[Review] Gotham Mid-Season Premier: “Rogues Gallery”

Since its premier I have had a love-hate relationship with Gotham. As a child, Batman was always my favorite character, and as I grew up, my love for the mythos of the Dark Knight carried on. When it was first revealed that DC was planning to make a TV show about Jim Gordon, I was beyond excited. Then I learned it was coming to fans by way of FOX, and that it would not only be a prequel, but it would carry its own mythology that was 100% separate from everything in film and TV.

After about 10 episodes of the show, I still question why it is still going. My problem with the show isn’t the acting quality, or the production values, both of which are perfect. And I do admit that I am a fan of the casting. In the end, its the writing. From the get-go the show has had its writing to blame for most of its flaws. From its over-focus on Bruce Wayne, to its over obvious prequel-itus, the biggest problem with the show is that for a show that looks and feels real, the writing doesn’t fit the bill.

Now we’re on to the second half of the first season. After its winter break, and the cliffhanger leaving Jim Gordon being transferred to Guard duty at Arkham Asylum, we meet the same characters doing almost exactly the same thing as they were when we left them. Which admittedly is a wasted opportunity.

Jim is now working at Arkham, and watching over easily some of the cheesiest depictions of the mentally ill I have seen. But its flaws don’t bury its accomplishments. The biggest highlight of this episode was Morena Baccarin as Doctor Leslie Thompkins. Comic fans know Thompkins as one of the few characters to know the Batman/Bruce Wayne secret, and has proven a constant ally to the Dark Knight, even with her disapproval of his methods. In the new show it seems they may have her poised as a new love interest for Jim Gordon, an odd character choice but one that Baccarin sold in spades.

Hopefully the showrunners wont waste the character, or Jim’s time at Arkham, but given the preview for next week’s episode seemingly revealing that this may be one of the only times we “Jim Gordon: Arkham Security,” any hope for that run down the drain.

All in all, Gotham: Rogues Gallery was one of the better episodes of the show. Full of mystery, intrigue, and the acting was fantastic, the only drawbacks to the episode fall solely on the writing. Some of the dialogue felt hoakey, and there was just way to much going on, something making it impossible for a new viewer to follow.

Lets just hope that Fox doesn’t can this show after one season, or force the showrunners into making this show into something it shouldn’t be, which unfortunately I have the feeling that they’re already doing.