Gotham S02E08: Shotgun Wedding (literally)

Gotham, Season 2, Episode 8: Tonight's the Night

I'm of two minds about this episode. On one hand, Pyscho-Barbara is absolutely entertaining in her insane delusions and whatnot, and Gallavan finally giving her free rein over what to do with Jim Gordon after the events of last episode is sensible. We get some nice moments where Leslie and Gordon basically spit onto Barbara's face that the two of them make for a far sane pair than Barbara ever did, but Barbara's just a crazy woman! She gives a stellar performance of an unhinged, deluded madwoman and I'm honestly entertained by her. She gets dropped down the church building and well, exit Barbara! She's not dead, though this is a great exit and repeating the same old 'LOVE ME JIMMMM' thing more than once would grate a lot.

Of course, just how Barbara managed to capture Leslie Thompkins despite her being in the precinct for all her scenes prior is a bit of a head-scratcher, especially since anyone involved with it would've protected Leslie and Barnes doesn't seem to be an idiot. And just why Gordon is so intent on springing the trap and going on with kissing Barbara and shit is just weird. I dunno. Gordon just seems too intent on walking into Barbara's trap and I guess it's something lampshaded by Barnes and Leslie in various stages, that he's too hungry to catch his prey.

And in Gordon's defense, they actually managed to find the box-headed mayor, and confront Theo Gallavan. Gordon punches the fucker in the face! That's great. Why didn't the Gallavans actually kill the mayor instead of having him around as a witness? Who cares, fuck the Gallavans.

The plot with Gordon going along with Barbara, and basically eveyrthing that Barbara says, are all nonsensical, but it's entertaining partly because of how hilarious Barbara ends up being with her over-the-top speeches.

The plot also has Bruce being 'seduced' by Silver and Theo Gallavan and the latter basically gives Bruce a sweet deal of selling the company to him so he can fix it from the inside, something Bruce can't do at the moment... as well as Gallavan giving Bruce the name of his parents' killers. Of course, dickbag that he is, he throws the file into a conveniently-located fireplace when Gordon comes in to arrest him. We get some nice little emotional moments between Bruce and Alfred, which was well-written, even if the resolution is foregone that Bruce won't accept Gallavan's offer.

Nygma goes camping to dump Kringle's body, and after a series of stupid misadventures stumbles upon the wounded Penguin. Nygma's scenes are the weakest in this episode, which is saying something... though the promise that Nygma and Penguin will share scenes together fills me with delight.

Also, I haven't mentioned it for the past 8 episodes, but are Montoya and Allen still even in the show?

Overall a bit of an uneven episode, thanks to the strangely moronic decisions that Gordon keeps taking. Add that to strange, unexplained plot holes (how did Barbara get Lee? What did Nygma do with the man he killed?) Thankfully there is still Barbara Kean's grand scenery-eating performance and us seeing Gordon punch Gallavan in the face, which makes this episode still relatively watchable.