OVERVIEW
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The best ever!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry, but I loved this episode so much. I've thought and thought about it, and you know what? I'm gonna give it a 10 out of 10.
I know, in the future, my feelings for it will probably cool a little and I'll see more of the flaws in this episode, but right now, I just don't really care about those flaws. I don't care that the structure of this season is all over the place.
I mean, we had those first two episodes with Fish, and then a two-episode story arc with Mad Hatter, and now this pretty much self-contained episode. It's all over the place, but I don't care.
This episode gave me a high I still haven't come down from. Seriously. It's given me a flavor of lasting happiness that I didn't know I missed.
I know, in the future, my feelings for it will probably cool a little and I'll see more of the flaws in this episode, but right now, I just don't really care about those flaws. I don't care that the structure of this season is all over the place.
I mean, we had those first two episodes with Fish, and then a two-episode story arc with Mad Hatter, and now this pretty much self-contained episode. It's all over the place, but I don't care.
This episode gave me a high I still haven't come down from. Seriously. It's given me a flavor of lasting happiness that I didn't know I missed.
 |
| Penguin and Nygma Source: http://cdn-static.denofgeek.com/sites/denofgeek/files/styles/main_wide/public/gotham-305_scn1_jn0668_hires1.jpg?itok=KIzBcxtV |
LOWS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Let's just say none, even though, technically, I could count the flaw I listed in the Overview, but nah.
MEDIUMS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
None.
HIGHS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So many...
1. Penguin
I can't tell you how satisfying it is for me to see Penguin to find someone to fill that original hole left in his heart by his mother. I feel like I've been on this whole journey with Penguin, from his mother's death (which literally left me sad for two weeks) to his father's death (which did not leave me sad for long, but definitely increased Penguin's and my own despair) to now: Penguin's mayorship and Nygma.
So, now, I feel like -- and I don't even care how stupid this sounds -- a hole has been filled in my heart just as it has been filled in Penguin's heart.
God, it's good to live vicariously through your favorite characters sometimes.
This! This is how it's done, folks! Good shows work for it, wait for it, earn it, and leave their audience with a better high than shows that give their characters everything right away.
And as I said in my review for S3E4, it seemed like Penguin was settling for shallower and shallower love, first that of his father and now that of the public. How glad I am that that is not the case.
He wasn't settling for anything. At the start of this episode, he makes it clear that he realizes that mayorship was merely a professional goal, of sorts, and he still needs real love, "someone to share it with."
Even better, now he's found someone who would do "anything for you."
I'm so happy!
I also really appreciate that Penguin and Nygma did NOT kiss at the end. I thought they were going to for a second, and then I thought, "Oh, please, no." And thank goodness it didn't happen.
As things are, the viewer can decide for his or herself whether Penguin/Nygma is a romance or a bromance. I prefer to think 'bromance' because I think a romance would just be too much. Too much goodness. This isn't a fairytale or a hit television mockumentary wherein Penguin and Nygma would get married and adopt a Vietnamese daughter and good times would ensue, accompanied by simple lessons in parenting and relationships. (I love Modern Family, honestly. I joke out of love.) This is Gotham.
Also, I like to think that Nygma is still and will always be in love with Kristen Kringle, because he's crazy like that...crazy romantic, lol. And he's simply a good friend, like he used to be to Gordon. Now, he's that friend to Penguin. I hope.
I'm so happy, btw! Did I mention?
I mean, okay, I know there's still a chance that Nygma really is just using Penguin, but I find that unlikely. Gotham is really good about not pulling crap out of left field. And it really would be out of left field if Nygma turned on Penguin after Nygma passed up the opportunity to smile evilly when he hugged Penguin. That would have been the time to show us that Nygma has ulterior motives.
I'm so happy!!!
2. Nygma
The suspense was real. I genuinely had no idea what was going to happen next when Nygma set his plan in motion. On the one hand, Nygma has been shown to be an extremely manipulative person and I could definitely see him having a problem with playing second fiddle. But on the other hand, I could see how he might simply be trying to expose Butch.
Butch was a problem for Penguin this episode, just as I predicted (more or less). I mean, it doesn't take much to predict that, after everything Butch has already done to Penguin. After all, Butch got Penguin's mother killed in the first place.
(And yes, I know Penguin has done a lot of horrible stuff to Butch too, and I'm glad the writers had Butch bring that up, to be fair. But I'm team Penguin here.)
And while I was in suspense of Nygma this episode, my heart sank as Butch initially refused to kill Penguin. Are the writers trying to say that Butch really is the more trustworthy of the two?
The competition between Butch and Nygma started out as charming. I imagine it was particularly captivating for people who like both Nygma AND Butch, but I was team Nygma from the start. Nygma's never done anything that bad to Penguin and, therefore, Penguin SHOULD trust Nygma more than Butch. "Don't drag common sense through the mud please, Gotham writers," I thought.
And they didn't!
And I'm so happy!
And that's one of the many wonderful things about Gotham. It's full of common sense: common sense love, common sense friendship, common sense ideals. Of course the more trustworthy friend is the one who didn't help kill your mother. Of course the truer love would risk life and limb to show you the truth rather than to pull one over on you.
So good!
Also, I'm glad to see the writers have given Nygma a way to do something interesting outside of Arkham, since he's allowed in the forensics lab of the GCPD.
3. Bruce and Selina
Maybe I was wrong about what made Five a good match for Selina. Maybe it's just that Bruce and Selina look older now, so their romance is simply less awkward. I mean, 'cause Bruce and Selina were so cute this episode. I'm totally rooting for them now.
4. Barbara, Zsasz, Lucius Fox
1. Penguin
I can't tell you how satisfying it is for me to see Penguin to find someone to fill that original hole left in his heart by his mother. I feel like I've been on this whole journey with Penguin, from his mother's death (which literally left me sad for two weeks) to his father's death (which did not leave me sad for long, but definitely increased Penguin's and my own despair) to now: Penguin's mayorship and Nygma.
So, now, I feel like -- and I don't even care how stupid this sounds -- a hole has been filled in my heart just as it has been filled in Penguin's heart.
God, it's good to live vicariously through your favorite characters sometimes.
This! This is how it's done, folks! Good shows work for it, wait for it, earn it, and leave their audience with a better high than shows that give their characters everything right away.
And as I said in my review for S3E4, it seemed like Penguin was settling for shallower and shallower love, first that of his father and now that of the public. How glad I am that that is not the case.
He wasn't settling for anything. At the start of this episode, he makes it clear that he realizes that mayorship was merely a professional goal, of sorts, and he still needs real love, "someone to share it with."
Even better, now he's found someone who would do "anything for you."
I'm so happy!
I also really appreciate that Penguin and Nygma did NOT kiss at the end. I thought they were going to for a second, and then I thought, "Oh, please, no." And thank goodness it didn't happen.
As things are, the viewer can decide for his or herself whether Penguin/Nygma is a romance or a bromance. I prefer to think 'bromance' because I think a romance would just be too much. Too much goodness. This isn't a fairytale or a hit television mockumentary wherein Penguin and Nygma would get married and adopt a Vietnamese daughter and good times would ensue, accompanied by simple lessons in parenting and relationships. (I love Modern Family, honestly. I joke out of love.) This is Gotham.
Also, I like to think that Nygma is still and will always be in love with Kristen Kringle, because he's crazy like that...crazy romantic, lol. And he's simply a good friend, like he used to be to Gordon. Now, he's that friend to Penguin. I hope.
I'm so happy, btw! Did I mention?
I mean, okay, I know there's still a chance that Nygma really is just using Penguin, but I find that unlikely. Gotham is really good about not pulling crap out of left field. And it really would be out of left field if Nygma turned on Penguin after Nygma passed up the opportunity to smile evilly when he hugged Penguin. That would have been the time to show us that Nygma has ulterior motives.
I'm so happy!!!
2. Nygma
The suspense was real. I genuinely had no idea what was going to happen next when Nygma set his plan in motion. On the one hand, Nygma has been shown to be an extremely manipulative person and I could definitely see him having a problem with playing second fiddle. But on the other hand, I could see how he might simply be trying to expose Butch.
Butch was a problem for Penguin this episode, just as I predicted (more or less). I mean, it doesn't take much to predict that, after everything Butch has already done to Penguin. After all, Butch got Penguin's mother killed in the first place.
(And yes, I know Penguin has done a lot of horrible stuff to Butch too, and I'm glad the writers had Butch bring that up, to be fair. But I'm team Penguin here.)
And while I was in suspense of Nygma this episode, my heart sank as Butch initially refused to kill Penguin. Are the writers trying to say that Butch really is the more trustworthy of the two?
The competition between Butch and Nygma started out as charming. I imagine it was particularly captivating for people who like both Nygma AND Butch, but I was team Nygma from the start. Nygma's never done anything that bad to Penguin and, therefore, Penguin SHOULD trust Nygma more than Butch. "Don't drag common sense through the mud please, Gotham writers," I thought.
And they didn't!
And I'm so happy!
And that's one of the many wonderful things about Gotham. It's full of common sense: common sense love, common sense friendship, common sense ideals. Of course the more trustworthy friend is the one who didn't help kill your mother. Of course the truer love would risk life and limb to show you the truth rather than to pull one over on you.
So good!
Also, I'm glad to see the writers have given Nygma a way to do something interesting outside of Arkham, since he's allowed in the forensics lab of the GCPD.
3. Bruce and Selina
Maybe I was wrong about what made Five a good match for Selina. Maybe it's just that Bruce and Selina look older now, so their romance is simply less awkward. I mean, 'cause Bruce and Selina were so cute this episode. I'm totally rooting for them now.
4. Barbara, Zsasz, Lucius Fox
These actors are freaking superb, and all three characters were fantastic comic relief this episode.
I loved how much Barbara loved the party because I was loving it just as much.
I'm glad to see Zsasz back after a long absence, and I was happy to see him helping Nygma protect Penguin because I've always shipped Zsasz and Penguin as friends too.
I loved Lucius's conversation with Nygma and how Lucius is not a man of violence but is also not above insinuating that he laced the hand sanitizer dispenser with poison.
5. Musical Score
Amazing, as always, especially in the opening scene where Penguin commenced his mayorship to the backdrop of an upbeat version of his theme.
6. Just overall the way the pieces fell
I have been lenient on Gotham for having Penguin forgive Butch so easily because I could see that it was a way of keeping both Butch and Tabatha alive, but honestly, there should be better ways to keep certain characters alive than by compromising another character's consistency.
And behold, isn't this a much better way? Having Butch on the run and Tabatha protecting him? I think so.
Also, this episode was actually a good breather. Now, I'm ready for what will come next with Bruce's doppelganger and the Mad Hatter.
I loved how much Barbara loved the party because I was loving it just as much.
I'm glad to see Zsasz back after a long absence, and I was happy to see him helping Nygma protect Penguin because I've always shipped Zsasz and Penguin as friends too.
I loved Lucius's conversation with Nygma and how Lucius is not a man of violence but is also not above insinuating that he laced the hand sanitizer dispenser with poison.
5. Musical Score
Amazing, as always, especially in the opening scene where Penguin commenced his mayorship to the backdrop of an upbeat version of his theme.
6. Just overall the way the pieces fell
I have been lenient on Gotham for having Penguin forgive Butch so easily because I could see that it was a way of keeping both Butch and Tabatha alive, but honestly, there should be better ways to keep certain characters alive than by compromising another character's consistency.
And behold, isn't this a much better way? Having Butch on the run and Tabatha protecting him? I think so.
Also, this episode was actually a good breather. Now, I'm ready for what will come next with Bruce's doppelganger and the Mad Hatter.
RATINGS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Compared-To-All-The-Content-I've-Ever-Loved: 10/10
No comments:
Post a Comment