Review: Gotham Season 3 Episode 13, Smile Like You Mean It [SPOILERS]

OVERVIEW
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Jerome's return, Lee's fabulous fierceness, and the difference between Oswald and Edward.

LOWS

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None.

MEDIUMS

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1. Jerome

So, I guess Jerome didn't come back to life at the end of Season 2. I mean, fine, whatever. We only heard and saw him in the horde of monsters coming out of the bus.

It baffles me to no end that the writers on Gotham are so inconsistent in...well, consistency. I mean, just two episodes ago, we saw the culmination of an extremely well-executed twist -- Mad Hatter infecting Mario with the Tetch virus. I mean, all the seeds were sewn for that, right from S3E3 and on. Because the groundwork was laid so well, it was one of the best twists I've seen on TV.

Clearly, the Gotham writers are capable of meticulously planning a half season, and yet it was only a half season that separated Jerome's appearance at the end of Season 2 from this 3-episode arc. (Well, I guess, this 3-episode arc is actually part of Season 3a. Go figure.)

I just don't get it.

But, ok. I honestly don't care THAT much. I do think it would have made a lot more sense if Strange had been the one to bring Jerome back, but from what I'm seeing online, most fans liked the way Jerome officially did come back.

In my (very subjective) opinion, Jerome has only one real purpose, and that is to keep fans happy and boost ratings. I never clamored for his return. I'm still pretty much indifferent after this episode.

I personally wouldn't mind if he died again, but I'm hoping he doesn't die because I know he's the only reason a lot of fans watch Gotham, and the only reason Gotham keeps airing is because a lot of fans watch it, and I want Gotham to keep airing.

As for Cameron Monaghan's performance, it was good. He did a great job of getting emotions across with just his voice and body language. However, I do think his performance would have benefited from more actual face time. Sometimes, I thought his vocal performance was just little too close to Heath Ledger's Joker and I lost sight of what makes Jerome unique.

In Season 2, for instance, he had this great scene where he stared Commissioner Essen down while machine guns went off in the background, and Jerome's eyes did this really fantastic blinking thing...You know what I'm talking about, right? It was great. I'd like to see more of that kind of acting from him.

Also, I didn't love the way he interacted with Lee. It seemed a little too adult and a little too menacing and creepy. Has he always been that menacing and creepy? I guess so, now that I think about it. He was pretty creepy hitting on Essen and Barbara.

On that note, he clearly has a thing for older women. That fact, by the way, opens up the potential for Harley Quinn to be an older woman, as she would be if she was a therapist working at Arkham.

I honestly find age gap relationships to be completely fascinating, and if the younger person in the relationship turned out to be the abusive one...well, that adds a whole new dark twist on it. (I'm not saying age gap relationships are necessarily dark and twisted. I know they're not, and healthy age gap romances are the hottest ones, IMHO. Just, too easily, age gap relationships can be abusive.)

It feels weird to say all that because I know Jerome is only supposed to be around 18/19 years old. However, he clearly doesn't see himself as young because, as I said, he had a very age inappropriate interaction with Lee. And that bugged me because another thing that makes Jerome different from other Jokers is that Jerome is young.

I remember his Season 2 conversations sounding a bit young and awkward, even when he was hitting on Barbara. Now, if he's going to act like he's 40 anyway, what's the point of him being 18/19? (I kind of have the same problem with Bruce, though, so I guess if either Batman or Joker is going to act like his grown up self, they both should.)

That ending, though. That was terrifying. I recently had a power outage in my apartment and, remembering an episode of Monk where a killer created power outages in order to sneak up on people, I grabbed a shovel and kept it close at hand until the power came back on...That was in the safety of my own home in a super safe neighborhood. Just imagine how scared the citizens of Gotham must be, with the crazy cult members who were making trouble before the lights even went out and before they even saw Jerome.

2. Dwight/The Cult

I see now why they didn't want Jeri to be the cult leader for this 3-episode arc. Dwight is not supposed to be charismatic. He's supposed to be a little bit disposable, because he dies.

More importantly, however, I still have some problems with the fact that he was able to bring people back to life. This episode solved some of my problems with it because it highlighted the fact that Dwight had a large and diverse cult following to help him with funding and staffing and avoiding detection by the police.

On the other hand, I had a reason I was ok with Gotham characters coming back to life in Season 2, and that reason was that it looked like it would be extremely difficult to bring people back to life because you'd need expensive equipment and a mind as brilliant as Strange's.

Well, now it seems that anyone who worked at Indian Hill can cobble together the right equipment and figure it out.

Basically, then, death means nothing now, and I hate that.

3. Selina, Maria, Bruce

So, Selina's mom did turn out to be a con artist. And Selina was right to be mad at her and at Bruce. I would like a better understanding of what was going on in Bruce's mind when he decided to lie to Selina. Obviously, a lie is just as damaging to a person's trust whether it's done for monetary purposes or not. The reasons behind it make no real difference. Is it just me or is Batman really random? He draws these arbitrary lines at killing people and at lying if it's for the purpose of getting money.

HIGHS

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1. Lee

In this episode, Lee continues her aggressive streak, and I continue to dig it. I still think she might have the Tetch virus, but regardless, I love her fierce side. I love how she tried to trick Jerome into shooting himself, and I love that she ain't taking no shit from Gordon. Who is he to suspend her from work? What makes him think he knows what's best for her? Huh? Huh? I love it. :)

I am confused, though, about her threat to tell the commissioner that he and Harvey were beating a suspect. Last I heard, the commissioner was Essen and she died. So who is it now? Did I miss something?

Anyway, until now, Lee was always a pretty vanilla character. I liked her, but I didn't love her. I'm starting to love her now.

2. Gabe

Good old Gabe, trying to warn Oswald. Listen to him, Oswald! (In Oswald's defense, he's going through hell at the moment, reliving his mother's kidnapping with Ed being "kidnapped.")

3. Penguin

Poor Oswald. At the start of this episode, Oswald's down in the dirt, still reeling from seeing his father's "ghost," and all Oswald does is ask for Ed. I bet you at this point Oswald is as dependent on Ed for emotional support as for strategical support.

And the frenzy Oswald went into when Ed was "kidnapped!" It was so like Oswald's reaction to his mother's real kidnapping back in the day that, well...it's given me a whole new perspective.

As tragic as it is and as much as I wish Nygmobblepot hadn't gotten to this point, I see now why Ed wasn't a good match for Penguin; I'm getting hit for the first time with the pain of Penguin's unrequited love; and I care about this "war" storyline now.

I was just waiting for this war to be over with, actually hoping that the writing would be sloppy and Penguin would get over it as soon as it was over.

But now I'm seeing it being done correctly, and though I have serious problems with how Gotham got here and where it's going (in circles), I can't help but want to support this Nygmobblepot War storyline now. Just because it's being done correctly.

It's taken Gotham a while to get back to doing this, but this episode showcases the purported strengths and weaknesses of Nygma and Penguin. Nygma is showing his talent for reading and manipulating people, and Penguin is showing his talent for sensing what's going on in the crime world and he's showing his #1 weakness: love.

This sounds super corny, but the reason I've always loved Penguin is that Penguin is the kind of person who lives and dies by love. This episode made me believe again in that particular characteristic of Penguin. It made me believe Oswald could actually maybe die from the pain of his love for Nygma, once he finds out about Nygma's betrayal.

Yes, Nygma's betrayal. I know he's only doing it because Oswald betrayed him first. (I mean, if you don't count the time Nygma threw Oswald out on the street because Oswald's niceness was freaking Nygma out.) But this episode just solidified what I've always felt.

Oswald deserves this betrayal. I've said it before. Technically, Oswald is so horrible a human being that he deserves every bad thing that's ever happened to him. But technically, Nygma is so horrible a human being that he deserves every bad thing that's ever happened to him, including Isabella's death.

The difference between Oswald and Nygma is the strength of their love for their loved ones.

I mean, yeah, Nygma was hurt when Isabella died, but Nygma will carry on and be fine. In many ways, he already is. Not so with Penguin. Penguin is still hurting from his first great loss: the death of his mother. And Nygma's betrayal will damage Penguin as much as Gertrude's death did.

The difference between Oswald and Nygma is that Oswald genuinely didn't expect Isabella's death to hurt Nygma as much as it did, while Nygma clearly knows that his betrayal will destroy Oswald completely, both emotionally and (Nygma hopes) physically.

This time next year, Penguin will still be hurting from Nygma's betrayal. This time next year, both Penguin and Nygma will still be alive. This time next year, Penguin will be the King of Gotham again, but he'll never kill Nygma because Oswald will never forget the love he had for Nygma, not enough to kill Nygma anyway.

The difference between Oswald and Nygma is that Nygma has murdered/attempted to murder his loved ones and Oswald hasn't.

Nygma killed Kristen. He tried to kill Gordon. He's trying to kill Oswald. These are all people he expressed profound feelings for. But those feelings don't go as far with Nygma as they do with Oswald, who clearly didn't kill his mother or father.

Obviously, there are other differences. For instance, Nygma is more cerebral, and Oswald is more emotional. And that's closely related to everything else I've said I guess. But anyway, there are a million little differences between the two. The difference that makes a difference to me, though, is their capacity for love.

Oswald loves Ed more than Ed could ever love anyone.

And that's why I'm 100% on Oswald's side now, his faults be damned.

I liked this episode because it reminded me why I'm Team Oswald. I love Oswald because it's rare to find a character who cares as much as I do, who takes as long to heal as I do. I appreciate stories that serve the fundamental purpose of helping the audience feel less alone.

I also appreciate the fact that I have no idea how this Nygmobblepot War is going to end. I mean, obviously, both Oswald and Nygma will live. However, as with most narratives, it's not a question of "if" but a matter of "how." How will both Oswald and Nygma get out of this alive? Seems like a "two contenders enter, one contender leaves" situation. Soooo, how will it all work out? My curiosity is definitely piqued.

RATINGS

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General: 7/10

Compared-To-All-The-Content-I've-Ever-Loved: 7/10

Review: Gotham Season 3 Episode 12, Ghosts [SPOILERS]

OVERVIEW
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Was a I disappointed? Yes. Was I entertained? Also, yes. 

LOWS

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None.

MEDIUMS

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1. Evil(?) Lee

Lee was uncharacteristically unreasonable this episode, but only for a while. And I kinda liked it.

She's got close ties to the mafia now and she's bitter and vengeful. Understandably so. And that sounds like a promising villain origin story. But, no. It just took her a bit longer to come around than I had expected. Or maybe I just expected her to get her frustration and pain out in a more low key way.

Either way, we never really found out if she was infected or...*gasp*. That's why she was so angry this episode! She's infected with the Tetch virus because Mario's blood got on her!

...Could be. That virus keeps sneaking up on us. Who knows?

2. Penguin and Nygma's Plot

How did Penguin lower the crime rate? I actually want to know.

He's the crime lord of Gotham in addition to the mayor. Did he shut down his shadier businesses? I'd think he'd want to increase them too. I mean, I'm not at all unhappy to hear that he's apparently downsized them. That's great...but how?

Anyway, I kinda liked that bright-eyed, bushy-tailed assistant that kept stopping Penguin on his way into the office. I dunno. I just feel like she has potential. I'd like to see more of her.

Also Olga? I'd like to see more of her too. And Gabe too. Where does Gabe always disappear to?

See, Penguin has, like, no friends these days. (I don't think even Gordon counts at this point.) And that only made Nygma less likable this episode, since he has all the allies right now (Barbara, Tabatha, Butch, Clayface). So it's five against one. Just feels like they're ganging up on him super hard, you know?

But the thing I really disliked this episode was the "ghost." More specifically, it's the fact that the ghost turned out to be a "ghost." I wanted it to be a real ghost.

First of all, I love ghost stories. Secondly, I thought we were finally getting the pay off for that little throwaway Penguin line, "I've seen [ghosts]."

When your character says something like that, you have to follow up. You have to either 1)tell the audience the instance in which Penguin saw ghosts or 2)establish that it's not that uncommon for Penguin to see ghosts. And if it's not that uncommon, show it happening.

This would have been the perfect time for it to happen. It would be awesome if Elijah actually came back to warn Penguin about Nygma.

Unfortunately, Penguin's one ally turned out to be just another one of Nygma's allies.

3. Selina and her mom

Selina forgave her mom a bit too quickly. Most things in this episode happened a bit too quickly, but that's a staple of these Gotham setup episodes. I guess I didn't mind much this time because, for one thing, I want the whole Penguin/Nygma war to get over with as quickly as possible.

Now there's the question of whether Selina's mom is pulling a con, trying to get money out of Selina and Bruce. I don't know the answer. It genuinely could go either way. That's one great thing about Gotham: it can really keep you guessing, right up until the end. Even in this episode, I wasn't sure until the end if the "ghost" was part of a plot by Nygma.

One the one hand, we know that Penguin has and possibly does see ghosts, and we didn't know how Nygma could create a "ghost" of Elijah. On the other hand, we knew that Nygma's only mission in life is to make Penguin despised and, clearly, making him crazy on live television would be one way to do it.

Anyway, it's the same with Selina's mom now. On the one hand, if that guy is her partner, he probably would have just settled for the money instead of going to see Bruce. Plus, Maria risked her life to save Selina from Talon, so if she's willing to die for Selina, would Maria steal from Selina? On the other hand, Selina's mom is clearly super shifty and it's unlikely that her relationship with Selina will end happily.

4. Jim

I liked the fight/confrontation scenes with Zsasz because, well, I like Zsasz. And also because I dunno about you but I felt a real sense of danger when Zsasz threatened Jim. It didn't last long, though.

I guess it makes sense that Falcone called it off because Lee asked him to. However, it also would have made sense if he refused to call it off, and I would have preferred a multiple-episode arc with Zsasz as the main adversary. That would have been more exciting.

But I guess they have to move on to the Jerome storyline.

5. The Jerome Storyline

What is going on? Didn't we see Jerome alive at the end of Season 2? Is he dead again? Just asleep maybe? Or did Strange not reanimate Jerome? If that's the case, I feel like the Gotham writers have some real explaining to do.

It's looking like a morgue night manager named Dwight is about to achieve what Strange only achieved by accident: legit resurrection, with memory and personality firmly intact.

First of all, Strange is a genius and an established character in the Batman universe, and he had extensive equipment, staff, facilities, funding, and backing from the Court of Owls/Wayne Corporation. This guy, Dwight, has what? A dirty warehouse and "Indian Hill lackey" on his resume?

WTF?

Secondly, I thought Jeri was the leader of these Jerome fanatics. She certainly had a lot more charisma than this guy. What happened to her? I want her back.

Thirdly, during that convention of crazies watching Jerome's police station footage, I was struck with the feeling that Gotham was showing us a depiction of Jerome's real life fans.

Gotham has always been its most meta when it came to Jerome, which is fitting since Jerome has crossed over into the real world more than any other part of Gotham.

Take, for example, when Theo and Barbara discussed Jerome's death and Theo stated that Jerome was an interesting character but had limited potential, and Barbara disagreed. I could almost picture the writers of the show having that same conversation while deciding whether to kill Jerome off.

More prominently, however, Jerome has hardcore fans both within the show and within the real world.

Watching the Jerome fans watching Jerome this episode, I was suddenly like, "Is that what his real fans are like? Boy am I glad I'm not one of them." But the thing is, if I feel good that I'm not one of his fans, are his fans feeling bad that Gotham is parodying them?

Now to be honest, I loved Cameron's performance as Jerome. I thought it was nuanced and captivating and Jerome himself did have potential. I thought it would be fascinating to really delve into his feelings about his parents.

And I loved the whole idea that "nothing's more contagious than laughter." I thought it was brilliant how Jerome's virus piggy-packed on laughter. I loved the warning Gotham relayed about how laughter can infect us and how our legacies, good or bad, can live on even if the world's memory of us dies.

I thought all of that was very real world...maybe a little too real world, hmm? I mean, if Jerome's real life fans are anything like the fanatics in this episode.

So, if the writers are seeing this kind of behavior in Jerome's real life fans, I can understand why they might want to parody it within the show. I think it's kinda brilliant. I think it might open some people's eyes.

On the other hand, I'm not sure it's helpful to the show's ratings. I'm not sure it won't offend a bunch of fans. I just don't know.

But it certainly gave me something to think about. How much has Jerome's legacy bled into real life?

(On a side note, I didn't like that Jim and Harvey broke up the party when, as yet, nothing illegal had taken place. That was also a little too real life...)

HIGHS

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1. Barnes

I love Barnes. I just love him. I love him so much. More Barnes, please. He doesn't even have to do anything. I'll be content just to listen to his beautiful rants again and again.

RATINGS

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General: 7/10

Compared-To-All-The-Content-I've-Ever-Loved: 5/10

Review: Gotham Season 3 Episode 11, Beware the Green-Eyed Monster [SPOILERS]

OVERVIEW
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Well, this was definitely better than the last episode. In fact, this was a solid half-season finale with a great twist.

LOWS

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1. Nygma and Penguin

First of all...I don't think Ed understands that Ed is the only thing Penguin really loves right now, so to destroy Penguin, all Ed has to do is leave Oswald. But I suppose Ed could do worse to Oswald than that, and Ed wants to do his worst to Oswald.

And it's not like I think Penguin doesn't deserve it. Technically, Penguin is so terrible a human being that he deserves all the bad things that have ever happened to him. But still, I'm Team Penguin here.

If this is the end of Nygmobblepot, I think I'll be ok with that at this point.

Nygmobblepot has been downright exhausting. I never expected it to get this bad.

Well, ok, fine. I knew this was one way a Penguin/Nygma romance could go. I knew it could just explode, and that's one reason I didn't want it. But then I got my hopes all up that the Gotham writers would find more creative ways to add tension and drama to Penguin and Nygma's story.

So, really, this brewing "war" is doing nothing but ruining Nygma for me...and Barbara. It's ruining her for me, too....And Penguin! It's even ruining Penguin for me, ok? Geez.

If this whole Nygmobblepot thing is and has always been another way to torment Penguin and Nygma, can it just be over already?

Can. It. Just. Be over already?

It's making it hard for me to look forward to the next half-season. Is it just going to be Penguin and Nygma going through the same pain we've seen them go through before? Are they going to transform in significant ways because of it? Who knows? I don't.

All I see on the horizon is a rehash of everything we've already been through with these characters and I'm tired of it already.

On a side note, this is what you get when you don't kill your enemies Penguin! they team up against you.

2. Ladder-climbing Barbara

I don't like this version of Barbara. I guess she has to go somewhere as a character, but it just feels random and out of character for her to want to lead the crime families.

MEDIUMS

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1. Jam-packed Finale

Gotham is great at setting everything up so that we can have a jam-packed and fast-paced finale every half season. Even so, this was one of their weaker finales.

For one thing, I don't really care about the Court of Owls storyline, and that's mostly because I don't really care about Bruce and his gang. They're fun side characters, but I don't like spending this much time with them.

Also, I could have said that this episode ended on a nail-biting cliffhanger if I didn't already know that Lee will come around when she finds out that Mario was infected. They have pretty solid proof now.

Nevertheless, it was an intense cliffhanger because of Falcone's impending wrath and the possibility of Lee becoming infected.

But since it's the half-season finale, I can now complain about the fact that we never got an update on Firefly or Mr. Freeze. I mean, what the heck? All season, Selina just acted like Firefly was still "dead." And how is the police department holding Mr. Freeze. Doesn't he need like subzero temperatures to live?

These are questions we needed answers to!

2. Selina's Mom

Selina's mom showed up kind of out of nowhere, and I thought her outfit was...well, honestly a little corny. But still, I'm glad we're getting to this. It was inevitable, and it'll provide  new lens through which to explore Selina's character.

HIGHS

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1. Jim

Jim's game with Tetch was fun. I do love how Jim outsmarts villains in a believable sort of way, the sort of way that a normal person might be able to. You don't have to be a tactical mastermind to think up a rhyme, right? Also that line, "More uncomfortable than having Barnes in the cell next to you screaming 'Guilty!' at all hours of the night?" had me in stitches. I like meta humor in very, very small doses.

2. Mario and the whole Tetch twist

At first, it seemed a little out of left field, like Gotham had pulled the cheap sort of trick so many crappy shows pull these days where it's like, "Boo! Plot twist! No one cares if the seeds for it weren't properly sewn 'cause it's just so surprising, right?"

But a quick second look shows how much sense this twist makes and how properly the seeds for it were sewn.

For example, this twist clearly explains why Mario jealously punched Jim. But ALSO, it explains why Tetch didn't shoot both Lee and Vale. (I previously thought Tetch was just keeping his supervillainous word.) It explains why Tetch didn't try again to kill Vale while she was in the hospital, and perhaps why he didn't try very hard to kill her in the first place.

Anyway, in the end, this was an extremely well-done twist.

RATINGS

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General: 8/10

Compared-To-All-The-Content-I've-Ever-Loved: 7/10

Review: Gotham Season 3 Episode 10, Time Bomb [SPOILERS]

OVERVIEW
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Frankly, this episode annoyed me from start to finish. From our lead heroes to our lead villains, no one failed to annoy me. Worst episode of Gotham in recent memory.

[WORST CRIMES DISCLAIMER: This episode shows torture.]

LOWS

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1. Lee. Lee and Jim.
Why is Lee associating so closely with Falcone? I know he's technically her father-in-law-to-be, but it seems dangerous and morally questionable to hang out with him just, like, in her down time with her boyfriend.

And it was totally glossed over. She never explained her behavior. Nobody asked her about it. It's just...why?

Also, I strongly -- like, really, really freaking strongly -- disapprove of the kiss between Lee and Jim. I don't think it's technically cheating to be in love with more than one person, but I do think that kissing them both/all is technically cheating, yes. Yes, that was cheating. For sure, it was. Godammit.

2. Penguin Vs. Barbara

Penguin and Barbara fighting is lame, and random. Since when does Penguin talk down to her like that? Since when does Barbara point guns at Penguin and plot to overthrow him? Lame. I thought they were friends.

...super lame. :(

3. Nygma torturing Butch and Tabatha

Ok, geez. Look, I know Butch and Tabatha are two of the least likable characters in the show. And I know Gotham has, like, this need to remind us every so often that it's a dark show. And I know it's really not that dark compared to a lot of crap on TV these days, but....ughhhh.

I keep hoping (stupidly) that we've moved beyond that and we don't have to see torture sessions once or twice a season anymore.

MEDIUMS

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1. Mario being infected

Well, I didn't see it coming. I guess it's a good twist.

HIGHS

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None

RATINGS

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General: 5/10

Compared-To-All-The-Content-I've-Ever-Loved: 1/10

Review: Gotham Season 3 Episode 9, The Executioner [SPOILERS]

OVERVIEW
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Barnes yay! Bruce, Selina, Ivy yay! Nygmobblepot...hmm

LOWS

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1. Nygmobblepot

I'm seriously questioning my position on Nygmobblepot.

I've been rooting for them, in spite of what Penguin did to Nygma last episode. But the saving grace there was that Penguin indicated that he was going to make it up to Nygma as best as Penguin could.

 In this episode, however -- Penguin himself admitted -- he wasn't compassionate to Nygma...at any point. I know Penguin featured Nygma in Penguin's portrait, but I mean... That would be sweet as a act of mere friendship, but it's weird and egocentric as an act of "compassion."

I mean, come on. Penguin has always had the ability to act genuinely kind and sympathetic toward a single person. That person used to be his mother, and I thought it was Nygma now.

And yes, I know Penguin seriously hurt Nygma by killing Isabella, and I have already said that that act of murder was perfectly in character for Penguin, and it was.

Unfortunately, when Penguin's own feelings are put between a rock and a hard place, he's capable of hurting people he loves. Take, for example, the moment in Season 1 when he lied to his mother even though she told him that, if he lied to her again, he'd break her heart. And he did break her heart. (And in the end, also kinda got her killed.)

But would it have killed Penguin to just, like, make Nygma some soup and throw an extra blanket on him and listen intently to him and let him be sad and let him heal? No. No, it would not have. It wouldn't have been hard at all. So why didn't Penguin just do that?

I mean, ok, on a certain level, I understand Penguin's reaction. I also find it hard to have any real sympathy for Nygma right now. I honestly doubt the depth of Nygma's love for either Isabella or Kristen, given how disrespectful he and Isabella were to Kristen's memory. I honestly think Nygma will get over Isabella fairly quickly. And thus, I honestly don't care much about his suffering.

And Penguin's rationale was that Nygma only knew Isabella for a week. Like me, Penguin felt that Nygma didn't love Isabella very deeply, and Nygma would and SHOULD get over her death quickly.

If, however, Nygma doesn't get over Isabella's death quickly, Penguin has no right to rush him. Just the opposite in fact. The longer Nygma takes to get over Isabella, the deeper his love for her must be, and the worse Penguin should feel.

Finally, I wonder if Nygma is lying about who he thinks killed isabella...he's prolly not.

MEDIUMS

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None

HIGHS

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1. Barnes

Basically, Team Barnes. Team Barnes all the way. Team Barnes forever!

Why not kill the bad guys? I mean, it's not like the law is gonna mean much when Batman comes around anyway. Batman's only line in the sand is the arbitrary one of not killing. Why not kill? Unless they're gonna deputize Batman like I guess they did in the early comics.

I actually kind of wanted Barnes to be our new primary character, instead of Jim. I know that doesn't really work with the format of the show, and it actually works better to add Barnes to the roster of sympathetic villains than to follow him as the hero. So, it's all good.


2. Bruce, Selina, Ivy

Bruce, Selina, and Ivy were a fun and funny posse. Ivy's lines, in particular, had me laughing out loud, and her delivery and facial expressions matched those of her younger self enough that I could believe that was actually her grown up. 

RATINGS

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General: 7/10

Compared-To-All-The-Content-I've-Ever-Loved: 6/10

Review: Gotham Season 3 Episode 8, Blood Rush [SPOILERS]

OVERVIEW
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Everyone's a middle man, until Barnes forces individual responsibility on the city of Gotham in a glorious, badass origin story.

Barnes' "evil" side

LOWS

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1. Face off
Ok, isn't it a little much to cut off people's faces before killing them? Isn't it a little much to cut off people's faces when there are other ways to get a new face?

I mean, I get the point of it, story-wise. It's the kind of horrible, awful crime that would make you want to literally rip the bad guys' heads off (which Barnes does). And I know that Gotham has been a pretty dark show right from the start, but...I just really didn't like the face cutting off stuff, ok? Sue me.

MEDIUMS

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1. Nygma
At first, I thought Gotham was very efficiently answering all the questions I laid out in my previous post.

When Nygma hallucinates Kristen, she says "Face it, you're a killer." And I thought that was an answer to my question of why Nygma killed Kristen.

He's just a killer. Ok, then. We're covering a lot of ground already. We might actually get to all the questions on my list! Woo!

But the conclusion of this episode negates the proposition that Nygma killed Kristen simply because he's a killer. So we end up with no answers whatsoever.

Nygma didn't kill Kristen for looking like Kristen. There was never any indication that that was the reason. Hence, so what if he didn't kill Isabella for looking like Kristen?

(Maybe if Isabella had genuinely threatened to get Nygma thrown in jail and he let her live, that would mean something.)

However, I do think it would have been better if he had strangled Isabella, because that would force him to answer my questions more quickly than he likely will now. (I still think we're gonna get answers to some of my questions...eventually...sometime in the series.)

Isabella was willing to go pretty far into moral gray zones and risk her life, and it made her seem like a real contender for Nygma's heart. And I wondered for a split second, "Do I like this pairing?" But no.

When Nygma told her to keep the glasses on, it was so close to necrophilia and so disrespectful to Kristen's memory that I lost a fair amount of respect for both Nygma and Isabella.

What's more, Nygma showed very little sympathy or remorse toward his mind-Kristen, so once again, he didn't really deal with the actual murder of an actual person.

So, instead of answering the question of why Nygma fell in love with Kristen, this episode made me think he never loved Kristen at all. Which would have been an ok conclusion to present IF it had been properly built up to and explored.

As it was, however, I lost a lot of sympathy for Nygma since his whole origin story seems a lot less twisted and harsh now.

I thought he was dealing with the repercussions of murdering someone he loved. I thought it was driving him crazy every day. I thought if he realized that he possibly never even loved Kristen, he would plunge even deeper into insanity.

But it all seems rather simple and shallow now. His love for Kristen seems simple and shallow. And therefore, his love for Isabella seems simple and shallow too.

And it makes me think that maybe Nygma deserves to lose Isabella. It's not such a terrible fate anyway, since he probably didn't love her very deeply and he'll probably be over her soon. Plus, Nygma's done some pretty awful things (like killing Kristen and framing Jim). If Nygma wasn't in horrible mental anguish the whole time, I can't feel sorry for him.

2. Penguin
It just seems like killing Isabella is the most predictably thing Penguin could have done. I totally understand why he did it, and it's totally in character, especially after Isabella challenged him like that.

But I was hoping for more. A little growth in Penguin. A little surprise for the audience. A little ingenuity in the plan to win Nygma's heart.

That said, I don't see this as a definite end to their relationship.

Don't get me wrong. Nygma will definitely find out. But there are several ways Penguin and Nygma's relationship could still go forward. It's the job of the writers to put roadblocks in the character's way, to make it difficult, to make it interesting.

Right now, I feel like the Gotham writers are like Jervis Tetch in Follow the White Rabbit. They're laughing at our impatience and our lack of sense for stagecraft, like Jervis laughed when Jim demanded Lee and Vale instead of this random journalist and freaking doctor.

Well, I DO appreciate the stagecraft...I'm just struggling right now because the happy feelings from Anything for You were so fleeting. I miss it so much. Happier times. Happier times.

But how could Penguin and Nygma go on after this? Well, it's possible that Nygma will realize the parallel between what Penguin did to Isabella and what Nygma did to Tom Doherty. Maybe Nygma and Penguin are more alike that Nygma and Isabella were.

Especially if it turns out Isabella had foul intentions for Nymga, which is still possible. I mean she says she knew to dye her hair red from looking at newspapers, but newspapers are usually black and white. And like I said last time, Isabella is just a little to miraculous to be real, don't you think? I dunno. Guess we'll have to see.

HIGHS

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1. Captain Barnes
You know when Barbara was talking to Lee about Jim? Barbs was all like, "It's hot to be so close to so much darkness and light in someone who's always at war with himself."

And I'm like, "Yeah, Barbara, I totally get what you're saying. But forget Jim! Have you met Barnes lately?"

It was so satisfying to see Barnes dish out justice like that. I know he was super conflicted about it, but that's what made it so relatable. Barnes has a strong desire to punish the bad but also a strong desire to be good himself, and he can't do both.

At the end, he realizes that most of Gotham is complicit in the heinous crimes committed within city borders. Even that girl he saved from getting her face cut off. She (probably) got paid off. And Barnes is tired of all the excuses. "I'm just the guy who disposes of the bodies." "I just hire criminals to change my face." "I just provide new faces to meet the demand."

Barnes is ready to just murder everyone. And I love it!

I feel you, Barnes. I feel you.

RATINGS

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General: 8/10

Compared-To-All-The-Content-I've-Ever-Loved: 7/10

Review: Gotham Season 3 Episode 7, Red Queen [SPOILERS]

OVERVIEW
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Gotham defers exploring Nygma's brain, while Gordon explores his own brain with Barbara as his guide. Wheee!

Elevator Operator Barbara with Jim Gordon in Jim Gordon's Mind Elevator
Source: http://i2.wp.com/tvrecappersdelight.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Gotham-Jim-Gordons-Trip.jpg

LOWS

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None.

MEDIUMS

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1. Nygma
I'm disappointed with what we didn't get to explore with Nygma. We didn't get to explore Nygma's psyche right off the bat because Isabella wasn't a figment his brain created. However, I cheated and watched the promo for next episode before writing this review, so I know there's definitely hope for next episode.

I HAD wanted to see Nygma deal with his murder of Kristen. I mean, the first time he "dealt" with it...he didn't really deal with it. His mind just sort of...broke. That made perfect sense, too. I would also go insane, if I killed someone I loved. How could anyone's brain deal with that?

But the more time passes, the more distance Nygma puts between himself and the murder, the more you'd expect it to creep up on him and demand to be looked at again, more objectively. This expectation is especially valid if Nygma can bring himself to love someone new. It's especially, ESPECIALLY valid if Nygma can bring himself to love someone new who looks like Kristen.

In this episode, Nygma seems to have come to terms with his murder of Kristen as "an accident." But it's more complicated than that.

It all started when Nygma murdered Tom Doherty because Tom was abusing Kristen. Actually, it all started when Nygma fell in love with Kristen. But I mean... immediately before Nygma killed Kristen, he revealed to her that he killed Tom.

She wasn't grateful or relieved. She was horrified. She tried to run, saying that she was going to tell the police.

And her fear was justified. I'd have run away in terror, too, if it turned out my boyfriend was a murderer. I personally wouldn't have said I was going to the police though, Kristen, because 1) it's stupid to say that and 2) I would probably have actually felt a bit of gratitude. Also, I wouldn't have continued dating Tom after he abused me, so Nygma wouldn't have had to kill Tom in the first place. Anyway, sorry. I don't mean to victim-blame. I reiterate that Kristen's reaction to Nygma was understandable.

In fact, it was Nygma's reaction to Kristen that had me going "What?" Actually, it still has me going "What?" But that's part of the brilliance of it. I doubt Nygma has any more of a clue why he did what he did than I do.

Yeah, he was trying to explain himself to her, but why was he so desperate to speak his piece that his grip on her was tight enough to strangle her in mere seconds?

Was he desperate to be understood by her? Was he desperate to keep her from leaving him? Was he desperate to save his own skin from the police?

And I say again: it wouldn't have happened if Nygma hadn't killed Tom.

So should Nygma have interfered in Kristen's life and murdered Tom? And why did Nygma fall in love with Kristen in the first place if she was never that nice to him and had nothing in common with him? Was Kristen right to be afraid of Nygma after he told her about Tom since Nygma DID end up killing her?

If Nygma had known he was dangerous to Kristen, would he still have dated her? Should Nygma have known he was dangerous to Kristen? Did Nygma know he was dangerous to Kristen? Was Nygma a bad person? Even before his Riddler personality took over?

These are the questions Nygma should be asking himself, and most of all, he should be asking himself how to keep himself from killing anyone else he loves. Is he a danger to everyone, no matter how good, kind, sane, and in love he is?

Fingers crossed we'll get to see Nygma explore these questions in the next episode.

2. Isabella
I know it's weird to say this about a show that features zombie supervillains and such but my suspension of disbelief is being tested. I mean, Isabella looks exactly like Kristen, speaks in riddles, showed up right before Penguin could express his love to Nygma, and she isn't a figment of Nygma's imagination?

Well, then there needs to be some other explanation for such a huge set of coincidences. I'd even take the "secret twin" explanation at this point. We'll see what happens next episode. If no explanation comes, I fear I may never accept the miraculous existence of Isabella.

On the other hand, Isabella is working quite well as an obstacle for Penguin and Nygma's relationship. A little TOO well. I'm really sad and frustrated for Penguin at this point. To think this is what I wanted: for there to be some conflict that keeps Penguin and Nygma from turning into a fairy tale couple.

Thankfully, I already see how Nygm and Isabella could fall apart. She's already a bit creepy, saying that Ed is the Anthony to her Cleopatra, the Romeo to her Juliet, the Othello to her Desdemona. As Nygma said, all those characters died. If I didn't know any better -- and I don't -- I'd think Isabella kind of LIKES the fact that Nygma is a murderer. It excites her. She wants some tragic, death-destined romance and she wants Nygma to fit a certain mold of character. Not a good sign.

3. Vale
Ok, I feel really mean for what I said about Vale's actress last time (even though I stand by it), so I'll say she did alright this episode. She was smart enough to realize that Gordon was trying to save Lee, self-respecting enough to break up with him, and like I predicted, she lost her hope in him because of the incident. Very sad.

4. Tetch's Scheme
A little anticlimactic, the way his scheme ended. (No one got poisoned, and Gordon didn't get to bring Tetch down.) I know that's probably the point, though, and it's actually a good twist that Captain Barnes will be the real threat to Gotham, rather than Tetch with Alice's blood.

It's just that the writers are going to have to really come through with Barnes, making his story more fascinating than the story that would have played out if Tetch had successfully poisoned the heads of Gotham.

HIGHS

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1. Penguin 

I like that he seemed genuinely upset to have to get in the way of love, since he mentions it twice, first to Nygma and then to Catherine/Katherine, whom he had no reason to lie to. I'm glad he DID get in the way of love though. See, that's one of things that I love about Penguin: he's always been the character you could do crazy things vicariously through.

Remember that time he attacked a guy who booed his mom? That's the kind of thing real people know better than to do, because it usually only upsets the loved ones we think we are defending. (Nygma knows it. Just look at the thanks he got for killing his girlfriend's abusive ex who she was terrified of, lol.)

Penguin's mom didn't seem to mind though. That's why I miss the duo of Penguin and his mother, and it might also be why Penguin doesn't know any better than to try and drive Isabella away. He thought that he was a better match for Nygma and that Isabella would be "a disaster." Real people know that driving Isabella away would hurt Nygma and likely hurt Penguin and Nygma's relationship. So we wouldn't do it, if we were Penguin. But we wish we could, so we love watching Penguin do it.

In other news, Hugo Strange apparently actually had plans for Penguin! Strange worked for the Council, and in this episode, the Council revealed that they have a purpose in mind for Penguin. So, that's probably what Strange meant when he said he had plans for Penguin. I must say this is a fulfilling twist, especially since I gave up on Strange's "plan" for Penguin ever being relevant.

I wonder if Penguin will discover the existence of the council, realize he's not actually the King of Gotham, and start scheming to get to the top. Scheming, ladder-climbing Penguin was my favorite part of Season 1. I love that side of Penguin. I'd love to see it again.

2. Bruce & Selina
I'm glad Bruce didn't just let Selina get away with being so late. He wasn't so desperate to be with her that he would sweep his own feelings under the rug, and his relationship with her will be healthier because of it. I mean, I guess I know their relationship won't last, or it'll be on-again off-again, from what I know of the characters. Whatever, though. If it were to last, it would be better off because of Bruce's self-respect.

3. Jim Gordon
I like that Barbara wasn't just one of the stops on the ride. She was in the elevator on the journey with Jim. I mean, Barbara's been around since Season 1 Episode 1, and like I said a couple reviews ago, Jim and Barbara have a lot in common. For instance, they both cut off their engagements and came back to their exes too late and let it kill their spirits.

Also, disturbingly, they have similar tendencies toward violence, as seen when Jim tried to force Barbara to open the elevator doors and she came back at him with a broken glass. Jim may want Lee more than he wants Barbara, but he relates to Barbara more.

I like that Penguin appeared during Jim's first stop on the elevator, which also featured a war zone and Bruce. It seemed like Jim was going back to his roots. Not only did Gordon used to be a soldier, but also, just like Barbara, Penguin and Bruce have been around since Gordon first arrived in Gotham. And Penguin has actually been on Jim's side of the "war" the whole time.

I'm glad that Jim found his way back and rejoined the police, but I did think the stops on the elevator could have been explored further. They all seemed a bit rushed, but I understand there's only so much time in an episode.

Now, prepare for the "dead relative is still alive" twist. Even when you find your way back, Jim, there'll be something new to lead you astray. I think it's once you get used to that fact that you'll get yer sea-legs.

RATINGS

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General: 8/10

Compared-To-All-The-Content-I've-Ever-Loved: 7/10