Michael Chiklis to Join the GCPD in ‘Gotham’

There is a new captain in town, and it is Michael Chiklis.

Gotham has cast Chiklis as newcomer Captain Nathaniel Barnes. The character is was made only for the television series; there is no reference of him in comics.

According to producers, Barnes “lands on the GCPD like a tornado, ripping out the dead wood of Gotham’s police force. He is a law and order zealot; unafraid of making enemies – on either side of the law. For Gordon (Ben McKenzie), Barnes is a hero and a mentor, someone with whom he can share the burden of heroism. Captain Barnes proves himself to be a strong ally to Gordon… but one day he will make an equally powerful enemy.”

This certainly seems like an interesting twist to the police department story line.Gotham could have served well focusing on just the police aspect of Gotham City. Chiklis is a series regular, so there could be more emphasis on the police in season 2.

Chiklis is best known for his starring role on The Shield. He is also no stranger to comic book adaptations; Chiklis played Ben Grimm in Fantastic Four (2005) andFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007).

Gotham returns to FOX on September 21st.

Source: TV Line

‘Gotham’ Casts its Silver St. Cloud

FOX’s Gotham is gearing up for a season full of over-packing characters from Batman that have ever existed.

Case in point: Silver St. Cloud.

Natalie Alyn Lind of The Goldbergs will play the debutante. The show, per usual, seems to be taking liberties with her character. St. Cloud will introduce Bruce Wayne to her rich uncle, Theo Galavan, who also happens to be running for Mayor. The release also mentions that St. Cloud may not have the best intentions with Bruce.

While I believe the introduction of the rich uncle is a valid plot line for the shake-ups in Gotham, it seems like it will be more of a “let’s make Selena jealous” plot device. I don’t really care about young teenagers being jealous of one another.

Also, in the comics, St. Cloud wasn’t ever bad. When she and Bruce dated, they were adults. While she was a debutante, she was also smart enough to figure out Bruce’s alter ego. You can read more about her here.

Gotham returns to FOX September 21st.

Source: EW

Gotham Review – “All Happy Families Are Alike” S1E22

Gotham wrapped up it’s first season last night. Everyone said it would be bananas, and the only thing I can determine is that it was bananas because it was just plain silly. This is a good time to break the news to the readers of my reviews for Gotham, that I will not be writing reviews for Gotham Season 2. If I do anything with it, I will release a vlog about my feelings. Let me know in the comments what you think of episode!

Pros:

Barbara’s admission: This is only because of my prediction. If I am right, then this is a pro; otherwise it is a big ole con. Since I have so many cons, I decided to put this one in the plus column. During her counseling session with Leslie, Barbara admits that she killed her parents because she was upset that they took her posters when she was a kid (Poor rich girl! I feel so terrible for her low self-esteem). Then she goes on to attack Leslie with a knife. Now the whole scene was actually terribly done. And the lack of direction with Barbara’s character is painfully obvious, but what if, WHAT IF, they are priming her to become Harley Quinn? She was driven made by a man she “loved” after all…

Fish’s feminist moment: She may not have shot Maroni because he was being a misogynistic dick, but probably because she wanted to be Queen of Gotham. Either way, her response to him calling her toots and babes was shooting him between the eyes, and I immediately noted, “meme-able.” Note: You can check out a great meme of the moment here.

Cons:

Fish’s Entrance: Did anyone else laugh hysterically when Fish returned to Gotham on a boat to ominous music? I did. Then when she told Selina “It’s a brand new day” I expected the Dr. Horrible song to cue up. Honestly, that would have been better.

Selina’s blind following: Selina shows up with Fish to the safe house sporting a faux-hawk and talking a whole lot of shit. She mentions that she isn’t going to cut Jim down from the ropes because she doesn’t want to lose the coolest gig in the world. Yet it is never explained what she thinks this cool gig was. She isn’t totally dumb; she had to know that with all three crime bosses in one room, some gunfire was bound to happen.

Fish vs. Penguin: How comical this moment was. Butch can’t decide between who to shoot. Everyone goes Tonya Harding on each other, and Penguins screams he is the King of Gotham. It’s all so gaudy.

Fish’s “death”: I say this in quotes because I don’t know if she is really dead. The whole fight scene between her and Penguin was just a bunch of high-pitched screaming. This all happened in the last five minutes, and it was already teased in the trailer for the episode. It’s hard to believe their “big moment” was already shown to the audience. I know Jada Pinkett-Smith says she won’t return. Could she be recast? Could she really be coming back and it was a publicity stunt so people would watch? She was floating on the water, but she may not be dead. Who knows? I doubt even the writers do.

Riddler’s crazy head-shaking scene: While I thought the acting was good for Riddler losing his marbles, the scene was really oddly placed. We don’t see him the whole episode and then he goes crazy at the very end? That could have waited until next season.

Bruce and Alfred find the Bat-cave: First of all, how does the butler not know about the cave behind the fireplace? Second of all, how did Bruce equate stoic immediately with Marcus Aurelius? Even I had to look that up on Wikipedia and I refuse to believe a 10-year-old is smarter than me. I was hoping when the fireplace popped open to reveal the cave steps that bats would fly up the corridor, but that didn’t happen. And a remote control opened it? Really?

Falcone wants out: Which seems really opposite to what he wanted at the mid-season. We haven’t seen him much since, so there is no explanation as to why. If this is the end of Falcone and Maroni, this is was one huge waste of a season and finale.

Dr. Leslie Thompkins, Therapist: First of all, why would she agree to counsel Barbara? I don’t even want to think about my loved one’s exes, much less counsel them. Then she accepts dinner from her? I’m surprised Barbara didn’t just poison her.

Not much was wrapped up: I don’t expect a lot to be wrapped up when there will be a second season, but Leslie bashing in Barbara’s head was barely addressed. While I understand why she did it, everyone in the show seemed cool with it. Let’s just go out on the balcony and talk about a knife! No medical help for Barbara or mental health for Leslie. I don’t think anyone will even remember this scene by the time fall rolls around.

Double guns: I laughed hysterically when Jim was running through the hospital shooting with two handguns, and never getting hit with machine guns. Pew pew!

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Hush Comics gives “All Happy Families Are Alike” a D for giving us a really disappointing ending to a really disappointing season. Nothing happened for a solid 40 minutes, and nothing was believable.

Here is the sun setting on my Gotham reviews! C’est la vie!

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

Gotham Review – “The Anvil or the Hammer” S1E21

Pros:

Riddler’s no body, no crime theory: Nygma taking the body of the cop he killed in pieces to the forensic room was pretty funny. I don’t know why, but I liked it. He is so awkward, so the disposal of the cut up parts was comical to watch. In ways it reminded me of Breaking Bad’s first few episodes.

Bruce is still a kid: It was cute that Bruce thought he could break into Bunderslaw’s office, not tell Alfred the truth about Reggie, and resist that cookie. While Bruce is smart and a decent detective at this point, we can’t forget that Bruce is still a kid. And who can deny a cookie?

If I don’t look at you, maybe I will forget about the cookie.

Lucius Fox: The introduction to this character was short but sweet. He was well acted, which has been a struggle for this series. Additionally, he gave Bruce the truth about his dad, something Bruce really needed in the moment of being caught by Bunderslaw. I really look forward to seeing him again.

Penguin’s Plan: Honestly, I didn’t really understand what Oswald was doing when the guns weren’t loaded and “his men” were shot and killed by Maroni and crew. I actually thought that Butch didn’t load the guns. But then when I realized that Oswald started a Falcone vs. Maroni war without having to lift a finger, I slow clapped for him. It’s pretty genius.

Cons:

The Ogre losing his mystery: The Ogre’s story was really intriguing before he met Barbara; however, his air of mystery totally went out the window this episode. Starting out the episode by telling her he was going to murder her wasn’t exactly suave. The whole thing just kept going downhill from showing her the pictures of the dead women to asking who she wants him to kill. He doesn’t want a permanent lover, or even to torment women. He just likes the thrill of the kill, I guess. Actually his motive doesn’t make sense, and the whole thing was now just obvious filler when the series was extended from a 16-episode season to a 22-episode season. It was good until the writers didn’t know how to end it. And it fell really flat.

Barbara Keane: This woman has got to be the biggest slap in the face to women on TV. That could be an overstatement, but of the shows I watch, Barbara Keane is clearly the creation of a man who thinks he knows what women are like. And whoever that man is, he has no clue. Barbara has showed her weakness throughout the series, but this episode took the cake. I can’t empathize, but if I were to be in a situation where a psycho-killer holds me prisoner, I would be doing everything I could to try to kill him. And boy, did Barbara have ample opportunity. She had an entire room full of weapons, not to mention a glass to attack him with. Who care if it worked? I would have been happy if she tried. My breaking point with this character was telling The Ogre to kill her parents. Why?! What was the point of that? Barbara’s problems are deeper than her very rich and very old parents. She could have asked him to kill, I don’t know, Jim, so The Ogre would have played into Jim and Harvey’s hands instead? If the writers have Jim and Barbara get back together after this disaster of a storyline, I will be officially done with the show. Done I tell you!

Let met stare into your eyes and fantasize about my soon-to-be dead parents even though you just tried to kill me!

 

The Foxglove: To add insult to injury with this one, Bullock goes to The Foxglove to investigate The Ogre, and we are assaulted with images of a tame Eyes Wide Shut and the sounds of a pig and pony show. I don’t need that. I really don’t.

Lack of detail: Even though Nygma getting rid of the body was good, he still had the skull left, and smashed with a hammer. That skull would have disintegrated, too. Also, when Bullock and Gordon were in The Ogre’s kill room, the number he called from had a 405 area code, which is Oklahoma. I am absolutely sure someone is paid to notice things like this. Obviously, they aren’t doing a great job of it.

Easter Eggs:

The Foxglove: The high-class gross fetish club that Bullock infiltrates is likely named after a character in Neil Gaiman’s Sandman. Donna Cavanagh, AKA Foxglove, a lesbian rock and roll goddess. It doesn’t quite explain the chainsaw and pig sounds, but whatever.

Welcome to Wayne Manor: Upon receiving a package from Selina, Bruce lets us see the mailing certificate. On it is the address “1007 Mountain Drive…Gotham.” This address is a callback to the Batman: The Animated Series episode “The Demon’s Quest” (S1E60). Vivus, the courier company used, is Latin for “to live.” That’s the only thing I could come up with; surely it’s not the pharmaceutical company specializing in “sexual health” drugs, right?

Tommy Bones: The only Bones I know in the DCU has an actual skeleton for a head, and is just referred to as “Mr. Bones.” Bones’ first name was never given, but the last name of his co-creators (along with Todd McFarlane) were Roy and Dann Thomas. Could just be a coincidence, but it sounds like a good fit to me. I just didn’t think Gotham paid that much attention to their characters. There’s still a strong possibility somebody thought “Tommy Bones” had a real gangster feel to it, and vuola.

The Royal Hotel: This was a tiny little Easter Egg that only hardcore fans would catch. This hotel, seen in the background a few times in the episode, was previously used as a level in the Batman: Arkham Origins video game. It’s not used for anything special in the episode, but it was there.

Old Klondike building on Mayflower: The Klondike building, where Gordon goes to find The Ogre, is one step closer to Penguin’s famous Iceberg Lounge in name. Once the dust on this gang war settles, Cobblepot may want to upgrade the nightclub’s name. The street that the Klondike was on, Mayflower, could be in reference to the Batman and the Outsiders character, who dresses like a Pilgrim and speaks with an English accent – sounds like it’s right in this show’s wheelhouse.

Ohhhh Lucius: You didn’t think we would forget about this guy, did you?? With all the calamity going on at Wayne Enterprises, I couldn’t wait to see a young Lucius Fox. He’s secretly one of the only good guys in a corrupt corporation, and his comments about Thomas Wayne are exciting. Actually EXCITING. Thomas Wayne was once the Batman. That’s a plot line I can’t wait to be realized.

Predictions:

Kill Barbara: This isn’t so much a prediction as me willing her immediate and irrevocable exit from this show. She is complete trash as a character (I’m sure Erin Richards is a nice person in real life), and they can’t find anything productive to do with her. I’m not a fan of putting women in refrigerators, but this character, and the show, need it to happen.

Tragic love for Nygma: As Nygma enjoys his steep ride into insanity, there’s still one thing grounding him to the realm of normal – Ms. Kringle. Her unavoidable death has got to be the kick-starter to Nygma becoming The Riddler we all want him to be. It’s a shame, really, because you can’t help but feel like if he just got a little more appreciation and respect, he could be an amazing asset to the show.

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Hush Comics gives “The Anvil or the Hammer” a C- for being a complete insult to it’s viewers that women are idiots who cry into the arms of a killer and have their parents murdered. God this show is frustrating.

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

Gotham Review – “Under the Knife” S1E20

Pros:

Bruce and Selena weren’t totally terrible this week: While there were things this story line that made me roll my eyes so hard it hurt, the two actually were pretty brave to steal the key from Bunderslaw. It was cool to see them playing spy. I have been a fan of Bruce from the beginning, but Selena is starting to grow on me. And her line about the “kinda crappy” drawing of The Ogre had me laughing really hard. That hasn’t happened to me during this show before in a genuine way.

Mr. Nygma makes his move: I should have seen the foreshadowing when Nygma went all Gallagher on the watermelon at the beginning of the episode. While it was slightly shocking that he killed the cop who abused Miss Kringle, it was even more shocking at how delighted he was to continue stabbing the guy. And yet, it made me feel good. Don’t read too much into that.

Leslie is still the strongest female on the show: Leslie heard noises, got creeped, and then found out her cat is a mischief. And then when Jim came up RIGHT BEHIND HER (who does that when there is a serial killer on the loose?!), she clocked him in the head with a telephone receiver. He totally deserved that. Then when he tells her to leave Gotham (tonight… see cons for more on this), she says no. You tell him, girl!

The Ogre: Ugh. I hate to say it, but this is the best thing to happen to the show. An ongoing story of going after one serial killer is a great modern way to tell a story about crime. He is a great antagonist. He is charming yet terrifying. His backstory is more interesting than any other character’s thus far. All of it is new material, and considering the bad writing on the rest of the show, this one is really holding it’s own. The introduction of other “old” Gotham families and their dark pasts is really grabbing at me. And if he didn’t kill people, he wouldn’t be that bad of a guy. He paid 10,000 dollars to charity just to see Barbara. That’s pretty sweet. Right?

Gordon speaking out: Gordon calling the media and outing The Ogre may not be the smartest move, but it was brave. In a way, he was standing up more to the GCPD than he was to the killer. I liked it.

Cons:

Bruce and Selena may be good, but the writing here is terrible: From the overbearing “bom, bom, bom” music to the fact that there is no way Bunderslaw keeps his safe key in his tuxedo pocket, most of this part of the episode was cringe worthy. Also, the two kids yelling at each other for no reason was hard on my old lady ears.

Leave Gotham. Tonight.: This is a common statement in the show, but I noticed it tonight more so, and it bothered me. I don’t know about you, but it isn’t easy for me to pack all my belongings, say goodbye to everyone I love, and book a flight out of town all in a night. This is such a silly statement.

Barbara: She really knows how to attract a serial killer doesn’t she? My favorite line was when she said, “If I was hit by a bus, no one would miss me.” I’m pretty sure in the handbook of serial killers, that is one of the best things they can hear. Because you know, no one will think about them being gone. Also, her being turned on by the 50 Shades of KILL MURDER DIE room was a little creepy. Like creepier than doing the killing and murdering.

Penguin/Knife-Gun Guy/Maroni/Penguin’s mom: While I still really enjoy Robin Lord Taylor as an actor, I found this section of the episode to be a bunch of inane filler. Penguin hiring a guy, aka Knife-Gun Guy, to kill Maroni had nothing to do with the rest of the plot and was a lame motivational speech at that. And Maroni flirting with Mama Cobblepot was hard to watch. Both characterizations were terribly portrayed, and the writing was just as bad. I hated pretty much every one of these scenes. The cherry on top was Penguin killing the flower delivery boy to send a message… unless that flower delivery boy actually worked for Maroni, this is just a senseless murder. And his mom is really dumb about the whole thing. Over. It.

Captain Essen: I am under the impression that a police Captain’s job is to give direction to his/her staff when needed. But this lady asks what Gordon’s next move is and how they can stop The Ogre from acting again. Should she be answering the questions and not asking them?

The “before” picture: The before picture the plastic surgeon had of The Ogre was hilarious. Milo Ventimiglia with photoshopped boils on his face is just not that scary.

Easter Eggs:

Was it necessary to kill people?: Bruce asks Alfred this about his days in the army. This question continues to establish the values that Batman holds dear.

It’s a Charity Ball!: Bruce is insistent that nothing bad can happen to him at the Wayne Enterprises Charity Ball. I don’t know if this is a direct reference, but Charity Balls have never been the safe haven in Batman lore i.e.: Batman Returns and The Dark Knight. Good thing it was ok this time!

88^th and Grant: Again, I don’t know if this was on purpose, but could the cross streets be a reference to long time Batman writer Grant Morrison?

Predictions:

Barbara will enjoy the kill room more than The Ogre: He may just let her go if that is case. He is the only one who can enjoy the kill room. At least I think. I haven’t ever been in that situation. Thank god.

Fish Mooney will die two weeks later: Fish wasn’t in this episode. Perhaps she will die next week?!

I may actually enjoy next week’s ep: When they showed Bruce discovering the fake walls in the library, I freaked out! Do we get a glimpse of the Batcave? Let’s hope!

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Hush Comics gives “Under the Knife” a B for the continuing serial killer story line, the depth of Gotham’s old money, and Riddler’s big moment, but for some silly moments throughout.

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

Gotham Review – “Beasts of Prey” S1E19

Gotham returned this week after a month off. While I was prepared to poke fun at every moment, I was pleasantly surprised with a terrifying story about a man who keeps women prisoner to be the “perfect” wife.

Pros:

Milo. Ventimiglia.: He has a lot of things going for him. He is sexy. And he is a really good actor. He far outdid anyone on the show this week. And his storyline was well written. The play on 50 Shades of Gray was not unnoticed. Considering I absolutely hate the series, I like the message that Gotham was putting across. I was particularly disturbed when he killed his prisoner and opened a chest with polaroids full of other women he has killed. This entire package of acting, writing, and direction is the best thing to happen to Gotham so far.

The Penguin making deals with Litchfield inmates: The Penguin made a deal with a barkeeper this week to be a silent partner. The barkeeper just happens to be one of the characters in Orange is the New Black, so I was instantly happy with this. While it was really over-the-top and silly to cut off a guitarist’s fingers for the deal to be made, I am really intrigued about how Penguin will get Don Maroni to this bar and kill him.

Penguin’s philosophy: Penguin had the best line of the week when he was talking about why money isn’t what he is after in having a stake in the small bar. “All kinds of things motivate people.. not just money.” Pretty good, Gotham.

Bullock’s lines: Harvey Bullock used to have some of the worst lines, and now he has some of the best. This week the kicker was “I deserve a model who likes pasty Irish guys and can cook.”

Fish Mooney’s Plan: For the most part, I liked Fish this week. Pretty weird, I know. But her plan was pretty brilliant. Setting up six of the big guys to fall to The Catcher while she and the weak ones ran to the helicopter was the badass thing I have been waiting for her to do all season. Also, mentioning that none of the big guys knew how to fly a helicopter when they questioned her about why they can’t take a helicopter was pretty funny.

Fish’s acting: When the Dollmaker catches Fish in his office, she acts like she is terrified of the Frankenstein type character in the building. It was only good because Fish acting scared is better than Jada Pinkett-Smith acting Fish.

Bruce the child detective: I like that Bruce decides to take it upon himself to find Reggie Payne in the city. He has a good start, but was pretty lucky that Selena was there to help him. She knew exactly where to go, and exactly how to play bad cop.

Selena the child killer: Speaking of playing bad cop, when questioning Reggie about what he did and why, Selena throws his pills out a window. When he tries to get them, she then pushes Reggie out the window, too. While Bruce hesitated about the decision, she just went for it. This is very telling about the two and where their morals lay.

Cons:

The lack of urgency during the breakout: Every time Fish decided to leave the building, the alarm sounded and she never ran for it. Let’s face it: The Catcher isn’t that fast to showing up for his duty. She could have made it out of there lots of times if she showed some sort of urgency. Also, the fact that she crept around like a Scooby Doo villain full of hijinks and no one noticed is just crap.

Fish’s eye: She dug her eye out of her skull. There are no scars, and I caught several times where her eye wasn’t blue. It could have been lighting, but I also could be right about them not putting a blue contact in for her.

Gordon’s lunch with Bruce: It could mean something in the future, but the scene when Gordon eats lunch at Wayne Manor was just filler. Gordon quickly forgot about investigating Alfred’s stabbing once his ego got in the way.

Gordon’s Ego: So I find it ridiculous that Gordon investigating the dead girl serial killer had to do with taking down Commissioner Loeb and just slid right past why he really took the case. He has an Ego. And the “young officer” who brought the case to him with the guise of justice just inflated Gordon’s Ego. That’s why he took it. And it screwed him in the end. I wouldn’t mind this storyline if the writing demanded more of the viewers then spoon-feeding us the answer and that it was the wrong answer.

Dialogue: The dialogue is absolutely dreadful. I know that this is a different world, but I want to feel some connection with it. Leslie says the serial killer is a “monster” when there has been worse shit in Gotham. Alfred says “Oh, dear” when he starts bleeding uncontrollably. Understatement much?

Easter Eggs:

Hmmm: I didn’t see any. Did you? Let me know!

Predictions:

Barbara and The Ogre: Even before I saw the preview, I knew that The Ogre wouldn’t take Leslie as the one Jim Gordon loves; he would take Barbara. Plus, she is just dumb enough to fall for it. I’m glad I was already justified in this prediction.

Fish Mooney will die: She kind of predicted her own death: “I’m going to get off the island, or I’m going to die trying.” Well she did get shot after all. In the stomach. It’s likely she won’t live after that type of wound.

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Hush Comics gives “Beasts of Prey” a B- for building a better story line, Milo Ventimiglia’s acting, but still being otherwise pretty damn cheesy.

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

Gotham Review – “Everyone Has a Cobblepot” S1E18

Pros:

Men Running with Knives: In reality, this part wasn’t intended to be amazing. But it was. The Asian gang members who Gordon and Dent go to talk to chase them out of their underground poker game, through an alley with arms flailing while holding butcher knives. It should be noted in cinematic history, not just Batman history.

Loeb’s Background: Not much has been said about Commissioner Loeb’s background other than being corrupt. I thought the story about his daughter, Miriam, killing his wife was very interesting. Considering it was a new take on the character, I was pretty impressed. Also of note is that Miriam is played by Nicholle Tom who was the voice of Supergirl for many years.

 

Pretty much the whole Loeb storyline: It was entertaining and new. Loeb vindicated Flass. He uses Bullock as a witness for Flass because Bullock also has a Cobblepot. Falcone is behind it all (although we don’t get to see him). Loeb is just as scared as the rest of the police are of Falcone. Loeb gets blackmailed by Gordon and now Gordon is up for President of the Police Union. It was all clever and evil.

Bullock: Bullock did some cool things this week and had even better insight. Interrogating the man who knew about Loeb and Falcone’s hidden files by hanging him out of the car was pretty bad-ass, although against protocol. But more importantly, he warned Gordon not to get into owing Penguin favors. When Gordon was able to get Bullock’s file, he told Gordon that good things don’t make up for the bad things he did. Pretty smart, Harvey Bullock.

Penguin shows his really bad side: Back at his club, Penguin is holding the farmer couple hostage who were holding Loeb’s daughter. He tells them he only has one ticket out of town (by the way, it’s Arizona… no one is that excited to go to Arizona), forcing them to fight to the death. The wife wins, and Penguin shoots her, declaring he only had one bullet left. It was truly sinister and a good reminder of who Gordon is really in cahoots with.

Cons:

All the Fish Mooney crap-ola: The whole thing was bad. She snaps her finger, which I am so over. She is totally freaked out about having a blue eye, which is a silly concept in the first place. The basement people are bad actors. The manager becoming a Franken-person with breasts and woman’s arm was laughable. The fact she worked her way to upper management with no real explanation as to how was bad writing. And Dr. Dulmacher trying to make a joke about Salsa night on Tuesdays was in poor taste. Oh, and they are on an island – no one saw that coming.

Not enough Bruce and Alfred: I love these two. The show should really just be about them. We got a brief scene of Alfred telling Bruce they don’t tell the coppers on their mates. Selena Kyle showed up because we can’t forget about her, and Bruce tells her he will find out what Reggie got away with through the Wayne Enterprises Board Members. It’s very interesting, and I need more.

Going nowhere with Riddler: I feel like we are in the same loop with the Riddler. Edward brings Kristen Kringle flowers after catching her snooping in his office. Turns out she is dating someone else now. Who isn’t a dick like Flass, but still. The same story over and over will get boring. Give is something more with him if so many scenes will be dedicated to him!

The Farmers: The acting was bad. Becky Ann Baker, who portrayed the farmer’s wife, is a good actress, so this says more about the director than the actors. And the writing was predictable. The wife coming out with a shotgun when the police aren’t forthcoming was easy to see. It all turned out to be so over-the-top, I laughed throughout. And I’m pretty sure I wasn’t supposed to.

Easter Eggs:

Ummm….: I didn’t really catch any this week. Let me know what I missed!

Predictions:

Gordon is in deep: I don’t really know what will come of him now being backed by Loeb for President of the Police Union, but I do know that it will come with a cost. Hopefully, Flass won’t find out what Gordon did, but that seems unlikely.

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Hush Comics gives “Everyone Has a Cobblepot” a B for giving us some impressive original backstory, but for being a little predictable. The episode was a little forgettable and cleared a lot up about the GCPD. With the next episode not airing until April 13^th, I wonder how the show will entice viewers to come back.

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

Gotham Review – “Red Hood” S1E17

Gotham’s “Red Hood” was undoubtedly crazy. There were TONS of Easter Eggs, a great plot line involving Bruce and Alfred, and THE biggest what-the-fuck?!?! moment on TV this year. Because of the complexity of this episode, and because I don’t care about your feelings, this review is riddled with spoilers.

Pros:

The Robin Hood quip: As I took notes for this episode, I noted that the Red Hood was a lot like Robin Hood because he threw the money. It was cool that the lady at the bank noticed this, too. I like when a show is self-aware, and Gotham rarely is.

Reginald Payne: Holy crap I love this story line! Reggie shows up to Wayne Manor to visit old chum Alfred. The visit seems happy at first, but Reggie slowly shows his true nature. His sparring match with Bruce was over-the-top and totally unnecessary. His drinking is out of control. Alfred grows weary of Reggie’s stay. He clearly has over stayed his welcome, particularly when he speaks of Alfred’s colorful days in the military. But the best part is that the whole thing was a cover for the fact that Reggie is freakin’ working for the Wayne Enterprises board! And he stabbed Alfred?! That was crazy, and it was really good writing and acting on all accounts. I was very impressed!

The Red Hood Gang portrayal: This episode did it’s best to stay true to Scott Snyder’s reinvention of the gang. This is clearly an early stage. I thought it was well executed how each “Red Hood” wasn’t all that bad, but ended up getting killed. Not bad Gotham writers.

 

Some of the styling choices: Toward the end of the episode, there were two scenes that I thought were well done. Instead of listening to Bruce cry over Alfred, we get to hear the very sad music over the very sad scene. Additionally, the slow motion shootout between the Red Hood Gang and the GCPD was very clever.

Cons:

The “What the Fuck?!?!?!” Moment: Ok, I’ve read other reviews to see what people thought. And generally, it has gotten positive reviews.

Let’s recap: Fish Mooney has been stuck in a prison where people in the prison are picked at random and they come back missing body parts. She uses her sexuality, as usual, to make her way to the top. This episode, she gets there and only meets the manager, but not the owner. She then insists on meeting the owner. She finds out it is none other than the Dollmaker. Then she is offered a shower. She comes back to the manager’s office after a fresh bath, and she looks amazing. She is offered tea, which in hindsight seems really odd. The manager reveals that he wants to take her eyes. There are two men who stand behind her, one of them holding a straight jacket.

Then the manager says she has two choices: She is killed and all her friends in the basement are also killed, or we take your eyes now. Then she says, “You forgot option three.” Then she punches the man holding her, grabs a spoon and digs out her OWN EYE! May I ask WHY IS THIS OPTION THREE!? In a land of infinite options, and I mean infinite, this SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LIST! Oh my dear God, that was frightening. I would maybe place digging out other people’s eyeballs above this! I am shocked, frightened, and feel bad that Jada Pinkett-Smith has to wear an eye patch for the rest of her time on the show. I know I dislike her acting, but come on, that is just rude.

Let me know in the comments what other options Fish had, ya know, other than digging out her own eyeball.

 

Barbara as a mentor: Drinking Vodka and wine while telling two girls, who are at most 14 years old (Ivy looks 9 or 10), that she used to go out a lot, they can have all her trashy party clothes, and that using your looks to get ahead, was a little…unsettling. Also, why are we supposed to care about these three, like, at all?

Maroni controls the Booze: While I feel really bad for Penguin (I do, I swear!) it seems improbable that Maroni controls the booze industry and the Penguin can’t order liquor. Like all the booze? All of it? There is no way.

Ben Mckenzie’s smug smile: I used to think it was endearing, but now it’s annoying. You don’t know everything, Gordon. I feel bad because I know that he is being directed to do this. But it’s bad.

Gordon and Bullock are silly: Not only is Bullock drinking the beer of the Red Hood Gang after they find one of the members dead in a fridge (yeah, that happened), but then they decide to let the next member go so they can have the Gang turn on each other. That seems like the opposite of protecting the people. Then they BOTH run to the apartment after hear gunshots. Didn’t they think through that the guy may jump out the window and one of them should stay behind just in case? Obviously they didn’t think about that because THEY BOTH WENT UP. Noobs.

The final shootout: While the slow-motion was cool, the dialogue was silly. “Suck it, Coppers!” made me laugh hysterically. Also, why was the crime scene not blocked off? Because that kid totally picked up evidence, aka the red hood. Um? That doesn’t seem right.

Easter Eggs:

Red Hood Gang: In the New52, the Red Hood Gang are a rove of criminals, much like they are here. Whoever wears the Red Hood is expendable, and is often killed. They also rob banks.

Green is for envy: When Barbara give Ivy and Selena her old clothes, Ivy goes straight for the green one, marking her obsession with this color.

S is for sexy… and Selena: While it was creepy, Barbara telling Selena that her looks are just as deadly as weapons could be the catalyst for using her sex appeal, of course when Selena is of legal age.

Clock’s a tickin’, dude: It may be reading into things too much, but the man who was counting down for the police to arrive could be The Clock King.

Maniacal laughter: The first Red Hood laughs really maniacally when they rob the first bank. It reminded me of The Joker, but I’m still pretty convinced Jerome from the circus is The Joker. However, this could allude to the fact that The Joker was once a part of the Red Hood Gang.

Dr. Dulmacher: The Dollmaker is back! He was pivotal in the first few episodes of Gotham, being the man who was trying to kidnap all the street kids. Now he is farming organs by keeping a prison. It seems pretty elaborate, so I’m pretty sure he has been doing this for a while. It also seems like this Dollmaker is more like Barton Mathis from The New52, because he is a surgeon, much like Dr. Dulmacher in the show.

Predictions:

Holy Shit: Ok so I literally have nothing. I think I had to physically close my jaw after this one, so yeah, I got nothin’.

Hush Comics gives “Red Hood” a B for creating new and interesting story lines, showing the MOST DISTURBING SCENE EVER, but doing all this a little late in the game.

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

Gotham Review – “The Blind Fortune Teller” S1E16

Pros:

Leslie Thompkins, the not-blind truth-teller: Let’s face it; Leslie Thompkins is waaaaaayyyy too good for Jim Gordon. She is full of life! She was excited about the circus brawl and the investigation in the murder. She isn’t scared off from Jim’s work either. But when he felt like she needed to go home, she called him a hypocrite for wanting a strong woman, but really just wants her at home to bake cookies. You tell him, girl! 

The kid who played Jerome: It’s pretty hard to step into The Joker role after Heath Ledger’s performance. I thought he did a pretty great job of being The Joker before he is the Joker. That laugh was fairly creepy, and even better, his dialogue actually matched what he was doing. The facial expressions Cameron Monaghan pulled off were worthy of the role.

The crime fit the criminal: Jerome, destined to be The Joker, killed his mom because she was a nagging whore. It seemed to weird at the beginning that Jerome said that sex was a healthy human activity. That was my tip-off that he was the killer of Lyla the Snake Dancer. But when he pulled out the line “Don’t nag me to do the dishes if you’ve been banging a clown in the next room,” I knew shit was getting real. And I liked it. Is that weird?

Paul Cicero: Not only is he Tio Salamanca (holy shit, that is Tio Salamanca!!!), the character was pretty cool too. Playing the Blind Fortune Teller, the namesake of the episode, he gives Gordon a “message from the other side.” Even though it caused strife between Gordon and Thompkins, it was the first time a plot point in the show reminded me of Batman: The Animated Series. The message was cryptic, wound up being solved, and through detective work, Paul Cicero was caught in his lie.

Bruce’s notebook: It is pretty clear that Bruce is much smarter than most of the adults on this show. But what was awesome about his research and entrance in the board meeting was all the little kid drawings in his notebook. And yet I still found it offensive when the adults patronized the kid genius, because despite his drawings, he is still the smartest person in the room. 

Cons:

Fish Mooney: Oh my god, I know I write this every week. I cannot wrap my head around how people like her on this show. The snaps, claps, twist of the hands, and shimmying walk is just all TOO MUCH. Oh, and her inspirational speech? Psssshhh. She told them that they are all being used as she stands on a man’s back as if he is a pedestal. And then she promises that only some of them will die, but it’s cool cuz they’re family. It’s terribly acted, terribly directed, and no one, NO ONE would follow someone who did all this. For a split second there, I thought this underground prison thing may change my mind about her. But just like that, it’s all down the drain.

Penguin, poor little Penguin: Here’s the thing. I love Robin Lord Taylor. He is hysterical in real life, and he seems like a really humble guy, considering he is, ya know, an actor. But the goofy music paired with his terrible dialogue and newly found finger snap is doing an injustice to an otherwise terrific actor.

Dance for me!: The whole bit with Butch dancing for Penguin because he is brainwashed was pure poppycock.

Jim Gordon is insufferable: He’s the main character,right? Aren’t I supposed to like him? I don’t care about morality, because Walter White is more likeable than the Gotham detective. His demanding of everyone to freeze at the circus brawl was laughable. But mostly, the way he treats Leslie is disgusting. And him being the reason the Grayson’s and Lloyd’s stopped their feud is just lazy writing.

Barbara is even more insufferable: So she comes home after a drug addled rager, we assume, dressed like Amber Rose’s Instagram account, and sees Ivy and Selena in the living room. Instead of kicking them out, calling the police, demanding to know why they are there, she says, “So, who are you guys?” That’s the reaction? Soooo dumbbbbb.

Easter Eggs:

The Flying Graysons: The Flying Grayson’s are the famed acrobat family of Haly’s Circus. Mary and John Grayson are Dick Grayson aka Robin’s parents. They are famous for performing their tricks without a net.

property of DC Comics

 

Haly’s Circus: Haly’s Circus, the place of many a crime in this episode, is the circus The Flying Grayson’s perform for in the comics.

The Joker: Jerome, aka mommy killer, will turn out to be The Joker. As if the hair and red lips didn’t give that away.

Predictions:

Barbara will continue to dress like a hussy, and Jim will love it: Leslie and Jim had a few squabbles this week. Barbara walked in on them kissing. Since the writers feel the need to keep Barbara around, I assume for continuity (like the care about continuity in any other aspect), I am going to guess her dresses will get skimpier and skimpier until Jim realizes that he really does just want someone who will bake him a pie, or cookies, or whatever.

Hush Comics gives “The Blind Fortune Teller” a C for the acting chops of Cameron Monaghan and continuing to give us some bits of Bruce Wayne, but for continuing with the utterly cheesiest music and lines on TV today.

All images (other than the comic image used) belong to FOX and DC Entertainment. They are credited to Jessica Miglio.

Gotham Review – “The Scarecrow” S1E15

Pros:

Bruce’s spiritual journey: The best part of the episode was Bruce’s journey through the woods. Hiking through the nearby woods was a trip that Bruce would make with his father. The young man decided he needed to continue the tradition, and off he went. He had a hard time with it emotionally, especially after coming upon the pile of rocks his father and he had made. When he found one with the initials “TW” engraved, Bruce raged out, but understandably so. Later, he fell and sprained his ankle. After making a splint of twigs and climbing his way back up a very steep hill, he finds Alfred waiting for him. Alfred knew that Bruce was hurt, but made him make the journey on his own. They then watch the sunrise, just like Bruce used to do with his father. The relationship between Alfred and Bruce is growing with each day, and it is beautiful to watch. Honestly, I would love a show where they were the main characters and everyone else was just…gone.

The Fear Toxin: The effect the Fear Toxin has on Jonathon Crane are truly terrifying. I was genuinely scared for him when he kept seeing the scarecrow. It would be enough to drive someone crazy.

Fish becomes Big Mama: While I still cannot stand the overacting by Pinkett-Smith, I think bringing Fish down to a really low point by putting her in a prison, and then showing the audience that no matter what, this woman can flourish. All the overtly sexual scenes were awkward to watch, but the payout at the end with her killing the boss man was worth it.

Oswald’s Party: Oswald tries to invite Gordon to his club opening, and Gordon declines. It was a good touch for Oswald to remind Gordon to play nice. The actual party made me feel a little sorry for Oswald, though; not many people showed up, and he was clearly sad about it. But at least the sequined girls are gone, granted the music is still terrible.

Cons:

Gordon and Lee’s Courtship: They weren’t so subtle about wanting to do it on the third date. They could have gone without saying anything and we would have known the sexual tension was there. In addition, Leslie, or “Lee”, can’t keep her hands off Detective Gordon, even in her new workplace. Leslie was a likeable character, mostly because of the actress who plays her, but if this trope continues, she’s nothing more than a Medical Examiner in a refrigerator.

No explanation of how Fish is in “prison”: While that whole scene was decent, we still have no explanation for how Fish arrived in the strange prison.

The acting: There were two actors, who weren’t even the main actors, just really got to me. The main man in charge of the prison group, Mace, doesn’t look at anyone in the eye. He just stares off into the abyss. I’m sure he was directed to do this, but people with the label “boss” look people in the eye. Also, the lady who said, “They took my eyes!” seemed less in shock about it than anyone watching. I should have felt terror, but instead, I chuckled. It’s wrong, I know.

First order of business, redecorate!: When Oswald is allowed to live and the club is officially given to him, there is a lot of talk about redecorating. Like, too much talk. But I will say, the purple umbrella look is cool.

Nygma vs. Cobblepot: When Oswald went to GCPD to deliver a club invitation to Gordon, he runs into Nygma, who tells him he knows who Oswald is. Then he lets him know that Emperor Penguins keep their eggs on their feet. The whole thing made it clear these two don’t like each other. Unless this is a plot point that will be further explored, and soon, it seems a little ridiculous. None of Batman’s Rogues Gallery likes each other per se, but they all worth together. And The Riddler and The Penguin are known for doing so.

Falcone, Maroni, and Judge Turnbull sitting in a tree: First of all, Falcone and Maroni acting like they’re friends is gag-worthy. But even more gag-worthy is when Falcone delivers Maroni a notable judge in Gotham, Judge Turnbull, literally wearing a gag, after presumably getting caught having sex with a much younger man. The homophobic undertones here were a bit too much to handle.

Easter Eggs:

Scarecrow: When Jonathon’s father was first forcing the Fear Toxin into his son, Jonathon ran away and behind him was a Scarecrow. Of course, this is what he sees when in his drug-induced state. Jonathon will eventually become the Scarecrow.

Nygma’s Concoction: Not a huge easter egg, but when Bullock was in Nygma’s office, he found a beaker with a green liquid in it and smelled it. Nygma quickly took it away. The Riddler is a noted scientist, and he really likes the color green. I’m sure that is the only connection there.

Predictions:

Dr. Leslie Thompkins will become collateral damage: If my previous predictions about Flass coming after Jim Gordon are true, then his best bet is to use Gordon’s best asset, Leslie. Now that she works in the same building as Jim and refuses to back down on the PDA, people will know they are together and that spells bad news. This is all if the writers decide to carry the storyline through.

Quote of the Week:

“Son of a mother bitch.” – Sal Maroni, a man whose brevity is the soul of … the opposite of wit.

Hush Comics gives “The Scarecrow“ a C for continuing to be absolutely mediocre, but still being a show about Gotham and Batman, so I’m stuck watching it despite the absolute lack of character development.

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