The Fox television drama Gotham is back from its season break. Premiering on Monday January 16th, the return episode (“Mad City: Ghosts”), episode 12 of season 3 saw a frenzy of activity, from Mr Zsasz going head to head with Harvey Bullock, to the return of Jerome, the new season kicked off with a bang and some akimbo handguns.
Executive Producer John Stephens sat down with TV Guide to talk about what to expect from this season and he has a rather big tease. “Well, it turns out that the villainess will likely be introduced even before the end of this season.”We might see [her] in Episode 22,” He said.
And who is this villainess? None other than the Clown Princess of Crime herself, Harley Quinn.
Stephens has also teased that the introduction of Harleen Quinzel – Harley Quinn – towards the end of this season will begin a new story arc that bleeds in to season 4. But will she be Harleen … or another?
It has previously been teased that Harley Quinn would be coming to the show, but with this latest statement from Stephens, we can now expect the character’s introduction much sooner than previously expected.
That said, we may have already seen her. We first reported on this in this article (here). The show-runner Stephens, in speaking to an audience at the 2016 Summer TCA press tour panel said; “We’ll be seeing proto-versions of some of those characters. We’ll see a proto-Killer Croc version. And we’ll be seeing a character, perhaps not this season but in times to come, who can be a forerunner of Harley Quinn which will be fun.”
Prevailing theory is that Harley Quinn could be the character Barbara Kean, Jim Gordon’s ex-fiance and former inmate of Arkham Asylum. While this would be departure from Harley’s traditional “Doctor-Quinzel-at-Gotham-falls-for-The-Joker” origin story, this would fit within the framework of the show. Jerome and Barbara have not only met but worked together during Jerome’s rampage around Gotham. Barbara also owns a nightclub in town called “The Sirens” Sound familiar? It should, Gotham City Sirens the book features Harley Quinn. On top of all this, she certainly has the look.
Gotham returns on January 23rd 2017 with Episode 13, Mad City: Smile Like You Mean it. Gotham stars Ben McKenzie as James Gordan, David Mazouz as Bruce Wayne, Robin Lord Taylor as Oswald Cobblepot, Donal Logue as Harvey Bullock, Sean Pertwee as Alfred Pennyworth, Anthony Carrigan as Victor Zsasz and Cameron Monaghan as Jerome Valeska/The Joker.
