Television: Gotham, "Arkham"

I found this the most interesting episode so far. Yes, the Mob stuff was still taking up a big chunk of it, but as the Penguin charts his path, I do find that aspect a tad more tolerable.

The plot itself centered around a coming vote on what to do with the Arkham area of the city, including the closed mental institution. Gang wars were escalating as various factions had money riding on the outcome. And of course the beloved, deceased Waynes had also had plans for Arkham, and for making Gotham a better place, etc.

As city councilmen are being murdered, Gordon and Bullock are on the case. Meanwhile, Barbara is getting frustrated with Gordon's refusal to answer her question: "Who is Oswald Cobblepot?"

Actually, what I want to know is why Gordon doesn't just answer the question. This is one of those points at which I think the writers are just trying to create more tension, but they don't have a good enough reason for it. What's stopping Gordon from saying, "That guy who stopped by earlier."? There. Barbara would then know that Gordon hadn't killed him, so she wouldn't have to worry about that rumor any more. Sure, she might blab that Cobblepot is still alive (she saw him, after all), and that might cause other problems, but . . . Gordon could also have said, "A criminal," or any number of other things. He could have made something up if he didn't want to tell the truth. So I do find it very irritating of the writers to put this sort of false obstacle up. There are many better ways to deal with it, or to create tension between Gordon and Barbara if that was the goal.

But whatever. Barbara is annoying anyway. Maybe Gordon is better off without her.

I think, on the whole, they started in the wrong place. We probably didn't need so much of them building up the story. A lot of this could have been compressed; the way it's been stretched out is why it keeps losing my interest. Maybe if more begins to happen, and happen faster, I might stick with it. Otherwise, Gotham may end up on my chopping block. I just don't know yet.