They say you should always quit while you’re ahead but not when you’re still part way through a series as Gotham did six weeks ago. After shaking off a few troubling weeks, delivering some great episodes and gathering show much needed momentum, the show/network decided that taking a 6-week break before the final episodes was an idea straight out of the Bat Supercomputer. Instead, it really feels like we’re going into these closing week's far too cold with much of the heavy build up work now hazier in our minds. What’s more, since breaking Gotham has slid further down the comic-adaption show rankings as the impressive Daredevil blazed right past it. What Gotham needs now is a solid episode to remind us all why we should care that’s back. It needs to unleash the beast and go medieval on our asses across the screen. Unfortunately, this offering is more of an enthusiastic Pug, not a bad episode but definitely not the affirmative statement Gotham needed to make.
Beasts of Prey – After being elected Police Union representative, Jim gets handed a cold case by a concerned patrolman keen to see justice done. As Jim and Harvey investigate they learn it’s the work of a known and highly feared serial killer, The Ogre, with more dire consequences than they realised. Meanwhile Bruce Wayne seeks out Reginald Payne with Selina Kyle’s help, Penguin looks to acquire an unremarkable new property and Fish Mooney organises a daring escape from The Dollmaker’s island facility.
It would appear the 6-week break was not planned when this episode was filmed as there’s a clearly timed pop culture link: 50 shades of Gotham. Although there exists an Ogre in the DC villains roster, the on-screen version shares merely a name with his genetic experiment literary counterpart. Instead we have a love obsesses predator of a serial killer with more than a few nods to everyone’s least favourite man in grey, most of which are highly enjoyable when viewed in parody. Gotham’s flashbacks haven’t always found their mark but these retellings of “An Ogre and a lady” both establish the villain character well and boast well shot, smooth flowing transitions (especially the bar glass slide to the first introduction). They play with our expectations well as when the refined suit wearing Jason states “I think what I’m looking for frightens people” the Shades shades instantly go on, only to push things even further at the sight of his elaborate playroom. Although it’s the happy couple dinner scene that really makes the episode. It’s a wonderful dark humour setup as a handcuffed and mildly trembling victim forces a smile and affectionate pleasantries like someone all too aware of the punishments for disappointing. The episode goes to great lengths to set The Ogre up as a formidable end of season villain as it reveals he targets the loved ones of any who come after him. However, it’s more concerning that it needs to do this in the first place. Should a full 22-episode series only be delivering its end of season villain with 4 weeks to go? It can’t help put a dampener on much of the preceding stories surrounding Jim by making them feel less significant and the series more directionless than it really should. Yes, Gotham was only extended from 16 to 22 episodes back in Octobe,r but so was The Flash, and you’d never notice any strains in their continuity.
The idea of the commissioner setting Jim up does work well, implying his previous cooperation was merely a bluff with this card still up his sleeve. While Jim’s concluding hero speech may be a bit overblown, playing on idea of Jim’s growing influence within the GCPD is a good (if seemingly short lived) theme. We get a nice understanding of what Jim’s new position means to him by the way he reacts to the notion of inspiring a younger officer to care about justice being done. Of course there won’t be any major changes due to the prequel constraints (Gotham can’t fix itself too much otherwise why would they need Batman?) but hopefully, we will get to see a slowly expanding Team Jim now he’s publically drawn the line with Commissioner Loeb. Edward Nigma is certainly on the team but he’s also worryingly happy. The series has spent a lot of time an effort building into what looked like his journey off the edge into dark territory. Now he’s so chipper you’d think stumped Stephen Hawking with a fiendish riddle. His character may actually be a subtle deal breaker. If we don’t see something vaguely worthwhile happen to him in the remaining 3 episodes, we’ll have to seriously question what the point of his and many a show storyline was.
The Fish Mooney/Dollmaker jailbreak scenes are good in what they deliver but the story itself feels too rushed. This would have worked better over 2 episodes: the first, deciding to escape and the second, executing it. This would have allowed for a more formidable introduction and presence of The Catcher figure by letting someone else make a fatally unsuccessful break escape attempt. It would also allow The Dollmaker more time to develop his suspicions and Fish having to dodge them which produce the best material here. Their office scene is a great melding of The Doc’s sinister composure and Fish’s Oscar worthy fake breakdown. The final plan does play out nicely with some good twists, rewarding payoffs and a much unexpected cliff hanger. The Bruce, Alfred, and Selina Kyle scenes are less fulfilling. It’s good to see the young pair reunited (you have to love Kyle’s very feline entrance) and their interrogation of the underwhelming Payne offers some enjoyment, but they feel very surplus to requirements. It just something extra thrown in to recap and create relevance for the last few episodes. Bruce’s hesitated contemplation at the windowsill made for a nice moment but its conclusion was immediately too obvious.
This coming autumn, with the several more new comic adaption shows joining the party things will be more crowded than ever. Gotham will have to do better than this episode if it what’s its second season to stand any chance against a growing number of better rivals. It’s less a beast of prey and more praying for the best.