• Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket

Gotham Season 1 Episode 8 Review – ‘The Mask’

November 13, 2014 by Gary Collinson

Martin Carr reviews the eighth episode of Gotham…

There’s a change in the air. Subconsciously Gotham has come of age. Aside from Jada Pinkett and Corey Michael Smith’s pantomime villainy, there remains little evidence of formulaic police drama. Beneath the surface of this once clichéd animal beats a malevolent heart, carved from granite, etched in stone and poised to pounce. It seems that the once mild mannered cast of actors excluding Mooney and Nygma have literally and metaphorically grown a pair.

By employing the Wayne murders as a catalyst sparking Gotham’s downward trajectory, it would appear that my hypothetical suggestion from last week’s review is happening. Gordon is becoming a real hard ass. Demonstrating an innate ability to crack heads and remain this side of law and order, while harbouring some serious anger issues. McKenzie is shaping a character which reflects the city he has sworn to protect. Self-righteous, single minded and unpredictable; Gordon is gathering momentum and garnering support despite the odds stacked against him. Donal Logue as Bullock has also revealed himself to have a heart. If anything one could say that there has been a distinct role reversal this week. Elsewhere Alfred became both three dimensional and a man of mettle, proving Sean Pertwee capable of delivering more than silent servitude alongside a one note performance.

Without revealing details let’s just say Gordon is not the only one to get medieval. And it is not so much the act itself but Alfred’s complicit response to it that piqued my interest. In my opinion this, more than anything else, lays the groundwork for Batman’s personality, approach and belief system which follows through elsewhere. After all, acts of violence are sometimes necessary if only to establish boundaries whether on playgrounds or elsewhere. What hinders most are peer group opinion and social expectations. Take away those concerns and replace them with a parental figure who not only advocates but actively condones such actions; well then you have a recipe for disaster. It is one thing to justifiably level the playing field and quite another to take it upon yourself to maintain that stance against all comers. In essence this singular act may prove to be the most important moment amongst many, for a programme some claim pays little homage to the Batman legacy. Aside from this epiphany little has changed.

Clever homages to Fight Club, Wall Street or The Boiler Room abound within the storyline, which are used to bring out Gordon’s more aggressive character traits. Whereas Robin Lord Taylor continues carving out a furrow between opposing sides as Penguin, showcasing subtlety and skill against the Fish out of water. ‘The Mask’, aside from being cheap chuck away metaphor for that most tricky of conundrums character development, proved that Gotham has no reason to hide behind past glories. Here is a programme with an audience, tone and right to be taken seriously.

Martin Carr – Follow me on Twitter.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

About Gary Collinson

Gary Collinson is a film, TV and digital content producer and writer, who is the founder of the pop culture website Flickering Myth and producer of the gothic horror feature film 'The Baby in the Basket' and the upcoming suspense thriller 'Death Among the Pines'.

FMTV – Watch Our Latest Video Here

WATCH OUR MOVIE NOW FOR FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

Cannon Films and the Masters of the Universe

10 Essential Vampire Movies To Sink Your Teeth Into

Overhated 2000s Horror Movies That Deserve Another Look

10 Badass Action Movies You Might Have Missed

15 Great Feel-Good Sing-a-Long Movies

The Return of Cameron Diaz: Her Best Movies Worth Revisiting

Horror Video Games We Need As Movies

Forgotten 90s Action Movies That Deserve a Second Chance

7 Cult 90s Teen Movies You May Have Missed

Speed: The Story Behind the Pulse-Pounding Action-Thriller

Top Stories:

Crazy Cult 80s Movies You May Have Missed

Movie Review – Superman (2025)

4K Ultra HD Review – Quatermass 2 (1957)

Movie Review – Sovereign (2025)

“Dexter In Space” – Michael C. Hall talks 20 years of Dexter and where the killer will go next

Movie Review – Abraham’s Boys (2025)

Matilda Lutz is Red Sonja in trailer for long-delayed fantasy reboot

Great Tarantino-esque Movies You Need To See

STREAM FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

FEATURED POSTS:

Great Forgotten Supernatural Horror Movies from the 1980s

Robin of Sherwood: Still the quintessential take on the Robin Hood legend

The Rise and Disappointing Disappearance of Director Richard Kelly

In a Violent Nature and Other Slasher Movies That Subvert the Genre

Our Partners

  • Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

© Flickering Myth Limited. All rights reserved. The reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication of the content without permission is strictly prohibited. Movie titles, images, etc. are registered trademarks / copyright their respective rights holders. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you can read this, you don't need glasses.


 

Flickering MythLogo Header Menu
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket