‘Gotham,’ the Batman television action drama series enters the criminal minds of one of D.C. comics’ darkest worlds. While revisiting familiar locales like the Arkham Asylum, Wayne Manor, and the Gotham City Police Department, the series’ spin on the comic book hero alters pre-existing perceptions of the original Batman. The Batman, Catwoman, Detective Gordon, The Penguin, and the Riddler are just few of the characters the new 2015 series has adapted. Unfamilar faces present themselves with the same character names, deepening the psychological understanding of Gotham’s inhabitants. Episode 20 “Under the Knife,” aired on Monday, April 20 at FOX 8|7c.
In Ep. 20 “Under the Knife,” Gotham City Police Department (GCPD) detectives James Gordon and Harvey Bullock find out that Jason Skolimiski is the Ogre. Gordon publicly announces in a TV broadcast that the GCPD is on a search for a mass serial killer who has been targeting Gotham’s young women for the past decade. It had been one of Gotham city’s best kept secrets for the past decade. Gordon reveals he is going after the Ogre. This raises personal problems for Gordon since the Ogre has a pattern of killing the women of the detectives who try to catch him.
James and Harvey enter a large mansion, passing by old black and white photos of a family. The eerie photos all have the face of one young man frantically scratched out. A rotting corpse of Jason’s benefactor is found in an upstairs room. They cut down a man hanging from the high ceiling. The man is the serial killer’s father, who laughs during the midst of interrogation when James reveals that Jason has been seducing the beautiful women of Gotham. The father tells them that Jason had a face only a mother could love while handing over the only two photos he has of his son. James and Harvey are shocked to see that the young man in the photo has a severely disfigured face.
Oswald Cobblepot also known as the Penguin, determines to kill mobster Don Maroni for revenge. In a previous Ep., Oswald purchased the location and the means of killing Maroni. Maroni makes an impromptu visit to Oswald’s bar, while seducing his mother. Don shocks his mother by revealing Oswald’s monstrous deeds of murdering many people. The scene ends with Oswald brutally stabbing a messenger in order to send a message to Don.
A young Bruce Wayne attends the Wayne Enterprise Charity Ball with Selina Kyle to track down Sid Bunderslaw, whom they believe to be the culprit behind the Wayne murders. Bruce and Selina dance and mingle their way to Sid. Bruce serves as a distraction while Selina steals an important key to the puzzle in their search. Selina sees Barbara leave the ball with a mysterious and handsome young man. James dashes to Barbara’s apartment late at night after realizing that the Ogre is not after his girlfriend Lee. He is after Barbara, his ex. James shows Selina a decade old sketch of James and demands if she has seen the man. Selina tells James that she saw him at the ball.
Edward Nygma kills Officer Tom Dougherty, the boyfriend of his love interest Kristin Kryngle. Tom has been physically and verbally abusing Kristin. Edward drives by Kristin’s house late at night and encounters Tom. Edward warns Tom that he will stop him from ever hurting Kristin again. When Tom makes jest of his threat, Edward plunges a knife into Tom repeatedly. Onlookers gaze through their bedroom windows at the scene of the crime.
The cast of the show are as follows: actor Ben McKenzie as Detective Gordon, Donal Logue as Bullock, Jada Pinkett Smith as Mooney, Sean Pertwee as Alfred, Robin Lord Taylor as Oswald Cobblepot (The Penguin), David Mazouz as Bruce Wayne (future Batman), Camren Bicondova as Selina Kyle (future Catwoman), Milo Ventimiglia as Jason Skolimiski (Ogre), Erin Richards as Barbara Kean, Zabryna Guevara as Captain Sarah Essen, Cory Michael Smith as Edward Nygma (future Riddler), Vicotria Cartagena as Renee Montoya, David Zayas as Don Maroni, Chelsea Spack as Kristin Kringle, and Michael Potts as Sid Bunderslaw.
Full episodes can be watched on the Fox website. Ep. 21, “The Anvil or the Hammer,” airs on Monday, April 27. Read the preview at Christianity Daily. Find out more at The Futon Critic. The season has 22 episodes total. ‘Gotham’ airs new episodes and re-runs on Mondays at 8 p.m. on Fox. It won the 2014 Critics' Choice Television Award for Most Exciting New Series and the 2014 Gracie Award for Outstanding Drama.
