Director: Danny Cannon
Writer: Bruno Heller
Cast: Ben McKenzie, Donal Logue, David Mazouz, Robin Lord Taylor, Sean Pertwee, Jada Pinkett Smith, Camren Bicondova, Erin Richards, Cory Michael Smith, Zabryna Guevara and John Doman
Synopsis: A new recruit in Captain Sarah Essen’s Gotham City Police Department, Detective James Gordon is paired with Harvey Bullock to solve one of Gotham’s highest-profile cases: the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne.
Verdict: After 75 years worth of Comic Books, 10 different animated shows, 8 big screen movies and 5 faces of Batman…it’s fair to say that Gotham had it’s fair share of anticipation. When it was first announced that a live action television series chronicling the early years of Gotham City was in development, the news was met with an equal amount of criticism and curiosity. After the CW’s Smallville took 10 years to put a cape on Tom Welling’s Clark Kent, it’s easy to see why some understandably pessimistic audience members rolled their eyes. Of course, too much talent gravitated towards the project throughout development to not be at least a little bit interested in what Fox’s Batman prequel would bring to the characters legacy. Now, after an extremely long wait for the next iteration of the caped crusaders live action adventures, I can safely say that Gotham has successfully delivered.
Many (including myself) were doubting that Bruno Heller and his team could effectively translate iconic characters such as Bruce Wayne, James Gordon and The Penguin to the size of television screens whilst maintaining their large presence, however this did not affect my unwavering excitement for the project. As it turns out I was right to be excited by Gotham, because this is one of the most fantastic, tense and engaging pilots I have ever had the pleasure of viewing. It is a well known staple of television that most shows require viewings of more than one episode before audiences can truly gage their opinion and taste for a brand new series. This is certainly not the case with Gotham, as the first episode effectively translates its intention, tone and narrative structure…all within the tender time-frame of 50 minutes.
As I myself had previously speculated, Ben McKenzie is easily the best casting decision this series has made, with his post-O.C. career finally allowing him to capitalise on that darkness and angst he hides behind those boy-band looks and big puppy-dog eyes. His version of James Gordon is a freshly returned citizen of Gotham City (following his military career), who fails to comply with the corrupt nature of its crime and filth-ridden streets. As an actor, McKenzie has always had the fantastic ability to convey strong moral integrity and leading man likability, whilst also displaying a physically imposing demeanour that makes him a force to be reckoned with. These attributes are clearly visible here, which more than make good on his initial promise to ‘not screw this up’ when he was first cast as the young character formerly played by the Gary Oldman.
Interestingly, David Mazouz also proves to be a clever casting decision as the younger version of everyone’s favourite (future) Dark Knight. Mazouz was arguably the most intriguing addition to Gotham, purely because Bruce Wayne’s most recent incarnation was so memorably portrayed by Christian Bale in Christopher Nolan’s DARK KNIGHT trilogy. With the reputation of child actors middling at the best of times (thanks Jake Lloyd), the idea of a younger Bruce Wayne gave a sharp shudder to even the most optimistic Bat-fans. However, Mazouz actually delivers some of the scripts material more convincingly than a large portion of adult stars could in my opinion. The iconic and frequently recreated murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne gains most of its impact and horror from Mazouz’s harrowing screech that follows those fatal gun shot wounds. This is a surprisingly gory interpretation of the event that essentially creates Batman, which is a brilliant way of establishing the show as an adult television series.
Some viewers may also be surprised by the cinematic nature of Gotham, with everything from Danny Cannon’s directing to Graeme Revell’s (DAREDEVIL, SIN CITY) score easily identifying the show an interesting successor to Nolan’s DARK KNIGHT trilogy. By the end of the pilot it’s easy to feel quite disconcerted and uncomfortable, as you begin to get an idea of the claustrophobic and corrupt environment Gordon has now arrived in. This undeniably hits home with the episodes tense climax when we discover that Harvey Bullock has been ordered to murder his new partner if he does not comply with the mobs rules. Donal Logue is a brilliant binary opposition to Gordon, and this scene really sets up his role as the hardened police veteran with Gordon’s idealistic spirit completely beaten out of him.
Although the early promotional artwork and trailers made me skeptical of Gotham‘s subtlety where Batman villains are concerned, appearances from the future Riddler, Catwoman and Poison Ivy are thankfully brief. However, Robin Lord Taylor’s Oswald Cobblepot is definitely a nasty, blood-thirsty piece of work that I’m excited to see more of in the coming episodes. A strong start.
[usr=4] Gotham airs on Channel 5 every Monday night at 9pm. Check out their official website here.
