gotham season 5

Gotham Season 5, Episode 5 Review

Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

After last week’s shocking ending, we return to Gotham this week for a much more intimate look at Ed Nygma. This episode reveals what’s been happening to our amnesia-stricken foe whilst furthering the complicated relationship between Bruce Wayne and Selina. All of this culminates in a climactic reveal at the end of the episode that leaves the door wide open for next week. As always, spoilers ahead!

The story opens this week with Jim Gordon hot on the trail of the gun dealer who sold Edward Nygma the RPG. Upon finding this out, and running into one of his old army buddies back in Gotham to help, Jim Gordon bursts into The Riddler’s lair and holds him at gunpoint, declaring him under arrest. Of course, things are never quite what they seem and it turns out the floor is wired with pressure plates linked to a bomb. After being forced to let Nygma go for now, Gordon puts out the call to the remaining G.C.P.D. cops to find The Riddler and bring him in.

It turns out they’re not the only ones looking for him and as word gets to Penguin, he begins plotting his own crusade into finding his former best friend. After escaping from a crazed hillbilly family, Nygma winds up face to face with him and the two bitterly reminisce on old times. It’s at this point where all forces converge on Penguin’s lair and all hell breaks loose. Ever the opportunist, as the reinforced police arrive, Barbara shows up and informs Riddler she may hold the answers he’s seeking.

Nestled between this predominant story is the continued complicated relationship between Selina and Bruce Wayne. After killing Jeremiah, Bruce finds Selina at the Ice Lounge, drowning her problems in booze. Knowing this behavior all too well himself, Bruce tries to talk sense into his friend only to receive an ice cold retort back and a moment to ponder over what transpires. All the while wondering if this is the right call of action.

There’s no time to dwell on this though and it’s at this point where the main storyline reaches fever pitch. Barbara’s tip leads Nygma straight to Hugo Strange who nonchalantly shrugs him away, declaring he doesn’t know anything. We don’t have to wait long to find out if he’s telling the truth though and what follows from here is a climactic finale that eventually results in Nygma chasing Jim Gordon out into the streets of Gotham.

The final scene of the episode revealed a big secret and the return of another villain to the fray. Promising to deliver a showstopping ending, Gotham’s future is left in the balance with only Jim Gordon and a handful of police left to try and hold the peace.

Whilethere is some good story work done here and the episodes themselves are okay, it all feels a little underwhelming given this is the last season of Gotham. There’s been little in the way of Bruce’s transformation into Batman and it often feels like the characters are going round in circles without any meaningful development. Don’t get me wrong, Gotham is a lot of fun and the villains have always been the star of the show , but with 7 episodes to go I just hope Gotham really pulls it out the bag and delivers a finale worthy of remembrance. For now though we’re left with another good, but somewhat forgettable, episode to digest until next week.

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Gotham Season 5, Episode 4 Review

Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

Well, given the context of this season and going a little bit on The Dark Knight Rises side of things, this episode made for the returns of both Victor Zsasz and Jeremiah and the use of a kangaroo court to which Oswald tried (and failed of course) to get his former killer for hire bumped with a guillotine and some mob justice.

Before he even protested his innocence, I didn’t peg Zsasz down for the Haven bomber. It’s just not his overall style but the conflict he had with Gordon, the GCPD and Oswald certainly earned him a gagging order as Oswald tried to convince everyone that he was guilty of blowing Haven up.

It really didn’t take long for Gordon and Oswald’s little truce from the last episode to come to an end with this one. Oswald couldn’t help letting power go to his head and trying to get a little paid (which is funny as Barbara sidelined her own opportunity to do exactly the same thing) and Jim yet again, wouldn’t let Oswald do what he wanted, which means the pair of them are at loggerheads once again.

As for Zsasz, he got to live another, there was a near shoot out with him and Gordon but overall, neither of them got hurt. I personally wouldn’t be letting someone like Zsasz loose on the street and given that we’ve got another ‘trial’ coming up in a later episode, don’t be surprised to see Victor popping up at least once more this season.



As for the Haven bomber though, it’s Nygma and he seemed rather shocked by his actions. Not shocked enough to throw an old woman out of a window so she couldn’t blab though but still shocked enough. Personally, I’m less shocked given his mental state this season but I did rather enjoy the team up with him and Lucius this week. Kangaroo courts and bomber identities to one side, this episode also heralded the return of Jeremiah and I have to admit, in some respects his scenes were the weakest of the episode. Not to mention the fact that there’s no way in hell despite her best efforts did Selina actually succeed in killing Jeremiah. Nope, don’t buy it for a moment and neither should she, Bruce or Alfred either. As for Ecco, she seemed to be a bit on autopilot but at least the episode did show some appropriate shades of Joker/Harley with Jeremiah and Ecco’s fleeting interactions here.

Last but not least there’s Barbara. This week she seemed a lot calmer than she’s been in a while. She chose to prioritize finding the Haven bomber over getting revenge on Oswald (though I don’t doubt she’ll be back on that soon enough) and even seemed to understand Gordon initially thinking she might have been the bomber too. Then there was that last scene with her and Jim that would’ve been a shock had the trailers not spoiled it weeks ago. Still a good way to end this particular one though.

– Another voice cameo from Jaime Murray this week. When are we actually going to see her character properly? Nice to see the show hasn’t forgotten Sofia Falcone, even if we’re not likely to see her this season.
– It seems that horrible gang from two weeks ago are actually working for Jeremiah and Ecco. Jeremiah killed the leader.
– Aside from Leslie not being accounted for (c’mon show, time for her to come back now), we didn’t see Edward the dog either.
– Chronology: Exactly from where Penguin, Our Hero left off.

Ruin was an entertainingly daft episode, boasting the clear OTT manner of the Kangaroo Court and having Zsasz throw out a few fun zingers but the Selina and Jeremiah plot just lacked the intense and that was after last week’s exciting confrontation she had with Ecco. As for the Jim/Barbara hook up, it was okay enough I guess.

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Gotham Season 5, Episode 3 Review

Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

With Gotham now into its last season before it comes off air, the third episode of this fifth season continues to impress with another solid 45 minutes of action. With a smartly worked dual storyline and some interesting characterization, the gang wars and Selina’s crusade to find Jeremiah both see some serious development this week. The latter resulting in quite the surprising appearance from a new face in Gotham. With the episode finishing on a massive cliffhanger, it’ll be interesting to see where the show goes from here but for now, Gotham continues to up the ante and excitement as we draw nearer to the finish line.

The episode begins with a look at Jim Gordon’s newly acquired haven for refugees. Bullock grows ever more concerned that this will paint a target for the gangs to come looking for them and unfortunately that target is being painted by our very own Penguin. After most of his cronies up and leave him to go to Haven, Penguin enlists the help of the street gangs to clear out the camp and bring everyone back to where they belong. This being Gotham of course, things inevitably go awry and results in Bullock sneaking off to enlist the help of Barbara.

While things escalate for Jim Gordon, Bruce and Selina embark on their own crusade after a rather unsettling nightmare spurs our femme fatale into action. Together, they travel deep into the heart of the Dark Zone where Jeremiah is rumored to be held out only to find a familiar face to anyone who’s read the comics or knows the lore around Batman. I won’t spoil this here of course but suffice to say it’s a bold choice and something that actually works really well, given the context of the story.

We leave both of these plots unresolved for now and finishing on pretty big cliffhangers. Bruce and Selina are still in the Dark Zone and Jim Gordon has a big job on his hands come next week after the dramatic events that unfold at the end of the episode. How our grizzled cop deals with the ramifications of what’s happened is up for debate but if I had to wager a guess, this is going to lead Jim into the Dark Zone to find Jeremiah and our three protagonists possibly joining forces.

While the story itself continues to move the pieces forward, there’s a good amount of action this week to chew over. Selina’s newfound acrobats are put to good use as her and Bruce tackle one of the many gangs in the streets while the sprinklings of gun fighting inside Haven helps keep the episode moving at a quick pace. The real talking point here is likely to be the new character that’s come into the fray and it’s here where the fan-base is likely to be split.

Personally, I think the character choice is a good one and the new design and maniacal persona is a really good fit given the mood and tone of Gotham in general. The acting during these segments are excellent and there’s some really interesting juxtapositions between Selina and the new character regarding the way they flirt with death. In a way, it’s a useful tool to show just how far Selina could fall down the rabbit hole if she continues to stare death in the face but for now, these moments are fleeting as the story continues to move toward its finale.

Given the ending we’re dealt this week, it’ll be really interesting to see where Gotham goes from here. The two storylines work well to keep things fresh although it seems likely now that a lot of the supporting villains are going to be reduced to cameo appearances this year given the relatively short 12 episode run for Gotham. I’ve said it before but as individual episodes, Gotham really thrives and has had some wonderful stand-alone pieces over the years. Gotham is a lot of fun and it still packs quite the punch.

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Gotham Season 5, Episode 1 Review

Julian Cannon Leave a Comment

 

I am happy that Gotham is back, but I am also sad that the show is coming to an end very soon. No matter if you have watched one episode or all of them, this show is severely underrated. Contrasting this are some of the best episodes in any superhero show and Gotham’s attempt at fleshing out a prequel for The Dark Knight has been extremely enjoyable. Most of this has been thanks to the excellent origin stories given to the most iconic villains in Batman’s illustrious history. Season 5 begins strongly, with a tease of what’s to come and a look ahead at the chaos now gripping Gotham City.

The story begins with a welcome recap, reflecting on the events leading up to the start of this final season. It’s been 391 days since the government blew the bridges to Gotham, effectively trapping everyone inside and preventing anyone from entering or leaving. After a brief opening few shots, we’re shown the forces of good and evil coming together; “For Gotham!” Jim Gordon screams and the screen erupts into a strobe of gunfire and anarchy.

It’s at this point where we skip back to 87 days. Gotham has broken down into a lawless, anarchistic state. All the villains have carved out their own plot of land with Scarecrow, Victor Freeze, Barbara and more all going it alone and fighting over dwindling resources. Jeremiah is no one to be seen and seeking the chance to capitalize on this anarchy is Penguin. Continuing to manipulate those around him, Penguin controls a prolific enterprise of ammunition which seems to be the leading currency for negotiations.

The government has all but abandoned Gotham by this point. Jim Gordon and a very thin line of police officers hold up at the GCPD, trying desperately to get supplies for a continued flurry of refugees who have got caught in the crossfire between gangs and weren’t able to evacuate. After a desperate plea to the forces outside the city, there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel in the form of a Wayne Enterprises helicopter. In true Gotham fashion, the extent of chaos is fully realized when a mysterious figure shoots the chopper out of the sky and various forces converge on its location.

This then leads to different gangs coming to blows over the supplies and the extent of Gotham’s ambitions for the season ahead fully realized. Knowing this is the final season, the stakes are higher than they’ve ever been before and during this fight, more than one casualty is realized as the battle lines are drawn. Tabitha is also killed in this episode which is the most shocking moment of the entire episode. It’s a bold move from the writers too and something that appears to set the tone going forward. We also see more of Scarecrow here too although given his brief appearance last season, we’ll hold our cards close to our chest before presuming he’ll be a focal figure for the season to come.

The episode ends with a look ahead at what’s to come. Penguin continues to antagonize, putting out a bounty on Jim Gordan’s head. Barbara has been pushed over the edge and seeks vengeance while Bruce Wayne is determined to follow a new path to help Selina recover from her paralysis. The Riddler is waking up in different places around the city and seems even more agitated than usual. All of this while Jim Gordon follows an ominous message from an exhausted child who passes out soon after revealing his message. There’s an awful lot to chew over for the week but there’s no denying that this episode sets a very high bar for the season ahead.

The fifth season of Gotham opens with a real banger of an episode. There’s some explosive action and crucial questions raised for the forthcoming season ahead. If there’s one thing Fox’s superhero prequel has always done well, it’s the characters and this episode does not disappoint. In the season where we finally close the curtain on Gotham, the first episode gets off to a flier and it’ll be interesting to see if the show can keep this momentum going next week when we return to the lawless streets of Gotham City.

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