So my building optimism that Gotham had finally found a decent path of creative storytelling has been brought crashing down this week. In one lazy episode I am wondering if I still want to watch this show and if the next episode goes where I expect it to I may not finish the season.
Briefly the positives of this episode; the continued growth of David Mazouz as a young Bruce Wayne discovering his Batman sensibility more with every passing week but I am not sure the demand for the show will be kept up long enough for him ever to become Batman. The second positive is the growth of Ed Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) into the Riddler as his creates a crime scene complete with clues and pointers leading to a satisfying set-up. However after the slow creation of the Riddler I am worried it will lead to a rushed resolution due to the implications on Jim Gordon.
Which leads nicely to the realisation of my biggest problem with Gotham, Jim Gordon is a boring morally confused character and the show is at its weakest when it centres around him with limited input from the colourful supporting characters. If as predicted next week turns into a prison drama I will have lost all faith in the showrunners.
There has been plenty of recent superhero discussion regarding the morality of murder, in the Daredevil series and the Batman v Superman film so the cold murder of Theo Galavan questions your support of Jim Gordon and perhaps he deserves what comes his way. Can you clear your name when you are actually guilty? Will he be able to regain the righteous charisma that he started the show with? Perhaps charisma is too nice a word because Ben McKensie‘s performance is as ever dull and bland.
With Gordon front and centre the comic sensibility is lost and the show slips into a poor cop procedural drama that lacks fun and entertainment. I have also been full of praise for Robin Lord Taylor but again the showrunners have pushed him into a lazy corner that doesn’t fit the previously enjoyable character.
If my prediction for next week is correct my review will just be an audible sigh.
#Peace.Love.Gotham
