B and I have become hooked on a new show: “Gotham”, on FOX.
“Gotham” follows the early career of Detective James Gordon, long before he would become Commissioner James Gordon of the Gotham City Police Department. Even though the show is set in Gotham City, the story of Bruce Wayne is not the centerpiece of this show—at least, not yet. We do see the seminal event in Bruce Wayne’s young life in the first episode, the event that would eventually lead him to don the cape and cowl of the Dark Knight; but the main story is the organized crime syndicates in the city, and Gordon’s fight with both them and the rampant corruption within GCPD and the city administration. But we do get to see glimpses of the early (and young) lives of several important characters in the Batman story. Bruce Wayne is 12, and is coming to terms with the sudden violent change in his world; Selena Kyle, who would grow up to be Catwoman, is a 14-year-old street orphan. Edward Nygma, the infamous Riddler, is a forensic pathologist with the GCPD; Oswald Cobblepot, the diabolical Penguin, is a small-time mob leader working for one of the two large crime syndicates, but you can tell he has plans of his own.
This is undoubtedly one of the best new shows I’ve seen in quite awhile. It’s not a good show with some potential, like last year’s “Almost Human”; it’s a great show with a lot of potential, if the writers and producers handle it properly. It is one of the only shows I’ve seen in quite some time where I want more as soon as the end credits roll. And not in an oh-my-gosh-what-a-cliffhanger-ending way; it’s that I just want to see more of the world the show creators have spun.
With a few minor exceptions, the acting is superb, and the dialogue avoids the campiness of the 1960s “Batman” TV show and even the more recent cheesiness of “Smallville” (I love “Smallville”, but some of the dialogue in that show is pretty rough). Of special note is Robin Lord Taylor, who plays Oswald Cobblepot; he is one of the best villains I’ve seen in recent memory on TV. But the standout star to me in “Gotham” is the city itself. The show’s creators have managed to make Gotham City look like the place you would imagine it to be. Everything is either old and dirty/grimy, or old and classy. The mob bosses drive old, big cars with fins on the tail; the police drive the old, large, boxy Chevy Caprice-style cars. It is set in modern-day; they do have cellphones and computers, and there are hints that Jim Gordon served in Iraq or Afghanistan. But the technology is downplayed and isn't front-and-center, as it in a lot of modern shows. There are no close-up, slow-motion shots of the Samsung logo on Gordon’s phone, or the Ford logo on the car he drives.
Now, a couple of cons, because not everything is perfect. The actress who plays Gordon’s fiancee missed her acting classes, I think, but thankfully she plays a pretty small role and the interplay between them is a side story to the main plot lines. Also, since this is an origin story, you know that certain characters aren’t going to die, no matter how much danger they’re in. But I’ve noticed that we tend to forget that whenever the main characters get into sticky situations—the element of suspense is still there.
It is not a superhero show; it is not the Batman version of “Smallville”. If anything, right now, it is a very good cop drama, but set against the backdrop of one of the most well-known superheroes in the DC Comics stable. And you don’t really need to be a fan of Batman or know much about the story to enjoy it. As a note of caution, it is an adult show, with adult themes, although there isn’t much sex or sexually-related humor. But it is very dark and deals with some dark, twisted criminal elements (if you know anything about the Batman universe, you know that the “Rogue’s Gallery” of villains are quite a disturbed lot).
I highly recommend it.
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