Gotham Review – “Harvey Dent” S1E9

Last week’s Gotham introduced a few new characters, and it continued to lay on the soap opera plot of Barbara and Renee. While this week’s bad guy of the week was a blast to watch (pun intended), and Alfred continues to be the best mainstay character on the show, the rest felt lacking in development.

Harvey Dent, professional coin flipper.

Pros:

Finally addressing that sweet crib: When Gordon brings Selina home with him, she comments on his apartment, saying he must be “one rich cop.” Turns out it’s Barbara’s place, which doesn’t clear anything up. But at least we know that it didn’t come from Gordon’s money.

Ian Hargrove, crazy bomb maker and best character in the show to date: This week we were introduced to insane bomb maker, Ian Hargrove. He is a brand new character, just for the show, and to date, he is the best character yet. A bomb maker using his own sense of justice in Gotham to take out companies who make guns? Pretty cool. Plus he is smart. Putting an indicator in the bomb he was forced to make by the Russians was a brilliant move, knowing it would lead police to him.

Nygma the Nerd:  Forensics specialist Edward Nygma did add a lot this week’s episode, but his nerd out about video games and trivia made me smile.

Alfred Pennyworth, butler by day, badass by night:  Alfred is quickly shaping up to be the only character with balls on this show. He is unafraid to question authority, teach youngsters how to be Batman, and telling others exactly what he thinks of them. And all that happened just in this episode! My favorite Alfred moment this week was saying that Selina is a tricky little minx. You tell ‘em!

The Ringtone:  When Butch called the Russian’s truck to blow it up, the ringtone was “The Final Countdown.” It’s just funny.

Cons:

The Title:  Gotham really needs to work on its titles. This episode, titled “Harvey Dent” had a total of three scenes with the newly introduced character, and poorly introduced at that. He seems conniving, contradictory to him being a good lawyer according to Gordon. I was confused about if we were supposed to like him or not. Between his fake charisma and his anger outburst, it seems Dent will be a bad guy sooner than later.

“Cat” and her teenage romance:  Selina Kyle, who is going by Cat (ugh) gives James Gordon’s sketch guy a description of the man who killed the Wayne’s There is only one problem with that: he was wearing a mask. How could she have seen his face? I wonder if the audience is supposed to go with this or if she will be revealed to be a liar. Also, the teenage romance between Bruce and Selina is supposed to be sweet, but I think it’s (Jimmy Fallon voice) “ew.”

James Gordon, the detective who is still learning the ropes:  James Gordon is still a better cop than Bullock, (although arguably not this week), but he did a few questionable things. I understand he wants/needs Selina’s help in the Wayne case, so he needs to keep her in close vicinity, but putting her up with the son of the Wayne’s seems like a conflict of interest. Also, when the Russians and Gordon were about to have a shootout in the street over Hargrove, he tells Hargrove his brother and family are in protective custody. Not a good idea to say when the gangs run the town and the police work for them. They can easily find Hargrove’s family and use them for leverage.

Other ridiculous things:  -The “Penguin” music.  -The line by a guard that goes, “Sounds like ticking” and then he leans into the ticking as if it couldn’t be a bomb.  -Jada Pinkett Smith.  -And the fact that she is up for a People’s Choice award for best actress when she is terrible.  -The weird strippers who are always at Mooney’s club, but no one ever goes there, so they must be poor strippers.  – Using the only two women on the show as a lesbian trope to gain viewers.

Put ’em up, Wayne!

Easter Eggs:

Harvey Dent and his coin:  Harvey Dent was introduced in this episode. We know he is a lawyer, he has a two-headed coin, and that he has an anger problem. This all seems to be pretty spot on with the Harvey Dent of the comic lore. He will eventually be Two-Face, but before that, he’s on the side of the good guys. I don’t’ get that feeling from him quite yet, but time will tell.

Blackgate Penitentiary:  Blackgate Penitentiary has been the prison on Gotham Bay since the early 90’s. Before that, the main prison in Gotham was… Gotham Prison. Blackgate has been the predominant prison used in the lore for years now.

Lovecraft?:  Dick Lovecraft made his first appearance as Gotham City billionaire. Was he in the comics? In short, no. It could be a reference to Justice League villain Dr. Lovecraft; however this character has none of the same characteristics other than just being bad. And really, who in Gotham isn’t?

“You move quiet.”:  Selina tells Bruce that he moves “quiet” when he sneaks up on her as she about to sneak out of Wayne Manor. It was a nice little nod to the grown-up versions of themselves.

Predictions:

Gaytham: Babs didn’t really leave to get away from Gotham, but instead to indulge in Gaytham.

The future of the betting man: Will Dent be instantly bad? Will Maroni throw acid in his face? This season? I think so. His character is young, but introduced as shady from the start. I don’t think we will have much time to like the attorney before he becomes Two-Face.

Hargrove in the bigger picture:  Will Ian Hargrove return? A lot of time was spent on him this episode. Granted, he is locked up in Arkham now, I feel like he was so well written, it would be really cool to bring him back.

Hush Comics gives “Harvey Dent” a B for the introduction of Ian Hargrove, exploring the depths of Alfred Pennyworth, but not spending enough time on the title guy himself, Harvey Dent.

All pictures belong to FOX and DC Entertainment.  They are credited to Jessica Miglio.

Gotham Review – “Selina Kyle” S1E2

After the pilot, “Gotham,” it was clear that this show had a high ceiling. With plenty of Easter Eggs and a promise of what is to come, Gotham has passed the initial test. The continuity is out of whack, but there are enough shout-outs to keep hardcore fans engaged. Yet, there is enough (even too much, at times) explanation of what is going on to hook new viewers, as well. Two weeks in and it seems as though Detective James Gordon is making no friends whatsoever at the GD GCPD. For us  at home, however, it is a different story altogether. Already, Gotham has dramatically increased in quality. The tone is much closer now to a Sopranos episode than last week, which played out like a Kung-Fu flick without martial arts. It has already established itself as the best comic book related show on the air right now (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is the only other comic book-related series on the air right now…until next week); however, there are still a few lingering poor qualities that keep Gotham from reaching its full potential.

Yes, this lingering poor quality.

This episode follows Gordon and Bullock as they try to take on a mysterious kidnapper, who turns out to be one of Gotham’s most terrifying villains! THE DOLLMAKER! Now that you’ve been thoroughly let down, I’ll explain what that means for the show. For one, we don’t even get to see The Dollmaker in this episode, although his name is heavily dropped throughout the show. Unfortunately, it looks like DC is still relying on masked maniacs and gimmicky goons to add some flavor to the show, but it’s really not something they need to do. Kidnapping homeless children off the street (which was eerily reminiscent of Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘s “Anne”) makes Gotham look frightening enough on its own. You don’t need to tell us that “bums get shot here all the time” when you are walking people off the pier and Waynes are getting shot all over the place. We get it; it’s a bad place.

I’ve tried to put up with this two weeks in a row, but I can no longer give Jada Pinkett Smith the benefit of the doubt. I thought decades of marriage to Will Smith, that she would have learned a thing or two, but no. As arguably the biggest “star” on Gotham, I expected her performance as upcoming crime lord Fish Mooney to equate to more than focused, off-camera glances and exaggerated screams of fury. If a mob boss like Fish Mooney existed in real life, it would be in a junior high acting class. The bad acting isn’t isolated to just her either. I have been extremely put off of the whole Wayne situation. Bruce, who insists he is not self destructive but is, and his humorously irate butler, Alfred, are a constant distraction to what Gordon is up to. The relationship between Alfred and Bruce is very eyebrow-raising. While there is an unmistakable Earth One influence here, the way Afled man-handles Bruce, I can’t help but wonder if Bruce gets beat off-screen. Maybe that’s why he’s listening to such angry music and drawing Bat-caves. Good going, Alfred. #NOTMYALFRED

On the other side of the coin (aww, look at that convenient Two-Face reference that I will have to save for later…), Oswald Cobblepot has become a big player in Gotham, and is easily one of the most interesting characters thus far. The preview showed Penguin murdering a couple of people kind enough to give him a ride, but it didn’t tell the whole story. The two frat boy douche rockets that gave him a ride were constantly disrespecting him before using the trigger word, saying he looked like a penguin and incurring his murderous rage. Now, the producers could have chosen to make the people who picked him up a normal family that accidentally set Cobblepot off by talking about Happy Feet; rather, there was a distinct and deliberate decision to make him a likable character by killing unlikable people. His character is intriguing – oddly charming and cordial until he loses it. We also learn, through a visit with Oswald’s mom, that he was once a fairly handsome and respected young man. What series events created the tweaked out, waddling psycho that we saw in this episode?

The GCPD dynamic is getting stronger, too. Gordon has stepped up and is fighting authority every step of the way. One of the best encounters is when he tells a patrolman that he’s “not a bad guy, just a bad cop.” That statement more or less sums up the entire GCPD. Harvey Bullock is supposed to outrank Gordon, but I think a chain of command like in the comic books had would be better suited for a lone wolf cop situation like the one Gotham is aiming for. Not only are they as crooked as a question mark (Nygma reference thrown in there, too!), but when they do decide to do the right thing, they are usually so inept that they cause bad things to happen anyway – like say handing busloads of untraceable children to a human trafficker. Thank goodness that Gordon is on the case. Ben McKenzie is really a great choice as leading man. He is the model officer, risking death to be an honest cop in a crooked city, and carries with him a sense of dry humor just good enough to keep him charismatic to the audience. The only thing holding him back is his (and really any characters in the show) tendency to get uncomfortably close to everybody he has a serious conversation with.

Meanwhile, though, Captain Sarah Essen, who seemed to be totally clueless in the pilot, is all of a sudden criticizing Gordon for not “being with the program.” Not only is this a major cop-out to building her character, but all but removes the likelihood of a Gordon-Essen affair, which was a BIG deal in the comic books. After seeing what Barbara looks like, would you leave that for a crooked police Captain like Essen? No, you would not. Behind every good man is a strong woman, and that is no exception with Barbara Kean. She is a great supporting character with strong convictions – the perfect match for James Gordon.

Barbara is not the only female to get some screen time, though. Selina Kyle, who prefers to go by Cat – oh! I get it; because she’s Catwoman (eye roll) – finally gets some love. Although, and I’m not sure I would have even noticed if it had not been pointed out to me, it took FORTY minutes of the episde before the character that the episode, “Selina Kyle,” had any dialogue. She’s a spunky character, and we get early traces of her acrobatics to be, but there is a scene later on in the episode that kills any chance of me liking her again. When trying to get an officer to get Gordon for her, Selina threatens to scream that the officer touched her inappropriately if he does not do her bidding. Especially with “Yes Means Yes” gaining so much traction, it is bullshit that scenes like these are making rounds on public television, where many impressionable young women will undoubtedly watch and see this as an admissible way to get what they want. Ugh. Getting back on track, Selina seems to have a valuable piece of information concerning Joe Chill and the murder of the Waynes. Knowing her angle, it’s fair to ask, on a scale of 1 – Selina Kyle, how full of shit is she?

Gotham has improved over two episodes in almost every way, but writer Bruno Heller really needs to stop holding our hand through every little tidbit of fanboy information we come across. For example, if I see Selina Kyle will be in an episode and I have read the comics, then by hearing her insist they call her “Cat,” I am, assuming that you either think I am an idiot and cannot figure the subtlety on my own, thinking that calling the future Catwoman “Cat” is gimmicky and lame. FOX should not be afraid to assume that their viewers can read between the lines. This is a detective show isn’t it? Stop assuming your viewers have the intelligence of your average GCPD beat cop and give us something to satisfy the need to solve cases right along with Jim Gordon.

Hush Comics gives “Selina Kyle” a B+ for it’s continual improvement, notably in setting a dark tone. The acting is a mixed bag, with main players like Cobblepot, Gordon and Falcone outshining the rest of the cast. If Gotham can get over the speed bumps of spelling out the entire story for viewers and avoid being too corny, it has the potential to keep us glued to the screen all season long.

All pictures in this article belong to Warner Brothers and DC Entertainment

Weekend Wrap-Up February 2, 2014

The Denver Broncos reign on top was shorter than Leprechauns, as they fell to the Seattle Seahawks 43-8. What incredible play by the Seahawks. We’re still proud of our Broncos, and we’ll be rocking orange during our visit to Seattle for Emerald City Comic Con in March.

Aside from Denver’s poor performance, this is what the Super Bowl revealed:

– Nerds Rule: Captain America, Spidey, Transformers.  Oh, my!

– The return of 24

– RHCP and Bruno Mars need to go on tour.

– Budweiser made me wish I owned a horse and a puppy. And that they become best friends. But it still doesn’t make me want beer.

Hush Comics will be celebrating Black History Month will spotlights on African-American writers, artists and graphic novel reviews. #ALLBLACKEVERYTHING

Jesse Eisenberg, star of Now You See Me, The Social Network, and Zombieland, has been cast as Lex Luthor in the upcoming Batman vs. Superman film. Now, this seems to have upset not only the fanboys, but the bald community as well. We’re less concerned about his dome and more concerned about the age discrepancy between Eisenberg and his co-stars. It’s my theory that Luthor may be cast as an intern at WayneTech or student at Metropolis State.

Also cast in Batman vs. Superman was Jeremy Irons, as Alfred Pennyworth. Irons has had many solid acting gigs through the last twenty years, notably as Rodrigo Borgia in The Borgias. Nobody is allowed to be upset with this casting, as Jeremy Irons meet the single qualification of Alfred – he’s British.

If your wallet is burning a hole in your pocket, you should go buy Justice League: War, the adaptation of the Justice League’s New 52 origin, hitting shelves on Tuesday. Check out our review here.

Dark Horse Comics has announced The Sakai Project, named after Stan Sakai, creator of Usagi Yojimbo. Most may remember Usagi as the mutant rabbit from who cameo-ed in the early TMNT cartoons. To celebrate 30 years of Yojimbo, Dark Horse is gathering dozens of artists to submit their own rendering of Usagi for a special anniversary issue, released in July.

Also out Tuesday, a new free game for Playstation Plus subscribers called Outlast comes out. It will scare the living crap out of you, I promise.

Bones has been renewed for a tenth season. Seems just yesterday that we were watching David Boreanaz brood around The Bronze.

Fienin’ for some bracket-style action? AMC has opened up Zombie Bowl 2014, where you get to vote on which recognizable walkers from The Walking Dead would win in a face-off with your face off. Our money is on the little girl in the pink bathrobe!

Fancy tech watches are all the rage right now, but Apple’s new iWatch product is rumored to be fitness-oriented. I’m not sure who buys watches anymore, but an integration with a fitness component could make it the next popular gadget for the market.

Harry and Hermione, siting in a tree?  According to J.K. Rowling, they should have been.  We think that Hermione and Ron were great together.  Not to mention, Harry Potter was never a love story, but a coming of age story.  H and H 4eva would have ruined that.

Can’t we all just be Friends? Well, David Schwimmer AKA Ross Gellar may possibly joining his  Friends cast-mates in prime-time sitcoms. Schwimmer stars in ABC’s Irreversible, which has yet to be picked up for a full season. Side question: Am I the only one who has been getting their David Schwimmer fix from that guy in American Horror Story?

Channing Tatum could be Gambit.  Ladies everywhere will suddenly be into the X-Men.  Men will watch no matter what.

Seth Myers gave us the Weekend Update for the last time last night on SNL.  Laugh over here.

Microsoft is offering $100 off your purchase of an X-Box One if you give them your PS3, which basically brings the price down to the retail price of a PS4. This console war is really bringing out the greed of Microsoft.

If you’re anything like me, you grew up on some Chip & Dale: Rescue Rangers. Then, like me, you should be freaking out because Disney is in talks to make a movie based on the epic cartoon that will focus on the origin of the tiny mystery-solving duo.

Sneakerheads will have something to look forward to this week as a new issue of SLAM Magazine covering the Air Jordan legacy comes out. This issue focuses on Air Jordan I-VI, so I’m sure there will be installments.

Woody Allen is definitely the most glorified pedophile in America.  Fuck you, guy.

Star Wars novels have been around for some time now, but this is the first one that I will undoubtedly buy. Darth Maul – Lockdown was released January 28th (sorry, a little late!) and it follows Darth Maul’s stay at the galaxy’s most dangerous prison; it’s also pre-Phanton Menace, which means a colorful backstory is in order.

In less important news, it has been announced that there will indeed be a sequel to Sharknado coming out on the SyFy channel. And yes, Tara Reid, in all her asymmetric-boobed glory, will be returning as the star.

Lastly, it is with great remorse and a lump in our throats that we talk about Philip Seymour Hoffman.  He was found dead this morning in NYC from a drug overdose.  Not only was he the man who gave the best performance in any Mission Impossible movie, but he also gave us Capote, the term “shart” in Along Came Polly, and of course, Plutarch Heavensbee in Catching Fire.  You will be missed.