I think it will be a typical cop show with Gotham as the setting and Batman mythos. I don't think it will be horrible but I'm not expecting it to be the next "Shield" which I'm ok with. Just keep me entertained. The only thing I worry about is the way they handle the other characters outside of the Gotham PD and specifically just how much Bruce Wayne we get. Personally I would prefer that the pilot episode be the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne with it being Gordon's first real big case and then we don't see or hear from Bruce at all. And have the rest of the series be about Gordon handling mob bosses instead of over the top Batman type villains. But of course FOX is going to want those villains be a selling point which is why I worry about seeing Penguin and The Riddler as well as Bruce Wayne growing up with Catwoman and possibly Poison Ivy.
And if they do, it'll be one more example of how DC is lax in maintaining a clear vision for their mythology across projects. I agree 100% about the direction you describe, of focusing on Gordon fighting crime.
Personally i hope to hell we see the villains growing and becoming who they are as we know them. No super hero property has as a compelling rogues gallery as Batman. Its the most criminally misused resource in all of live action comicbookdom. They are half of the equation of why Batman's universe is so damn interesting and fun. If they don't include stuff like that, then what the hell is the point other than to flesh out one character...Gordon.
My issue with Batman's rogue gallery appearing is that they are appearing before Batman is a thing. So instead of the villains coming to Gotham because of Batman, they are already seemingly been established before Bruce even hits puberty. I don't mind if they have all the mob bosses or even The Penguin starting off as an arms dealer and working his way to a crime boss but having a fully formed Riddler or possibly Joker, it just doesn't seem right to me. But hey I'm having an open mind to this but it is a concern of mine.
I don't think they have a fully formed any major villain. i think we'll be getting deep and long origins on all of them. Serious character development. Granted the execution may blow donkey scrotum but the concept is solid gold. You're a Bat-Freak, this should giving you major bat-wood.
I don't think we're going to see Riddler or Joker for the first time with green tights and question marks all over his body or clown attire from The Joker in their first appearances but let's say the series runs 4 or 5 seasons, I think we'll get it. I hope you're right about long origins and serious character development and not just have a villain around as "the villain of the week" type thing. Haha yeah I am a Bat-Freak and I am looking forward to it and have been for years when this Gotham PD idea was being thrown around. Like I said in my earlier posts I am looking forward to it but I have concerns.
I saw the first 4 or 5 episodes of the first season. While I thought it was actually pretty decent I just didn't know enough about the character to begin with and the show did nothing to really keep me hooked needed to see each week. I ended up just DVRing episodes instead of seeing it live and I had like 10 recorded and knew I'd never go back and watch them so I simply stopped watching.
I watched the first six eps or so and couldn't stand any more. It was ****ing terrible. Poor writing, poor acting, poor production value. The Denny O'Neill/Neal Adams' Green Arrow deserves better.
I agree the 2nd season of Arrow has been Kick-*** compared to the 1st season and with Flash starting in the fall it looks like they might each end up being on each other show.
'Gotham' Promo: Meet Your Villains! http://tvline.com/2014/06/18/gotham-fox-video-villains-jada-pinkett-smith-fish-mooney/
http://tvline.com/2014/06/19/gotham-series-preview-ben-mckenzie-jim-gordon-no-batman/ Good interview.
'Gotham' New Promo Throws Gordon a Sinister Welcome-Home Party http://tvline.com/2014/07/15/gotham-fox-video-ben-mckenzie-jim-gordon-crime-scene/
Arrow is awesome. You guys are missing out. Suicide Squad, Black Canary, Deathstroke, Red Arrow and Brandon Routh is coming in to play The Atom (Plus for Doctor Who fans there is a pretty sweet Doctor Who companion re-union).
I think you could include Joker, you just have to do it as...before he is the Joker. Just have him as a sick demented person, then when Batman appears in the universe he takes on the Joker role.
I think giving The Joker a back story hurts the mystique of his character. I like not really knowing who he is, where he came from or why he became The Joker. I like him just simply appearing one day in Gotham as a response to Batman ala like the story used for The Dark Knight.
I've stated many times that I think a show about Gotham and Jim Gordon's rise could absolutely work. The thing I'm much more worried about is stuff with Bruce and the well known costumed villains. I really don't have much of an interest in seeing teenage Bruce grow up, especially with what appears to be a possible friendship with Selina Kyle. I have no problem with the series showing some of the more realistic villains, i.e. mob characters like Falcone and even The Penguin. But I'm worried about how the show will tackle The Riddler, young Posion Ivy, young Catwoman and possibly the start of The Joker and maybe other villains as well without Batman already being established. I'll be honest I wasn't in love with how the Wayne murders were treated and how it's possible they were targeted by the police and/or mob.
I hated the Gordon intro scene. That was totally trite and stupid. When will network TV learn to let a character's personality to be revealed in time, instead fo fabricating a completely stupid and pointless scene to sum the character up in a nugget? After that, it improved some. It seems like they took cues from the Spider Man comics and are making every villain intertwined with Bruce becoming a hero. Is the comedian the Joker?
didn't think about that. good call if it turns out to be true. I watched it twice. pretty good, but not great. but my expectations for any first episode/pilot are always lower compared to seeing how the show's characters develop. I did like the Penguin character.
Wow, good catch. Didn't think twice about that character, just thought he was a random background actor, but it would totally make sense. I would hate it if it turned out to be him but yeah it totally fits what they are doing with this show.
From what I saw, I thought the dead give-aways ranging from the subtle (or not so subtle) hints were easy to spot....identifying 5 villains easily: Cat Women, Penquin, Poison Ivy, Joker, and the Riddler!
I like how Catwoman has decided she has to crouch everywhere. Standing up straight is apparently uncat like or something? I give it two seasons. Simply because FOX will pull out all of the stops to get ratings back up once they plummet. I'm guessing the comedian is The Joker and we'll see him transform in the finale and appear in season 2 taking over the mob. Once everyone loses interest (again), then it'll be over for good.
Yeah for all the money FOX has put into this show there's no way it doesn't get picked up for a 2nd season unless literally no one watches it. Like I said before there are definite concerns with this show, especially with the villains.
The two biggest issues with this show are: #1- Jada Pinkett Smith is god damn awful in this. She's really, really bad. Her acting choices are so freaking trite and cliched it feels like she's straight out of a soap opera. #2- The handling of Gordon's character has been extremely ham handed. They have bludgeoned us so many times in 2 episodes that he's noble, I have more concussions than an NFL linebacker.
I have issues with Alfred being such a jerk to Bruce as its making him unlikeable and his explanation of why he's letting Bruce do whatever he wants is kind of lame.
I'm actually ok with that, because it leaves room for him to grow into the Alfred we all know. He has to learn to become a parent. Knowing what his nature is and seeing what he becomes gives a whole new layer to Alfred other than the infinitely patient and easily controlled old man we've been shown. His change would teach Bruce about immense strength.
Good point. I would just think that Alfred would show a little more compassion with Bruce who just watched his parents gunned down in front of him. I also don't know how I feel about Gordon having such a close relationship with Bruce. I get why the show is doing it but I don't know.
Look at it like this, Alfred went from being a childless bachelor to a single father of a problem child overnight. Like I said, they are Spiderman-ing the backstory, but that's the least of the problems so far, for me anyway.
Love the production value. Show is visually awesome, and no expense had been spared. Wish they put the same effort into the writing.
