How faithful is Gotham to Batman mythology?

Gotham is hardly an exact replica of the Batman mythos most viewers are familiar with. But that doesn’t mean they’re getting it wrong all the time either. And to be fair, Batman comprises a huge world filled with intricate characters and their winding histories. Even Gotham City is like an unofficial character, with a voice and a heartbeat that thrives on crime, corruption, and dark secrets tucked away in smoky alleys.

There’s a distinct identity here and an even more distinct mood and atmosphere that viewers are expecting to capture that Batman essence. But this is a lofty chore, and Batman purists will probably find themselves at odds with the final product no matter what.

And Gotham is hardly expected to follow the Batman comics or other works as if they’re one-direction maps; they just need to give the audience what it wants, but not necessarily what it expects. However, some of the series’ choices have left viewers a little confused, especially with how far they stray from the source material because they’re not sure why they need to.

Adding new characters to the Batman world (if done properly) could be a good idea. Yes, there are already plenty; but if this new character has a well-developed persona, story, and even manages to enhance other characters, then it should be attempted. Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith) is a new character to the Batman world. Initially, she seems like an exciting addition to the series. She’s tough, rebellious, and has significant power in Gotham’s organized crime, not to mention she’s doing all this in high heels.

But her character is a bit ill conceived; her presence facilitates Oswald Cobblepot’s (Robin Lord Taylor) rise in the crime world, and that’s about it. She tries to overthrow Falcone (John Doman), gets undermined by Cobblepot, flees Gotham, meets and escapes Dollmaker (Colm Feore), returns to Gotham to reassert herself as queen, and falls from a rooftop to her death. It seems strange to do all this character inventing just to erase her in the end.

But in this case, it’s probably for the best.

There’s a bit of a complication in having Fish Mooney kill mobster Sal Maroni (David Zayas). As most Batman fans know, “Don Maroni is supposed to be the guy who scars Harvey Dent (Nicholas D’Agosto) and creates Two-Face” (Mike Cecchini, DenofGeek.us). Since this is obviously not going to be the case on Gotham, one can only wonder what the show has in mind for Harvey Dent’s transformation.

Clearly they’re not 100% concerned with doing things by the Batman book, but this doesn’t necessarily spell disaster. This gives Gotham a chance to make things even more interesting, to bring even more to the table and make the series more of an original creation that’s not completely reliant upon a beloved mythos. But if they don’t deliver with their new material and ideas, it’s only going to make viewers question why they deviated from such solid source material in the first place.

Typically when the Joker is portrayed (Cameron Monaghan) in DC comics or the Batman franchise, he’s shrouded in mystery. There is little to nothing available on his past, upbringing, or family life. However, when viewers are introduced to Gotham’s take on the character, they’re presented with the young boy Jerome, whose mother is a snake dancer with Haly’s Circus, also giving him a connection to the Grayson family.

It also turns out that Jerome murdered his mother, already hinting at his severe and dangerous mental instability. This certainly gives the Joker a more detailed and colorful past, but it also tarnishes his enigmatic eeriness; knowing less about such a famous, sinister villain enhances his unpredictability and the fear he brings to Gotham City.

One detail that’s also typically accepted about the Joker is his membership and affiliation with the Red Hood Gang. Gotham does deliver an episode on said gang (“Red Hood,” which is the episode following the Joker’s intro, “The Blind Fortune Teller”), but it’s hard to imagine how this can be applied to the Joker at this point, especially considering the timeline the series has adopted.

The Joker was the Red Hood at one point, which actually led him to becoming the Joker: He and the Red Hood Gang were robbing a chemical plant, when Batman cornered him, leaving him with nowhere to run. Desperate to flee, he dropped into a vat of chemicals and was able to swim away, but at the expense of permanent disfigurement. His hair turned green, his skin became pale, and his lips were permanently tinged red.

This event proved to be a tipping point for the Joker, making him even more insane. It’s doubtful Gotham is going to follow through with this comic reference, but that does create worry in how they’re going to handle a new path for the Joker when his original path is so cemented in our minds.

The changes the series has adopted thus far aren’t necessarily deal breakers, but the more senseless the changes appear to be, the more the audience is going to worry. There needs to be some familiarity and strong connection to Batman mythology, otherwise there’s really no point in Gotham exploring this world.

Reinterpretation of Batman lore is to be expected, but when viewers can no longer recognize the heroes, the villains, the city, and the message, then it’s time to go back to the beginning. Gotham has a chance to make this special world even more special; let’s hope they do it justice.

Why do Gotham’s female characters seem secondary to the male ones?

Gotham is a series that is hardly short on characters. And the list only continues to grow. But as a result, the show’s female characters seem to suffer, as they’re underdeveloped and neglected. This issue becomes even more glaring when considering how much attention the male characters receive; the difference is almost criminal. Consider how Gotham aims the spotlight on police detectives James Gordon (Ben McKenzie) and Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue), up-and-coming criminal Oswald Cobblepot (Robin Lord Taylor), riddle-loving Edward Nygma (Cory Michael Smith), and gangsters Carmine Falcone (John Doman) and Sal Maroni (David Zayas). Their places in the series will undoubtedly be different come next season, but they’re certainly receiving better treatment than their fellow females. The only female who receives a decent amount of screen time and isn’t suffering any character defamation is young Selina Kyle (Camren Bicondova), but she is only a child and not fully immersed in the larger issues that cling to the heels of Gotham’s adults.

Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith) is a problematic character on Gotham. Problematic because she actually is an important character in the first season, but she is portrayed as a “laughable caricature” (Mike Cecchini, DenofGeek.us). Initially, her presence draws a good deal of interest and potential promise. She’s a strong antagonist, leading the male-dominated world of organized crime in Gotham City. And she almost seizes power from her rival Falcone, but her sneakier rival Cobblepot always one-ups her.

After a while, it seems like her only purpose is to further Cobblepot, showing how he’s able to rise above all his competitors and finally seize power. In an Entertainment Weekly interview, Pinkett Smith even states “[Fish Mooney] was there to service a purpose, as far as helping to tell Penguin’s story. I’m a smart girl. I understood I was there to service Penguin.” But her servicing Cobblepot comes at the expense of her own character and that character’s development. And just killing her off doesn’t exactly help matters either: why bring Fish Mooney into Gotham and give her so much attention if she’s just there to enhance Cobblepot’s story arc and then fall off a rooftop? She’s a tease, falsely promising audiences action that will shake up Gotham’s power dynamic. Sadly, she wasn’t even given a proper chance to rattle a cage.

Barbara Kean (Erin Richards) could easily be the most unpredictable character on Gotham. She starts off as Jim Gordon’s stable fiancée and morphs into a substance abusing hot mess, falling victim to Falcone and the Ogre (Milo Ventimiglia). Many find that her transformation has rendered her “an odious, offensive character. At various points this season she has been: a one-dimensional love interest, a devious/promiscuous bisexual stereotype, a caricature of someone with addiction issues, and finally…a murderer. And not just any murderer. A murderer who then uses her recent trauma to attempt murder of her ex-boyfriend’s current lover” (Mike Cecchini, DenofGeek.us).

These aspects certainly make her character’s decline a fascinating watch, but why must she suffer so many abuses? As Jim Gordon’s initial love interest, why relentlessly drag her character’s potential through such murky water? Perhaps the writers have some redemption in store for Barbara come season two, but here’s hoping she’s treated with a bit more respect and doesn’t end up in Arkham Asylum. Locking up their already poorly represented female characters would hardly be a good direction for Gotham to go in at this point.

Police detective Renee Montoya (Victoria Cartagena) is almost a non-existent character on Gotham, and that’s unfortunate. Like Gordon, she’s on a quest to rid Gotham of its ubiquitous corruption and had a romantic relationship with Barbara. Of the few moments she’s entitled to grace the screen, her character does offer moments of intrigue.

When she and Barbara were together in the past, it appears they were addicts, each contributing to the other’s self-destruction. Once their romance is fleetingly rekindled, Montoya calls it off as she sees Barbara is reverting to old ways and doesn’t want to risk doing the same. Of course these details are only mentioned in passing, and it’s difficult for viewers to determine what they’re supposed to do with this information, if anything at all. A little more attention here could provide some answers regarding Barbara’s erratic behavior and deliver some much needed substance in Montoya’s direction. But Montoya’s disappearing act will actually have to come to an end.

Jim Gordon’s new girlfriend, Dr. Leslie Thompkins (Morena Baccarin), does offer up some potential for Gotham’s female characters. She has some depth and smarts, and is overall on equal footing with Jim in that they share the same workspace. She’s prying through and investigating the same case files and Gotham history that Gordon is, both equally contributing to solving cases and apprehending bad guys. This is a vital aspect to her character, since she can’t simply be viewed as a damsel in distress or mere eye candy; she has to keep Jim on his toes while also remaining an equal part of his world.

If Gotham continues to keep Thompkins up to Jim’s speed, keeps Fish Mooney dead, includes Montoya a bit more, and reigns in Barbara, there could be a chance of keeping these women from falling through Gotham’s cracks. All have the potential to deliver some captivating stories, they just need to be given the opportunity to do it.

Is Gotham unveiling too many villains too soon?

So far, Gotham has introduced us to plenty of Batman villains. This is completely understandable considering how many villains comprise the world of Batman; there’s pressure to not leave out any details from the source material while also giving these varied characters a decent introduction. But it also seems like Gotham may be introducing too many villains at too brisk a pace. According to IGN’s website, show developer Bruno Heller assures “they don’t want to bow to any pressure to overstuff or front-load the series with so many popular villains because they need to make sure they have enough characters and story for future seasons” (Jim Vejvoda, IGN.com).

It’s good that the concern is there, but it may not be enough to prevent Gotham from getting a little too villain-crazed. It’s important to remember that the series already has stable villains that are nearly always present, like Oswald Cobblepot (Robin Lord Taylor) and Edward Nygma (Cory Michael Smith). This makes the selection of new villains and how it’s done all the more difficult, as actual thought and consideration are what need to guide the process, and not simply a fondness for beloved Batman villains.

On the plus side, introducing audiences to their fair share of Batman villains has the potential for some compelling origin stories. It’s always fun and satisfying for fans to see some of their favorite characters in the spotlight, even if it’s a reimagining of the source material. Watching a young Penguin, Riddler, Catwoman (Camren Bicondova), and Poison Ivy (Clare Foley) find their places in a seedy Gotham City provides viewers a unique window into lives that have had multiple interpretations. It’s an opportunity to better understand how and why these characters become their later selves and what corrupted them. If their past stories are told well enough, viewers may even be able to sympathize with these villains’ actions.

And just because these characters are so popular hardly means that all their mannerisms and behaviors need to be constantly spelled out; “leav[ing] the audience a little room for uncertainty” would go a long way. “Would Edward Nygma’s journey toward his OCD master criminal future [have] been diminished if he didn’t speak in a riddle every time he made an appearance? No. If anything it would have been enhanced” (Mike Cecchini, DenofGeek.us).

On the negative side, if Gotham viewers are relentlessly inundated with new villains, then there’s no way these characters are receiving the time and attention they deserve. It’ll be nearly impossible for viewers to build any kind of connection with these characters. The Scarecrow (Charlie Tahan), the Dollmaker (Colm Feore), the Joker (Cameron Monaghan), and the Red Hood Gang, all significant villains with colorful histories, are only given surface details because there’s no time for much else.

And what’s the rush? Would anything be lost if Gotham slowed down and delivered the detailed goods on these villains? It seems like more of a gain in the long run. “Gotham needs to make sure that these characters, the heroes and the villains, earn their place in viewers’ hearts. Relying on clever pop culture shorthand and the fact that [viewers] already know these characters from other movies, TV shows, and comics isn’t enough” (Mike Cecchini, DenofGeek.us).

What’s needed on Gotham is some balance, a balance that can usher in new villains at a pace that will also accommodate their stories. Of course it’s unrealistic to expect to learn almost every detail about these characters, especially when Batman is such a vast and constantly changing world. And there’s nothing wrong with bringing in a new villain each episode, but he/she better be given his/her due, and nothing less. After all, what good is it to invite viewers into the Joker’s life if they’re just going to be forced out the minute they start to learn who he is? Bring on the villains, Gotham, and let them stay a while.

Gotham: Was Barbara Kean telling the truth when she confessed to Dr. Thompkins that she killed her parents?

At Gotham’s start, Barbara Kean (Erin Richards) appears to be a fairly stable character: her relationship with police detective Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie) is solid, along with her career in the art world. However, things quickly change for Barbara once she implores Jim to start bringing his work home, allowing her to help take some of the darker burden off his shoulders.

She hardly realizes the ramifications of this request, and it sends her on a downward spiral. Barbara is a recovering addict, and with the pressures of Jim’s job and the dangers that go along with it, she’s already falling into bad patterns again. As if Barbara’s fragile mental state couldn’t suffer any more, she is kidnapped by brutal serial killer Jason Lennon aka the Ogre (Milo Ventimiglia).

After being rescued by Jim, Dr. Leslie Thompkins (Morena Baccarin), Jim’s new girlfriend, wants to help her work through her trauma. Barbara makes the shocking confession to Dr. Thompkins that she actually murdered her parents, and it wasn’t the Ogre’s doing. But did Barbara really do this? Or is her trauma so overwhelming that she just thinks she did? And if she did murder her parents, did all the psychological trauma drive her to do it, along with the Ogre’s bidding?

In Barbara’s defense, she does endure much distress and danger before finally breaking down and succumbing to it. With Jim giving Barbara half of his work drama, her swank apartment now has an open-door policy for gangsters, Oswald Cobblepot (Robin Lord Taylor), and even young vagrants Selina Kyle (Camren Bicondova) and Ivy Pepper (Clare Foley).

And then there’s Carmine Falcone (John Doman), who holds Barbara hostage when she tries to appeal to him for Jim’s life. Unable to handle the dark side of Jim’s new world, Barbara turns to drugs in order to cope. She also briefly rekindles a past romance with police detective Renee Montoya (Victoria Cartagena), which only sends her into more of a tailspin since Montoya, a previous user, is doing her best to stay clean.

When Barbara is finally able to see that she needs help, she ends up going back home to her parents. There’s a lot of tension here, and viewers aren’t exactly sure why. It’s clear that she hasn’t seen her parents for some time, and there’s probably good reason for that. It could be the typical wealthy parents disapproving of rebellious daughter’s lifestyle and choices, or something a bit more pressing. Either way, with Jim Gordon in her life, she’s always going to have a target on her back, and it looks like she’s running low on escape routes.

When Barbara first meets and is wooed by the Ogre, they oddly seem to connect. In some dark, insidious way, he seems to understand her and even wants her to be “the one.” Part of Barbara is won over by him, that is until his killer charm takes over, and he demands she select someone for him to murder. She picks her parents.

Even though this is being forced upon her, it seems as if the Ogre is allowing Barbara to act out some deeply buried secret fantasy. The Ogre is forcing her hand but also giving her choices. Why does she hate her parents so? Did they do something to her, or is it what they failed to do? Judging by Barbara’s clear hatred of her parents, it’s very possible the Ogre forced her to kill her parents, or he awakened something in her that made her do it willingly. After committing such a foul and brutal crime, it’s understandable that she’d lose it and could explain why she “attempt[s] to make the good doctor her next victim” (Kevin Fitzpatrick, ScreenCrush.com).

So if “Barbara has officially gone cuckoo-pants,” how will Gotham manage “to shoehorn her back” (Kevin Fitzpatrick, ScreenCrush.com) into the series? Well, Barbara’s definitely going to need some psychological help, and preferably not from Dr. Thompkins. Even then, she has a lot to come back from, as it’s not going to be easy to forgive her crimes, even if they were committed under duress. This does at least make her character a lot more interesting than being a mere damsel in distress, waiting around in her fancy loft for Jim to return home safely.

But is she too far gone, too far past redemption at this point?

In Batman lore, Barbara is often married to Jim Gordon for some years, even though they do divorce. With that in mind, she must achieve some stability in order for Jim to commit to her. Then again, Gotham could take Barbara in a completely different and untraveled direction like it’s been doing so far. Some viewers “feel like [there’s] a different Barbara every episode,” and that her “knife-wielding psycho” act does not constitute “legitimate character development” (Vinnie Mancuso, Observer.com). There’s a valid point there, but considering the importance of Barbara’s character to Jim and his story arc, she shouldn’t be abandoned just yet.