This week’s episode of Gotham takes it up a notch, to say the least. We see lots of wheels turning, and for once, it is starting to become much more than a procedural cop drama with Batman characters thrown in to keep things interesting. There is starting to be a bigger plot, a larger threat, and a looming presence that is going to destroy (and hopefully, eventually save) the citizens of the most popular fictional town in comic book history. On the surface, this episode is a one-and-done whodunit about a street drug called “Viper,” (then, not-so-subtly at the end of the episode, “Venom”) giving the city’s homeless population a rage-induced power rush that leads them on a crime spree and then kills them violently.
Good stuff.
But we also have a scene with Bruce and Alfred on the case, showing that Wayne Enterprises is in for a harsh reality check when Bruce inevitably takes over the board room. And add to this the fact that young Selina Kyle is still on the streets collecting information (and wallets, of course) and that there is an impending gang war which no one is going to get out unscathed when all is said and done, and you have a thriller on your hands. Not to mention that pesky unsolved Dr. Thomas and Martha Wayne double homicide that Detectives Gordon, Bullock, Montoya, and Allen have still yet to really solve.
We get another glimpse into Edward Nygma, who is utterly fascinated by the mayhem being caused on the streets. How no one sees him as a bad guy yet astonishes me, but I suppose he really is just that smart. Seeing Fish Mooney play her new girl against Carmine Falcone, while the Penguin continues to steal the show yet again in his play for the back pocket of Falcone’s nemesis, Salvatore Maroni is interesting, but adding the extra twist of Gordon being played, yet again, is a nice touch. It will be fun to see just how far the mob pushes young Jim Gordon before he pushes back and refuses to save Oswald’s life on a seemingly weekly basis.
The show is certainly picking up steam again. The questions outweigh the answers, and that’s just the way I like my cop shows. The fact that Bruce is playing a more pivotal role in these next few episodes shows some promise, as is the fact that we finally have a little bit more gimmicky super-villain on the way. No to mention Carol Kane’s inevitable return as the Penguin’s strange bird of a mommy dearest. Count me in.
My Rating: 4.5/5
Your thoughts? Let me hear them. And check out Baturday each and every Saturday, if you can’t get enough of your weekly Batman thrills with these Gotham episode reviews.
