Gotham: Season 4

Ugh, I gotta really learn how to shut the hell up.

It's my fault, I jinxed it. I said Gotham has been solid hit after hit and hasn't done anything to really piss me off and make me want to quit the show. That mostly changed when season 4 hit. I am gonna be real with you, if the level of writing and overall quality of this season was how the show started, Gotham would have been cancelled before I think season 1 would have even finished. I didn't really start liking this season until I think the 16th episode. Out of 22. Mainly because there really wasn't anything happening until that 16th episode, at all. None! Whatsoever! It's like every writer was just in a bad mood writing over half the season, honestly. Anyway, 3 months after Bruce meets Ra's Al Ghul and the virus has been cured, Gotham is still under control of Penguin and in a move I almost swear ripped right out of the 60s Batman show, Penguin actually issues crime licenses, you can commit any crime you want as long as you have a license and there will be no reprocussions, which is a subject I could bitch about for hours but let's move on. So Jim visits Carmine Falcone, Gotham's previous top crime lord in hopes to bring a semblance of order back to the city, where we are introduced to his daughter Sofia. I'm...still arguing which I hate more between her and Tabby. Sofia is the winner of The Biggest **** In Gotham Award, and that's really the huge fact that I hold as the reason this season fell flat for me. Say what you will about Tabitha but I had to deal with her in small bursts, and even then she wasn't supremely bitchy or being insufferably annoying to the point I wanted Victor Zsasz and Professor Pyg to spend a holiday weekend with her in a dark damp room with an assortment of...let's call them toys. You have to deal with her and see so much of her in every episode until #16, and she is a very hateful, spoiled, cunniving, egotistic, and downright unlikable person. I wished for her death more frequently and with somehow even more infuriating rage than Tabitha ever warranted. And another thing that brings it down, there's no villains! They screw the villains! They are supposed to be half of the fun of Gotham! Penguin is still Penguin but he does have sweet interactions with a young boy that are nice, poor Ed actually loses mental capacity and becomes a bit of a dolt which is an A grade way to piss me off, Barbara is boring, we actually get Solomon Grundy who is then completely wasted, yeah we get a bit of Scarecrow who actually goes through several costume changes each of them memorable and striking, and for some weird ass reason like more than half the season is dealing with trying to catch Professor Pyg. Not one, or two episodes, but 4+. Do you see why I say the writers were just in a bad mood? Nothing happens for more than half the season beyond a few cute and humorous moments that I can count on both of my hands. There was one point where even Zsasz was done with this bullshit and just said to a coworker, "Let's go grab a milkshake." and I was like, "Yes! Please Zsasz let's go get milkshakes, this is so f***ing boring!" that is not a good sign!! I have no idea if because of this season they decided to wrap it up next season or not but sweet baby Moses I wouldn't be surprised. Nothing happens, no plot points, (mostly) no character development, no interesting setups or deliveries, it becomes a total drag reeeeaaallll f***ing quick! Until, like I said the 16th episode. Then it was like the writers got their second wind and got rolling again! After the boring bullshit with Sofia Falcone, what do they do? We get Jerome, Penguin, Mr. Freeze, Firefly, The Mad Hatter, and Scarecrow teaming up to do crimes. How can I put this? THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON YOU FU- yeah, it's pretty cool. It's great seeing these wildly different personalities clash and see what they do. It's great fun and saves the season from being absolute dumpter fire shit, and they do it all well. With, one exception. I can't divulge into it cause it might be considered bullshit-I mean spoilers, but it had me scream out betrayal to the point where I needed to take a break from the episode. I'm pretty sure non-comic fans won't even bat an eye at it, but that was just uncalled for and wrong. If you watch this season, I really don't know what to tell you to optimize your viewing pleasure. Could you skip to Episode 16 and try to keep up? I guess, but it's not too easy to keep on top of all events. Oh, I got it, inspiration has hit me! You can read the cliffnotes version on Wikipedia then hop right in. There, perfect. No bullshit, all enjoyment. But hey, maybe you see something I don't. Let's just say you enjoy the whole season, and I wish I could relate. Gotham came down to a thread from being thrown off my watchlist but it pulled through. I hope season 5 leaves on a high and strong point. But we shall see. Until next time.