If you would like to read my review of last week’s episode, click here.
Synopsis: Bruce puts the lives of a Gotham Natural History Museum curator and his grandson in danger as he attempts to discover the meaning behind his knife from the auction. (IMDB)
Writer: Ben McKenzie
Director: Kenneth Fink
Rating: TV-14
Running Time: 42mins
Gotham sure likes to do the same episode over and over again but it keeps getting away with it for whatever reason. At least this one was sort of entertaining.
This season has focused a lot on Ra’s al Ghul and this episode was no different. Bruce managed to get his knife in the last episode and this episode started with him trying to find some answers with the help of a curator (Dakin Matthews) and his grandson Alex (Benjamin Stockham). Bruce decided to leave the knife in their case against Alfred’s better judgement and they paid for it once Ra’s al Ghul showed up and killed the curator while Alex escaped with the knife.
Once Gordon and the GCPD investigated the curator’s death, he became connected to Bruce so now he had to share with him what was going on but he was still reluctant. Bruce still felt guilty for the curator and especially Alex. He wanted to be a part of the investigation but Gordon wanted him to go home. To find Alex, Ra’s al Ghul sent his man-dog and his handler after him.
Barbara lost the knife so Gordon visited her. She wouldn’t tell him who her client was but Bruce showed up and confronted her about Ra’s al Ghul. She claimed to not know who he was. Gordon wasn’t happy that Bruce followed him. Bruce told him more about Ra’s al Ghul and how he was involved in everything bad that had happened. Gordon asked Bruce to tag along since he would be a friendly face.
Gordon and Bruce found Alex in a room at the back of a library but he was scared that someone would come after him. He hid the knife. Ra’s al Ghul’s forces came after them in the library. They got away and in doing so, Gordon got separated from the others.
Back at the GCPD. Ra’s al Ghul showed up in disguise and with another identity, looking into their investigation. He tried to get the knife back and told a story about it. He was pressing him until Alfred showed up and punched him. When they went back, Ra’s al Ghul disappeared. Elsewhere, Bruce and Alex had a moment together which was nice to see as Bruce spent some time with a kid his age.
Alex took Bruce to the knife and they were attacked again. Meanwhile, Gordon pressed Alfred about him hiding stuff from him. Luckily Gordon showed up just in time to save them. But when they thought they were safe, Ra’s al Ghul had Alex at knife point and wanting the knife in exchange for Alex’s life. When Bruce refused, Alex was killed and Ra’s al Ghul surrendered himself and was arrested by Gordon. Bruce was later shaken by what had happened and feeling guilty.
Since Ed was thawed out in the last episode, he was set to have his revenge on Penguin. He had his crazy board out and had a plan. The first step was to send some people from the street to beatbox him a riddle that he didn’t get. Zsasz just wanted to torture the information out of them. Penguin went to what he thought was the meeting spot and Ed never showed up. He later got another riddle from the same people but Penguin decided to torture them this time around.
Ed showed up in a trap by Penguin who called him out for not being as smart as he used to be and was delighted. Ed was no longer the man he used to be because he didn’t notice Fries in the background. Ed gave up, claiming that he was no longer the Riddler, so Penguin spared him. The better revenge was letting him live no longer being the man he was.
Sofia was summoned by Penguin and she told him that she was not after him and she just wanted to come back home although Penguin was skeptical of her intentions. Later, a few of her father’s generals came out of hiding to see her but she wanted none of them. Penguin had used her as bait to lure them out and kill them though he spared her.
Now they saved the best for last with Gordon meeting Sofia. She was doing what he wanted but she wasn’t willing to share her plan and of course they made out. Ra’s al Ghul was also being delivered to prison but that will surely not last.
Overall, this was a solid, albeit unoriginal, episode that brings Gordon into the main story with Bruce and Ra’s al Ghul. The episode was exciting to watch despite its predictable nature.
Score: 7.5/10
If you liked this, please read my other reviews here and don’t forget to follow me on Twitter, follow me on Instagram, and also like me on Facebook.
The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.