Gotham has never felt more interconnected than in the midseason premiere, which sees characters running into each other in wonderful ways.
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This Gotham review contains spoilers.
Gotham Season 4 Episode 12
Damn, the Gotham midseason return is good. Not only is it gorgeous to lớn look at, but this thành phố has never felt more lived in or interconnected. When the Toymaker unleashes a bomb on a Narrows meeting run by Lee and Ed, Jim, Alfred, and Ivy are close enough lớn hear và see the blast. When Alfred gets in a barfight with some murderous goons, Harvey happens to lớn work there. When a bunch of punk kids are making trouble at the Sirens bar, ofcourseit’s Bruce & his minions, & ofcourseBarbara & Tabitha send Selina over to lớn sort things out. This is the sort of lived-in ensemble drama that Gotham has always strived to be and, four seasons in, it’s really hitting that stride.
Gotham has, in part, done this by breaking up this show’s foundational duos and letting those characters spend time with other parts of this broad cast of characters. I’m talking, of course, about Jim and Harvey và Bruce và Alfred. Prior lớn their latest breakups, both duos have been thick-as-thieves (or at least in the same storyline) since the very beginning. This is especially true for Bruce & Alfred, and the separation of their characters gives Alfred’s character, in particular, a lot of room lớn breath.
In “Pieces of a Broken Mirror,” we see Alfred befriending a waitress called Tiffany who works at a diner near his new apartment in the Narrows. It’s a bit of a trope-y plot—when Tiffany’s abusive boyfriend shows up—Alfred tries to lớn protect his new friend. It leads khổng lồ the murder of Tiffany (which seems lượt thích a drastic choice on the part of the boyfriend) just so he can frame Alfred. While the plot is contrived, wreaks of Gotham’s bad habit of using violence against woman as a “convenient” plot device lớn further a male character’s growth, và is wrapped up relatively easily, it does give us a chance to lớn truly see Alfred in a new setting. Who is he without Bruce? The answer is: he’s a lost man, but someone who continues to fight.
In a conversation with Jim, we get a bit more of Alfred’s backstory. He sees himself as “saved” by Thomas Wayne, who brought him from his military career in England lớn (ostensibly) a less violent life in the U.S. To a life that he could be proud of. His continued guardianship of Bruce was a way to lớn continue on in that way—to live a life of purpose that he felt good about, rather than purpose that he felt conflicted about. In trying lớn save Tiffany, Alfred is trying lớn find a way khổng lồ live that same kind of life agian… it’s just not working so well. He needs Bruce, và Bruce needs him. It’s a co-dependent relationship. Perhaps this time apart will give both of them some perspective on how lớn create a healthier parent-son relationship. Or not. This is Gotham, after all. Though it looked lượt thích Bruce is really starting lớn miss Alfred & regret his decision during his run-in with Selina (who, let’s face it, sees right through Bruce’s games).
Alfred’s arrest, escape, & then run-in with the goons at a bar brought Harvey & Jim back together for what may have been the best scene of the episode. Jim wants Harvey back, telling him he misses him & slapping his old badge on the bar. (The GCPD really needs an HR department.) Selina may be able khổng lồ see through Bruce, but Harvey has always been able khổng lồ see through Jim. He knows that Jim doesn’t want his friend & partner back, he wants a confessor. He wants someone to lớn absolve him of his sins, but Harvey’s not interested. “You want me to be your priest. Well, sorry, pal, I’m not interested.” Good for you, Harvey.
Elsewhere in Gotham, Lee “The Doc” Thompkins continues her rise as the Narrows’ savior. She’s working lớn create some kind of supportive community within the slums, & she’s doing it by giving as many rousing speeches as she can stand to lớn schedule. It’s also pissing some people off—i.e. Those people who have a vested interest in the chaos of the Narrows. One of those people is Riddler, though Ed does not know it. It’s the Riddler who hires the Toymaker khổng lồ try khổng lồ take Lee out, something that Ed finds out when he confronts the Toymaker about it. There’s always been a tragedy lớn Ed’s character, but never more in the moments when his two personalities are actively fighting one another. Ed fancies himself in love with Lee (he really is the type who loves being in love, isn’t he?); the Riddler knows that Lee is an obstacle khổng lồ his larger mission. By choosing not khổng lồ tell Jim that it was the Riddler who tried to lớn take out Lee, however, Ed is choosing to put himself over Lee. That’s not love.
Speaking of love, Butch is back and he remembers that he loves Tabitha. It’s a slow, subtle remembering, but one that eventually leads him lớn Tabitha’s house lớn confess his undying love for the woman. Tabitha, though she has always cared for Butch, is not too keen on the idea—though you can tell that she feels terrible about it. I’ve never been particularly invested in their relationship, và it’s hard to take Butch seriously with that hair, but I am interested to see how this affects the alliances both characters are currently in. As with the rest of the developing dynamics in this episode, I hope Gotham chooses the slow burn rather than the immediate plot twist with this one. There was a measuredness to lớn this episode in general that really worked. I’d lượt thích to see it continue.
Nearby in the Narrows, Ivy has been reborn again (I genuinely lượt thích Peyton List & think she is an excellent actress, but it’s getting really hard lớn take Ivy seriously when she keeps randomly changing like this). As David Mazouz told us in a recent interview, this is the closest to the comic book Poison Ivy we’ve ever seen on this show, và it’s fun to lớn see play—especially in the context of climate change. Gotham thành phố prioritizes about a million things above protecting the environment, but we viewers know that so does the larger, real world. (There’s that dramatic irony at work again.)
If we needed any proof that Ivy has gone off her rocker in the latest transition, it comes in how she treats Selina. Selina has been one of her good friends since the very beginning of this show. They crashed in Babs’ apartment back in Season 1. Selina has always been protective of Ivy & kept an eye on her. When she comes khổng lồ Ivy’s latest lair, Ivy immediately poisons her with the venom that runs through her veins (and apparently on the tips of her nails). Sure, she gives Selina the antidote, but this is not the act of a caring friend. This is an act of someone who is in love with their own power, and who has goals that don’t have a lot to do with humanity so much as another part of the plant và animal kingdom…
Additional thoughts.
I had khổng lồ laugh when Jim said that Alfred didn’t seem like the type lớn enact such violence. Though his fellow cop called him out on that, we viewers have seen Alfred hit not one, but two teenagers during his time on the show.
The dramatic irony of Jim looking for the Doc when everyone but him (including the viewer) knew that it was his ex-girlfriend worked really well here. Also, it’s pretty interesting to see how both of Jim’s exes have thrived since they broke up with him. Barbara is a femme entrepreneur and Lee is organizing the working class. Not too shabby.
It’s not such a surprise that Tabitha rejected Butch’s advances. The woman has a lot on her plate right now! The Sirens club is back open. Women drink for miễn phí and men… don’t. (How amazing was that Sirens commercial? Perhaps my favorite part of the episode.)
A number of stories unfolded on Gotham Season 4 Episode 12, as we caught up with almost everyone including someone we haven"t seen in a long, long time.
Some of it made sense, some of it not, but considering how much was actually unpacked, Gotham did a good job of not making the hour a cramped mess.
This time his quest is lớn confess apparently, but no one seems to want khổng lồ listen. At least not the person khổng lồ whom Jim most wanted lớn make his confession.
Bullock had no interest in joining Jim on his pity fest & was quick to hotline him out at the bar. The only reason Bullock even called the cops was khổng lồ help out Alfred, but he had to lớn know that Jim would probably show up at some point.
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I would imagine the nice lady at the brothel informed him that Captain Gordon was looking for him. And I imagine it stings every time someone says, "Captain Gordon."
Bullock tried the best he could but got caught up in all of Penguin"s shenanigans. If you think about it, Jim had no place telling Bullock he was wrong considering all the wrong Jim has done during his time.
And that"s where all of Bullock"s anger comes from. How can he get taken khổng lồ task for all of his wrongdoings while no one ever calls out Jim for all the bad stuff he did? I can"t remember if Bullock killed anyone, but Jim did.
Even if Bullock did, he would have at least owned up khổng lồ it & not acted lượt thích he was better than God. If I was Bullock, the idea of Jim getting away with everything would have pissed me off, too.
But this time around, Jim is going khổng lồ have to giảm giá with things on his own. What he really should vị is turn in his badge và confess khổng lồ the entire đô thị of Gotham. Tell people that he"s not their trắng knight.
Despite all of Jim"s wrongs, he has actually done more good than bad và even the bad stuff he"s done has turned out lớn be for the greater good.
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But Bullock doesn"t see it that way. At least not now & maybe never again.
On a side note, isn"t it interesting that all of the people Jim has burned at some point have ended up in the Narrows? Alfred. Bullock. Lee? Jim has a special something about him for sure.
Speaking of Lee, it wasn"t going khổng lồ take long before Jim found out the love of his life was living it up in the Narrows. I"m glad their reunion happened sooner rather than later.
Jim, I don"t know what it is, but you"re not good at keeping secrets. You didn"t come down here because you miss me as a cop. You came down here khổng lồ confess. You want me to lớn be your priest, well, sorry, pal. I"m not interested.
BullockJim knows he ruined Lee, & it was evident on his face that he felt responsible for her being in the Narrows. What he doesn"t realize (mostly because he only thinks about himself) is that she has become something more in the Narrows. She"s become a hero.
I don"t quite understand the whole "Unified Narrows" political movement, but I like the idea of her being in charge and wanting to lớn bring something positive to an area of Gotham that has been negative for so long.
Who knows if she"ll be successful, but I"m all in for whatever Lee is doing as long as she stays far, far away from Jim. Please don"t let them get back together. She"s been doing so well without him. Let her be her own queen.
Jim"s former Queen, Barbara, did a great job of telling Jim only so much about who "The Doc" was. Does she really think she still has a chance with Jim? It"s funny watching her try to be seductive around Jim, & I always wonder if he really has no feelings for her, or if he"s just pretending.
Barbara is such a better fit for him than Lee, but the chances of Jim và Barbara getting back together are about nil. Too bad.
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That commercial Babs & the girls made was so corny, but I loved it.
I also loved the new, new và improved Ivy. Actually, I was just surprised to lớn see Ivy at all. It has been so long since we"ve seen her around I thought maybe Gotham decided to lớn drop the whole Poison Ivy storyline.
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Apparently not. Hopefully what we saw isn"t just a one-time thing. This new Ivy is wickedly good, & a Selina and Ivy team-up would showroom some extra fun spice lớn Gotham.
Would Selina abandon Babs và Tabitha, or will she play both sides?
Ivy has never been part of the ladies" club, but her new powers should gain her immediate access. I can"t see Babs pushing her lớn the outskirts anymore, but, at this point, Ivy doesn"t really need any of them.
If anything, they will need her. What she"s got is more powerful và potent than any gun!
So, what did you guys think?
Did you like catching up with everyone, or did you think it was a bit much?
What vị you think about the new Ivy?
Will Butch & Tabitha reunite? Will Bruce grow up? How long before Bruce goes looking for Alfred khổng lồ bring him home?