This week was a big one for TV fans. The new Fall season began. While I am always interested in the new lineup, one show in particular caught my interest: Fox's Gotham.
Gotham is a bit of an origin story, or perhaps many origin stories rolled into one, set in DC's Batman universe. Bruce Wayne is a young boy, and in the first few minutes of the pilot episode, we see the event that changes his life forever. His parents are shot before his very eyes.
I've seen various interpretations of this murder in many different forms, but I was pleased with how Gotham handled it. In particular, I was really happy with the shots of slow-motion pearls dropping to the street. There's something in those images that defines the scene for me. I don't know if it's the contrast in the white glossiness tumbling to the rough, dark asphalt, or the way that events seem to slow during a crisis, but I've been disappointed when other versions of this scene have ignored this crucial imagery. It seems so simple, and yet so important. I was very pleased to see it here.
But this isn't a story about Bruce Wayne. Not really. This series centers around a young James Gordon, the brash, new detective in Gotham's police force. Obviously, we all know that the man will eventually become the famed Commissioner Gordon, but for now, he's a young detective still feeling out the city after a long absence.
In this right, the show works pretty well as any good, cop drama does. The pilot episode centered around solving the murder of Wayne's parents, and this seemed an effective introduction to the important characters that the show will explore. I like the characters presented, and the differences that divided them.
Also, given that Almost Human has been cancelled, this show will probably fill the sci-fi-ish detective show niche, and I look forward to seeing what they do with that.
My one true criticism revolves around the number of future supervillains introduced. In one, short hour, viewers saw the future Cat Woman, Penguin, Riddler, Poison Ivy, and possibly even the Joker. (Admittedly, this last one is speculation, but I was just waiting for them to name the comedian near the end of the show.) Sorry folks, but I feel like this was total overkill. One or two of these people would have been fine. Or, preferably, introducing one per episode, but meeting them all during Thomas and Martha Wayne's murder investigation? Too much.
All in all, I have high hopes for this show. I think it could go to really interesting places, and explore aspects of Gotham (which looks great, by the way) that we've little seen before. That being said, I fear that this will not last more than one or two seasons. It's only been one episode so far, but these types of shows generally don't last, especially on Fox (Can anyone say Firefly?)
Until then, I'll be tuning in. Perhaps you will, too.
Allen
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