Trailers in Short - Gotham Season 4 - Just Enough Prep Time

Tonight sees the return of Gotham to FOX, moved to Thursday nights this season. What shall we do?

Actually, just what will Gotham do?

I fell behind on Gotham review quite a while back and do need to go back and at least do season reviews for the show. I do want to take time to ruminate on where the series has gone. I was onboard for the show with the first season.

Many were uninterested, or choose to take a very conservative view of comic and Batman lore (You can portray character one way, the history can unfold only one way. The "one" way is "my" way.). But the show has played with conventions and origins, creating their own take.

The first season did have it's issues, characters misused or out of place, etc. But by the end of the season the world was gelling quite well. The weird and freaky underbelly of Gotham City was emerging. The second and third season built from there, getting weirder and freakier.

And this has been great. Some shows struggle to a stop over 3 or 4 seasons, needing to go suddenly weird and wild to stay alive. Gotham, by it's nature, only gets weirder and crazier. Cults. Secret Societies. Resurrected Madmen. Flamboyant Foes. Ridiculous Capers.

The show, since it's start has become more and more a comic book world. It's the point even dead characters return gets a shrug. And to me that is all to the shows advantage.

So let's recap a little just where the show was last year, and where we head this season.

Trailers In Short - Heroes Coming Back Edition, Part DC

Okay. Let's close out this look at our heroic tales with some DC Comics? We will stick with live action. Haven't even had a chance yet to watch Batman Versus Robin. But I do have some worries about taking this angle for doing the "Court of the Owls" storyline. ...We can get into that another time.


Still, it is fun to keep up on the DC series on now. Sadly, I am a little behind on viewing and reviewing. I do want to get caught up this week on Gotham and Flash, in some manner, so let's see where they are? (Also I'd like to do something for Constantine, to Remember/Hope For The Best For It.) And I want to get into iZombie, to get a sense of it. And Arrow's current season to.

I better hurry up in my homework, as we have additional shows making their way soon to TV, as we'll see.

Halloween Fun With Gotham

The actors on Gotham have had some costume fun this Halloween.


Ben McKenzie, who plays James Gordon.

He went as Commissioner James Gordon.


Sean Pertwee, who plays Alfred Pennyworth. (And he's the son of Jon Pertwee, who played the 3rd Doctor.)

He dressed up as the 3rd Doctor, taking a selfie.


And some bonus fun...

Gotham - Episode 4 - Arkham - "You'd have to be crazy to pass on a plan like this."

Last week Gotham through some vigilantism at us. This week we get back to some good old fashion out and out murderous crime.


Let's start with the main trouble of the episode. And hitman, or an assassin if we're being fancy, is walking the streets of Gotham. That is not too amazing a thing. Plenty of people are up for offing someone else's problems. But in this case, someone is killing off councilpersons.

The first one is a sly affair, approaching the politician at night as he goes to his car. He walks up as an eager voter. This puts his bodyguard and him off guard. Then he gets to his killing.

This hitman has a gimmick. Any worthwhile comic book assassin has to have a gimmick. His is the fact he uses an ornate sticking blade. A lovely bit of craftsmanship.

"Yeah. No naked lady. But there is a lot of caked blood..."

He convinces the bodyguard to look into the tube that holds the blade. Idiot.

Then he stab and then slowly finishes off his target. He apologizes to him first, saying that he's voted for him.

So, yeah, he's a cool and efficient killer. Looking at him I feel like there's an unspoken trope in the air.

Gotham - Episode 3 - The Balloonman - "Let's just hope there's never a vigilante who uses the sea as a weapon."

Life in Gotham City continues on from the events of the last episode. Will Gordon get the lead he needs on the Wayne Murders? Will Cobblepot get his golden ticket?

Let's start with how Cobblepot's scheme of ransoming frat boys is going.

I guess the golden ticket is a one way to Gotham.

Oh. I guess...I wonder what he did with the body?

Well, yes, Cobblepot is back, and broke. His scheme doesn't seem to have worked out. And off the bus, he takes in what makes Gotham City the city it is. Sex Workers. Kids in Halloween masks pickpocketing (Considering the last episode, are they homeless?). Muggers. Corrupt cops.

It all makes him smile. This is his city.

GOTHAM!

Gotham - Episode 2 - Selina Kyle - "Everybody's missing kids."

Welcome back to Gotham,where the crime won't stop, but it may vary.

When last we saw our intrepid city Gordon was put in a bind, Bruce doesn't want to whine, and Cobblepot came out not so fine.

The bulk of this story follows the tracking of child traffickers, so let's start with the secondary story. The Tale of the Lost Little Bird.

Following his near death experience, Cobblepot is limping out of Gotham. He is struggling and looking for a ride. But what will he do?

Walking back to the South Pole joke.

Gotham - Episode 1 - Pilot - "And the first domino falls."

Gotham has finally started. And the reactions have been about as I expected. Some people already not happy with the idea of the show are still not happy. Others that are interested continue to be so.

So let's look at what we've got.

But to do that we do have to discuss one thing. Batman.

No. I am not interested in rehashing his history and how he is pivotal to any story you tell about Gotham City. (See the All Star Western run with Jonah Hex in 19th century Gotham City for a counter example.) Because I disagree with such a notion. Over the past 75 years both Batman and Gotham City have been enrichened with stories and backstory to add wonderful dimensions to them and their histories.

So dismiss the story of a city because we want to focus on a single legend? No. That is silly. There is history to tell. From the city's founding to it's burgeoning crime crisis.

I am actually interested in this stuff. This is the era we never get to learn much about. What is this city really made of?

Gotham - What to see in Episode 1

Gotham started to last week in much the way you'd imagine. Along the way we were introduced a lot of sights tried to Batman and Gotham lore.


Gotham City

The skyline of Gotham is hard not to race to. As a fan it is always a pleasure to see the city represented.

The looming buldings of wealthy and power.

The lesser structures most of the citizens live. It is beautifully shoot.

Gotham Begins, But Do We Watch?

It's almost upon us. Gotham is about to have it's premiere episode.

It has been the point of a lot of speculation since it was announced. Mostly, we knew it would be a Commissioner Gordon-centric show. Then it was made clear that we wouldn't be getting any Batman in the show.

A lot of people were indignant about the idea. Why do a Gotham City show without the Bat? Well, how a police department deals with super criminals, mass corruption, mobs, and Arkham's Most Wanted. But what about Batman?

He isn't necessary. Tales of Gotham police have proven potent already. Books not centered on Batman have worked. But their is that craving.

Trailers in Short - Speedsters, Mystics, and Detectives. Oh My!

Well if the rounds of superhero movies isn't enough, we seem to be in store for a whole range of TV series based around comic book heroes. (Okay, we often have various superhero series these days. But let's all pretend, like the media does.)

So let's see all the DC Comics and Marvel Comics offerings coming this year. (And maybe some movies. We are obliged.)

Let's start with The Flash (he always races to the front of line). He's a favorite of mine in comics. And I am always pleased when he gets some press or representation. (And maybe they'll finally finish a Flash video game. The one that almost came out before looked lovely.) And I do love a speedster.