For our review of the last episode of Gotham, click here.
Synopsis: Jim Gordon and Bruce Wayne face the chaos Gotham City has become, as villains who survived the attack on the city begin to resurface and claim various territories; Selina Kyle grapples with how to deal with her uncertain future. (IMDB)
Writer: Jon Stephens
Director: Danny Cannon
Rating: TV-14
Running Time: 42mins
Airs: Thursdays at 8pm on CTV Two (Canada)/Fox (United States)
I was too busy to write a review of last season but last season started off with the same kind of mediocrity we’ve come to expect from Gotham before unbelievably finishing strong. Finally, the series if coming to an end with this shortened final season. Will it give all of its characters their due, I doubt it. The Dark Knight is coming but will it all be worth it? Probably not.
It’s day 391 and Gotham has gotten ever crazier since we saw it last. Everyone has settled into their new lives with Gordon still leading the charge though with a few unlikely allies at his side. He, Bullock, Ed, Penguin, and the rest of the GCPD are defending against an unknown army.
Going back to day 87, Gordon set the scene with someone from the government over the radio. They have pretty much given up on Gotham. Gotham had been declared off-limits and now different criminals have taken over different parts of the city while Jeremiah has gone missing. Meanwhile, the GCPD has their own part of the city where they protect the less fortunate. Selina is still suffering from her gunshot wound. They need to operate even though the conditions are less than ideal. The GCPD were faced with unrest over food shortages. The Riddler is still facing an identity crisis, believing Ed was controlling him while he was sleeping.
The GCPD weren’t the only ones faced with food shortages as Penguin had to trade with Barbara and the Sirens (for which he sent an emissary of course). However, the past was hard to forget as far as Penguin was concerned. The GCPD would have more to deal with once Scarecrow and his men infiltrated GCPD territory. The power went out which also affected Selina’s surgery. Scarecrow’s minions made it out with more supplies despite Bruce’s attempt to stop them. Instead, he planned to circumvent the government’s orders and have supplies helicoptered in.
Selina’s surgery was a success but she may never walk again. She’d rather be dead. She would need someone called The Witch to help her. Penguin and his dog are clearly not suffering but his workers clearly are and its affecting his ammunition output. Everyone was shocked to see Bruce’s helicopter but it of course got shot down. Several factions went to try and claim the supplies. Penguin stabbed Tabitha after she tried to kill him with one of his faulty bullets, setting up another Barbara revenge arc. Barbara started a shootout where Penguin would end up getting the upper hand until Bruce got the GCPD more ammo so they could ultimately win out (but Gordon still shot Penguin).
One of Jeremiah’s minions snuck into the GCPD and left a taunt while he received a message telling him that they had allies on the other side of the river. Meanwhile, Penguin offered up a reward of 100,000 rounds of ammunition to whoever can kill Gordon. Selina tried to kill herself.
A kid arrived from the other side of town to warn them about his family being killed off so of course Gordon had to make another inspiring speech to rally the GCPD to go.
Overall, though it started with a whimper, Year Zero was decent set-up episode that helped to establish the stakes for the season. It had quite a lot going on so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that nothing ultimately happened. Yes, Tabitha dying is something but this was merely a plot device. This new situation probably won’t last all that long since a shortened season will mean having the story move at a pace unlike past seasons. It offered few clues as to where this season will go so hopefully it will not underwhelm like every other season has done for the most part. After so long, I still owe it to myself to see it through.
Score: 7/10
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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.
