Gotham: The Strange Revelation Behind the Wayne Murders

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http://www.twcc.com/articles/2016/04...-wayne-murders

On the latest installment of Gotham, Gordon had an awkward reunion with his psychotic ex and Bruce paid a chilling price to learn the identity of the man who ordered his parents’ death. Get Full TV Listings Here.

Gotham Starring Ben Mckenzie Airs On FOX Mondays At 8 Pm/7c.

Bruce Wayne’s Future

The episode opened with Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie) rejecting the help of a newly freed and allegedly sane Barbara Keane (Erin Richards). At Wayne Manor, Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) discovered that his father was meeting with a woman named Karen Jennings (Julia Taylor Ross) the week of his death. At Arkham Asylum, Prof. Strange (B.D. Wong) tried and failed to revive an inmate with Mr. Freeze’s (Nathan Darrow) tech. Gordon found out that an assassination broker the Lady (Michelle Gomez) sent Matches Malone (Michael Bowen) to kill Waynes. Alfred Pennyworth (Sean Pertwee) and Bruce tracked Karen down and discovered that she had a criminal record and a surgical attached monster claw.

After two seasons, it seems as though Arkham’s producers are working to wrap up the Wayne killings plotline. As it served as Bruce’s primary motivation thus far, it’ll be interesting to see what his character will get up to next season. Logically, he should be beginning his decade-long Batman training quest, but that would necessitate that sending Bruce off on his own, something the show has struggled with in the past. Still, it could be fun watching Bruce using his violent, obsessive and frequently illegal crime-solving techniques to Gotham High School.

The Ballad of Jim and Barbara

Gordon was unable to gain entry to the Lady’s nightclub hideout, but Barbara appeared and agreed to question her on his behalf. Karen told Bruce and Alfred that her surgery happened in a secret part of Blackgate prison called Pinewood Farms. Barbara pretended to betray Gordon to get the Lady to reveal who ordered the Waynes’ murder; someone called the Philosopher. At Pinewood Farms, Bruce, Alfred and Karen were confronted by thugs, followed quickly by the police. Gordon told Barbara even if she had changed; he couldn’t forgive her for nearly killing Dr. Thompkins (Morena Baccarin).

During the show’s first season, Barbara and Gordon’s romance was one of the worse parts of the series. Gordon’s bland good guy persona never fit well with Barbara’s troubled rich girl schtick. However, as Gordon and Barbara have slowly become corrupted by the city and its madness, they’ve both turned into much darker and more complex characters. Improbably enough, there was a profound sadness to Gordon’s rejection of Barbara, especially now that the choices they’ve made and sins they’ve committed have put them in the unique position of actually understanding one another in a way that no one else can.

On Gotham, Style is Substance

At GCPD, Gordon freed Alfred and Bruce, but Karen was sent to Blackgate. At Arkham, Prof. Strange elected to send Mr. Freeze to kill his wayward experiment. Before he could, Bruce, Alfred and Gordon interrupted Karen’s transport and learned that the Philosopher was the nickname of Pinewood’s manager right before Freeze murdered her. A despondent Barbara reunited with Tabitha Galavan (Jessica Lucas). At Wayne Manor, Lucious Fox (Chris Challk) brought Bruce evidence that Prof. Strange was the Philosopher. At Arkham, Prof. Strange discovered that his resurrection experiments finally paid off: Theo Galavan (James Frain) was once again among the living.

On another series, the revelation that Prof. Strange has secretly been behind the rise of superpowered freaks would seem ridiculous. On Gotham, it makes sense. The city is a crazy place where the rich kids play vigilante instead of partying, and its most respected police officer has killed multiple suspects to settle his mob debts. Of course a cartoon mad scientist hired a night club owner/assassination broker to have someone kill his boss to hide the fact that he was making his super-villain army. What would be ludicrous, cliché plot turns on another show are just part of the vibrant and garish tapestry that is Gotham.