So, the episode gets off to a really nice start seeing a bit more of Bruce and Selina on the streets. It’s very clear that what Bruce is doing is specific training for Batman, even if he doesn’t have the idea of dressing up like a bat yet. He’s stealing from criminals and has a very specific code to what he’s doing—but you can definitely tell from the performance that while he says he’s stealing to understand how criminals work, he’s also doing it for the rush. I appreciated that detail.
The dialogue hasn’t gotten much better, but it’s more that it’s just as inconsistent as it ever has been. Some lines are cheesy as hell, some lines really work and manage to deliver on an emotional level. There’s just a lack of balance at times that’s always been one of the show’s biggest problems.
There’s still a lot to like, though. We’ve finally regained a focus on Gordon and Bullock. This was the odd couple friendship that started the show and has almost been an afterthought through much of this season. Seeing how far Bullock is willing to go to help Gordon is great and really taps into the closeness and very deep friendship between these two very, very different people. I think Bullock is very aware that knowing Gordon has made him a better person.
It’s also a lot of fun to see Gordon scrambling to clear his name. This is about the best we’ve ever seen from this character. This is the Gordon I want to see more of, because he’s fantastic. This is Gordon backed up against a wall, forced to use his brain to get himself out of a very bad situation. Vigilante Gordon also begins to fill the Batman niche we’ve been missing on this Batman show.
The Penguin stuff isn’t as great for the bulk of the episode. The bizarre, eccentric family feels at odds with the more serious direction the rest of the episode takes. Although, Melinda Clarke is great in these scenes, handling them with the perfect amount of winking camp. I wish the actors playing her kids had such a good handle on things. Nice guy Penguin started out fun, but might have been the only thing in the entire series to drag on for too long. Which makes his great return toward the end of the episode a huge relief, even if he borrows heavily from South Park.
And, I’m just going to say it, I’m not thrilled to have Barbara back. I’m not sure anyone really is. It’s interesting to watch Hugo Strange interact with her, though. Whatever he’s seeing in her, it’s clearly more than the audience does. I’m not just saying this because she’s annoying or something, either. Way back when this show began, Barbara was the most interesting character for me. Then it just became clearer and clearer that they had absolutely no idea what to do with her.
But as a whole, this episode is a huge step up from last week. There’s excellent stuff in here, particularly between Gordon and Nygma. It’s a great moment when Gordon goes to Ed to ask him for help, mostly for Nygma’s surprised yelp. The confrontation between them is awesome. It’s really, really, well done. The level of writing here is the bar I wish the series raised to all the time.
Make no mistake, this is the Riddler. This is a great interpretation of the character, now that he’s finally arrived at that persona. It’s the character I’ve always wanted to see done right, ever since Batman Forever came out and did justice to the ‘60s series but not to who the character had become in the comics. But my God, nothing gets stretched out on this show. That’s always been the number one problem with Gotham, and it’s certainly present here, but luckily the rest of the episode is too good for me to be overly concerned with it.
