This review contains spoilers.
In this episode, Barbara distracts Gordon so that Galavan can trick Bruce.
Galavan decides that he needs Bruce to sign over his family’s business so he tells Barbara to kill Jim Gordon. In return for the company, Galavan tells Bruce that he will give him the name of the person who killed Bruce’s parents. Barbara traps Gordon and Lee in a church so that Gordon and Barbara can get married or something. Thankfully, Bullock saves the day and Barbara falls from a far height. She doesn’t die but at least she’s out of the picture for awhile. During the “marriage,” Gordon learns that the Mayor is still alive and rescues him. With the Mayor’s confession, Gordon is able to arrest Galavan.
Positives
Bruce is believably torn in this episode. On one hand is his father’s company but the other is the identity of the person who killed his parents. This is a natural conflict especially for someone this young. I love that Bruce makes the decision to not sell his company before Gordon breaks in and arrests Galavan. It takes him too long but at least he doesn’t sell the company and it is his choice and not Gordon’s actions.
It’s also great that Galavan is in jail. That is fantastic; I have to give props to the writers for already resolving the conflict with Galavan. I don’t believe that this story is completely over but at least Galavan’s main plot is done because it wasn’t interesting and only worked because every character was acting like a moron.
Negatives
An entire episode centered around Barbara is a terrible idea. At least the actress is having fun and she is more enjoyable than she was last season but this is the worst character. She’s not sympathetic and she’s not interesting. They’re trying to do something with her and Gordon but it just falls flat. The dynamic doesn’t play. If the romance between them had been more effectively executed in season one, this would be a tragic story. I would feel for Gordon but I don’t because I never felt anything between them last season. I don’t know why Gordon is so attached to her.
Again, Nygma has nothing to do with anything. The performance is still fantastic and the best Riddler that we’ve seen on screen simply in terms of acting but there is no story for him. The show just randomly cuts to him every now and then just to establish that he exists.
Verdict
This is the worst episode of this show simply because it is the most dull. Even at it’s worst, Gotham is so nuts that it’s hilarious. However, this episode coasts on the performance of one of it’s weaker cast members and it’s worst character. The episode isn’t fun to watch. It’s loud and obnoxious without anything to back it up.
