Gotham: First Thoughts

The premiere of Fox's newest series, Gotham, just ended and I must say that I'm having mixed feelings about the series. It's always difficult to re-imagine a universe with such well-known characters and beloved history like Batman's. I think, for the most the series handled things rather well, though there are a few elements that I think could use a bit of work.

It's nice to see a "Batman" prequel that doesn't focus solely on Bruce Wayne's rise to become the Dark Knight. When I saw the animated movie Batman: Year One, the story that interested me the most wasn't Bruce's but rather Jim Gordon's plot line. I'm hoping with Gotham, we see something similar. One of the things that makes Batman such an interesting character is his rich supporting cast. And something I've always found interesting in the comics was a spotlight issue that featured those characters and their lives in Gotham City. So now we have an entire series that will feature these characters center stage. And as interesting as some of them are shaping-up, I can't help but feel that they'll be overshadowed by the anticipation of the Batman-yet-to-be.

The star of the pilot episode for me was Fish Mooney, portrayed by Jada Pinkett-Smith. While the sexy, female crime boss may not be new, Jada's character is not afraid to dirty her manicured nails like most. Cory Micheal Smith, while only on the screen for a brief moment, also peeked my interest as police forensics expert Edward Nygma - better known as the Riddler. His geeky, quirky personality is exactly what I'd expect from this future foe - not to mention the death-stare he gives Gordon after solving his riddle.

For me, the worst character was the Wayne's loyal butler, Alfred Pennyworth, played by Sean Pertwee. Alfred is a a staple in the Bat-franchise, but Pertwee's portrayal of him was cold and almost unfeeling. When arriving to retrieve a distraught Bruce from the murder scene, he shows little compassion. A brief hug followed by orders not to cry is our first impression of the character. Later scenes show him just as robotic and uncaring, something that hopefully improves later in the series. After all, Alfred is the heart that keeps Bruce grounded in reality.

My final thoughts on Gotham? An interesting series that I'll be keeping a watchful eye on for a few more episodes. To quote my brother, "it seems like they crammed as many characters into the pilot as possible." Is that a bad thing? Maybe, especially when an original character like Fish Mooney outshines them. If it were me, I would have focused on building up a history around a new cast of characters and slowly teased in recognizable names as the series progressed. Of course what's in store for the series may be a riddle even Nygma can't solve.