So, a gang war is brewing this week in
‘Gotham’. The conflict is over the abandoned Arkham Asylum site.
Both Falcone and the Maroni want the contract to redevelop the area.
Both parties are willing to kill to get that contract. Can Jim Gordon
stop a gang war from erupting, even if it means sacrificing his
personal life in the process?
So this episode of ‘Gotham’ is a
notable improvement over the preceding weeks’ attempts. ‘Gotham’
is at its best when it is showing the conflicts between the old crime
families; when it is avoiding the more salacious super villains. What
the gangsters bring to the show is an element of reality, a level of
grounded truth. What has always fascinated people about the world of
organised crime is the code of honour and sense of family that exists
within it. Neither Falcone’s associates nor the Maroni family are
entirely evil and these shades of grey make them interesting
dramatically.
The dynamic between Batman and his
costumed foes is far more abstract. The relationship is far more
visual and thematic in nature, making it harder to relate to it in
the process. When Batman is fighting the Joker he is fighting the
concept of chaos. When Batman goes after Falcone he is going up
against a man, a man who made rationalised decisions to get where he
is.
This week’s episode opens where the
last one left off. Jim Gordon receives a visit from Oswald Cobblepot,
who is offering him information to help stop the upcoming gang war.
Jim is suitably angry that Oswald has reappeared in Gotham and is
left shaken by the risk that this has put his own and Oswald’s life
in. This element is expanded as the episode goes on as it drives a
wedge between Jim and Barbara. Jim’s unhealthy devotion to his
police work is a vital element of the character and one that I’m
glad to see being introduced in ‘Gotham’.
Barbara’s previous relationship with
Renee is expanded upon and explained this week, making Barbara’s
character more rounded in the process. Jim’s inability to deal with
his partner’s previous relationship with a woman is a nice touch
and it makes him seem less perfect, more human.
The villain this week, in the form of
Gladwell the assassin, is very strong. Gladwell’s psychopathic
nature, combined with his ruthless method of killing, makes him a
very menacing villain. The moments where he talks to his victims are
genuinely unsettling.
Fish Mooney is
very interesting this week. We see that she is auditioning female
singers in her club. The caveat is that she wants singers who are
capable of seduction. The concept that these young singers are so
desperate for a career break that they would be willing to prostitute
themselves is very dark. The fact that they would literally fight
each other for this opportunity is a subtle indication of how messed
up life in Gotham really is.
As always, Oswald’s attempts to climb
up the underworld of Gotham remain highly enjoyable. A nice moment of
this episode is the realisation of exactly what Oswald means by his
vision of the future Gotham.
Gotham has a wonderful feeling of
inevitability to it. Certain characters, such as Bruce and Oswald,
feel touched by fate and on a fixed course. This week for example
suggests that the old Arkham Asylum might be demolished. We know that
this can’t happen and it seems that the universe of ‘Gotham’
also knows. Seeing Jim Gordon endlessly try to stop the corruption of
Gotham while the latent insanity of the city slowly festers is
wonderful.
So has ‘Gotham’ finally hit its
stride? It’s hard to tell based on this episode alone but ‘Gotham’
certainly feels more self-assured this week. Episode 4 feels more confident and we as an audience are benefitting from that
fact. If the show continues on this trajectory it has the potential
to become something pretty special.
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