One of the biggest things Gotham accomplished this week was showing just how deep the corruption runs in the police department, and how ineffectual the law really is in a city so overrun with crime. Not only did the cops not know that children were being abducted, but they rounded them up only to have thirty of them re-kidnapped.
Furthermore, GCPD Captain Sarah Essen openly condones the beating of street kids to get information. It seems like a bit of overkill, but I get where the writers were going with that one. In any case, it gave Ben McKenzie more time to shine as Jim Gordon. The actor felt a bit awkward as the series lead last week, but steps up his game this time around and truly anchors the madness of the show in a convincing way. You can see the frustration on his face as he tries dealing with his corrupt and ineffectual co-workers, and as he gets tangled into the criminal underworld by keeping up the facade of killing Oswald Cobblepot, the feeling of Gordon getting in over his head is tangible.
Speaking of the seedy underworld, we need to turn the spotlight to the series’ two big villains: Fish Mooney and Oswald Cobblepot. Mooney is paid a visit by Carmine Falcone, who knows about her own schemes to overthrow him and tells her so by having her lover beaten in front of her. Oswald, on the other hand, is currently plotting his revenge in a dilapidated trailer, with a Gotham City conspiracy wall to prove it. I found his character arc a bit weak and cartoonish this episode, but Robin Lord Taylor truly shines as the future Penguin, so I give him a pass. Even though he’s playing someone batsh*t crazy, I can’t help but root for him simply because of Taylor’s performance. It’s creepy… but it’s lovably creepy.
All in all, I was impressed with the series this week and am extremely hopeful for the future. Judging by other reactions and reviews, Gotham was just as divisive this time around as it was last week. Hopefully that will change as the show continues to find its footing, but with material as beloved and iconic as this, there realistically is no pleasing everybody.