GOTHAM

Brady Stark
Team Member

ne of the biggest hit shows of the new fall lineup is

the crime drama Gotham. Gotham centers on a rookie
detective, Jim Gordon, and his lazy (and often corrupt)
partner as they investigate crimes that occur in fiction’s
most infamous city. Despite the fact that this show has hit
the ground running by putting up some of the best ratings
that Fox has seen, some still try to find aspects of the show
that they hate. In defense of this venture into the world of
DC comics, I argue that Gotham is a strong step forward into
putting DC Comics back on the map.

The show’s finest aspect is that it blurs the line between
being a high-octane cop-drama and a fantastical superhero
show. TV Guide wrote in its preview of Gotham that the show

James Gordon | Fox

didn’t even need to have the elements of the Batman universe
to become one of the best crime shows on television. The
formula of having detectives Gordon and Bullock investigate
a different crime every week is enough to draw audiences in.

The chemistry between all the characters throughout

the show is something that seems to be very rare; this is
testament to the great actors and actresses that creator Bruno
Heller has managed to wrangle up. Gordon and Bullock seem
to be polar opposites of one another but somehow still have

a deeper understanding of each other that remains hidden

to the rest of the characters. Gordon’s drive and passion for
justice pushes the story along, while Bullock uses comic relief
and corruptive behavior to help the team toe the line between
fulfilling their duties as cops and not completely pissing

off the villains and crime syndicates that rule the streets.

Throughout the first few episodes of its inaugural season,
Gotham has introduced its audience to a number of the
notorious super villains that fans have come to expect.
Critics have voiced their displeasure about how many
characters have been shown so early on, and believe

that it oversaturates the story and creates confusion
within the plot. This could not be further from the truth.
Gotham has introduced its core cast of characters, which
is similar in size to many other shows on television.

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lm Batman | Fox

Among this core group of characters are two that stand

out above the rest: Fish Mooney, and the Penguin. Fish
Mooney is the only substantial character that has been
created specifically for this show. Played by Jada Pinkett-
Smith, Mooney is a mid-level crime boss who bridges the
gap between the Gotham Police and the Carmine Falcone
crime syndicate. Her involvement helps the story progress
in a linear pace that new fans can appreciate. Despite the
fact that some fans have dismissed her as a mere middle
person for more iconic characters, she actually has been
vital in the introduction and ongoing storyline of one of
Batman’s most fierce rivals; the Penguin. Portrayed by Robin
Lord Taylor, the Penguin is the most crucial and interesting
reincarnations of this character that has been imagined.

Harvey Bullock | Fox