Gotham - “Pilot” Spoiler-Free Advance Review. A Fish, a Cat and a Penguin.

Season 1, Episode 1

Air Date: Monday, September 22, 2014, 9/8c on Fox

Rating: ★★★★★

“However dark and scary the world might be right now, there will be light.” – Gordon

James Gordon (Ben McKenzie) meeting Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz)

One of my favorite scenes in Christopher Nolan’s 2005 film Batman Begins is the rooftop scene at the end when Batman (Christian Bale) begins to walk away from Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman).

Gordon: “I never said thank you.”

Batman: “And you’ll never have to.”

Unbeknownst to Gordon, Batman’s comment is a testimonial to the relationship Gordon formed many years earlier with Batman’s alter ego Bruce Wayne following the murder of Wayne’s parents. Although that relationship is briefly addressed in the film, it hints at a much bigger story. Is that dynamic enough to support an entire series?

When Fox first announced Gotham would be on its 2014 fall schedule, I had my doubts if the show could work without a main hero. Sure, Smallville didn’t have Superman and survived for 10 seasons but the show still had Clark Kent (Tom Welling) and he wielded most of Superman’s powers. So, can there be a Gotham without Batman? Based on the pilot, the answer appears to be yes.

Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue)

After serving in the war, James Gordon (Ben McKenzie) returns to Gotham a hero. Joining the Gotham Police Department, Detective Gordon is partnered with Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue), a gruff detective with a questionable connection to the mob. The last thing Bullock wants in his life is a bright-eyed, eager partner looking to change Gotham…and maybe even the world. Little do Gordon and Bullock know, their first case together sets in motion what will become the greatest legend in Gotham history.

As with several of the Batman films, the murders of Thomas (Crayson McCouch) and Martha Wayne (Brette Taylor) provide the pivotal jumping off point for Gotham. But, instead of following Bruce Wayne’s path as he evolves into Batman, Gotham follows the events from Gordon’s perspective.

I hesitate to use the term chemistry when it comes to McKenzie and Logue simply because their characters are more like oil and water. However, the two actors play well off each other. Gordon is clean cut and does everything by the book whereas Bullock is unkempt and willing to cross the line if it means staying alive. Despite their differences, the pairing works and creates some interesting tension between the partners as they try to find some common ground and solve the Wayne murders.

David Mazouz does a nice job playing the young Bruce Wayne. The scenes between Bruce and Gordon are exciting because you see glimpses of Bruce’s alter ego starting to form. It will be interesting to see how far into the transformation the writers take Bruce should the series take off.

Filmed in New York City, the design team does a wonderful job creating a Gotham that makes it unique from the other incarnations of the city on film. The atmosphere of Gotham, from the set design to the lighting, delivers the feel of a classic Hollywood film rather than a weekly television series.

As a gritty police procedural, Gotham is a great new addition to the genre. But there are times when the mythology weighs things down and becomes more of a distraction than an asset. While it’s enjoyable to see early incarnations of classic DC Comic characters, the writers introduce too many of them in “Pilot.” I wonder whether they used up all of the excitement in the series premiere on these characters rather than introducing them one at a time throughout the season.

The other issue the writers face is the way they introduce some of the better known DC Comic characters. Fans of the comics and movies know most of the identities behind the names but for casual viewers, the writers all but put neon signs next to each villain with their alias lit up in bright lights. For instance:

We learn Selina Kyle (Camren Bicondova) is Cat Woman because she steals milk to feed her cat.

Bullock tells Edward Nygma (Cory Michael Smith)“If I want riddles, I’ll read the funny pages.” Obviously, Bullock is hinting at him becoming the Riddler.

Oswald Cobblepot (Robin Taylor) is nicknamed Penguin from the beginning.

While there’s still room for these characters to evolve, I would have enjoyed it more had the writers created more “Ah-ha” moments for the audience to come to their own realization of who these iconic characters become instead of hitting them over the head with obvious references.

Gotham has a stellar cast and while McKenzie is the main character, it’s Taylor who steals every scene he is in as Cobblepot tries to work his way up the mob ladder. We also meet Wayne’s loyal butler, Alfred Pennyworth (Sean Pertwee). There seems to be more to Alfred than meets the eye so I am looking forward to finding out what that may be as the season progresses.

Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Oswald Cobblepot (Robin Taylor)

Then, there’s a new character named Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith), a ruthless mob queen with her finger on the pulse of everything happening in Gotham. While the character was created solely for Gotham, I have a feeling Smith’s portrayal will leave a lasting impression on the Batman universe. She’s that good.

Fans of the Batman films and anyone who enjoys a good police procedural should enjoy Gotham. The show isn’t without its flaws but as it progresses, the writers will hopefully work out some of the kinks.

The series premiere of Gotham airs Monday, September 22, 2014 at 8:00 pm ET/PT, only on FOX.

Tweet me @staffaroadtrip or leave a comment below to let me know what you think about Gotham.

For more on the show, go to http://www.fox.com/gotham/.

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Greg Staffa

I provide testosterone to the site. You won’t be reading about how nice a actress looks in a dress or how much of a hunk Matt Bomer is in my reviews. I describe colors using words like brown, not taupe. My twitter name is @staffaroadtrip because I love road trips and have done two different 48-state road trips since 2008. My favorite show is White Collar.