Gotham - Review

Gotham

Plot summary:

After his parents were murdered right in front of him, Bruce Wayne is met by Detective James Gordon who promises the boy that he will find the person who committed the crime. And following this, Jim and his partner; Harvey Bullock, who’s reluctant at first; get to the bottom of this case only to find themselves caught in a dangerous situation surrounding a conspiracy involving both, the mob and the police force. And Jim struggles to uphold his promise whilst tackling the upcoming cases that prove to be arduous, mysterious, and at times, downright insane, all in an attempt to bear some light into this city that has been overcome by darkness.

Review:

This series really lets you peer into a really dark, brutal, and chaotic environment as it delves into its story. It brilliantly displays a town that has been overwhelmed by crime and fear, from the brutal murders, to the murderous maniacs, to even the cops being under the control of the mob. And aside from being brutal, the murders are quite creative at times, and even funny – well at least funny for me considering not everyone would call a murder funny. The settings are presented well, especially considering the serious scenes, bringing in some darker and gloomy lighting to the screen, be it indoors enveloped by some shadows or outdoors darkened by clouds or the night. Not to mention it aids in presenting the grim nature of Gotham. And the new cases that Jim and Harvey have to face are quite interesting, taking each episode to a different kind of crazy and different levels of bizzareness.

And considering characters, there are quite a lot of interesting ones involved in this series, and their individual struggles and ambitions are brought to light as the series progresses. Bruce Wayne(David Mazouz) is shown to be a considerate and altruistic character. And the series clearly depicts how his parents’ murder changes him through his reckless and erratic behaviour. His self-harming and dangerous ways of testing his limits shown are proof to that. Then there’s Alfred Pennyworth(Sean Pertwee) who’s the kind butler who cares deeply about Bruce, and can be rather tough, considering his military background. Jim Gordon(Ben McKenzie) is no doubt one of the strongest characters involved, showing his determination to do what is right in his fight for justice and his endurance in overcoming the formidable obstacles that  get in his way. Then there’s Jim’s partner, Harvey Bullock(Donal Logue): the sloven and lackadaisical detective with a drinking problem. Oswald Cobblepot AKA The Penguin(Robin Taylor) is no doubt one of the most interesting characters of the show, and is the shiftiest character who will do anything and everything necessary to claw his way to the top and get what he wants. Edward Nygma(Corey Michael Smith) is also another interesting character, being the socially awkward person who’s often overlooked or looked down upon, and who’s generally enthusiastic and packed with riddles. And then there’s Fish Mooney(Jada Pinckett Smith), the woman who just can’t be killed. She’s shown to be a quite tough, determined, and charismatic character. She’s shown to have a personal score to settle and is in no way to be underestimated.

The cast is excellent. Mazouz takes us on a convincing ride along Bruce’s trauma and how he copes with it, and gives us a look into his determination in his own investigation and lingering guilt for being helpless during the tragedy. McKenzie’s portrayal of Jim is spot-on as he depicts a cop with an unwavering will do to what’s right even when the system is rigged against him. One of the few people in Gotham who actually believe in making it a better place, and who will not stray from their moral values. Robin Taylor’s and Corey Michael Smith’s portrayals of Penguin and Nygma are in definite need of praise, both bringing in some interesting and quite funny elements to the table with their weirdness and madness, both. They’re definitely two of my favourites. Not to mention everyone else mentioned before do a fantastic job as well. And aside from the ones mentioned, I’d say Camren Bicondova does an excellent performance as well, as she stars as the young Selena Kyle who’s rather intelligent, but also devious. And the series shows her kinder side, although she’s shown to be rough around the edges at first. Plus there’s Jerome, who is needless to say one of the most insane characters of the series, and is portrayed flawlessly, from the facial expressions to the cackles, by Cameron Monaghan.

The subplots revolving around each new episode and the main plot surrounding the series, both are excellent and keeps you hooked. The dialogues add to the interest, and manage to bring out some good dramatic, comedic, as well as action-packed scenes. Not to mention some scenes can get pretty brutal and graphic. The music was really great too, to add to that. This is definitely a must-see series.