Penguin

TV Recap: Gotham

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I believe I missed reviewing last week’s episode of Gotham, so I’m back! This week’s episode titled “Pena Dura” picked up right where last week left off. We learned that Ed remembered firing off the RPG that destroyed Haven and killed hundreds of Gothamites. Although, with the memory problems he’s been having recently, he decides he did not do it unprovoked, so he heads off to find out why.

While trying to figure out who destroyed Haven, Jim and Harvey run into some trouble but are saved by some military folk sent in by Walker (who Jim spoke with over radio last week), including Jim’s old army buddy, Eduardo. Ed is pursued by the two, but escapes only to be captured by some serious hillbillies hellbent on avenging their pooch who got fried in the bombing (not kidding). It was during this torture that Ed remembers Oswald/Penguin saying he was going to “fix” Ed.

After escaping the hillbillies, he makes his way over to city hall to have a stand-off with Penguin only to learn that Oswald was trying to SAVE Edward after being stabbed. Ed learns that he paid Dr. Strange (all hail BD Wong!) to fix him back up. Through a heated exchange we basically get their version of saying they love each other (Nygmobblepot for life), but then the cops show up as Ed escapes again.

Ed makes his way to Barbara’s club to get answers to where Strange is at, and end up forming a very loose alliance. After confronting Dr. Strange, Ed gets a paralytic sprayed in his face because Dr. Strange needs to fix the chip that was implanted in his brain. We learn that he’s being controlled, although not by Strange. At the end of the procedure, Jim and Eduardo bust in and we learn that EDUARDO is controlling Nygma! He tells Jim he needs to put a bullet in his head in order to prove his loyalty. Jim obviously can’t do that, escapes, so Eduardo orders Ed to go after Jim and kill him.

In the midst of all of that action, we see Bruce still struggling with the fact that Selina murdered Jeremiah and feels no remorse. In confronting her at the club, Selina hits Bruce with a harsh truth: she saw his parents get murdered and did nothing about it because she didn’t care. She’s not a hero like Bruce wants her to be. That’s got to be a tough pill to swallow.

All that celebrating is for not though, since at the end of the episode we see Ecco wake a SLEEPING Jeremiah. He is led out of his “tomb” to see the work of a surgeon who has apparently made Thomas and Martha Wayne replicas. Can’t wait to see Bruce freak out about that. Two weeks from now we should be getting some more answers, but in the meantime we must wait. Boo!

Gotham Season 5 Premiere, “Year Zero”

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This past Thursday marks the final season premiere of FOX’s Gotham with the episode “Year Zero.” Having not fully watched the show in the past, but having a pretty strong understanding of its premise, this episode was a little tame, but packed with all of your favorites. I have to hand it to them with that opening scene though! Gordon, Bullock, the Riddler, and the Penguin all teaming up to shoot down an unknown enemy?! I suppose twelve episodes later we will see??

After that flash-forward we see the immediate aftermath of Jerome’s blowing up of all of Gotham’s bridges which has essentially made Gotham the most undesirable island ever. There are five “factions” ruling different parts of the city, all are running low on grub. That’s where rich kid Bruce Wayne steps up to get a helicopter with food over for all of the people currently being protected by the GCPD. Of course that was foiled when someone shot it down. Bane? Jerome? That remains to be seen. Then there was a food battle between the Penguin and his crew, GCPD, and then suddenly Tabitha shows up to exact her revenge for Penguin killing Butch in the season 4 finale. All that rage only for Tabitha meet her maker at the hands of Penguin. Barbara plotting revenge all season? Probably.

There wasn’t nearly enough Ed Nygma/Riddler in my opinion, but I imagine his story line will get better. In his Riddler state, Ed is controlling where he is going when he sleeps (which I assume is to Penguin). Meanwhile, Selina, having been paralyzed at the end of last season, has a semi-successful surgery but still can’t walk. That’s enough for her to want to kill herself, but some hospital staff and Bruce get to her in time. A seriously creepy looking nurse keeps hinting at “The Witch” to help Selina, but Bruce is (stupidly) ignoring her. Having not seen Lee Thompkins in the premiere, maybe it’s her? Who knows what Hugo Strange did to her?! And there is also the fact that Jerome did not surface either, but a potential Harley Quinn did, leaving his signature on a map of Gotham for Gordon to find.

I’m excited for what’s to come, but also insanely sad that this show is going to see its end. Given that the original order of ten episodes got bumped to twelve, I’m not holding my breath for any other network or streaming service to pick it up when all is said and done. We can only look forward to what the cast will do next in there careers.