Gotham | TV Show Review

Gotham is an American TV show created by Bruno Heller and directed by Danny Cannon that is based on the many villains and heroic characters developed and published by DC Comics.  Gotham first premiered in 2014 and had a fourth season renewed in 2017.

Prepare for a TRANSFORMATIVE experience.
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See YOU in #GOTHAM this Thursday. pic.twitter.com/S8e9jZJ8uZ

— Gotham (@Gotham) May 7, 2018

The Gotham story line showcases the many years before the first appearance of Batman. Police Commissioner Jim Gordon (then known as Lieutenant) takes on the role of cleaning up the city of Gotham and fights against corruption, criminals and lunatics as Bruce Wayne prepares for his journey to become Gotham’s most feared vigilante.

As characters are first introduced throughout the series, you begin to assume which villain they best represent. For most of these characters, their fictional DC character resemblance throughout the series is not revealed straight away.

The Gotham series provides the perfect insight into the early life and the origins of each villain, vigilante and heroic character from the DC universe. It is something that has never been visually introduced to DC comic lovers through the use of a TV or movies and helps to educate fans of the missing pieces to the stories that we have never been visually provided with. Here are some of the most exciting character reveals…

1. Bruce Wayne (Batman) 

To every DC Comic fanatic, the name Bruce Wayne brings only one word to mind: Batman. Gotham portrays Bruce Wayne through a different point of view. The rise and early life of Bruce Wayne after the murder of his parents at the very beginning of the series and before he becomes the vigilante of Gotham.

The Batman we all know and love from the comics is showcased via his many heroic motives to take fighting crime into his own hands in the city of Gotham. In the TV series of Gotham, the Bruce Wayne that we meet stays true to its comic book source material, however the focus is primarily on his younger days and the discovery of who killed his parents.

2. Alfred Pennyworth (The Butler)

With any Bruce Wayne, there must be an Alfred Pennyworth. The loved heroic butler is another DC familiar character that you instantly love in the series.

Alfred is Bruce Wayne’s loyal butler that takes on the guardian role after the murder of both his parents. In Gotham, Alfred is much more aggressive and powerful compared to the Alfred we know and love from the DC Comics.

3. James Gordon (Commissioner Gordon)

 James Gordon, known to all as Police Commissioner Jim Gordon and one of Batman’s staunchest supporters, is showcased in his younger days (compared to his comic-book counterpart).

 In the series, we are introduced to James Gordon in his early days working with the Gotham police force. James Gordon who now works as a homicide detective for the GCPD who is assigned to the murder of the Waynes. He proves to have the best intentions of serving and protecting the city of Gotham.

     4.  Ed Nygma (The Riddler)

Unlike the Comics, we don’t get to see Ed as a child in Gotham. In the series, we are first introduced to Ed as a working young man for the GCPD as a forensic scientist. Similar to the persona from the comics, Ed is mocked and somewhat bullied throughout the series and is often found annoying due to his frequent use of riddles.

In Gotham, Ed adheres a split personality and this is showcased a lot more as the season progresses. The representation of The Riddler is a little different to the likes of the DC Comics.

      5. Harvey Dent (Two Face)

Harvey Dent is a less prominent figure in the Gotham series, however he is still an iconic DC character worth noting. In Gotham, Harvey is still solidly on the side of good working as a young Assistant DA working alongside James Gordon on a number of the Wayne Cases.

In comparison to this, the DC Comic character is a vicious criminal who loses his mind and becomes obsessed with chance and duality due to the loss of half of his face and the memory of the coin his father used to flip to see if he had a “chance” of not being beaten.

      6. Jerome Valeska (The Joker)

 The Joker is one villain that no Batman fanatic will ever forget. He is one of the primary characters from the franchise and Batman’s arch-nemesis. In the DC world, the joker adheres a number of origin stories and not even the joker himself, can remember his prior life before he became “The Joker”.

In Gotham, we are not introduced to the joker himself, however the character of Jerome Valeska, a member of a psychotic group of maniacs brought together by Theo Galavan, is initially represented as the figure of “the Joker”. It has been suggested that the show runners intentionally provide multiple joker-style figures throughout the series to resemble the mysterious origins portrayed in the comics.