Batman begins again.
The Batman cycle is one of pop culture's highly regarded mythologies. More so than other recent superhero fiction, Batman's world has been ingrained in our cultural lexicon since the 1940s. Even Superman has tapered off and has been less successful lately. Besides the comic books, there have been nonstop TV shows, films, and video games in service to the Dark Knight. The CW's Arrow, the show that kickstarted the TV superhero revolution, even owes a lot the Christopher Nolan films and our favorite caped crusader. And than along comes Gotham, an ambitious Batman-related project, which seeks to do what very few mediums have done before: a Batman show without Batman.
More or less. Bruce Wayne is still a character in this show. As are comic book staples like Jim Gordon, Alfred Pennyworth, Oswald Cobblepot AKA The Penguin, and Selina Kyle AKA Catwoman. However, this show is billed as an uber-prequel, the bridge between when Thomas and Martha Wayne are shot in the street to when Bruce dons the cape and cowl. Or at least until he hits puberty. The Gotham of Gotham is undeniably so. It's a film noir theme park complete with crime alleys and corrupt cops. The design of the show is visually stunning, borrowing everything from the Burton films, the Bruce Timm 90s television show, and even the Nolan films. There are even original characters added to the mix, such as Fish Mooney, a female crime boss played beautifully by Jada Pinkett Smith. With a devious Eartha Kitt charm, Smith does her most is bringing this character to life and it's a welcome addition to the Batman mythos.
The first two episodes of Gotham are concerned with world-building. In the "Pilot" we are introduced to rookie cop James Gordon as he is paired with grizzled veteran cop Harvey Bullock. They both investigate the apparent murder of The Waynes, Gotham's most influential and well-known family. They leave behind a young Bruce Wayne who becomes troubled in the wake of witnessing the brutal death of his family. Gordon feels connected to Bruce because he represents an innocent child whose life is ruined by the growing corruption on the streets and in the public trust. We also witness the origins of Oswald Cobblepot, a low level goon who is caught in Fish Mooney's web of crime. Cobblepot is an unhinged lackey who is looking to boost himself up in the crime world despite his strange appearance. In the episode, Bullock and Gordon chase a lead in the Wayne case but it ends it up being a wild goose chase. Cobblepot ends up being a sacrificial lamb offered up by Mooney to prove Gordon's loyalty but he ends up helping Oswald skip town. In the 2nd episode entitled "Selina Kyle," Gordon and Bullock investigate a homeless child abduction ring perpetrated by two creepy "needlemen" who are working for someone named The Dollmaker. A young, agile Selina Kyle, calling herself Cat, is caught in the middle of it and leads Gordon to catching the pair of crooks. Meanwhile, Oswald makes his way back to Gotham cutting a swath of murder and extortion in the road back to town.
Gotham is a very divisive show it seems. I've heard the fair share of criticisms of the show and most of them have to do with the absence of Batman. That is a very silly once since there can certainly be Batman stories told without an appearance of the hero himself. Gotham Central, an award winning comic book series, proves you can tell stories from the perspective of the street while featuring some of Gotham's greatest villains. Gotham is the closest we'll ever get to an adaptation and this is further proved by the existence of characters like Crispus Allen and Renee Montoya, two of the central characters from Central, on the show. If the show has a fault, it's that it sometimes fitting in entirely too much of the mythos. The weakest character to me so far seems to be Edward Nygma, the GCPD's resident nerd and future Riddler, who is seemingly brought in only for gags and to ask questions. There is also a cameo in the first episode by a little girl named Ivy Pepper who we are hinted at believing to be the future Ms. Poison Ivy. The not-so-subtle nods to these future villains are a bit hamfisted especially when lines like "This guy looks like a penguin" are repeated ad nauseum for two episodes in a row. Aside from that, the show also feels tonally off probably because it tries to compact so much Batman lore into a single show. Throughout each episode, the show jumps from high camp noir to serious crime procedural within seconds and sometimes in can be jarring. But on the positive side, that actually makes this show bizarre and unique and one of the strangest shows I've even seen on television. And that is what makes this show distinctly a Batman show, even if no actual Batman can be found.
Afterthoughts
- Crazy Gotham fan theory: Yes, I already have one. Barbare Keane, future wife of Gordon and mother of Batgirl and James Gordon, Jr., is a character on this show. This is the most I've ever seen done with her character in any medium ever. The interesting things is that she is established as having a relationship with Renee Montoya and also the fact that she is a fairly wealthy and artistic socialite. My personal theory is Barbara Keane in this continuity is also the future Batwoman, real name Kate Kane (Keane?), and that she will play a pivotal role on the show, perhaps even appearing as Gotham's first bat-related vigilante
- I'm not sure how I feel like Selina Kyle also witnessing the death of the Waynes but I like how it connects her and Wayne more as kindred spirits
- Arkham Asylum is mentioned in the 2nd episode as being closed and in disrepair. Wouldn't be surprised if we get a visit to that old stalwart.
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