Successful pilot promises bleak look at Gotham City and its denizens
FOX premiered their new Monday night primetime drama Gotham, on Sept. 22. As the title suggests, the premise of the show is built around the beloved jurisdiction of DC Comics’ darkest vigilante, Batman.
Gotham, however, is not a Batman story, but a story of the city itself, which boasts some of the most feared and notorious villains in the DC Universe. Within the series premiere, we are already introduced to the likes of the Penguin (Oswald Cobblepot) The Riddler, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, even a subtle hint at the Joker.
If we are still hungover from Christopher Nolan’s gloriously dark, chilling trilogy, Gotham may be the hair of the dog. Bruno Hellar, creator of Gotham, has a similar take on the grim world. Instead of the masked hero himself, the show focuses on Detective James Gordon (Ben Mackenzie) who most would recognize from the Batman story, along with his partner Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue).
We are immediately exposed to the melancholy of the gritty Gotham streets. Though this is not the story of Batman, we are not deprived of the fan favorite detective fiction. The pilot begins with the murder of two of Gotham’s most important citizens, Thomas and Martha Wayne. This leads us to the introduction of a young Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz), who is traumatized from the incident. What happens to be Bruce’s most critical moment on his path to heroism is also Detective Gordon’s first case in Gotham City.
Though it is early, the show has a lot of potential. Mackenzie and Logue seem to have great chemistry, and as stated before, the dark, ominous tone of the cityscape setting is filled with sentiment.
Robin Taylor’s portrayal of Oswald Cobblepot is absolutely riveting. Those who remember Danny DeVito’s rendition in the 1992 film Batman Returns may be expecting a twisted, sarcastic fool. Though twisted, Taylor’s portrayal is suited more for the Nolan trilogy’s nature. The episode ends with Oswald murdering two innocents, who mock his believable penguin-like walk. He is threatening as well as menacing, with a vendetta to make Gotham crumble. Well done, Robin Taylor.
It will be interesting to see how the show handles introducing all the beloved (or hated) villains from the Batman series, where their demise will be decided by Batman in the future.
Though as a viewer and fan, seeing more of the Batman characters is something I always want, I worry about how these backstories will affect their legacies. So long as the show carries on as a dark cop-drama, set in the overcast shadow that is Gotham, I will keep on watching. While uncertain at first, half-expecting another Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, I am now excited for Monday nights.