Cardiff Local Guide A guide to all Things Cardiff
The first episode of Gotham did enough to ensure the want to stick with the series, but there were a few issues.
It felt that the introduction of the well-known Batman characters were shoe-horned into this episode, when it would have been more fun to drip feed them throughout the rest of the season, or even into future seasons of the series.
Instead they seemed intent on driving home that this was Gotham the home of Batman, and despite Bruce Wayne being a recently orphaned whipper snapper, here was The Riddler and The Penguin and Poison Ivy and Catwoman.
And they were not subtle about their introductions either.
In the first few minutes we see a young pickpocket nimbly scale buildings as she escapes her mark. Surely enough for the average viewer to guess this young girl was destined to grow into Catwoman? But no. She had to steal milk to give to a cat. And if you were still not sure she insists people call her Cat.
And the quirky Edward Nygma, who works as a coroner and forensics operative in the Gotham police department, who gives his findings in riddles was subtle enough. But in case you could not work out that he was a young Riddler it was remarked that he always gives his answers as riddles.
But those issues aside the first episode has shown promise for the series ahead.
The characters might be cliched – such as the grizzled bent cop as the rookie’s partner – or the overboard, flamboyant baddie – Jada Pinkett Smith’s Fish Mooney – but these can be forgiven as it is a comic book TV series after all.
Ben McKenzie, as James Gordon, showed he more than capable to carry the series. His similarity to Russell Crowe is not just limited to his looks, but his brooding style of acting that suits the part very well. And Donal Logue, as Harvey Bullock, is perfectly cast as the foil to the straight-laced Gordon.
Stealing the show is Robin Lord Taylor as Oswald ‘don’t call him The Penguin’ Cobblepot. The young actor brings the perfect amount of menace and comic book villainy to the role.
Although Welsh actress Erin Richards doesn’t have a lot of screen time, there is an indication that her character has a mysterious past so we can expect in the coming weeks.
Hopefully now that they have hammered home a few of these characters in the first episode the writers relax and are a bit more subtle from now on.
This is clearly no kids show – as demonstrated by the poor fishmerman having his throat cut by The Penguin – so they should give the viewers a bit more credit.
