Gotham: Season 1, Episode 20: Under the Knife
I guess the show is worth the hiatus it’s gone on twice. I’m really enjoying this Ogre storyline so far and I really want to see where it’s going. The plot took a surprising turn this week with an appearance from Barbara Kean. I’m guessing we aren’t going to see Jim marry her on this series from the way things are going, but her character is going to some interesting places. Luckily for her, she completely disavowed Jim and the murderous Ogre let her live. He’s been looking for some twisted kind of love his entire life and has found it in the damaged Barbara. I don’t see that going well for anyone.
Jim and Harvey are pretty good detectives. Harvey is still pretty practical, but he is a bit more honorable since he’s no longer being blackmailed. They’ve made it much farther than anyone else who’s tried to investigate the Ogre. They even know his name and what he looks like now after visiting his father and plastic surgeon. It was a little sloppy of him to be seen in his car twice. You would think a veteran like him might have a less conspicuous vehicle, or at least change up between tailing sessions. He certainly has the money to do so. Money they haven’t really explained.
Selina’s ruthlessness is kind of surprising, but it’s understandable. She’s been on the streets her whole life and she knows how brutal the world can be, so she chooses to be brutal in return. Bruce is still several levels beneath her in terms of maturity, but he’s starting to understand things. He’s already gone as far as to voice his determination to never kill, which is one of the strong points of his character as Batman. They are honestly getting to be a little annoying though. I mean it’s cute that they have the whole puppy love thing going on, but they’re starting to know each other a little too well too early.
Oswald and Maroni are an interesting pair that’s getting to be even more interesting. They were a fairly small part of this episode, but they were an interesting part. Maroni brought Oswald’s mother into it. If you watch movies at all then you’ve seen how that turns out when you do it to mobsters. Oswald’s rage takes over sometimes and he becomes a complete monster when it does, the kind of monster Maroni warned his mother about. I doubt Maroni will die, but I also doubt he’ll get out of this unscathed.
Most favorably for me was the major jump in Edward’s Riddler arc. His victim even referred to him as “Riddle Man.” I can’t see how he can really get away with the murder though, he has all the motive in the world and a ton of evidence on his hands. Maybe Ms. Kringle will help him out somehow, because she (and probably a few others) would suspect him. That’s the only way for him to be caught since he’s a forensic scientist who should be able to cover his tracks. Maybe he’ll kill her too after getting his first taste of blood. I think his character might be the best of this season!
Jonathan Thomas Jones is a speculative fiction author and founder of geekhavenreviews.com. He has been passionate about all things geek for his entire life. See more about him at jonathanthomasjones.com and follow him on twitter @jtgloryjones.
