Martin Carr reviews the tenth episode of Gotham season 2…
Smirking through security glass Galavan eyed Gordon with confidence. Outside Gotham had an overcast, rain slicked heavy duty feeling. All pouring rain, slate grey sky and overbearing crane shots of pallbearers with grim expressions. Stepping up to the plate comes McKenzie. All steely eyed determination, grim realisation and armed to the teeth attitude. This is how ‘The Son of Gotham’ throws down. Barnes is back with walking cane and orders to bark. Officer Parks is in the ground and this fact hangs over Gordon’s GCPD like a cumulonimbus at bursting point.
To cherry pick everything from this episode would take more than one review. With mad monks sacrificing criminals in a warm up for cleansing Gotham of sin. We get throats cut, cassocks aplenty and the feeling that people are closing in. Bruce and Silver feature heavily in an episode which fakes one way before dragging you another. No more the romantic platitudes of a Season One Wayne. Here we have an underhanded, power flexing, calm under pressure teen with points to prove. While Selena Kyle makes a welcome return as tables are turned, masks are metaphorically removed and things get interesting.
Galavan meanwhile fulfils the prophecy and makes his mark on Gotham in a less than unexpected way. An added bonus comes in the form of Tabitha and Alfred squaring off one on one. Another blinding scene amongst many which keeps up the momentum, whilst teasing out those precious character traits. Which includes an odd couple relationship quietly building between Nygma and Penguin.
With deft comic touches Michael Smith and Lord Taylor play off each other in cut scenes which achieve much with very little. With the prior knowledge of this week’s final few minutes it would be fair to say their bond will only grow in strength. With a prepossession borne of confidence, it is clear Gotham is setting up one hell of a cliff hanger. Gordon beaten half senseless and still taking punishment as credits roll. And the only saviour worth mentioning badly wounded and miles from medical attention.
Our heroes it seems are dwindling in number. Those villains of the tagline are not only rising but torching their competition. Whether in a sharp suit, leather cosset or medieval cassock they are coming. As seasons end fast approaches it would take a minor miracle for Gordon, Penguin or anyone else to come out on top. Maybe producers are going to pull an Empire Strikes Back and serve up an all too rare downbeat ending. Not only would that be genius, it may prove someone in that network has grown some balls. Wouldn’t that be a sight to see; by which I mean this finale not an executive’s sack.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=ROisAvdW5SY
Originally published November 28, 2015. Updated November 29, 2022.
