Gotham Season 4 Episode 21: A Dark Knight: One Bad Day Review

If you would like to read my review of the last episode, click here.

Synopsis: As Gotham falls into complete anarchy, a team of unlikely heroes step up to save it. Bullock takes the lead at the GCPD and Bruce’s psychological limits are tested as those close to him are put in danger. (IMDB)

Writer: Tze Chun

Director: Rob Bailey

Rating: TV-14

Running Time: 42mins

Airs: Thursdays at 8pm on CTV (Canada)/Fox (United States)

This was arguably one of the best episodes of the series.

The episode started with the GCPD in ruins and Bullock trying to hold everything together. Gordon is missing and presumed dead (although he obviously didn’t die) but Bullock wasn’t going to give up home. The GCPD was skeptical of Bullock after the last time he was in charge. Jeremiah showed up and threatened to blow up bombs that he had placed throughout the city unless they evacuated Gotham in 6 hours. He even blew up a clock tower to prove that he meant business. Meanwhile, Penguin wanted Barbara and Tabitha’s help to take on Jeremiah. He got them by appealing to Tabitha’s relationship with Butch.

Gordon was obviously not dead seeing that he woke up under Lee’s care. The Riddler had saved him and brought him back to her. He wanted to help, however, he couldn’t in his condition. Gordon gave Lee plans that may help. The Riddler was baffled as to why Lee would want to help Gordon. He wanted to use Gordon as leverage but Lee believed that the plans may serve them better. The Riddler eventually gave in.

Lucius found evidence that the bombs were connected to a core relay that they would have to find in order to stop all the bombs. Penguin and his new gang surprised Jeremiah with the core relay and their own set of demands. They wanted money in exchange for the relay. Jeremiah pretended to abide to their demands but instead turned his henchmen on them and decided to detonate the bombs immediately.

The Riddler and Gordon aired their grievances while working together to figure out Jeremiah’s plan. He wanted to blow up specific buildings in order to turn Gotham into a maze. The Riddler and Lee wanted Gordon captive but he got away. Once Penguin and his gang took care of Jeremiah’s henchmen, they called Bullock to tell him about Jeremiah’s new plan. Now they only had to disarm one bomb in the sequence to stop them all. As soon as that happened, Gordon showed up at the GCPD with everything he learned.

Needing to prove himself to the others, Bullock went after the first bomb on his own while Lucius guided him through it. When he approached the bomb, it appeared to activate and it was of course different from the blueprints they had. Meanwhile, Gordon made a public appearance on the news to show that he was alive and to splinter the relationship between Jeremiah and his followers. It was worsened further when Bullock managed to destroy the right breaker and disarm all the bombs. As his followers dissent grew, Jeremiah locked them in a room and burned them alive.

Bruce offered to help, as he always does, but Bullock wanted him to go home as that was what Gordon would have wanted. As he was going home, he got a call from Alfred who was really Jeremiah. He threatened to kill Alfred if he didn’t go to an address that he gave him. Bruce took Selina with him to what seemed like an abandoned warehouse. Inside, Bruce watched a video of a restrained Alfred getting beat up. He further preyed on Bruce with more videos of Alfred being tortured. Jeremiah also had scarecrow spray Alfred with a special fear gas.

While Selina was lurking within the warehouse, Scarecrow caught up to her. Gas was being pumped into the halls while Bruce watched Alfred be tortured. He eventually found Alfred but he was under the full effects of the gas and began to fight Bruce until Alfred got shot in the head and Selina turned off the gas. Luckily, the gas led Bruce to believe that it was Alfred when it really wasn’t.

After the earlier incident, Butch broke up with Penguin but Penguin claimed to have just gotten word of Hugo Strange’s location. While Jeremiah was plotting his next course of action, he was approached by Ra’s al Ghul. Gordon went back to Lee to thank her and urged her to leave Gotham. He still cared about her. The Riddler was watching from the distance. Bullock got a hero’s welcome when he returned to the GCPD. Bruce and Selina went there until Jeremiah had to interrupt things by shooting Selina.

Overall, this was arguably one of best episodes of the series, also serving as one the best utilizations of all the characters in an episode. All the subplots worked despite the introduction of yet another love triangle with Gordon, Lee, and The Riddler. It was satisfying to see Bullock get redeemed and Bruce and Selina get closer, however, the most interesting combination was Jeremiah and Ra’s al Ghul. The only thing was that it would have been nice to see Bruce go crazy but he was already douchey. Either way, there are still bombs out there. With one episode left, it will be exciting to see how it all ends.

Score: 9/10

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Keith Noakes

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.