Batwoman (2×02) Prior Criminal History Review

For our review of the last episode of Batwoman, click here.

Synopsis: After her quick spin in the Batgear, Ryan Wilder is back to facing the daily challenges of life as herself; Alice has a new, devious plan to get the attention of both Gotham and Safiyah; Ryan comes face-to-face with Alice for the first time. (TVGuide)

It’s easy to be a bit on the fence about Batwoman given the unexpected changes it went through due to Ruby Rose’s exit. But with the second episode of the season out of the way, it’s safe to say that Javicia Leslie just might up be for the Batwoman challenge.

This week’s episode focuses on Gotham trying to come to terms with no Batwoman. Their female caped crusader is gone, but no one is quite ready to accept it. On that note, Kate’s disappearance is hopefully something the series won’t be hung up on for too long. If they don’t veer away from it eventually, it will lose its value.

Ryan, Mary, and Luke spend most of this episode dealing with Alice’s shenanigans which include but are not limited to unleashing bats onto Gotham City, using a sonic frequency device. It’s quite a gruesome and freaky sight watching the bats wreak havoc on the Gotham City residents, and the only person that can really do anything is Ryan. Luke isn’t exactly on board for Ryan “taking over” Kate’s duties, but something has to be done.

Prior to the bats going crazy, Ryan puts on the Batwoman suit to appease the growing crowds demanding Batwoman to show up. It takes some time to convince Luke, who is still holding out hope for Kate’s return. But luckily, Ryan’s ability to don the suit surpasses just that. She’s a beast when it comes to saving Gotham City from the rabid bats, although she’s bloodthirsty for revenge against Alice.

In fact, she’s willing to go as far as to commit murder, which is certainly not something Batwoman would have ever done. This whole transition is going to take its time, and I think it’ll take a bit for Ryan to get the hang of how things actually work around here.

At the heart of all the issues, as always, is Alice. After Kate’s disappearance, it’s hard to say exactly what her intentions and motives are. But I will say that I loved seeing Skarsten get more one-on-one scenes with individual characters this week. It’s something we don’t get enough of, and I hope as the story develops, we’ll continue to see that.

All in all, this week’s episode was fairly solid as Ryan continues pushing her way into becoming Gotham City’s new Batwoman, despite others’ reluctance. There is sure to be a lot to unpack in the coming weeks, and I’m ready to see where this journey is going to take us.

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Ariba Bhuvad