After watching these films and receiving every targeted Facebook post under the sun for the upcoming Batman film, it was safe to say I had become caught up in the hype. Therefore, when Gotham appeared in my Watch Again column on Netflix, I was tempted to revisit the series and reference it in a potential Other Batman Media article prior to the March Fourth release date. I then proceeded to consume all 100 episodes and dedicate a full article to Gotham instead. Just remember that you can be susceptible to advertising, no matter how smart you think you are.
Gotham is a Fox Television Series that ran for five seasons from 2014 to 2019. James Gordon (Ben McKenzie) is a rookie cop looking to make a name for himself at the Gotham City Police Department. Partnered with dejected veteran detective Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue), his first case gives him the opportunity to do just that: solve the murder of Thomas & Martha Wayne. After promising the now orphaned Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) he’ll find the killer, Gordon realises he’s bitten off more than he can chew. Not only does he have to compete with the gangsters of the underworld, but also the politicians who run Gotham and the GCPD itself.
Season One plays it relatively safely as a template Detective TV show. There would be a murder which Gordon and Bullock investigates, the killer strikes again, Bullock may have to collude with the established gangsters, before a showdown and the cops win. Each episode would introduce a villain from the Batman DC comic series, relying on the more grounded enemies that could feasibly exist in reality. However, as the seasons and stories progress, things get very strange very quickly (which makes sense when there’s a character literally called Dr Hugo Strange). There’s hypnotising, fake deaths, real deaths only to be resurrected, poisonous plants, poisonous blood, crazy gasses, the list goes on. It allows for long-term storytelling with the main characters, whilst keeping individual episodes fresh with new cases, and shocking cliffhangers to ensure you’re watching the next week. Unfortunately, the downside is very thick plot armour. Patterns tend to repeat themselves, even the characters make meta references to them, and you’ll either have guessed what happens next or groaned at it. However, this is more of a critique on the business model of a 6 month a year, weekly network TV series. Writers have to fill in as much content as they can and still have the overarching story make sense whilst providing familiarity and shocking twists. It’s a steady line to walk but Bruno Heller, Megan Mostyn-Brown and others succeed in doing so.
This success is primarily because of the characters. As the series gets into a rhythm, we witness the dynamics of the different groups and what they represent theme wise. For the least spoiler example, Bruce Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth (Sean Pertwee) initially explore overcoming grief and anger management, but delve into parenting, trust, living up to expectations and more further down the line. There is a very strong feminist element to the show, with characters such as Selina Kyle (Camren Bicondova), Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith), Barbara Kean (Erin Richards) and many more in later seasons, who are all battling to etch their name into Gotham history. My favourite storylines lie with Ed Nygma and Oswald Cobblepot. We watch these two grow from humble beginnings into the main talking point for many of the fans, dealing with complex topics of honour, love, and mental health issues (definitely not assisted with via Arkham Mental institution). They also provide some of the more humorous scenes to add levity within the broodiness. You can’t mention humour, however, without a certain clown and legally there is no Joker in Gotham, but I would keep your eyes stapled open just in case. The final character I’ll mention (apologies if your favourite hasn’t been, there are so many) is the city itself. Gotham changes and is affected as the stories develop, a really crucial and subtle element that helps set the tone. The city contains all of these unique characters and their passion for Gotham drives them. Everyone loves their home but not everyone has the same vision for it.
Whilst there will be many who looked down on Gotham, non-fans and fans who take it too seriously alike, the show achieves something a lot of similar series don’t. Moulding someone else’s intellectual property and creating a new narrative whilst still having to hit certain beats is difficult, let alone over 24 45 minute episodes a season. Yet it then manages to wrap it all together in an ending rewarding the fans who committed to the show. It didn’t win awards on the grandest stage, nor should it have, but Gotham is comfortable and enjoyable viewing that tells some stories worthy of the caped crusader.