It turns out Screencapped (The awesome site that lets me uses their screenshots) now has Gotham on there so I'll start now and hopefully be up to date on it soon like The Flash. Like with all of my TV series reviews this is an in depth look at the episode and meant for those who have already seen it.
The episode begins with a young Selina Kyle (Camren Bicondova) stealing a wallet and milk from people on the street and feeding it to her cat in an alley but quickly gets out of sight when she hears someone coming. Thomas and Martha Wayne are with their son Bruce (David Mazouz) but are soon shot dead by a masked thief while Bruce looks on. Detective Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue) and his new partner James Gordon (Ben McKenzie) arrive at the scene and Gordon promises Bruce to find the murderer, Alfred Pennyworth (Sean Pertwee) then collects Bruce. Later two other detective from Major Crimes Renee Montoya (Victoria Cartagena) and Crispus Allen (Andrew Stewart-Jones) want to take the case from them but an annoyed Bullock refuses.
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| "You like bats kid?" |
Gordon and Bullock begin to rough up some of Gotham's criminals to find answers to the murder and even get coroner and forensics operative Edward Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) to examine evidence at the scene. They then go to question underworld mobster Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith), who is employer of Oswald Cobblepot (Robin Lord Taylor), but they still get no answers. Their investigation eventually leads them to the residence of Mario Pepper who resists arrest and is killed in the struggle. While searching his apartment they find a necklace that resembles the one stolen from Martha Wayne and the case is apparently solved. Later however Cobblepot tells Montoya and Crispus that Pepper was framed for the murder, Montoya later confronts Barbara Kean (Erin Richards), Gordon's fiancé, about this and then Gordon himself.
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| "You'll find I shoot first and ask questions later" |
Gordon suspects corruption in the police department after questioning Pepper's wife and then decides to question Fish but is knocked unconscious along with Cobblepot who is found out as a snitch. Bullock tires to save him but fails and he and Gordon are almost killed until they are saved by Don Carmine Falcone (Carmine Falcone) the boss of Fish and who doesn't want cops killed. Falcone orders Gordon to kill Cobblepot as a test of loyalty but Gordon refuses to go through with it and fakes shoots Cobblepot instead, telling him to never come back to Gotham and throwing him in the river. Gordon then goes to Bruce's manor to tell him that Pepper was framed but he will find the killer one day. The episode ends with Cobblepot emerging from the river and killing a fisherman.
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| Now that is one scary ass butcher |
When I first heard that they where going to make a series set in Gotham that didn't actually have Batman I admit I thought it was a bit of a gamble. Batman is one of the greatest and iconic superheroes ever created so this series had to be interesting enough if it focuses on other characters. Fortunately after watching this Pilot I have to say that it is a gamble that paid off because they sure did make it work. Gotham is almost like one of the numerous cop shows that are on TV right now the biggest difference of course is that the audience will feel familiar with this because it is based on existing material but what is great about it is that it is a take on Gotham just after the murders of the Wayne's which not many Batman comics have touched upon.
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| "Got to think of a good thief name......" |
The events of this episode was really good because just like mostly every Pilot episode it more establishes the setting and introduces the main characters more than anything else. This of course introduces younger versions of the characters we know from the comics like Gordon a young detective who still has a sense of justice in this corrupt city and then there's the Penguin one of the most powerful mob bosses in the comics but he is barely up the ladder of power right now. It also does a great job at showing us the corruption of the police department and how unpleasant the streets of Gotham is; its got a kind of neglected, gritty feel to it. It also does an interesting take on the Wayne murders because as shown in numerous retellings in the comics, and Batman Begins, their murders are done just by a lowly criminal. However in this it introduces an overarching mystery that will carry on in future episodes that may involve the police department and mafia.
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| Your lucky it was Gordon, Cobblepot |
I think we got an excellent cast here such as Gordon and Bullock because I really like that they are opposites and the way they interact with each other. Bullock is corrupt and accepts it because he thinks that's how it will always be but Gordon always tries to fight it and actually wants to make a difference in Gotham. The young Bruce and Selina are good too, these are two really good young actors and I hope they become more involved in the story and even meet each other later. It was also good seeing Nygma in this as well, it was only briefly but it was funny seeing him using riddles even to his co - workers right now. There are two standouts in this and that is Alfred and Cobblepot, they where the best characters introduced in the Pilot. First Sean Pertwee is an awesome actor and I have seen him in a lot of films and he brings a uniqueness to Alfred, more no nonsense and wilfulness. For example when Bruce is on the roof of the manor trying to face fear Alfred shouts up "get your bloody arse off that roof" I never would have expected that from the Alfreds I have seen before. Then there is Cobblepot who is just so well acted and really feels like a younger version of the Penguin. The guy is calculating, sadistic and I like the way he speaks as well, it comes off as nervous and really confident at the same time. I also like how he hates the name Penguin right now because its an insult to him but I guess eventually he makes it his own.
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| At the very least you got good taste in stage performers |
However there are a few characters I hated and the first is Fish Mooney; she is an original character created for the series and I just cannot stand her at all. The acting of the actress who plays her is just poor, her voice for one just sounds stupid, and I find her character just uninteresting and unnecessary and I find her attitude just damn annoying. She's probably really only in the show so that Penguin might kill her and take over her turf and I hope that doesn't take too long. Then there are the two Major Crime detectives who are just p***ks for the sake of being p***ks. I don't see any relevant reason for those character to be there at all, especially that prying Montoya whose a real b***h, they suspect Gordon of being corrupt when he makes it so obvious to anyone that he is the only honest cop on the force.
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| "Riddle me this!" |
I guess something I just want to nit pick at, and this doesn't lower the score, is that I think they made it too obvious to who the future villains are. For example the daughter of Mario Pepper is called Ivy Pepper, if she is based on Poison Ivy from the comic (since we also saw her with plants its highly possible) then call her by her actually real name which is Pamela Isley and let the audience figure it out. I guess them having Edward say riddles counts as well because it should have been more subtle. An example when they did it right is when Fish was watching a comedian in her club and I was like "is that the Joker?" but they don't tell you, it was a nice reference for the audience to spot.
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| How it all started |
Overall this is an imaginative retelling of the origins of Batman and the villains he faced from the perspective of one of Batman's closest allies. This is like a cop/detective drama but it defiantly has a comic book feel to it and I am interested to see how they keep this working. It had some great action scenes, character interaction and keeps your drawn in with the conspiracy of the Wayne murders and police corruption.
SCORE: 8/10
Highlights: Great take on the origin of Batman
Younger versions of the comic book characters
They really made the city of Gotham come alive
Let -Downs: Fish and Major crimes are just annoying
Should have let you guessing more about the villains
The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;
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