham and very much want it to succeed, but I have to be honest and say that I was a little disappointed in this episode.
I recently became aware that Gotham receives a lot of hate. I think such hate is completely unwarranted, since so far, Gotham has been an incredible show. Not just a great comic book show. Just objectively a great show.
Gotham is complete with a solid plot, great character moments, great character development, great performances, great visuals, great musical scores, and interesting philosophical points. Nonetheless, people hate on it a lot more than people hate on some other shows, shows that I think showcase some severely inconsistent characters and plots.
Character consistency is extremely important to me. (Plot consistency too, but not as much.) And the character inconsistencies in this episode makes me wonder if the Gotham writers have halfway given up...but are halfway still trying...but have halfway given up.
Glass half full/empty/who knows?
It is true that Gotham's ratings have been steadily decreasing, in spite of the great writing. So, hey, if I were the Gotham writers, I might halfway give up too. And the saddest thing is that their ratings might go up now. Viewers seem to prefer inconsistent characters and plots.
Oh, well. We original Gotham lovers will always have the first two seasons. And this awesome picture.
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| Gordon holding a snow globe of the rest of the characters Source: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CrM-iF_UEAAaUxS.png |
As you might guess, most of today's items will be located in the MEDIUMS section, since it seems the Gotham writers are halfway trying, halfway not.
LOWS
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1. Tabatha and Captain Barnes
When Tabatha and Barnes both fell into comas last season, I was nervous that it was just the cliche method of getting them out of the way until the writers could think of something interesting to do with them and the comas would have no lasting consequences.
Well, I was right. Tabatha and Barnes are right back at it now at the very start of the new season, no worse for wear, except mayyybeeee Barnes who gave a small cough after scolding Gordon and Bullock.
MEDIUMS
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1. Penguin
Consistencies:
Penguin explains why he holds no grudge against Nygma for the way Nygma turned Penguin away when Penguin was brainwashed.
Penguin admits to struggling to make it through every day. To Nygma, Penguin says that he doesn't know how he would have made it through the last few months without Nygma, since Fish is out there plotting and Penguin is surrounded by idiots and lunatics. But none of that is new for Penguin and he got through it with ease in the first season, so that means he really isn't doing as well now without his parents' love.
Penguin is still mad at one of his mother's murderers, at least. He says he will kill Tabatha as soon as Butch gives the ok.
Inconsistencies:
If Penguin is large and in charge again and such good friends with Nygma, why can't he break Nygma out of Arkham? Falcone broke Gordon out of jail once, and Falcone wasn't even the number one mob boss at the time.
Penguin appears as affectionate as ever to Gordon, even though Gordon left Penguin to be tortured in Gotham last season and Penguin was quite upset about it at the time.
Penguin seems as trusting as ever toward Butch, even though Butch took Fish's side (as much as he could while brainwashed) at the end of the first season. Well, Fish is back again and Butch isn't even brainwashed this time. So how can Penguin trust Butch?
Penguin spares Tabatha on Butch's behalf, even though Butch himself helped to kill Gertrude. So why does Penguin spare Butch?
2. Nygma
Consistencies:
Nygma remembers how he treated Penguin when Penguin was brainwashed, and asks why Penguin is so nice to him anyway.
Inconsistencies:
Personally, I am really not a fan of the whole smartest-person-in-history-at-such-and-such schtick.
Said schtick boring, both for me, the audience, as well as for the character himself, if he were a real person. I can only imagine the mental frustration of never finding an entertaining challenge. And I dont want to imagine it. It's frustrating to imagine.
And it always, always raises the valid question: "If you're so smart, why can't you figure a way out of the mental asylum?"
AND said shtick is inconsistent in a character who once (in Season 1) said he enjoys video games. Regular old video games that never drove any mathematicians mad or went generations unsolved in any family.
Therefore, I was not pleased by the puzzle box scene.
3. Butch
Consistencies:
Butch is still in love with Tabatha, consistent with what we last heard from him.
Inconsistencies:
Butch is on Penguin's side instead of on Fish's side. What we last heard from Butch was that he had accepted Fish's death, but before THAT, Butch said that he loved Fish and would never hurt her. Even when he was brainwashed to hate Fish and obey Penguin, he loved Fish and disobeyed Penguin in order to save Fish. Butch isn't even brainwashed any more. Why is he not on Fish's side?
HIGHS
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1. Music
As always, Gotham's score goes above and beyond to set the mood for each scene. In this episode, the music is especially effective when Bruce's doppelganger is on screen. The music really helped to sell the doppelganger's creepiness.
As always, Gotham's score goes above and beyond to set the mood for each scene. In this episode, the music is especially effective when Bruce's doppelganger is on screen. The music really helped to sell the doppelganger's creepiness.
2. Barbara
"Boop." I loved Barbara's scenes this episode. I am happy her friendship with "Ozzy" continues.
"Boop." I loved Barbara's scenes this episode. I am happy her friendship with "Ozzy" continues.
Also, I thought about it, and her transition back to evilness seemed very sudden in this episode, but when you think about the last 3 or 4 episodes she was in, it has been fairly gradual. She "helped" Gordon by kidnapping him; she went crazy channel-surfing (she was clearly in pain); she helped Penguin decorate his home with a severed head; and finally, she nearly beat a man to death (he was a bad guy). Makes sense. I have no complaints.
CONCLUSION
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Gotham is a character-centric show, like all great shows. It never missed an opportunity to show the main characters' personalities and it made sure the main characters always acted in-character. And it continues to focus on the characters with great energy (I had fun watching this episode) but less consistency.
RATINGS
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Compared-To-All-The-Content-I've-Ever-Loved: 6/10
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