Gotham: Season 5

Don't let Gotham die.

For my immense contempt of the first half of season 4, it ended very strongly and when I heard Gotham's 5th season was to also be it's last I was rather shocked and heartbroken. And they really did everything they could do with wrapping up the series, which is already a huge task to do for any series let alone Gotham, and it ended really well. But damn it I don't want it to end! I've been with Gotham from the beginning admist all the bad mouthing and zero faith in the show, I was there. It's been a great show, the best I could ask for. I was there at the beginning and now, I got to see how it ends. The last season was delivered a cruel and crushing blow from the very beginning, with every season it has been a solid 22 episode runtime, this season originally got 10. Ten. And somehow, I don't know how it got two additional episodes added. So all the stuff I wanted to see could have been shown if they had those 10 more episodes. It's such a shame, so they had to cram a lot into the 44 minute run time so every minute counts! I mean it has to! So we start off almost a month after the bridges blow and war is brewing in Gotham, all the gangs have divided up territories with the GCPD trying to protect civilians and keep crime to a low while waiting for the military to provide aid for the city, and this takes up literally 80% of the series but never does it get old or tired. Cause honestly when you get to that point after seeing everything from the Waynes being murdered onwards you care a lot! Tons happen, some of it taking some cues from the movies but hey I can't complain about that! Plots are uncovered, new characters are introduced, my boys continue to be perfection, and a few surprises are in store as well. I greatly enjoyed this season and it wrapped up everything very well, and there was soooo much to enjoy! I loved the whole Arkham City dynamic with all the gangs, and yeah they pull a Hugo Strange near the end, good ol' Stabby Babs is fun as ever (and simply gorgeous as a redhead), Ed is still same old Ed who gets to play detective a bit, Oswald is still the perfect level of over the top, Bruce plays a big role in protecting the city, and there's some lovely little easter eggs sprinkled throughout! I would be thrilled if they did a continuation or even a spin-off series from this in a year or two, there's a lot you can do and I like the fact they twist the mythos a bit, because honestly there was only one character I did not know in this entire series because I'm such a nerd and know too much about the Batman and his history so it can have it's little surprises and I'm okay with it! If there was only one teeny tiny itty bitty thing I hate is, there's not enough Jeremiah! Cameron Monaghan does such a great job in this series and we really needed more of him! However, that is easily remedied because of something that I've been waiting to happen for a long time. I hold grudges forever and I tasted bliss and joy when Tabitha gets stabbed in the heart by Mr. Cobblepot. Ohhh! Oh, it's sublime!! It was beauty incarnate. It happened 2 if not 3 seasons too late but I never can be too picky about victory! If you've heard me praise and talk about this series enough and haven't watched it, I totally get it! It may not be your thing but if you watch say...4 to 6 episodes of the first season and you kinda want to see what's next give the show a watch. Granted the first season is very case of the week and it starts getting really good when the 2nd season starts, so if you can make it past the first you may stick around to the last. And with tremendous sadness and regret we must leave Gotham but I strongly doubt it will be the last time I see it.

Gotham: Season 3

So many questions, all I'm excited to have answered.

Alright, same drill as before. Good solid season that does a lot and still keeps it interesting and (mostly) done well. Now onto the review! So it's been 6 months since the Arkham incident and stuff has really gone south in Gotham. Bruce has been away all that time, Gordon for some weird reason quits being a cop and starts being a bounty hunter chasing down Strange's creations, even poor Harvey quits being a cop so it's a certainly a low point for our heroes but the changes they go through, again make the show worth watching. Bruce has changed in 6 months becoming much wiser and stronger in his decisions and actions stepping closer to his destiny, Jim goes through....a lot but comes out better for it and faces some old demons making him a better man in light of several dangerous elements. Penguin starts campaigning for mayor because it's a mark all memorable Penguin's have done over the past 70 years ever since Burgess Meredith ran for office, so why not! We even have a new arrival in the form of Jervis Tetch, The Mad Hatter who has taken a special liking to Jim and has plans for him involving a rather less than desirable virus that is soon taken by even more sinister forces that Gordon gets knee deep into stopping. So there's lots of good stuff with our villains still, I love the relationship that develops between Ed and Oswald it really is the highlight of the season for me because of how much pull it had for me. Penguin and Riddler were my favorite and still are my favorite characters in the whole show so of course I just eat their scenes up! And I take great joy in having surreal adventures with The Mad Hatter, he is such fun and poses as a good antagonist for the first half of the season on and off. It's like every season there's even more and more plot stuff to talk about, it's an involved show but if you go for it you will enjoy it. But! Slight issues like before, but I think that's down to me watching season after season all day every day, you kinda start to nitpick! Like why is it no one can ever just shoot someone and has to ramble on? Why are the murder tactics so rubbish and downright nonsensical? Perfect example, see if you can spot the flaw in this plan: two people are riding on a single motorbike, one is driving, one bears a weapon. So they need a quick hit and run (ha ha get it?) so what would you use to take out a singular target? A 9mm handgun? Perhaps an Uzi for greater spread of fire and a better chance to kill your target? Or maybe just do a quick drive by and nonchalantly drop a grenade at their feet? No, they take the true most effective way of performing an assassination by waving a Crocodile Dundee "Thas' a knoife" bowie knife at them like it's bloody jousting!! WTF??? Oh but the flippin' creme de la creme comes in a scene where Tetch has a gun and wants to shoot a love interest of James who is literally around for maybe 5 episodes or Lee his now ex, and there is a clear intention to KILL somebody, and he shoots them in the gut! In the gut! Because there is CLEARLY NO OTHER PLACE TO SHOOT when you want to kill someone!! I would already be the absolute kingpin of crime in Gotham by the 4th episode because I can actually think coherently. Fine, whatever, television show but come on! Be smart! Screw your plot convenience! Ugh, anyway. Beyond the idiotic moments which are actually very few but by God they urk me hardcore, the show does very well. It is great to see the villains form, and change, and group together while the heroes have to undergo changes of their own while trying to stay one step ahead, it's surprisingly gripping storytelling. You want to see who succeeds, who fails, who changes, who lives or dies. And I came to a bit of an epiphany late in the season. Gotham is the only show I know where you can cheer for anybody and be justified. You can cheer for Jim to face his demons, you can cheer for Bruce to better himself, you can cheer for Ed to become The Riddler, hell you can even cheer for Stabby Babs and urgh, Tabitha for reasons of revenge and standing in the underworld. You pick sides, you make a choice, you love and hate with no logical standing. It's absolutely brilliant how they do it! Great job Gotham, you got a good style of storytelling and emotionally charged viewings of characters! Because if you can't get that involved in a show, what's even the point? Very good season, can't wait to see how it all comes together, it's sad yet exciting to see Gotham come to an end. Tons to enjoy, discuss, and view in a mad city.