My thoughts on Gotham: thee.social.nerd

Being a Batman fan from when I was younger I have been looking forward to this premiere since I heard of it being announced. Now I must admit my knowledge of Gotham and its residents isn’t the best. I grew up with Keaton, Kilmer and Clooney as my Bat”Men”. I never dove deep into comics until recently and even now I collect comics for the cover art and nostalgia. So Gotham was appealing to me to help get some background on the city and villains before Bruce Wayne dawns the cape of Batman.

All of that being said what a great series opener. Even if I wasn’t a fan of Batman I’d be extremely interested in this show. It’s pretty apparent from the get go that Gotham seems to be pretty corrupt, not only in the streets but within the GCPD as well. Without giving away any spoilers (which I do further down in the post but you will be warned prior) Gotham introduces us to many classic characters such as James Gordon, Harvey Bullock, Fish, Falcone, Oswald Cobblepot, Bruce Wayne and Alfred. Other characters are there as well but being the first episode there is plenty of time to build their story.

Do I recommend someone to watch this? Absolutely  

Gotham opens with what appears to be Catwoman on the rooftops of Gotham.

She jumps down into a marketplace where she proceeds to steal some milk and a wallet off a man who notices and takes chase. She escapes to an alley where she feeds the milk to a stray cat when she sees the Wayne family exiting the theatre into the same alley.

The Wayne's are approached by a man armed with a gun that demands money and Jewell's but decides to shoot them even though they complied. The mystery girl sits watching everything take place. Little Bruce screams us into the next scene.

Next scene is in Gotham PD where we meet Jim Gordon who is trying to calm a crazed detainee. He goes all Bruce Lee and subdues the bad guy and that’s when we meet Harvey Bullock when they are called to the scene of the double homicide of the Wayne family. Harvey proceeds to inspect the bodies while Jim goes to console Bruce.

Bruce replays his story of the incident to Jim where he was blaming himself for the incident because he should have done something to stop the bad guy. Jim promises to Bruce that he will find the guy that did this and that’s when Alfred is introduced to the show. Bruce sees Alfred and runs for his comfort.

Gotham introduction

Bullock & Gordon are at a dinner discussing what they just found out when the major crime unit comes in offering to take over the case. Tensions flare a bit and Bullock decides to handle the case himself although he was looking to hand over the case when he first arrived on the crime scene.

Back to the PD where Bullock is trying to take Gordon off the case because he is a rookie in the force, but to no prevail. Bullock said you're a nice guy this city is no place for nice guys. Bullock says fine lets go catch us some muggers. Bullock and Gordon are now on the streets catching, bringing in and questioning multiple bad guys.

Since they weren't able to get any leads they decide to go see Fish Mooney who works for Carmine Falcone. Fish is found I the alley with what looks like the Penguin plus other thugs beating a man to get her money. As Fish and Bullock talk, Gordon couldn't help himself but to go see what the screams in the back were coming from.

Great quote of "you're the new guy in town huh? How do you like it so far?" From one of Fish' men.

Gordon goes back in to get Bullock when Bullock kisses Fish and proceeds to walk out. This didn’t seem to sit too well with Gordon.

Gordon is back in his apartment where we meet Barbara, who is not ugly. Gordon gets a call from Bullock who said he got a lead and had Gordon meet him. You also notice at this point that Bullock seems to have a drinking problem.

Bullocks lead is for a man named Mario Pepper where his daughter Ivy answers the door saying he was mean. When they begin to question him and ask to search the household with reasonable cause Mario begins to flee. Opening fire on Gordon and running through the streets of Gotham. Gordon catches up to Mario and a fight ensues. Just when Mario gains the upper hand Bullock fires a shot killing Mario, followed by a cheeky thank you from Gordon.

Back at the Pepper household they search a little box for the pearl necklace. They indeed find said necklace. But right after Oswald is shown entering a car with the major crime unit and tells them Fish planted the pearls on Mario with the help of the GCPD. They question his motives for ratting out his boss.

The following scene shows Bruce at the graveyard for his parent’s funeral services and thanks Gordon for keeping his promise.

Major crimes unit goes to Barbara, Gordon's fiancé and told her that the GCPD framed Mario and she admittedly denied it. She asked if she knew Gordon like she knows Barbara. Which she questions Barbara's background.

Gordon goes back to the Pepper household and they know that the GCPD framed their husband and father. Gordon goes to the closet to where he didn't find shiny shoes which Bruce described earlier in the show.

Gordon goes to Bullock to tell him what he found out. Gordon is blaming Fish for the cover-up of the Wayne murders. He goes to question Fish who wouldn't tell him anything said she should ask Bullock. With the entrance of Fish' muscle that answered his question. They proceed to tussle with Gordon and Fish delivers the knockout blow.

The next morning Barbara goes to Bullock and said Gordon didn’t return home last night in which Bullock said he was on a stakeout. Bullock shows up where Fish' men are in a butchers freezer with Gordon strung up upside down. Bullock requested to speak with Fish and Bullock demands to let him go, someone ratted her out. Fish tells her goons to string up Bullock and kill him to for threatening her.

Fish now knows it was Oswald and she confronts him where he denied betraying her. She begins to beat him as she called him her little penguin.

We are back in the butcher’s freezer where a man comes out in full on Texas Chainsaw garb to dismantle both Gordon and Bullock. When the freezers doors open and we are introduced to Falcone and his men killing all of Fish' men except for one who Falcone said "there are rules, Fish does not kill a cop without asking me force."

Gordon talks to Falcone who introduces himself. Falcone said "you can’t have organized crime without law and order" he also declares his love for Gotham. Falcone asks Gordon what it would do to Gotham if he brings down City Hall and the GCPD even if he could.

Bullock and Gordon are seen in a car where Bullock opens the trunk and Oswald is in there. Bullock tells Gordon that Falcone wants him to walk to the end if the pier and kill Oswald for ratting out Fish and to prove he is on board. If Gordon doesn’t do it then Bullock has to kill both of them.

Gordon walks Oswald to the end of the pier where he starts revealing others are looking to take over Falcone’s reign and he can help Gordon. Gordon tells Oswald to never come back firing a shot and pushing him into the water looking like he killed him. Bullock is seen saying "that a boy."

Gordon goes to tell Bruce that Mario wasn’t the right guy. He was framed but promises again to find him and try to clean up the police department in the process. As Gordon leaves the Wayne residence you see Catwoman again for the first time since the intro watching him.

The episode ends with Oswald coming out of the water and approaching a fisherman who he kills and begins eating said fishers food.