The Arkham Knight Character: My Thoughts (SPOILERS)

Thought I'd do something different and that is giving my thoughts and opinions on the infamous Arkham Knight character that was the in latest Batman game of the same name. This might seems that it is coming a bit but I was late getting the game any way because I went on holiday not long after it's release and I decided to get The Witcher 3 first before I went anyway. Plus the good thing about this is that by now everyone has played the game and probably don't care about spoilers much.

For those who don't know the Arkham Knight was the secondary antagonist in the latest Batman Arkham game; he wore a his own version of the Batman suit, was equal to him in skill and controlled the military that took over Gotham for Scarecrow. His identity was one of the biggest attraction of the game for many Batman fans (including myself) because of his unique design and that Rocksteady promising it was a original character for the game series. So imagine my disappointment when the man behind the mask turned out to be Jason Todd, the second Robin who wanted revenge on Batman.

Now for those who don't know who Jason Todd is he was the second Robin to work for Batman but was really violent, insolent and disagreed with Batman's views many times. He was kidnapped by the Joker and beaten almost to death with a crowbar before being blown up along with his mother. However he was indirectly resurrected by Superboy Prime and taken in for a while by the League of Assassins and even bathed in the Lazarus Pit. He then became the violent vigilante known as the Red Hood who returned to Gotham to get his revenge on Batman.

You know I thought the Arkham Knight was so freaking awesome when I got the game and I still do don't get me wrong; he was badass, his suit was such a great design and he was a match for Batman. I had so many theories to his identity (will list them) before the game's release and while I was playing it and to find out it was Jason Todd was so lacklustre and kind of lazy. It is almost the same story line as in Under the Hood where Jason, thought to be dead, comes back as a new persona in Gotham except that instead of becoming the Red Hood he becomes the Arkham Knight. What is annoying however is that Jason still becomes the Red Hood anyway at the end when part of the Arkham Knight suit is ripped off and it looks like the same Red Hood mask. What was also pretty annoying was that it wasn't even much of a surprise because halfway through the game Batman hallucinates seeing Jason tortured by the Joker and I thought after seeing something like that Jason just had to be the Arkham Knight. Why else would they have shown those flashbacks because if they wanted the Arkham Knight to be someone else then by that point in the game they would have gave hints of that someone but no they flat out tell you it's Jason. In the end Rocksteady decided to play it safe and just repeat a storyline used in the comics when the true identity of the Arkham Knight could have been lots of other Batman characters.

Here is a list of characters I think would have been better for the Arkham Knight, most of these where my theories before the game's release:

Damien Wayne: The son of Bruce with Talia, Damien could have become the Arkham Knight as revenge against Bruce and to prove he is a worth successor to Batman, which is why his suit is similar.

Thomas Wayne Junior/Owlman: Since this character s so well known in the comics and not featured as much as other villains I thought they could have change as much as the want about him without spoiling the character.

Thomas Wayne Senior: Was featured a lot in the commercials so I thought it could be possible he was still alive in the games. It could have been similar to Flashpoint where he was Batman but had no problem killing criminals.

James Gordon Junior: Because Gordon and Barbara where heavily involved in the plot like tricking Batman into thinking Barbara committed suicide and Gordon turning against you I thought it might have been someone close to them. James Gordon Junior his a psychopathic killer who does torment his family in the comics and while he has never been portrayed as a fighter who can stand up to Batman they could have changed it a bit for the game.

Hush: A side quest in Arkham reveals that Hush performs surgery on his face to make him look exactly like Bruce Wayne so he can ruin him so why not be his own version of the Batman while he is at it? But no they just gave him a silly five minute side quest in the game which was a shame.

Clayface: We never did get to find out if Clayface survived his fall into the Lazarus Pit or if it changed him in the end. He could have become the Arkham Knight to get revenge on Batman for his defeat in the last game.

Jean - Paul Valley/Azrael: This character actually was Batman at some point in the comics but was a lot more violent than Bruce. Like Hush I thought Azrael would be featured in the main storyline of the game instead of just being a side mission.

There you have it just a little rant about the Arkham Knight character.

Gotham Season Two: What I Want To See

Now as usual here is a list of what I want to see for Gotham Season Two.

Nygma becomes the Riddler: I really want this to happen because I have said in a previous review that The Riddler is a type of villain the GCPD can try to take on and not wait for Batman. Not that I am saying The Riddler is an easy villain all I am saying is that the way he does his crimes, with clues, is something the GCPD (Gordon and Bullock) can investigate. I hope Nygma becomes The Riddler by the end of Season Two so he can be the main villain of Season Three.

Selina goes back to her old self: Hated what they did to her in the finale just because they wanted her to side with Fish so I hope she goes back to teaming up with Bruce and being a street thief.

GordonxLeslie continues: I do not want these two to break up, I don't even care if Gordon ends up with Barbara in the comics. I think IGN said once that maybe Gotham could change up some of the lore of Batman in live action to give us something we weren't expecting. This could be one of them because I really don't think Barbara is ever going to redeem herself in anyone's eyes.

Lucius Fox helps Bruce: What I mean by this is that since Bruce is still going to investigate Wayne enterprises maybe Lucius can make him some tech to help him.

The Penguin gains more power: The finale set it up so that it seems like the Penguin is now unopposed in Gotham. I want to see him gain more power, wealth, people and status, maybe he can even build his famous Iceberg Lounge.

More villains: An obvious one because as I said before the backstories for the villains is a big highlight in Gotham. Here are the villains I want to see the most:

Anarky: A simple villain who wants to subvert the government with numerous acts of destruction, this is defiantly one that can fit in Gotham.

Clayface: If Gotham wants to remain a bit grounded for now then they don't have to use transforming Clayface, they can adapt the first one who is an actor who killed various people.

Firefly: If they did adapt Firefly I hope they do a better job than the one in Arrow and give him tech.

Harley Quinn: Everyone wants to see Harley and I think she can be either an intern at the Asylum or a student at Gotham university.

The Court of Owls: An awesome villain group from the New 52 that secretly controls Gotham, now this can be something Gordon can investigate.

Hugo Strange: Already been confirmed.

The Mad Hatter: It would be cool to see a villain who uses mind control technology.

Mr Freeze: Already been confirmed.

Ratcatcher: Could be an actual rat catcher who became insane like in the comics, would make for a great one shot villain I think.

The Ventriloquist: Another villain who would make a great one shot; a crazy serial killer who listens to a puppet.

Vigilantes in Gotham: Batman doesn't have to be the first, we can have ones who started before him and here are two in particular:

Lock - Up: A former security guard who became a killing vigilante is something I want to see in Gotham.

Knightfall: Like Lock - Up this is a vigilante who kills criminals.

More backstory on Bullock: The Flashback in the Goat episode showed that he really used to be like Gordon so I want more Flashbacks on his fall from grace.

Replacements for Maroni and Falcone: Hated the way these two characters exited the show in the finale but I hope we get more mob bosses to replace them maybe even their relatives.

Talia Al Ghul: We haven't had Talia yet in live action and the reason she wasn't in Arrow is because she is one of Batman's love interests, Nyssa wasn't as iconic in the comics so they could do more with her character in Arrow. Maybe we could have a younger Talia meeting Bruce; we don't have to have the League appear but maybe they could own a large company in Gotham as a front and that's how Bruce and Talia meet? Just a thought buy hey it could make for a could storyline.

Viper/Venom returns: Would really be great to see a villain (maybe Bane) use the serums to make super soldiers.

See the GCPD being less corrupt: Maybe not be completely innocent yet but some of the officers can really start listening to Gordon now and joining his side.

Origins of the other Robins: We saw the parent of Dick Grayson, maybe we can see the parents of Jason Todd and Tim Drake.

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;





http://screencapped.net/   

Gotham Season One: Best and Worst

Just like with Arrow and The Flash here is a list of the highlights for Gotham.

Best

Gordon and Bullock: These two made one great team and I really like seeing them together solving the recent crime of the week. I like their banter, arguments, their different points of view on everything and I liked how they grow to trust one another over the course of the season.

Villain and Hero origins: It is great seeing a live action and different take on the origins of some of Batman's heroes and villains. Every week I eagerly await this show because I just want to see which villain or hero is next to be seen.

Alfred: Sean Pertwee has always been such a great actor and the perfect choice to play the younger, no nonsense Alfred who kicks some serious ass!
 
Penguin: The best young version of a Batman villain in Gotham; a highlight in every episode and a scene stealer!

Bruce and Selina: Another great team in Gotham, these two are just so great together. I like how they learn from one another because they are from different social classes and I enjoy the episodes when they partner up.

The Red Hood episode: One my favourite episodes of the season; the Red Hood Gang was really funny, I liked the Alfred subplot and I found it interesting that they treated the Red Hood itself as some kind of cursed item.

Great action moments: The fighting and shootouts have all been entertaining to watch, I'm glad they don't hold back on the violence too much.

The corrupt GCPD: It was always good throughout this season seeing Gordon stand up to the other cops, especially against Loeb towards the end of the season.

The original Ogre villain: The Ogre really worked as a villain; he had a great backstory, methods of killing (we didn't see any real bondage lol) and he was developed really well. Shame he was killed off at the end.

The Goat episode/Bullock Flashback: Bullock is one of my favourite characters and I liked that the episode focused on him. I also really liked the Flashback at the beginning because you can really see the difference between him then and now.

Gordon and Leslie: This relationship was a 1000 times better than when Gordon was with Barbara because there was no chemistry there. With these two however it worked so well and they come off as a far more convincing couple than Barbara ever did. You know I wouldn't be surprised if this was only supposed to be temporary but got so popular they kept them together because I have read many opinions on this and they want Barbara out of here!

Nygma's decent into madness: I know for the beginning of the season he was a side character who was also comic relief but near the end when he killed you can really see him taking the first step to a villain. I hope he actually becomes the Riddler during season two and maybe Kringle will join him as a Harley Quinn kind of companion.


Worst

Fish: Everyone knows I hate Fish because she was an original character that just did not work in Gotham. Jada Pinkett Smith is just a terrible actress, Fish herself is really stupid in the things she did and I hated that the series had to try and fit her into every plot. The few episodes near the end that didn't feature her proved that the show did not need her at all, I am glad she was killed off and I hope she never comes back.

Barbara: Now on to Barbara who is as stupid as Fish and I hated everything she did; from her forced lesbian subplot, drinking, drugs and I always got the feeling she blamed Gordon for everything even though it is all her fault. I know her faults is her crucible to move past but I said this about Arrow's Thea and Laurel and I am saying it now; I have no sympathy or care much for a character who goes through drinking and drugs as a crucible. It is a waste of time and the character (mostly women for some reason) act like complete bitches. Then of course Barbara killed her parents and tired to kill Leslie and I honestly don't know if they can bring her back from this so I hope she is gone forever like Fish.  

Montoya: The character who started Barbara on the path of ruin; she was incredibly annoying whenever she was on screen and I just hated that she kept going after Gordon in the beginning. I am just really glad that she was barely in the season so I hope the writers decided to drop her character.

The death of Maroni and the departure of Falcone: Two awesome characters and mob bosses whose exit from the show left something to be desired. First off I really liked Maroni because like Penguin he was a bit of a scene stealer whenever he was on screen but no he freaking had to be killed off by Fish at the end just because he said a few wrong words to her. Then there is Falcone that I think the show portrayed him as weaker as he should be; he is supposed to be the big boss of Gotham yet characters (like Fish) seem to one up him and then he just leaves at the end.

Butch and Dent were underused: Two great characters who should have had more screen time because Dent is one of my favourite Batman characters and Butch was way more interesting than Fish.

Selina in the finale: She is one of my favourite characters but the way she was in the finale was just plain annoying and it was thanks to bloody Fish! The gave her a stupid look and made her act too differently and it was probably all so they can portray Fish as this great leader.

Fish ruined the Dollmaker subplot: Colm Feore is one of my favourite actors and I was glad when he was cast as the Dollmaker, buy why oh why did his plot have to be a part of Fish's! He was really built up in the second episode but most of the time Fish hogged all the screen time doing her stupid mutiny with the prisoners which was just so boring.

There you have it a list of the best and worst of Gotham season one in my opinion. I probably missed a lot buy these are the ones that just really stood out as I was writing this list.

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;





http://screencapped.net/   

Gotham Season One: All Happy Families Are Alike

 

 

Gordon, Bullock and the GCPD work to stop the gang war between Falcone and Maroni however Fish returns to town to take it all.

 

Well what the finale proved is that the character of Fish should never have been created. Besides her stupid, ugly new appearance she killed off one of Gotham's best characters, Maroni, for the stupidest reason ever; honestly she just couldn't take being called babe? After everything with Maroni he is now gone because he said the wrong things to the wrong woman, was this supposed to prove how strong and independent Fish is or something? Then there was Selina joining Fish which I just hated because she is way better than Fish but no she had to be brought down to her level for this episode. Fish just bloody ruins everything and I jumped with joy when she was finally killed off (even her awful actress said she isn't returning) but even so I am annoyed that she has been a part of season one and when I get the DVD I am skipping all her scenes! I wanted to add that I loved Penguin's moment as he shouted he was king of gotham after killing Fish, so we'll done and I definitely hope to see him as more of a boss in season two. It is because of this that I really wish Maroni was not killed off because he could have been a cool nemesis for Penguin; why? freaking why did such a great character/actor had to go like that? What p***k decided this was for the best!? Soz for going off like that but Maroni was one of the best parts of Gotham and he should have killed Fish.

 

As for everything else the action/shootouts was a major highpoint because the one in the hospital with Gordon and ones at that warehouse with all the gangs where great. I was disappointed that Falcone is now leaving because now both bosses are gone now and Falcone's reason just came out of nowhere. Other parts that I liked was Bruce searching his father's study for clues because we got a teaser for the Batcave which I am excited to see in season two plus this gave us a glimpse of Bruce's detective skills. I also liked the moment with Nygma because it showed him descending into insanity even more and Kringle finding the clue was great because in the comics The Riddler wants you to find them. Once again I hope for more scenes involving these two in the next season because I just think they work great together. Finally the other major let down besides Fish was the moments with Barbara and Leslies because they where just boring filler and in the end we found out what I already knew; Barbara is just one weak, crazy b***h. Now I really do not think she can come back from this and I really hope this is the writers way of getting rid of her character (she is has to get locked away forever for her murders) so Leslie can now completely be the main female lead.

 

Overall this wasn't the best season finale I have seen because they where let down by two character who never should have been on Gotham; Fish and Barbara. I just hope this is the end of both of them now because I hate them and their actresses, I just freaking hate them!

 

SCORE: 6/10

 

Highlights: The action/shootouts, especially Gordon's in the hospital

                   Penguin as King of Gotham/death of Fish

                   Bruce/Nygma moments

 

Let - Downs: Fish just ruins everything

                      Selina joining Fish

                      Boring filler with Barbara

                      Both big bosses of Gotham are now gone 

 

 

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net/  

Gotham Season One: The Anvil Or The Hammer

"Soon everything shall be mine!"

Gordon and Bullock close in on the Ogre as he mentally tortures Barbara meanwhile Bruce infiltrates Wayne Enterprises and discovers a dark secret about his father.

 

Well this is the end of the Ogre Arc and the villain himself and while it is a damn shame he had to go because he was so good I think he left a lasting impression. I just really liked his mind games that he played with Barbara; he didn't inflict much physical damage on her but he still broke her down. I also liked how the Ogre was killed because he was really brutal seeing his head snap back as he was shot (just one example of how graphic this episode was with it's gore) and his fight with Gordon was great. Of course like always Barbara was a real let down because her whole subplot with the Ogre didn't really lead anywhere in the end and that she actually chose her parents to die was just sick, even if she did hate them. I know she obviously has been through a lot but with this latest development she is being really unredeemable and she just keeps getting worse and worse. The writers just don't know what to do with her and I hope she soon gets written out of the show and Leslie stays as Gordon's love interest because as I said before she is way better. Plus I knew they wouldn't show any bondage stuff between Ogre and Barbara so it was pointless teasing in last episode but I was surprised by how much we saw in the brothel with Bullock which was such a funny scene lol.

From what I hear this is still sexier than what was in the Fifty Shades of Grey film, lol

As for everything else again Penguin shows that his plans are always more elaborate then we think with his plan to actually kill Falcone than Maroni; how he used the hit men was really unexpected and now he has started the gang war he wanted. Maroni was always great in this episode (though he always is when he is on screen) and the scene where he is shooting Falcone's men with his gang in slow motion was done really well. Then there is Nygma trying to dispose of the cop's body which like the Ogre's death and the severed head was really graphic than I would have thought and it was amusing that he hurled the body through the GCPD! I am really liking his moments with Kringle because I think the relationship between them has been developed well which might be because it has been happening for a lot of episodes now. You know I have read some opinions online that some believe Kringle may become the Nygma's sidekick when he becomes the Riddler kind of like Harley and The Joker and I think giving the Riddler a female partner would be a nice twist to his character. Speaking of the Riddler it was so awesome that Nygma actually left a clue in the letter to Kringle because that is what he does with his victims in the comics and it felt like a real first step towards the Riddler in Gotham. Finally there is Bruce's subplot which didn't really have that big of a revelation because it was kind of obvious his father must have known about the companies' shady dealing to  some degree however it was worth it all for the debut of Lucius Fox and I hope we see more of him because he is a great character to work with.

"I get to got to all the best places"

Overall I great end to the Ogre Arc and I am expecting big things for the finale next week now that we have got a gang war.

 

SCORE: 8/10

 

Highlights: Gordon vs. The Ogre/Bullock at the brothel

                   Penguin's hidden plan/the moments with Maroni

                   Debut of Lucius Fox

 

Let - Downs: Again Barbara because I just hate her and everything she does

 

       

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;





http://screencapped.net/   

Gotham Season One: Under The Knife

"So what first?"

Gordon continues his investigation on the Ogre meanwhile Bruce takes Selina to a charity ball to steal something important and Nygma finally loses it.

This episode is a prime example that the show can move on normally without having a stupid Fish subplot just shoved in there and wasting a lot of precious screen time. Gordon still continues his investigation despite the dangers and it was cool to see him confronting the killer by making a statement on TV. I am really liking the Ogre because he has been a well developed character with an intriguing backstory; the mother issues, the killing of love ones and his plastic surgery. It has only been two episodes but he has been woven nicely into the lore of Gotham, so well done on this plot so far. Gotham is at it's best when Gordon and Bullock are working together on a case because I really enjoying watching them slowly put the pieces together, like linking the Ogre's old deformed face to the plastic surgery clinic at the beginning, it is a lot of fun to watch. Then there is Barbara becoming involved in the Ogre plot and while I still don't care or feel any sympathy for this whiny, drunken character I guess I am interested to see where this goes; will she aide the Ogre now? As for the BDSM that did come out of no where and I guess it might be little reference to Fifty Shades of Grey, at least that is what some people who commented on this episode think. Now I have never read the book or watched the film (which I have heard is so disappointing and not sexy at all) but it has been talked to death so I know the jist of it. So I wonder how far and how graphic they are going to go with this?

You know Selina when Bruce grows up he isn't going to tolerate stealing that much 

As for everything else again it is always great to see Bruce and Selina working together and I liked seeing them at the charity ball (probably a nod to The Dark Knight Rise). I also liked the talk they had about Reginald's murder because it is there mind - set as Batman and Catwoman; Batman will never kill but Catwoman will do it if she must. Then there where the scenes with Maroni, Penguin and Penguin's mom and it was cool to see Maroni taking a stab at Penguin in a way he didn't expect and probably hurt him more. Plus it was also funny seeing Penguin lose it with the delivery man and just kill him with that shard of glass lol. Speaking of murder it seems that Nygma has crossed over to the realm of insanity by killing the officer who was abusing Kringle. The whole way he reacted at the end was great because it was like he was glad but still shocked and horrified at the same time but still Nygma has been pushed around by cops throughout the season so I guess he just lost it. I hope in Season Two he becomes full on Riddler because he is a villain that doesn't have to wait Batman; he doesn't have super powers or ice guns he is someone that the police could realistically go after too.

Got a riddle for this Nygma?

Overall a great continuation on the Ogre plot and I hope it is a big arc that doesn't end any time soon.

SCORE: 9/10

Highlights: Gordon vs. Ogre/throwing Barbara into the mix
                   Bruce and Selina at the charity ball
                   Nygma killing the cop

Let - Down: Don't really care for the bondage stuff shoved in at the end because it is not like they are going to be able to show anything on an 20:00pm show lol


The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;





http://screencapped.net/    

Gotham Season One: Everyone Has A Cobblepot

"Taste my boom stick!"

Bruce deals with the aftermath of the attack on Alfred meanwhile Gordon investigates Commissioner Loeb and Fish meets Dr Dulmacher AKA The Dollmaker (Colm Feore).

Once again Gordon has to deal with the corruption in the GCPD and I really like it every time he does because there is always something different to deal with. I liked most of the plot where Gordon has to find a cache of blackmail because it reminded me of the plot to the game Watch Dogs and I really enjoyed that story. However I was disappointed with how it ended because I would have preferred files of blackmail to Loeb's crazy daughter; I don't know to me the whole reveal was kind of lacklustre. Fortunately is only a small disappointment because throughout this plot Gordon got to have some awesome team ups starting with Dent who it is great to see again. Then there was Bullock and in my opinion he has to most depth to him because of his dark past; sure he betrayed Gordon at first but he broke under the weight of all the corruption years ago. It was in interesting to learn he and Gordon are just one of many cops to be forced to murder a gangster so they will always have a black mark in their past. Finally there was Penguin and he was back to his old sly and sadistic self this episode whether it was forcing a favour from Gordon or getting the to old people to kill each other. Him running a night club is alright but this manipulative and dangerous Penguin is who I want to see more. As for Gordon himself though he is always going to be a beacon of justice it was different to see him being a bit shadier because whatever the blackmail was he was fully prepared to blackmail Loeb and gain from it.

Use your coin Dent!

As for everything else I defiantly liked Colm Feore as the Dollmaker because firstly he is one of my favourite actors, my favourite role for him is when he was Randall in Revolution, and he had this dark humour presence whenever he was on screen as Dulmacher. What he did to his manager was pretty damn gruesome and we get an explanation to why he is collecting body parts. I really hope we get to see more of him as an antagonist because the Dollmaker in the comics is a dark character however I hope in season two he gets a storyline without Fish because again I just don't care about her plight and they just keep finding excuses not to kill her. Nygma had some small scenes with Kringle but it wasn't really that significant which was kind of the same for Bruce's scenes as well. I do like his moments with Alfred and I want him to team up with Selina but I was hoping he would already be making a start into investigating Reginald but now we have to wait until next episode. However I won't mark it down for the Nygma and Bruce scenes because we only got a few of them; they weren't what I want but they weren't bad.

Wonder if we'll see the Dollmaker slice off any faces? Those who read the comics know what I'm talking about

Overall I really enjoyed the main plot with Gordon this episode and the debut of The Dollmaker.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Gordon team up with Dent and Bullock

                   Penguin's last scene at the club

                   The Dollmaker

Let - Down: The big reveal of Loeb's blackmail

                     Fish's subplot

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;





http://screencapped.net/

Gotham Season One: Red Hood

"Bang!"

When several banks are robbed by the Red Hood Gang Gordon and Bullock investigate meanwhile Fish does something drastic and Alfred reunites with an old friend.

Finally get two origins I have been wanting to see for ages; Alfred and the Red Hood Gang and I didn't expect the latter until season two, I'll start with them first and I got to say that the Red Hood Gang is one of my favourite origins so far. I always enjoyed seeing them in the comic and that they are connected to the Joker however I liked that in this the red hood itself became sort of a symbol of power. It was interesting that the gang members fought and killed over it and the way it saved one of their lives, made them famous and gave other confidence made me sort of believe that it could be a kind of cursed object. I do hope the red hood surfaces again and maybe the Joker could be part of the gang in the future; I still believe he was in the last episode and not the kid at the end. As for the gang themselves I did really like them, their different personalities and goals, the cool shootout with the GCPD and that the citizens started to cheer them on as vigilantes; all in all the Red Hood Gang was pretty damn great in this episode. As for Alfred it was of course obvious for a while he had some dark military past but it was great that we got some light she'd on it. He had some great scenes with Reginald like how good friends he is with him but didn't approve of his less honourable method of fight Reginald was teaching Bruce. I think for the next few episodes it might focus on Bruce tracking down Reginald but the reveal of the Wayne board behind Alfred's stabbing was a pleasant surprise and I just wonder how Bruce will deal with them.

Avenge him Bruce!!

As for the rest of the episode Fish's eye stabbing was gruesome and cool and it is great we may see the Dollmaker soon but it felt over the top. I mean is being leader of a group of nobodies in a basement important enough to mess with the Dollmaker or stab her own eye out? However I was more interested in her former comrade Butch whose brainwashing is not what I thought it would be like. He still seems to act like himself but the scars and shaky hands is a reminder that he is different now and very helpful to Penguin by securing some booze for him. I had read some criticism that Penguin doesn't seem to know anything at all but they need to remember that he is young and new at this and I like that the brainwashed Butch is teaching him a few things. Finally the Barbara moment with Ivy and Selina would have been nice if she still wasn't drinking heavily; why do writers (Gotham and Arrow) feel the need to put their female characters through substance abuse? It gets no sympathy from me, especially with Barbara when it is ALL HER FAULT things ended with Gordon, and I just think these characters can go through different crucibles to change. Also props to Selina for wounding Barbara like that; honestly what the hell was Barbara going on about with that whole beauty weapon stuff?

Got to admit that, that is really cool

Overall despite just two minor flaws this was a really solid episode with a great origin story to the Red Hood Gang.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Origins on Alfred and the Red Hood Gang
                   Penguin and Butch team up
                   Fish stabbing her eye out but........

Let - Downs: ...........Might have been too much just to be leader of a basement?
                      Barbara as always

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;





http://screencapped.net/

Gotham Season One: The Blind Fortune Teller

Why so serious?

The feud between Gotham's circus families ends in murder while Gordon takes Leslie there for a date and Bruce schedules a meeting with the Wayne Enterprises board.

Woah! Have we just caught a glimpse of a young Joker? Though it isn't actually said my gut says yes and lots of others on the internet believe so too. Jerome's crazy rant at the end just felt like the Joker which makes me want him to be the Joker even more because the guy was really, really good. When he had that crazy grin he just looked insane and that smile felt worthy of the Joker and him not too sure of his past is also a link to the Joker. I hope we see more of him soon and it is confirmed because I think he did a really great job. Besides Joker we also got to see the parents of the first Robin which was cool, gave us some backstory on them and this whole circus feud gave us a really different kind of episode and I liked it. What was really great about it was that it gave us more time with Gordon and Leslie and I am just really liking the chemistry between them, the scenes they have and it was cool them investigating a case together. For example when Leslie wanted to go to the bridge the reaction of Gordon was so funny and I like the dialogue when they argue about her being involved in the investigation. Leslie is right she is a strong woman and better for Gordon than Barbara who was so weak she walked away from Gordon when she couldn't handle it anymore.

You tell em Bruce!!

As for everything else Barbara being in this episode was something I didn't care for because I never wanted to see her again and it doesn't help that she acted like some drunken idiot at first. I just hate that she has to continue to be on the show because she is just going to be annoying and jealous just to be in the way of Gordon and Leslie and as I said before I bet she will think she is all in the right. Then there is Fish and her little side story is just so boring; I don't like her speeches or her actions with the prisoners, I just don't freaking care because it is just too detached from the goings on in Gotham. As for Penguin I usually always like it when we see what he is up to but the whole subplot with the club was uninteresting and was probably there just to fill up some screen time. Finally the only other good subplot in this episode was Bruce and I liked his whole confrontation with the Wayne board; it was funny to see them not expecting what Bruce was accusing them of, I only wish there was more of it instead of some of the other subplots we got.

"Hell no, we aren't going out to look for clues this time of night"

Overall the possible reveal of the Joker was so awesome but in the end I only really liked just half of the episode because too much time was wasted on Fish, Barbara and unfortunately the bad Penguin subplot.

SCORE: 6/10

Highlights: The feud between the circus families (introducing the Graysons)

                   Possible Joker reveal!!!

                   Gordon and Leslie continue to be a good couple

Let - Downs: Barbara as always

                      Don't care about Fish's subplot

                      Penguin's subplot with the club wasn't that great

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;





http://screencapped.net/  

Gotham Season One: The Scarecrow

Really cool!

Gordon and Bullock attempt to stop Gerald Crane from murdering more victims meanwhile Fish tries to gain more power and Penguin officially re-joins Falcone.

 

Its the second part of the Scarecrow origins and I got to say that even though everything about Scarecrow was just as good as last week's this episode was let down by other events in this episode. First off it's awesome seeing the first fear toxin and that's it's real purpose was to suppress fear, which actually could have been a good thing for mankind if not for the questionable way of making it. I really liked Gerald's story and how he had a twisted way of dealing with his wife's death so it is a shame he is dead now when it would have been interesting seeing him without fear in future episodes. Jonathan of course is the opposite now since he is consumed by fear and will grow up to instil fear in Gotham, still this origin story does place Scarecrow in a more sympathetic light and I hope this isn't the last we'll see of him. Also those CGI scarecrows where so cool and really done well!

"We're going to be super villains one day"

As for everything else it is always good seeing Penguin's dilemma in the mafia and since Falcone gave him the club and saved him makes me think Penguin is really valuable to him. However the best scene was the interaction he had with Nygma because it was so funny; loved Penguin's expression when being asked a riddle and how Nygma wasn't scared to tease a Mafia guy with riddles. It is also good to see the issue with Gordon wondering whether or not to get aid from Penguin addressed again however briefly but it was kind of annoying to see him making things unnecessarily awkward with Leslie about professionalism in the workplace, I know its a small thing but it was annoying him going on and on about it. Then there are the scenes with Alfred and Bruce and it was really great emotional moment for Bruce dealing with the hikes he went on with his dad and it is always great seeing Alfred fill the role as best as he can and help Bruce in his own way. Finally while I said I was interested to see where Fish was taken now that she is there I actually don't feel bothered at all because I don't really care about Fish trying to get her power back or anything that takes place outside of Gotham.

Ironic that the famous fear toxin could have helped people

Overall it wasn't as good as the first part of the Scarecrow origins but it was still a good watch.  

 

Score: 7/10

 

Highlights: Fear toxin/Scarecrow origin
                   Bruce and Alfred moments
                   Penguin and Nygma confrontation

 

Let - Downs: Fish's subplot
                      Gordon workplace attitude

 

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net/ 

Gotham Season One: The Fearsome Dr. Crane

"This is my city!"

While Fish tries to get back a Penguin, Gordon and Bullock hunt a killer who is targeting people with serve phobias and Bruce confronts Gordon about his lack of progress on his parent's murderer.

So this episode explored the origins of one of my favourite DC villains, Scarecrow, or to be more accurate his father. I think Julian Sands as Gerald Crane did an awesome job and we got to delve into his own madness and obsession with fear and he came off as a really creepy serial killer. We also got to see some creative ways he used to kill his victims and I am guessing his exaction of the glands could be the origin of Scarecrow's famous fear toxin. We also got to see Jonathon Crane as a teenager and I hope we get to see more of him in the future, maybe even don his Scarecrow mask. Another highlight of the episode was Bullock because he took the lead in the investigation this time and I got to say whenever he is the main focus over Gordon it is a really entertaining episode; like the Goat killings episode. Plus I think his fear story in the meeting was actually true so maybe we got one of the reasons way he chose to be on the take at first, also I liked the chemistry between him and that other phobia member so I wouldn't mind something more happened between the two. Speaking about relationships I think this one between Gordon and Leslie has been handled ALOT better than the one between him and Barbara (which just felt unbelievable) so I hope they stick with this one and don't  find some stupid reason to break them up for Barbara to swoop back in.

Penguin always manages to come on top in all situations

As for the rest of the episode Penguin got into a spot of bother and his scenes with Maroni, especially the one during that truth game, was done really well. Seems like Penguin will now work for Falcone full time now since he wasn't even able to talk his way out of his mess with Maroni, he had to convince someone else. Nygma continues to be a great addition to every episode and I just wish that they would make him the main focus of an entire episode rather than a few scenes. However I do think we have gotten a hint of his villainous ways by how he framed the medical examiner because lets face it that was kind of overboard. Seems like Fish has been captured by some military type of thugs and even though I really still hate Fish I am kind of interested to see where this goes (though her charging at the solider at the end was silly) and I am glad she wasn't in this episode much. Finally I do like that Bruce has addressed the issue of his parent's murder with Gordon once again but it is a shame we only got the one scene with them and we didn't get to see much of a reaction from Gordon about the whole thing afterwards.

"I should not have messed with Nygma"

Overall a really enjoyable episode, a definite improvement over the last one and looks to be the first of a two parter in to the origins of Scarecrow.

SCORE: 9/10

Highlights: Scarecrow origins/Bullock focused episode
                   Gordon and Leslie relationship going well
                   Strong scenes from Penguin and Nygma

Let - Downs: Could have expanded more with Bruce and Gordon

 

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net/       

Gotham Season One: Welcome Back, Jim Gordon

Good cops vs. Bad cops

When a key witness in a homicide ends up dead Gordon suspects it was an inside job by the GCPD, meanwhile Penguin take's over Fish's business and Fish herself is being tortured by Falcone's men.

An episode where we had to deal with the corrupt GCPD again and have read some reviews saying that they where annoyed that it was addressing this issue once again. I on the other hand am glad the villains where cops again because I think it needs more than one episode to reform the GCPD. For one Gordon really shined again in this because you just got to really like his portrayal to be unflinching in his sense of justice, especially when it seemed the narcotics squad was untouchable. I really liked Gordon's speech at the end to his fellow officers and how they, included Essen, supported him this time. However it didn't end too well for Gordon when he wonders if getting Penguin's help was such a good idea; I hope they don't just drop this in future episodes. The other big story that was going on was with Fish but I think her torture was completely wasted since they didn't do anything, even if I liked her I would still feel this way. However once again Fish's right hand man Butch really stood out with the way he freed himself, rescued Fish and got her to safety - the guy has some real iron loyalty. It annoys me that even though Fish's actress confirms she isn't returning for season two (hopefully killed off) I bet we are still going to have to go through some big story arc with her which will waste a lot of screen time when it should be given to Butch.

"I bet you'll probably never hear from Ivy or Selina again Master Bruce"

As for everything else it is always good to see Bruce and Alfred (their absence was even explained) and even though their scenes wasn't much it was still nice to see Alfred helping Bruce once again. Hopefully they will play a large part next episode, especially since Selina says she never saw the shooting in the first place. The scenes with Penguin and his mother didn't feel really important except at the end when he her said how he out foxed Fish however I always hate how afraid he is around her. Like he said he has already proved that he is better than her because of his big plan with Falcone and the fact he predicted all her plans; I just want him to kill her already because I think it's obvious Penguin will at the end (Penguin is canon to the comics while Fish is not). Finally Nygma's moments with Kringle are still really funny and it is great how he has his own small subplot not that tried to the main story. Oh yeah and it is always great seeing Zsaz being all badass once again and I really like his helpers in the show.

"Your two seconds off, you have to follow my movements exactly!"

Overall an enjoyable episode but that was mostly because of Gordon's main story arc.

SCORE: 6/10

Highlights: Gordon vs. the narcotics squad
                   Butch again proving to be good character

Let - Downs: Fish didn't get tortured
                      Could have had more Bruce and Alfred scenes
      

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net/                          

Gotham Season One: Rogues Gallery/What the Little Bird Told Him

"You can assign me to this nuthouse but you can't break my spirit!"

Rogues Gallery: Gordon's reassignment to Arkham Asylum gets off to a bad start when an imate is murdered so he decides to investigate it. Meanwhile Selina and Ivy seek refuge in Gordon's apartment and Cobblepot, Now officially The Penguin, tries to gains more power.

What the Little Bird Told Him: Gordon tries to get his old job back by attempting the recapture Jack Gruber AKA The Electrocutioner (Christopher Heyerdahl) meanwhile Fish makes for move against Falcone but it may not be as easy as she thought it would be.

Finally Gotham is back and it felt like it took ages! Thought I'd review these two episodes together since they where aired together as a feature length episode in the UK and they are a two parter anyway. However I am quite busy this week so I will only be able to quickly do this review in bullet points listing the good and bad moments.

You should have accepted his offer Butch

Good

Arkham Asylum: In the comics the Asylum is like a character itself and they did a really good job of  adapting it in live action. I liked the whole hopeless atmosphere they gave it and the run down and gritty look from the undermanned staff to the fact it still looks barely built. Gordon was also great as a guard there and that he never gave up and I liked the character Dr Leslie (Morena Baccarin) who I think will be a way better love interest than Barbara who they have completely ruined.

The Electrocutioner: I don't know too much about this villain besides from the Arkham Origins games but I liked him in this because it was a really creepy portrayal and it was an interesting take that there are two of them in this episode. Glad he is still alive for another day and I liked the electricity effects and it was something different for Gordon and Bullock to face.

Some good humour: Penguin and Engma continue to provide some nice comedic moments, I like that they can do that but are not classed as just comic relief characters. We also got it from Selina and Ivy when they where breaking into Gordon's apartment and I really like those two young actresses so it was great they had some scenes in these two episodes.

Strong Butch subplot: It surprised me that Fish's right hand man had a decent story and dilemma to deal with, I knew he wasn't just a background character but I didn't know he would get a really good subplot.

Strong Falcone subplot: Another great subplot was with the Don himself and it was interesting seeing him struggling with the idea on whether or not his time in Gotham has really passed, but thanks to Zsaz and Penguin he got over that. It was quite brutal how he strangled Liza to death and I loved the look of Fish's face when she realized she lost.

Hope they bring him back in future episodes

Bad

Fish: I am always going to hate Fish and nothing is going to change that, if a lot of screen time is given to her in the episode than that just automatically puts her in my let downs and drag the score down. This two parter, especially the second episode, made me realize just how stupid her plan actually was with Liza and she never would have been a good Don anyway. I mean Falcone was right; papers don't make a Don and she really thought she would have been that simple? Unfortunately I doubt she will be killed off anytime soon so will are going to suffer her a little bit longer. Just want to mention that the actress of Fish has reported saying that she won't return for Season Two. First off I'm glad the show is renewed for season two but even more glad Fish isn't returning because she was just an awful character who was the one of the two bad things in a great show. I really hope she gets killed off (she should in the finale) but even if she doesn't at least we get a season free of this annoying cow.

Barbara: The second half of the two things that is bad with the show; a completely weak and worthless character who they have ruined. I hate every scene she is in and even though it looks like it's over I have hated this forced lesbian past/relationship they gave her since the beginning (and now they had to introduce drinking and drugs to it). What bothers me the most however is that she seems to take the morale damn high ground against Gordon all the time, like she hasn't done anything wrong and that it's all his fault.

The capture of The Electrocutioner: The character was really cool, as well as his methods and breaking into the GCPD but really, he was stopped by a cup of water that was barely half full?

You don't f**k with Falcone!

Overall this was a great two parter which sees Gordon now back on the force and ends that stupid Liza plan that wasn't going anywhere.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: The Electrocutiner
                   Arkham Asylum/Gordon's time there/Dr Leslie
                   Strong Butch/Falcone subplots

Let - Downs: Fish
                      Barbara
                      A cup of water saves the day

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net/          

My 20 favourite protagonists from recent TV show I watch

Here is a list of my 20 favourite protagonists, who are all from TV series that have aired recently (or are still airing) and am watching. None of these characters are villains because I might do a separate list for them however there are some characters in this list who are in the grey. (I don't have screencaps for Game of Thrones so I only put two in this list)


20. Michonne

The badass, katana - wielding zombie killer who is a fan favourite in the comics and has been portrayed really well in the TV series. She always keeps her head in a crisis and I have to give her credit for picking a sword for her main weapon; smart choice because it doesn't use bullets. She is at the bottom of my list because I admit I didn't like her too much at first but that is mainly because the writers just had to pair her with that stupid Andrea and I just didn't like the storyline those two had.

19. Jim Gordon

Was not sure how good Gotham was going to be (a Batman series without Batman?) however Gordon was one of the reasons that proved the show can work. They gave the comic book version of Gordon justice by making his younger TV version exactly how I imagined he would be.

18. Harvey Bullock

I like Bullock a bit more than Gordon because he isn't just as straight forward as him. He may have started out corrupt and uncaring but he really has changed with the episodes and I especially liked his small flashback in the goat episode.

17. Dan Weaver

Tom may have become the most important person on earth since the show started but Weaver will always be the leader of the 2nd Mass who does anything and everything to protect those under his command.

16. Jamie Lannister

You may think that Jamie should be on my villains list but he has earned a space on this list because of his redemption story which started in season three. He started out as a cocky knight who would do anything for his sister to a more honourable sort of character, besides in Game of Thrones basically every character is in the grey.

15  Felicity Smoak

I just had to have Team Arrow on this list because they where the first hero team in the new DC tv series universe. Felicity is everything you want in one; beautiful, funny, reliable and really, really smart to name a few. She may not be a vigilante but she is none the less the kind of person you want on you team and she does attract a lot of heroes; Arrow, Flash and ATOM.

14. John Diggle

The first person Arrow recruited for his team and the one everyone can depend on either to talk to or to take into a fight. Diggle is Arrow's reliable backup on his missions and someone who deserves his own costume and hero name more than anyone!

13. Rick Grimes

May have started out as a cop but through the course of the show you see zombies and the need for survival take their toll on Rick has he is willing to do anything to protect his family. He is a natural leader and one of the best zombie killers in any zombie fiction.

12. Black Canary (Sara Lance)

Black Canary is a great comic book character and she was soooooo great in Arrow. She kicks lots of ass with her staff and her costume is really great. I also liked that she had a connection with the League of Assassins and it is because of her and Malcolm that they have such a presence in the show. 

11. Tom Mason

The invasions was probably good for Tom because it turned him from a college professor to literally the most important person on the planet. I like how Tom always seems to put the needs of other before his own and fights to protect everyone.

10. Charlie Matheson

She can sometimes be stubborn but I do really like Charlie as the strong female lead in Revolution along side Nora (Rachael never should have existed). I really liked Charlie's journey from being a sheltered child to quite the capable fighter as she travels across America and gains new experiences.

9. Cochise

The only non human on this list but I really like him all the same. He is such a great character and ally to the human race and to Tom especially, it is really interesting when he is on screen and that his race have their own plans.

8. Arsenal (Roy Harper)

For starters I actually like his costume a lot more than Arrow's but that is mainly because I like red better than green lol. I liked Roy ever since season one and I liked what he had to go through to become Arsenal. However now that he is Arsenal he defiantly needs a new story arc since I don't think he has had one yet in season three.

7. Sebastian Monroe

If he didn't redeem himself a bit in season two than he would be in the villains list, I know he still does some questionable things to get results but so does Miles anyway. Monroe is kind of a tragic character because he was a villain at first because of a lot of other influences e.g. Miles, losing his family etc. He is also a great leader and one of the best fighters in Revolution, would have enjoyed a season three where we watch him reform the Monroe Republic.

6. Daryl Dixon

Michonne and Rick are great zombie killers however they don't compare to Daryl because he is just a natural born survivalist. If there is anyone more equip to survive the end of the world it is Daryl because he is a tracker, hunter, gunfighter, archer, stealth fighter and the list goes on. He isn't even in the comics but he has just become so popular in the TV series that they can just never kill him off.

5. Tyrion Lannister 

The outcast but one of the most smartest manipulators there is and also the most popular character in the show. Tyrion is good natured while his family and those around him are not and is one of the most powerful players in the game of thrones.

4. The Flash (Barry Allen)

Like Felicity I count Barry as an extremely "likable nerd" type character and I also like that the chose Barry Allen for the Flash in the TV series since he is the best one in the comics. I have really enjoyed watching Barry understand his powers more and more and I he was the character who introduced super powers in to the Arrow universe.

3. Arrow (Oliver Queen)

Arrow was the first to prove that heroes work on the small screen and not just in a film and for that I will always be grateful. They did a great adaptation that has so far spawned one spin off and there are talks of several more soon. Marvel was dominating the live action film universe but DC really hit back with their TV series and is all thanks to Arrow. The character himself is just so cool showing his hardships on the island to a dark vigilante in the present.

2. Miles Matheson

Quite literally a one man army, Miles Matheson could face off against fifty Militia with only his sword and still win. Again all characters in Revolution have a great story and I liked how in the Flashbacks Miles was this cold - hearted Militia leader to the drunk we see him in the present. He does a lot of questionable things in the series (some might be viewed as evil) however I have always thought of him as one of the good guys.

1. John Pope

"Life hands ya lemons, ya blow his freaking head off." Pop is defiantly my favourite TV series character because he is just a damn badass! He fully accepted the humans had lost to the aliens and just wanted to go out fighting but eventually accepted being apart of the 2nd Mass. Still that doesn't stop him from butting heads with everyone but when the s**t goes down he is always there getting his digs in.  As much as he probably tries to deny it Pope is a real hero to the human race as much as Tom and I just like every scene he is in.

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net/  

 

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