Gotham

[Phoenix]

You all keeping up with Gotham? This show is just amazing.

 

[DFWJC]

It's pretty clever and a bit twisted.
It's seriously creepy when The Penguin gets his mom u on stage to sing.

 

[DBOY3141]

My son and I love it. What Fish did last night was crazy.

 

[Phoenix]

My son and I love it. What Fish did last night was crazy.

Shocked me big time!

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

There is a Gotham thread already

Show is great!
Character development is great!
A lot of depth for "superhero" show

Just about all of them command the screen when it's their turn.

 

[Phoenix]

There is a Gotham thread already

I thought there was but a brief scan through the threads and I wasn't seeing it...so me thought that maybe it was already an "old" thread and reviving it might have broken a forum rule or something.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

I absolutely love this show. They're doing a fantastic job with it.

And Fish this week....WOW.

I love how she can go from showing some clear concern, or even fear, on her face one moment to the next she just does that.

She's a beast.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

I absolutely love this show. They're doing a fantastic job with it.

And Fish this week....WOW.

I love how she can go from showing some clear concern, or even fear, on her face one moment to the next she just does that.

She's a beast.

Her character has great big grapefruits !! Lol

I thought there was but a brief scan through the threads and I wasn't seeing it...so me thought that maybe it was already an "old" thread and reviving it might have broken a forum rule or something.

No biggie. Here it is if you want to read up on it.

http://cowboyszone.com/threads/gotham-tv-show-jim-gordon-beginning.300737/

 

[Crazy4DemBoyz]

The thematic clothesline that props up "Red Hood," one of the best episodes of Gotham to date, is blessedly simple: What empowers the people of Gotham City? Each character answers that question differently, because each of them is after different things. (This has been your Yogi Berra–ism of the week.)

For its owners, the titular red hood — a garish balaclava that's treated with as much reverence as Thor's tesseract — means invincibility. A group of bank robbers stumbles into infamy and fortune after enterprising member Gus Floyd (Michael Goldsmith) wears a red mask to their first job and survives two different attempts on his life. The most daring of these two escapes — he avoids a hail of bullets from a near-sighted security guard — makes it seem as if Floyd is protected by his mask, making his superstitious, cowardly gang fight for control of his red hood. Floyd's subplot is the lightest in tonight's episode, and probably the most entertaining. It's been a while since the show's creators not only tried but also achieved a Batman: The Animated Series–like tone, but this story nails it.

I thought of Paul Dini, one of The Animated Series' head writers, during Butch and Oswald's story. Dini is a detail-oriented creator: He's meticulous when it comes to character-driven conversations and shrewd enough to know how to be psychologically realistic without being overwhelmingly self-serious. Gotham usually lacks that level of thoughtfulness and detail, but you can see it in "Red Hood" in any scene where Butch outfoxes Oswald and gently steers him away from making potentially lethal mistakes.

When Oswald's club runs out of alcohol, Butch explains that Don Maroni has cut him off. Oswald is understandably suspicious of Butch in light of his loyalty to Fish Mooney. But Butch breaks things down for his new patron without unnecessary hyperbole: He wants Oswald to succeed, because he originally helped Mooney develop what is now Oswald's club with his own "blood, sweat and tears." Butch also succinctly explains to Oswald why none of Maroni's competitors will help Oswald get back in business: Nobody likes Cobblepot enough to piss Maroni off.

Watching Oswald learn to trust Butch and use him as his ace in the hole isn't exciting unto itself, but it's done in a surprisingly thoughtful way. For starters, executive producer/episode writer Danny Cannon and director Nathan Hope both tamped down Oswald's flamboyance to the point where he doesn't feel like he's in his own show. That kind of stylistic integration is crucial because it makes you want to suspend your disbelief. It's refreshing to see Butch talk about how Maroni's actions affect Cobblepot, and then later make decisions based on that knowledge. That kind of deductive plotting suggests that at least one of the show's writers knows what they're doing and is capable of showing their work. The scene where Butch stops Oswald from buying alcohol from third-string bootleggers is a perfect example, particularly Butch's satisfying explanation: "I always keep a few uniforms in the closet. Kinda cleaner than going in guns blazing, don't you think?"

@media (min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 599.9px) { .ad.vp-0-600 { display: block; } }

Compare that story with Fish Mooney's, which actually holds together longer than I expected it to. Here, Mooney meets her prison's "Manager" (Re-Animator star Jeffrey Combs!), and he tries to mollify her with showers and other creature comforts. This standoff works because the burden of Mooney's story is largely carried by Combs's masterfully quirky performance. Jada Pinkett-Smith doesn't have much to do, just react to the Manager, and interject periodically with an suspicious question every now and then (presumably we're going to find out why she cares about her fellow prisoners' deplorable conditions later on ... I predict Mooney's episode will involve abuse and/or lots of flashbacks).

But Mooney's story goes off the rails as soon as she gouges his left eye out with a tablespoon, and then steps on it while Combs howls in anguish. This is the kind of goofy shock tactic that one should unfortunately expect from Gotham: Don't know how to get our attention? Hurt somebody in a senselessly deplorable way! There's nothing wrong with violence in the right context, but it's telling that Mooney's story ended this week with her little power play. We're supposed to gasp and wonder what's going to happen to her, because the show's writers want us to care about Gotham's least interesting character. Sorry, but until Pinkett-Smith is given full rein to vamp it up and be fun at the same time, Fish Mooney will remain a dull antagonist.

Compared to Mooney's desperate story, Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle's subplots were both models of restraint. Bruce's story ultimately ends with some over-the-top violence (which worked, I should add), and Selina's story concludes with a stinging oh-snap rebuke. But Bruce's story is entertaining because it relies heavily on David Mazouz's typically sensitive performance, Sean Pertwee's smouldering, and Scottish character actor David O'Hara's winningly skeevy turn as Alfred's old friend Reggie. An effective twist ending — Reggie reveals himself to be a mercenary hired by Wayne Enterprises — is also satisfying, though clichéd. Bruce's story, however, is subtle and moody in ways that Gotham normally isn't. Why can't this show always be this good?

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

The thematic clothesline that props up "Red Hood," one of the best episodes of Gotham to date, is blessedly simple: What empowers the people of Gotham City? Each character answers that question differently, because each of them is after different things. (This has been your Yogi Berra–ism of the week.)

For its owners, the titular red hood — a garish balaclava that's treated with as much reverence as Thor's tesseract — means invincibility. A group of bank robbers stumbles into infamy and fortune after enterprising member Gus Floyd (Michael Goldsmith) wears a red mask to their first job and survives two different attempts on his life. The most daring of these two escapes — he avoids a hail of bullets from a near-sighted security guard — makes it seem as if Floyd is protected by his mask, making his superstitious, cowardly gang fight for control of his red hood. Floyd's subplot is the lightest in tonight's episode, and probably the most entertaining. It's been a while since the show's creators not only tried but also achieved a Batman: The Animated Series–like tone, but this story nails it.

I thought of Paul Dini, one of The Animated Series' head writers, during Butch and Oswald's story. Dini is a detail-oriented creator: He's meticulous when it comes to character-driven conversations and shrewd enough to know how to be psychologically realistic without being overwhelmingly self-serious. Gotham usually lacks that level of thoughtfulness and detail, but you can see it in "Red Hood" in any scene where Butch outfoxes Oswald and gently steers him away from making potentially lethal mistakes.

When Oswald's club runs out of alcohol, Butch explains that Don Maroni has cut him off. Oswald is understandably suspicious of Butch in light of his loyalty to Fish Mooney. But Butch breaks things down for his new patron without unnecessary hyperbole: He wants Oswald to succeed, because he originally helped Mooney develop what is now Oswald's club with his own "blood, sweat and tears." Butch also succinctly explains to Oswald why none of Maroni's competitors will help Oswald get back in business: Nobody likes Cobblepot enough to piss Maroni off.

Watching Oswald learn to trust Butch and use him as his ace in the hole isn't exciting unto itself, but it's done in a surprisingly thoughtful way. For starters, executive producer/episode writer Danny Cannon and director Nathan Hope both tamped down Oswald's flamboyance to the point where he doesn't feel like he's in his own show. That kind of stylistic integration is crucial because it makes you want to suspend your disbelief. It's refreshing to see Butch talk about how Maroni's actions affect Cobblepot, and then later make decisions based on that knowledge. That kind of deductive plotting suggests that at least one of the show's writers knows what they're doing and is capable of showing their work. The scene where Butch stops Oswald from buying alcohol from third-string bootleggers is a perfect example, particularly Butch's satisfying explanation: "I always keep a few uniforms in the closet. Kinda cleaner than going in guns blazing, don't you think?"

@media (min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 599.9px) { .ad.vp-0-600 { display: block; } }

Compare that story with Fish Mooney's, which actually holds together longer than I expected it to. Here, Mooney meets her prison's "Manager" (Re-Animator star Jeffrey Combs!), and he tries to mollify her with showers and other creature comforts. This standoff works because the burden of Mooney's story is largely carried by Combs's masterfully quirky performance. Jada Pinkett-Smith doesn't have much to do, just react to the Manager, and interject periodically with an suspicious question every now and then (presumably we're going to find out why she cares about her fellow prisoners' deplorable conditions later on ... I predict Mooney's episode will involve abuse and/or lots of flashbacks).

But Mooney's story goes off the rails as soon as she gouges his left eye out with a tablespoon, and then steps on it while Combs howls in anguish. This is the kind of goofy shock tactic that one should unfortunately expect from Gotham: Don't know how to get our attention? Hurt somebody in a senselessly deplorable way! There's nothing wrong with violence in the right context, but it's telling that Mooney's story ended this week with her little power play. We're supposed to gasp and wonder what's going to happen to her, because the show's writers want us to care about Gotham's least interesting character. Sorry, but until Pinkett-Smith is given full rein to vamp it up and be fun at the same time, Fish Mooney will remain a dull antagonist.

Compared to Mooney's desperate story, Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle's subplots were both models of restraint. Bruce's story ultimately ends with some over-the-top violence (which worked, I should add), and Selina's story concludes with a stinging oh-snap rebuke. But Bruce's story is entertaining because it relies heavily on David Mazouz's typically sensitive performance, Sean Pertwee's smouldering, and Scottish character actor David O'Hara's winningly skeevy turn as Alfred's old friend Reggie. An effective twist ending — Reggie reveals himself to be a mercenary hired by Wayne Enterprises — is also satisfying, though clichéd. Bruce's story, however, is subtle and moody in ways that Gotham normally isn't. Why can't this show always be this good?

Very nice write up.

While scooping out her eye was a "shock tactic" I completely disagree about her character. She is a cornerstone of the show.

 

[iceberg]

what strikes me as odd is that at this point, every single villain batman will ever face is at least 10+ years older than him.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

what strikes me as odd is that at this point, every single villain batman will ever face is at least 10+ years older than him.

That's what I've wondered a bit about myself. Although I suppose it's possible that they were in the comics? I don't recall it really making any mention but I could be totally wrong about that.

I know in video games that they're often around his age.

 

[jrumann59]

what strikes me as odd is that at this point, every single villain batman will ever face is at least 10+ years older than him.

Not really it seems that they take liberties with Bruce's character, he actually seems much older now like early onset puberty than when his parents died. The show itself is time amorphous, maybe they are trying to reset the Batman universe, either way 10 years is not a stretch.

 

[iceberg]

Not really it seems that they take liberties with Bruce's character, he actually seems much older now like early onset puberty than when his parents died. The show itself is time amorphous, maybe they are trying to reset the Batman universe, either way 10 years is not a stretch.

in the end, no. not that big a deal. the story itself is still captivating to me and something I do make it a point to watch. sleepy hollow for example I gave up on. just got too freaky.

and fish - she got some mad props from me on that show.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Not really it seems that they take liberties with Bruce's character, he actually seems much older now like early onset puberty than when his parents died. The show itself is time amorphous, maybe they are trying to reset the Batman universe, either way 10 years is not a stretch.

Yeah.., fast forward to bruce at 35-ish and villains in early to mid 40s.

It works.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

Not really it seems that they take liberties with Bruce's character, he actually seems much older now like early onset puberty than when his parents died. The show itself is time amorphous, maybe they are trying to reset the Batman universe, either way 10 years is not a stretch.

Fair points.

 

[joseephuss]

what strikes me as odd is that at this point, every single villain batman will ever face is at least 10+ years older than him.

Not really. Joker and Scarecrow are only a few years older. Poison Ivy is maybe a couple of years younger. Catwoman is the same age. Penguin, Riddler and Two Face are the ones who are 10+ years older.

 

[iceberg]

You sure know how to screw up a bad theory...

 

[speedkilz88]

Just going by the actors reported ages:

Ivy Peppers 13
Bruce Wayne 14
Selina Kyle 15
Jonathan Crane 16
Jerome 21
Edward Nygma 28
Harvey Dent 34
Oswald Cobblepot 36

 

[iceberg]

Just going by the actors reported ages:

Ivy Peppers 13
Bruce Wayne 14
Selina Kyle 15
Jonathan Crane 16
Jerome 21
Edward Nygma 28
Harvey Dent 34
Oswald Cobblepot 36

not as bad as i would have thought, so nice. appreciate it.