This fall, Fox tosses its hat in the ever-growing superhero ring with “Gotham,” a new origin story for DC Comics’ Batman. “Gotham” follows rookie Detective James Gordon (Ben McKenzie, “Southland”) and his crooked partner, Detective Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue, “Vikings”) as they try to track down the killer of Bruce Wayne’s (David Mazouz, “Touch”) parents. If the first ten minutes of Tim Burton’s “Batman” or Christopher Nolan’s “Batman Begins” were extended into a full hour, that would be “Gotham” to a tee.
A superhero’s origin is always interesting. Batman’s is perhaps the most tragic of all, but it’s unclear how “Gotham” will distinguish itself from the previous adaptations.
The pilot has the difficult task of covering ground most Batman fans already know: namely, the murder of Bruce Wayne’s parents. Most versions brush over this particular part of the origin story, but “Gotham” transforms it into a full-blown murder mystery that will likely span several episodes.
While this gives the show momentum right out of the gate, what story will be left to tell when the mystery is solved? The ending of the story (and most likely the show)—that is, Bruce Wayne becoming Batman to avenge his parent’s death—is already known and anything in-between runs the danger of feeling superfluous.
This is perhaps the biggest problem with prequels like “Gotham.” Everyone knows the beginning, and everyone knows the end. How can the show craft a middle that keeps audiences captivated, while still staying true to the Batman mythology?
For example, the first episode introduces its only non-DC character called Fish Mooney, played to devilish perfection by Jada Pinkett Smith (“Hawthorne”), a crime boss of Gotham’s underworld with ties to seedy Bullock.
Mooney is a fascinating new character to add to the Batman mythology, but because she never appears in the comics, does that ultimately seal her fate? If the show wants to follow the Batman canon, which it seems to do already, Mooney will not be around by the time Bruce Wayne dons his cape and cowl. With her fate predictable, it might be hard for viewers to be invest in her — or any new additions — at all.
Apart from Mooney, the characters of “Gotham” come straight from the comic book pages, something diehard Batman fans will certainly appreciate.
The show isn’t shy to introduce viewers to other notable DC heroes and villains: Alfred Pennyworth (Sean Pertwee, “Elementary”); Oswald Cobblepot (Robin Lord Taylor, “The Walking Dead”), who will become the Penguin; Selina Kyle (Camren Bicondova, “Battlefield America”), the future Catwoman; Edward Nygma (Cory Michael Smith, “Camp X-Ray”), the Riddler; Ivy Pepper (Clare Foley, “Orange is the New Black”), a new character based on Poison Ivy; mob boss Carmine Falcone (John Doman, “Rizzoli & Isles”); Detective Renee Montoya (Victoria Cartagena, “Elementary”) and her partner Detective Crispus Allen (Andrew Stewart-Jones, “Blue Bloods”). There is also an appearance by a nervous, unnamed joke-teller (Jon Beavers, “The Fresh Boat Band”) late in the first episode, possibly alluding to Batman’s future arch nemesis.
“Gotham” isn’t terrible, but it isn’t great either. To be expected from a superhero show, the acting gets a little hammy and the writing is at times cliché, but the overall production quality is top notch. Despite its predictability, the story is still enjoyable to watch.
The biggest hurdle “Gotham” must overcome is crafting its own identity within the already established Batman mythology. If it isn’t afraid to break new ground and tell its own story, it could easily become one of the best superhero dramas on television.
“Gotham” airs Mondays at 8/7c on Fox.
