#gothams1

An enjoyable episode

Jim, for a detective, you are a hilariously easily duped man.  Interestingly, it was the appeal to your ego that got you here - being seen as the shining new light that would show GCPD the way forward.  Your good friend Oswald would have helped you spot you were being duped.  He’d probably have had the cop killed too, for daring to dupe you, but nobody’s perfect.

Harvey’s weekly dose of hilarious - “I’ll say it in Spanish: no.”

I know very many female scientists, show.  When you spend most of your day on your feet in a lab, performing autopsies - you tend not to wear stilettos.  Equally, just about all are pretty proud of their lab coats, and don’t wear modified ones with a plunging neckline.  They also tend to contain their hair so it doesn’t - y’know - contaminate stuff.  Go look at some shots of Dana Scully.  Consider that the X-Files started airing in 1993, and you are pulling this bullshit over 20 years later. 

People praised Ed!  And gave him stuff to do!

Oswald, my precious conniving darling.  You’re still my favourite.  And strangely hot when you’re scheming and plotting revenge. You go right ahead and wreak havoc.  I am also glad to see you now take Gabe on your errands with you.

Fish is always entertaining.  I do wish that it was Jeffrey Combs as the Dollmaker, though.

Bruce and Selina much better this week.  Selina did what Bruce couldn’t - tipping Payne out the window.  It had to be done.

No Babs :(

The Ogre seems rampantly dislikeable and very unpleasant.  I jumped when he slammed his fist down on the table.  The fact that ‘he could go after Lee!’ did not even raise a ‘meh’ from me is another sign that she is not a well-written character.

Did Jim just threaten the commissioner in a precinct full of corrupt cops eager to curry favour with the commissioner?

Another strong episode.

I didn’t hate the Selina and Bruce stuff this week - possibly because her reaction to his situation felt authentic.

No Babs :(

Miriam was unexpectedly sad when we encounter her in the attic - not just frightening or ‘odd’.  So when she comes downstairs and is suddenly played for comic relief, it created the same kind of mood whiplash as Alfred being bitchy about Ivy.

Nice to see Jim and Harvey’s partnership put to the test. 

Inconsistency - thy name is Jim.  Holding Loeb’s daughter over his head is politic - but it’s the action of an extreme pragmatist (like Oswald) - and I’m not sure whether Jim has really got the stomach for it.  Loeb’s one redeeming feature is his love for his daughter, and Jim has weaponised it. 

Asking to be made union president over Flass smacked a little of petty revenge to me.  Also - if Jim is deciding to be politically clever, it’s better to keep Flass there as a puppet - in the knowledge that he can pull the rug from under his feet at any time.  As it is, he’s in a very exposed position, and everyone assumes he’s in Loeb’s pocket.

The fact that Jim knows Loeb is Falcone’s lapdog, and that Falcone has probably rubber stamped everything he ever did just makes his finale decision even more of a massive wtf! moment.

Quite a bit of Oswald in this episode.  He’s so happy to see Jim, and hilariously barely tolerates Harvey.  You can see his mind just electing to ignore him.  He’d also very charming at a number of points, and you can see just how he wheedles his way into the favour of his bosses.

Jim shows quite a bit of trust giving Oswald that shotgun.  They all think there’s a stash of very incriminating evidence against a lot of people in that house.  Jim blithely hands a shotgun to a man who said earlier that he loved information, in a house allegedly chock-full of information.  

I’ve said before - conniving and ruthless Oswald is startlingly hot (for me, anyway)  He knows that Jim will not have the stomach to tie up those loose ends, and takes matters into his own hands with the custodians.

Substantially better than the previous episode.

The central plot was a little odd - but it meant Jim and Harvey could go about their normal business.  They get on better now - although they still disagree noticeable on important stuff: calling the ambulance, not relying on one witness.  Jim’s relaxed a little - but he’s not dropped his standards.  Thank god - no Lee.

Barbara continues to walk a difficult road.  Whatever psychological mire she’s in just now goes deeper than her relationship problems with Jim.  I continue to enjoy her interaction with the girls.  Selina’s uncertain reaction when Barbara took a swig from her glass reminded you that she is still a child, and children are unsettled and feel unsafe when adults act out.

Oswald’s club continues to languish.  His lack of experience in the club business, and Butch calling him ‘son’ and ‘Oswald’ all conspired to make him seem boyish and out of his depth.  This was reinforced in his final scene, where he says he misses Fish, and is confused by Butch’s response to this.  Uncertain, vulnerable Oswald with his freckles is sweet.

Bruce’s plot was tolerable because of the interaction between Alfred and Reggie

Jeffrey Combs!

I’m not sure that you can really sustain the level of fear they depicted in this episode over the long-term.  I’m also not sure that injecting adrenaline/cortisol in this way would make you feel fear, per se.  I suspect I’m not supposed to think about this one too much.

Harvey suggesting that they go to Oswald for help made not a blind bit of sense.  He was able to be helpful with Flass because of his links with Maroni and others.  Why would he know anything about this case?

Jim and Lee just don’t work, for me, anyway.  She’s basically been written as perfect for him - but there’s no spark.  It is dire. 

Plus, Harvey was right - suggesting she apply for the job was a stupid idea.  Lee’s insistence on kissing and hand-holding at work is also stupid.  Also - I can buy that the lack of professionalism in kissing at work would bother Jim, but have the writers forgotten that lots of cops at the precinct wanted Jim and Harvey dead just last week over Flass? That’s a pretty good reason right there for Jim to want to be discreet at work.  

Oh Oswald.  Another rollercoaster week for you.  The club is yours, but Maroni still wants your head. But on the bright side, no one hit you this week.

Oswald is a smitten kitten when it comes to Jim Gordon, even hand-delivering his invite and gazing at him all starry eyed.  I liked the trepidation in Jim’s eyes when he realised that Oswald may have an odd liking for him, but he’s got the capacity for volatility and scariness.  Also - more intense eye contact and flat-out ignoring personal space.  Carry on.

Bruce was more bearable this week.  Maybe it’s Selina who bothers me more?

No Victor and no Babs.  I am sad

Is it me, or is the lack of any writing for Jim and Babs’ break-up almost hilariously evident?  Come on, now!  They were engaged!  I don’t think Jim is the kind of guy who makes that decision lightly, so there’d be more fall-out.  I also think he’d be worried about Lee being a rebound thing. I don’t really understand why they’ve not taken a bit of time to do this.  It wouldn’t take much, and not doing it makes Jim seem weirdly ooc. 

I can see how Jim and Lee are plausible - but there’s a chemistry vacuum.  Also, she’s sadly dull in comparison with Babs’ general fucked-up-edness.

Oswald remains a magnificent schemer with nerves of steel. His presence of mind when reading the number from the sign was a thing of beauty.  I love him inordinately.  Could everyone please stop hitting him?

Selina and Bruce mercifully brief.

Harvey is awesome as ever. 

Ed remains bizarre but lovable. 

I know Jim has a personal code and all, but honestly - how exactly did he think the information could be extracted from Delaware?  I mean - come on.  He’s not going to respond to persuasion - he’s up to his neck in corruption.  You can’t have it both ways, Jim.  Besides - no-one’s dead or seriously injured, so your conditions were kept.  He’s being very disingenuous here.

The pier, where GCPD have charged emotional moments with their informants/romantic interests.

No Babs?

Oh Oswald.  You go from dizzying heights down to the depths in the space of about ten minutes.  You do seem to enjoy yourself though.  In future, however, please keep burly minders about at all times.

Jim and Oswald’s conversation in the club.  Oswald clearly wants to be friends.  Jim knows he’s playing on that, hence the uncomfortable squirming.  Oswald is even more socially clueless than Ed when it comes to friendship  - which is saying something.  No friends at all in his past, I’d say.

Ed fangirling Jim during the stand-off in the precinct was great.

Mrs K is tiring.

The entertaining Mr Zsasz and his coterie.  More of this.

And Don Falcone shows how he got to be Don.  Utter ruthlessness. 

Jim and Oswald are as reckless and audacious as each other.  Jim insults the mayor and police commissioner, and basically dares them to destroy him.  Oswald is playing everyone in sight with his own neck on the line.  You’re so well-suited, boys.

Speaking of Oswald, all battered and bruised again.  This is why there are so many hurt/comforts over on Ao3.  

Harvey’s disbelief at Jim is hilarious: ‘you thought you were being careful before?’

Ed has an eye for pretty girls.

Bit of a coward, Miss Kringle.  You obviously rather liked the riddle once it was explained, but then held your tongue and let that other guy call the shots. 

Poor Barbara.  Those parents are positively glacial in their coldness.  You’re much more interesting now.  Come back to Gotham. Anyone else?

Conversely, Lee is a bit dull?  I know she’s a doctor, and that she likes Jim - but that’s pretty much it.  Also - and this is always ymmv - but there is no chemistry there.

Clay Davis!!!!!!   What an incredible voice that man has.

Am I an awful person if the lack of Bruce was a good thing?

I am less bored by Barbara now that her personality has basically been defined as ‘walking disaster’.  You go, crazy blonde lady.

I like how Jim’s core values: compassion, decency, do your job - are just translated straight to his job at Arkham.

Harvey is great.  I grin whenever he’s on-screen. 

Oh Oswald.  Your vaulting ambition tripped you up again.  You’re much too pretty to get punched in the face as often as you do.

Captain Essen has good whisky in her office and appreciates Jim in a uniform.  A woman to lead us all.

PSML at Montoya’s ‘buyer’s remorse’ face when she got back to find Barbara still passed out and probably reeking of booze and bad decisions.