Fox premiered a new DC show this week that has been catching a lot of buzz carrying the same name as Batman’s hometown of “Gotham.” Instead of providing a lengthy narrative of what I thought of “Gotham,” I jotted down a few of my likes and dislikes for the first episode. Click through the pages below and tell me if you agree or disagree!
Liked:
Harvey Bullock:
Donal Logue has been one of those actors whose face is recognizable but the name is not. For me he has always slightly tipped towards the likable side of the scale. As Harvey Bullock he brings a depth to the character that we have not seen before by creating an internal struggle of good versus evil. He may be corrupt but he has ample reason for being corrupt. While many may not agree with his actions, a majority can understand the cause for his actions making him an engaging anti-hero.
Disliked:
James Gordon
Every story needs its centralized hero and in “Gotham” this is Detective James Gordon. While I don’t think Ben McKenzie has done anything wrong from an acting standpoint, I just do not like James Gordon based off of the pilot episode, he’s just too clean. For James Gordon we need a cop with a bit of an edge, not a cop from “CSI: Miami!” It’s obvious that they are putting the “TV cool stamp” on Ben McKenzie, which may work for your clean cut farm boy or billionaire playboy but for a Detective exposed to the dark side of Gotham, another pretty boy doesn’t fit…unless they’re wearing a mask. Also I would expect some scandalous romances to be in Gordon’s future given that they chose to have him be engaged rather than married which plays right into the TV formula.
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Liked:
Oswald Cobblepot aka The Penguin
Oswald Cobblepot is known as short, feeble, maniacal, and penguin-esque. This version of Cobblepot may lack the short aspect but he fills out well in the other areas, especially the maniacal. As a future villain his origin is more than fitting as they focus on his sadistic pleasure for violence and feeble yet borderline crazy social apprehension. His character was interestingly twisted and had me intrigued as to where the story will take him next.
Disliked:
Edward Nygma aka The Riddler
Riddle me this…Why does this Riddler have to be so overbearingly inquisitive? Edward Nygma’s character seems so forced that it’s uncomfortable and his credibility for a police resource diminishes quickly. Instead of focusing on his intellect the focus is instead directed at his inquisitive babbling. Luckily his camera time was short for the pilot.
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Liked:
Catwoman
When it comes to dialogue, sometimes less is more. Catwoman barely utters a word and lurks in the shadows throughout the pilot episode of “Gotham.” She is there for all of the key events and key interactions with other characters which leads to the question of “Why?” Outside of the mystery surrounding the anti-heroine, we get a brief introduction to her cat burglary skills which is one of the more entertaining and well shot moments throughout “Gotham.” I would say that her character’s interest in her surroundings and graceful movements from scene to scene will have me more than interested in discovering what role she will play.
Disliked:
Fish Mooney
Fish Mooney is the mob boss that represents Falcone and is proof that representation is just a glimmer of what we actually want. Given that Falcone is a character in the show, I would rather see him than mediation between him and the other main characters. Fish Mooney is just boring as a character and serves no real purpose in the show.
Click below to the next page for the final like and dislike!
Liked:
Gotham’s Dark Setting
One thing that the show has done very well is establishing its setting. The dreary darkness that surrounds the city of Gotham is exquisitely depicted through fog-filled backdrops, low lit alleyways, and a focus on the evening moments throughout the show. It was the most aesthetically pleasing aspect of the show.
Disliked:
The Lackluster Key Moments [SPOILER ALERT]
The worst parts of the show were the climactic moments that had apparent lackluster resolutions. First, the way that Bullock and Gordon were rescued from their soon to be demise was a complete cop out (pun intended). As Falcone steps in at the last minute to spare them, his reason for doing so is so simple that it weakens the entire build up. The following scene is a test of Gordon’s loyalty to Falcone as he’s asked to execute Cobblepot while Bullock witnesses the event. This is when it gets ridiculous. Bullock tells Gordon that he needs to walk Cobblepot to the end of a pier as Bullock waits by the car as Gordon kills Cobblepot. It’s incredibly obvious that Gordon is going to fake killing Cobblepot and it’s absolutely ridiculous that Bullock would wait by the car watching from afar. I found the plot twists to not be twists at all and these moments to be too oversimplified to pique my interest.