Gotham, Season 2, Episode 4: Strike Force
We're back to something that incorporates less of Batman's more fantastical villains and something more cops-and-gangsters in this episode. The titular Strike Force of this episode is thanks to the introduction to the (AFAIK) show-original character Nathaniel Barnes, who seems to be the exact opposite of Loeb -- a harsh Knight Templar character who will make sure everyone follows the rules, or damn the consequences. Something that gives Gordon a smile as large as a kid on Christmas Day.
They assemble a strike force of young talented cadets whose names I will never remember, because the other side of the plot, Penguin trying to maintain order over being the King of Gotham and ends up absolutely undermined by the show's favourite villains, the Gallavan assholes, who utterly shits on Penguin and have apparently kidnapped the poor dude's mother. They tell Penguin to assassinate the other mayoral candidates and take a shot at Theo Gallavan and miss. It does lead to a nice callback to Batman: The Animated Series, one of the greatest DC cartoons ever simply because I watched it as a kid, where Gallavan is on a podium and ducks before the fake assassin on a car even opens fire.
We get the return of Victor Zsasz, which is absolutely grand as he just goes about his business all happy-like. Zsasz is an understated gem of Gotham. He's just such fun to have around.
Penguin immediately substitutes for the lack of Protojoker, and reminds us once more why he is the King of Gotham... the show, if not the city, delivering a stark reminder why I watched the first season -- his performance here is absolutely grand, from him using a shotgun to keep his mafia troops to submission, being incensed at being called the 'King of Garbage' to the terror on his face when he sees his mother caught hostage, to the pissed off scream he has at the end, to the pissed-off, desperate look he has when he kills the first candidate. "I am a mother!" Absolutely grand performances, and the only thing that really makes me forgive the show for using Theo Gallavan to undermine Penguin. And I guess Gallavan is an effective villain from a story-telling point... just not a very likable one. And I hope Penguin dumps him into the Gotham River later.
Granted, Penguin's a bit unhinged because he goes off and kills the first candidate by himself despite having a well-known deformity by his odd waddle, and sending Zsasz, a man known to be in his employ, after the second. I guess he's just pissed about poor mommy.
We have some Bruce and Wayne plot I honestly can't give a rat's ass about. Alfred slaps Selina for killing Reggie and tells her to stay the fuck away. We have Nygma getting a date with Kringle, and while it's entertaining to see him argue with his split personality, it is something that people really associate with Riddler. Two-Face or Ventriloquist, maybe, but it's a rather strange decision to pick with Riddler. Kringle may or may not suspected Nygma for killing Douchebag Boyfriend last season. I don't really care, but okay?
We get Silver St. Cloud here, one of Batman's traditional love interests, and she's apparently Theo Gallavan's ward and she spends her days hopping in fountains. Um what.
Gallavan doesn't get much to do other than taunt Penguin and act like a total twat. Barbara is still being crazy and shit. Tabitha Gallavan... I'm not sure what her function is in this series other than imply at BDSM and incestuous relationships. I dunno. It's weird. This show is weird.
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