'Gotham' Season 1 Episode 22 'Happy Families Season Finale Review

Non Spoiler Review- Despite how boring and repetitive 'Gotham' can be, this episode was very refreshing and probably the best episode all season long. There are many plot twists and surprises and this episode is one of few 'Gotham' episodes that didn't feel overcrowded with a majority of the story arcs coming to an end and tying together. 

*******There will be Spoilers from this point on*******

Highlights of the episode 

1. Penguin is the "King of Gotham"- At the very end of the episode Penguin is the only mob boss left as Falcone is retiring, Fish killed Maroni and Penguin killed Fish. I'm very pleased with this for multiple reasons Penguin has pretty much reached his persona, he just needs to gain a little weight. But all jokes aside, this means season 2 won;t contain the same old mob drama and looks to feature hopefully more refreshing and interesting story arcs that aren't too predictable. One powerful moment however was when Butch was forced to choose between helping Fish and Penguin and shoots both of them. I expected Butch to pick a side but it seems that the hypnosis was too strong. Fish isn't necessarily confirmed dead since she only fell into the river and we didn't see a dead body so it's possible Fish could return next season but I hope this is the end of her character so the show can focus on other characters. 

2. The Batcave- Bruce and Alfred begin investigating and looking for clues about Thomas Wayne and come upon what could only eventually become the Batcave, an iconic part of the Batman mythos. I'm curious to learn what Thomas Wayne had in the cave and what will inspire Bruce to make it his base of operations in the future. 

3. The Riddler- A very small scene in the episode shows that Ms. Kringle discovered Nygma's riddle asks him about it and he pretends to be oblivious to it. As she leaves he then begins showing signs of becoming insane as he talks to himself and laughs maniacally.

4. Barbara is crazy- While everything else is occurring, Barbara has a therapy session with Dr. Thompkins where she reveals that she was the one who killed her parents and then attacks Thompkins, presumably in an attempt to kill her. Jim Gordon, Harvey Bullock, and Falcone arrive when Thompkins is pummeling Barabara so I'm interested in discovering what will become of Tompkins and Barbara next season.  

5. Jim Gordon will protect the city- As Falcone is speaking to Gordon he gives him a knife that was given to him by Jim's father and tells Gordon he must watch over the city now. I'm interested to see how well jim Gordon will be able to eliminate corruption and what will become of those who swapped allegiance to Maroni now that he is dead. 

'Gotham' Season 1 Episode 19 'Beasts of Prey' Review

Non Spoiler Review- A dark and interesting return to 'Gotham' after a month long break that explores character dynamics, develops the major characters and introduces another villain to the show.

*******There will be Spoilers from this point on*******

Highlights of the episode

1. Loeb sets up Gordon- It was interesting that Gordon was set up by Loeb to receive the Ogre case so the Ogre would target Jim's loved ones. It's nice to see him as someone who can always come out on top using his mind and manipulating others.

2. Penguin plans to kill Maroni- I continually think that the Penguin is the best part of 'Gotham' and I enjoy watching the endgame he has planned for Gotham City come closer and closer into fruition and how clever Cobblepot is and the work he does behind the strings to prepare for his grand scheme. I love the Penguin arc and can't wait to see it pay off.

3. Bruce investigates- Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle investigate the man who stabbed Alfred. We see Bruce grow closer to becoming the Batman by becoming a great detective, etc. 'm curious to learn what the Wayne Enterprises Board has planned for Bruce.

4. Fish escapes?- At the end of the episode Fish Mooney outsmarts her captor, the Dollmaker, and tricks some muscle into becoming a distraction so she can take off ad leave the island in a helicopter along with anyone else she wants to liberate. While taking off she is shot by the captain of the guard and we are unsure whether she leaves the island or if she will crash, etc. I liked the open ending and can't wait to learn what became of her character.

5. The Ogre- It was interesting to see the actor who played Peter Petrelli in 'Heroes' play a psychopathic villain. This villain is quite creepy and very intimidating and I think it's an interesting addition to 'Gotham' given that the character has only appeared in the comics one or two times as a monster.

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'Gotham' Season 1 Episode 18 'Everyone Has a Cobblepot' Review

Non Spoiler Review- Another thrilling episode of 'Gotham' but I wouldn't say that it's the best one yet. It does however really shape the characters and maintain interesting dramatic tension throughout the episode. 

*******There will be Spoilers from this point on*******

Highlights of the episode

1. Penguin- Cobblepot at the end does something that was reminiscent of what Fish Mooney did earlier in the season where he tells an old married couple he has on plane ticket available to see who is the most ruthless then kills the wife, saying he meant that he had one shotgun shell and that she saved him some trouble. I really liked this because it was another sinister turn for the character and seems like something the Penguin in modern day Gotham would do. I can't wait to see what favor Cobblepott will ask of Gordon when the time comes.

2. Loeb's secret- So it turns out Loeb is hiding his crazy daughter who killed his wife 20 years ago and Gordon uses her as leverage to make a few demands. I like that Gordon realized he needed to play a little dirty in order to beat the corrupt commissioner. I'm also happy to see that Loeb is forced to back Gordon for President of GCPD. 

3. Gordon and Dent go after Loeb- It was nice to see Dent return and watch him team up with Gordon to help take down Loeb and destroy the evidence he has against the police force. I like to see Gordon make risky moves like this and hope he makes another one similar to this soon. 

4. The Island- At the end of the episode it is revealed that the Dollmaker is operating on an island so if Fish Mooney betrays him she won't have anywhere to go. This was a surprise to me because I assumed he was operating out of a mountain or something.

5. Mooney rises- Mooney gets a replacement eye that is mismatched and I kind of like that because it's an interesting change for the character. She also rises to a management position for the Dollmaker and I'm curious to see where her character ventures in the future.

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'Gotham' Season 1 Episode 17 'Red Hood' Review

Non Spoiler Review- In my opinion this is the best episode 'Gotham' has delivered so far! This episode is nto leagues away from the other episodes I have deemed the best of the series but it introduces an important symbol for the future red Hood that becomes the Joker, and gives each of it's major characters plenty of development as well as an interesting story arc. I enjoyed this episode more than previous episodes because of how well it balanced it was in terms of handling the multiple over arcing story arcs. 

*******There will be Spoilers from this point on*******

Highlights of the episode

1. Wayne Board targeting Bruce- An interesting revelation that I foresaw was that the Wayne Industries Board is targeting Bruce and initiates this plan by having one of Alfred's old friends enter the mansion, gain Bruce Wayne and Alfred's trust, and then assault Alfred. Back when selina Kyle and Bruce were targeted I suspected the Wayne Board was behind it but it turns out that plot point came into fruition in this weeks episode. I'm interested to see how this develops and how far the Board is willing to go to eliminate Bruce. 

2. Red Hood- I thought the introduction of the Red Hood mantle was introduced perfectly. I liked the concept that it made the wearer feel powerful and invincible, which proved to be false. So far I have enjoyed watching the origins of the villains Penguin, Riddler, and possibly the Joker. I certainly can add Red Hood to the list.

3. Butch saves Penguin's club- One fun and interesting subplot was where Penguin needed more alcohol for his club. Butch helps him to obtain alcohol from Marconi, who was boycotting the alcohol to penguin, through use of the GCPD. I liked this because it developed both Penguin and Butch's characters and advanced Penguin's club. I wonder if Butch will be revealed to have never been loyal to Fish Mooney but only to the club itself because it looks as though they could go this route. 

4. Bruce continues training- It was fun to see Bruce spar with Alfred's friend and learn more about fighting. This scene reveals how Batman is able to take advantage of the weight of those he fights who are much larger than him. I enjoy watching Bruce take steps closer to becoming the Batman and can't wait to see more training. 

5. Fish gouges her eye out- A  very graphic scene displays Fish negotiating with he people in charge of where she is being held and she rips out her eye to spite them. The Dollmaker is revealed to be the man in charge of the facility and I am curious to see how the Dollmaker responds to this. 

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'Gotham' Season 1 Episode 16 'The Blind Fortune Teller' Review

Non Spoiler Review- This is one of the better episodes of 'Gotham' because it was a much more interesting episode that introduced a few major characters from the Batman universe. Overall another decent episode but I think next weeks episode looks to be very thrilling.

*******There will be Spoilers from this point on*******

Highlights of the episode

1. Joker?- This episode introduces a character who could possibly become the Joker and I really enjoyed his character. I thought he nailed the Mark hamil laugh perfectly and certainly emulated some actors who have preciously portrayed the Joker. I think it's very probable that 'Gotham' is misleading its viewers and Jerome will not be the Joker but who knows.

2. Flying Graysons- Another welcome addition to the episode were the Flying Graysons who are Dick Grayson's, Robin/Nightwing's, parents. I wonder if they will return in future episodes with a child now that the couple is engaged.

3. Bruce confronts the Wayne Enterprises board- One of the subplots this episode was Bruce's decision to confront the corruption in his company and demand that it stop before he takes legal action. It seems that the corrupt boardmembers will try to deal with Bruce though.

4. Zsasz visits Penguin- It was very interesting to see Zsasz approach Penguin and bring a reformed Butch. Butch seems to be hypnotized so that he will do whatever anyone commands of him. it seems Butch will help Penguin run the club. Another interesting Penguin related part of the episode was when he beat someone that criticized his mothers singing. I'm curious to see if he will get new entertainment after these events. 

5. Fish Mooney will meet "The Manager"- Mooney makes negotiations to meet her captor and it seems her powers of persuasion will help her slowly rise to power once again based off of the promo. 

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'Gotham' Season 1 Episode 15 'The Scarecrow' Review

Non Spoiler Review- I consider this the best episode of 'Gotham' to date, there were great interactions between characters, and I'm very excited to possibly see an early version of the Joker next week. Overall, a great episode and i'm very excited for next week. 

*******There will be Spoilers from this point on*******

Highlights of the episode

1. Penguin's club- Penguin is now officially in charge of Fish Mooney's former club and it is currently called Oswald's. I hope this club will evolve to eventually become the Iceberg Lounge given there were few people present at it's opening.  

2. Maroni confronts Cobblepott- I liked it when Maroni and Falcone arranged a deal to not kill Penguin and thought it was very interesting when he approached Penguin and told him that he better hope that Falcone lives a long life. 

3. Riddler meets Penguin- One of the fun aspects of this week's episode was that Penguin met the Riddler and I thought their interaction was very amusing. I liked when Penguin told Nygma, "Do you know who you're standing next to?" and Nygma takes a step back. It was hilarious to see Penguin waddle and Nygma nerd out. 

4. Alfred and Bruce watch the sun rise- A heartfelt moment of the episode was when Alfred came to help Bruce and the two watched the sun rise. These two are one of my favorite parts of the show i really enjoy this Alfred and young Bruce and hope for more great moments from them. 

5. Scarecrow- This episode gave birth to the Scarecrow and showed what happened to the young Jonathan Crane. One thing that annoyed me about his origin is that his father is more like the Scarecrow character than his son who is the Scarecrow character. I'm getting tired of seeing so and so's parent portray basically the same character. i hope they jump forward in time or focus more on the mob drama aspect of the show with Maroni, Falcone and Penguin. 

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'Gotham' Season 1 Episode 14 'The Fearsome Dr. Crane' Review

Non Spoiler Review- Probably the best episode this show has provided in a while. This episode had some interesting subplots and highlighted a few characters to give them much more depth. Overall definitely one of the better episodes this season. 

*******There will be Spoilers from this point on*******

Highlights of the episode

1. Maroni learns of Penguin's true loyalties- The most enjoyable part of 'Gotham' is the mob drama. This episode had Fish snitch on Penguin to Maroni so Maroni tests penguin and Penguin fails. It was really creepy and fun to watch Maroni ask Penguin to tell the truth and see them play games to discover the truth.

2. Penguin escapes- When penguin confesses Maroni has him placed in a car to be crushed and Penguin outsmarts Maroni and escapes. i wonder if he will just work for falcone or become his own entity in the upcoming episodes.

3. Fish Mooney attacked on boat- i didn't exactly understand what was going on but at the end of the episode the ship mooney is on is attacked and it concludes on a cliffhanger of who will win between the attacker and Mooney. I'm curious to learn exactly who the attackers are and what thier intention is.

4. Edward Nygma- It was interesting to see Nygma inch closer to becoming his iconic counterpart. He is getting even crazier and sabotaged a co worker to remain on the force. I wonder when he will make the full transition to the Riddler.

5. Dr. Crane- Dr. Crane is Scarecrow's father so once again 'Gotham' is introducing all of Batman's classic villain's relatives as villains of the show. I do think he is one of the better villains who is unrelated to the mob and is deranged. I'm just getting tired of seeing villain's parents portray a very similar character (ie. Richard sionis).

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'Gotham' Season 1 Episode 13 'Welcome Back, Jim Gordon' Review

Non Spoiler Review- Not quite the best episode or one of the better episodes but a good episode that manages to get tangled in its many subplots. This episode had 4 or 5 different subplots, I felt this was a little excessive and seemed unnecessary. 

*******There will be Spoilers from this point on*******

Highlights of the episode

1. Iceberg Lounge- It was nice to finally see Penguin in power, he is in now control of fish's club and it's not officially called Iceberg lounge but that's what I assume the club will be turned into based on the fish signs and the fact that penguin is in charge. I thought it was also interesting that Penguin was really trying to impress his mother with his new power. 

2. Fish vs. Penguin- I like how the end of this episode reversed the roles of Penguin and Fish Mooney reversed from where their characters left off in the pilot episode. In the beginning Fish was in charge of the club and craved more power and Penguin was dumped off at the docks forced to leave Gotham City, now Fish is left at the docks forced into exile and penguin is in control of the club. I just found that very interesting, I liked how Fish confronted him at the club and forced him to kiss her boot, etc. I'm interested to see what Fish will do when she returns to seek revenge. 

3. Gordon fights corruption in GCPD- Now that Gordon is reinstated he is continuing to fight corruption. it was interesting to see him actively pursue stopping this corruption. I'm glad he was able to bust Officer Flass as being corrupt, wtc. I can't wait for more of this this season. 

4. Butch rescues Mooney- I really like what the show has done with butch's character recently because he is much more developed as a character and I like watching his loyalty to Fish. He had a very cool action fight scene in the beginning of the episode where he escapes and frees Fish. This just reveals how valuable Butch is as a henchman. I hope his character comes back soon in the show. 

5. Bullock and Mooney- at the end of the episode Harvey bullock takes Fish to the docks and the two kiss revealing the two were a relationship, which is something I speculated during the pilot but decided that wasn't actually happening. Now we know they are  relationship and I wonder how that will play out this season, etc.

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'Gotham' Season 1 Episode 12 'What the Little Bird Told Him' Review

Non Spoiler Review-  The best episode of the season so far. This episode has some intriguing mob drama as well as great character development. Probably the strongest episode of the show so far, I can't wait for the next episode!

*******There will be Spoilers from this point on*******

Highlights of the episode

1. Falcone takes Mooney off the board- I liked the ending and all the mob drama that has built up to this episode. I thought it was interesting that Falconer admired defeat to save Liza then realized that everything Penguin told him was true. He then choked Liza to death and overwhelmed Mooney and revealed Penguin had helped him. I'm excited because it loos as though Mooney's club will become the Iceberg lounge based on the promo for next week's episode. 

2. Gordon is reinstated- Gordon is now a detective again at the GCPD. I didn't feel as though he really was able to fight corruption from Arkham so I'm glad he is back. 

3. Penguin spills the beans- I thought this scene was hilarious where Penguin wakes up dazed an confused and accidentally tells Marconi he was going to meet Falcone then falls unconscious again. I'm glad Penguin was able to escape Marconi so now he's completely with Falconer. 

4. The Electrocutionor- It was interesting to see another villain on  the show who I recognize from the Batman Arkham Origins game but I think Jack Gruber is that Electrocutionor's brother. I hope more villains like Gruber will join the show. 

5. Dr. Thompkins kisses Gordon- I was very shocked to see Gordon kiss her so soon after Barbara leaving and I'm curious if Barbara will return and what will transpire between Gordon and these two.

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