Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.

Gotham Review: “The Scarecrow” (Season 1, Episode 14)

Last week I praised Gotham for finally finding its place in the TV landscape and delivering its best episode to date. I even went so far as to recommend that those who'd long given up on the show return. If you listened to me and did just that, I want to apologize, because the high point of tonight's episode came when Bruce Wayne threw some rocks while on a hike.
This article is over 9 years old and may contain outdated information
Recommended Videos

Last week I praised Gotham for finally finding its place in the TV landscape and delivering its best episode to date. I even went so far as to recommend that those who’d long given up on the show return. If you listened to me and did just that, I want to apologize, because the high point of tonight’s episode came when Bruce Wayne threw some rocks while on a hike.

In what should have been a great culmination of all the storylines that were put into motion last week, Gotham instead managed to somehow drop the ball on nearly every front, and dive head-first back into frustrating procedural trappings. More impressive still is how well the show managed to mess up those tried-and-true procedural tropes, removing all tension and intrigue from the episode.

After this week’s instalment, I’m particularly worried about what Gotham may do with any more potentially intriguing villains in future episodes. This is now the second time that the series has introduced what could have been a more serialized, over-arching villain plot; first came The Electrocutioner, and now we’ve seen Dr. Gerald Crane. Both stories had interesting beginnings and could have been real foils for Jim Gordon. Yet, by their second appearance, both villains were easily defeated and left no lasting impression on the show itself.

Even the mob/Penguin plot – which is usually the high point of each week – fell flat, while Fish Mooney’s once-exciting new predicament went off like a lead balloon. I will say that, despite its many flaws, “The Scarecrow” managed to not completely mess up the origin story for its titular villain, provide a tolerable amount of Edward Nygma, and stick to a universal tone. So, that’s something, I suppose.


We Got This Covered is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of James Garcia
James Garcia
Lego photographer, cinephile, geek. James is 24 and lives in Portland, OR. He writes for several websites about pop culture, film, and TV and runs a video production company with his wife called Gilded Moose Media.