Gotham - Viper - Review

Alright Gothamites, in case you haven't heard, Gotham has been picked up for a full 22 episode season. I personally don't know what to make of the news. I would prefer that the show had a smaller episode amount to keep out less filler. I wasn't impressed by the previous episode, Arkham, and Viper is pretty much more of the same, but maybe that isn't such a bad thing. If you take a step back and look at it, then you see that the show is simply doing what works best for it, playing an elaborate game of chess. The writers are stealthily putting pieces in place for a checkmate, but still making smaller plays to keep us satisfied. The question now is, how long will be willing to wait for something big to happen before we give it all up?

The Case: This week's case was pretty amusing for me. There's a new drug on the streets, Viper, which is giving it's users euphoric feelings and powers, and then killing them shortly after. We first see it come into play, after a junkie on the street is handed some and decides to rob a corner store for some milk, oh and the ATM in the corner. The robbery happens to coincide with Harvey and Jim's lunch and the obligatory Selina Kyle cameo. (Side Note: I'm with Harvey on this one, they work Homicide and this was not a homicide at the time). Harvey and Jim seem to have the details worked out pretty fast, there's a drug that this junkie took that made him super strong. They hit the streets to track him down while Ed Nygma researches the drugs, and they run into our junkie surrounded by empty milk bottles jonesing for another fix of Viper. While attempting to subdue him, Harvey and Jim are thrown like ragdolls, and before they can turn their guns on him, the guy is crushed as his bones deteriorate and the ATM he is holding over his head comes crashing down on him. (And I thought the the death by falling body in The Balloonman would be the only crazy death on this show)

Of course, our mysterious drug dealer from earlier on in the episode is out on the street just handing out his drug to random people on the street. (Do people in Gotham not have home training? I was told to not take candy from strangers, and they are taking a green liquid in a vial that says breathe me like it's nothing!) While all hell breaks loose, Ed Nygma explains that Viper activates unused DNA giving people these powers and euphoric feelings, but it also burns all calcium from the skeletal system (making them crave milk to restore it) and when they can't function anymore due to the low calcium, their bones crumble and they suffocate and die. Nygma states that a company called WellZyn would have the biggest lab to manufacture such a drug, but of course WellZyn is a Wayne Enterprises subsidiary and would never do such a thing. Well, they wouldn't, but a former employee with an axe to grind would. (Side note: Viper is actually an early form of Venom, you know, the drug that gave Bane super strength to break the Batman). Turns out Stan, the Drug Man and former employee, was working with his old professor, who took some Viper when confronted and throws Harvey around(IT'S ALWAYS HARVEY GETTING THROWN ISN'T IT?) but eventually provides them with a clue as to Stan's whereabouts.

Stan, the Drug Man, happens to be at a WellZyn-Wayne Enterprises charity function ready to exact his revenge. A function the young master Bruce and his butler happen to be at. After making his bold statement and releasing Viper into the event through the ventilation, Stan The Drug Man, meets his own end when Gordon unleashes his own drug on him, while Harvey clears the room below. Before jumping to his death and ending a pretty unspectacular but mildly entertaining case of the week, he mentions something about a warehouse 39, which we later find has been emptied. Outside warehouse 39, a Wayne Enterprises representative from the charity function watches and tells someone on the phone they will let the two detectives be for now but if they get too close they will review it further. (It being what?????)

The best way to Man's throne: If you recall, last week Fish had two singers duke it out over a job. At the time, all I could think was does The Voice not do auditions in Gotham in this universe because these girls are too serious about this singing job. Fish's plan becomes a but more clear this week. She starts by teaching the young singer, Liz an aria to learn, and how to sing it, and expertly putting her in her place when Liz calls her Mama. She teaches her how to sing the song like a mother would and then tells her she needs to change her look. Later, we find Fish in bed, with a member of her Falcone family she appeared to be at odds with earlier in the episode(to a blind person maybe). Turns out they are in cahoots to get rid of Falcone, and Fish has just the weapon... Cut to Liz walking down a street, singing the aria from earlier, and running into Falcone himself, who immediately recognizes the aria as one his mother uses to sing to him and they decide to listen together through her headphones. (AHH, the sweet music of an impending revolt.)

The Boy who will be Bat: This week, we got more of the awesome David Mazouz rocking the role of young Bruce. Bruce, is obsessively trying to figure out how two opposing mob bosses somehow managed to find themselves with the shares of Arkham that lead them each getting a piece of the development in last week's episode. Alfred is obviously concerned about Bruce's obsession and jokes of throwing the files in the fire, but Bruce orders him not to. Later, when Alfred again tries to convince him to take a break by heading to the charity function hosted by WellZyn and Wayne enterprises, his relief at his agreement is short lived, when Bruce admits he would like to question some board members at the party about how Falcone and Maroni were probably just given the shares. Unfortunately for Bruce, board members don't show up to events like this, just crazed former employers seeking revenge and he is left with more questions than answers. Back at the manor, Bruce stumbles across a WellZyn memo that features a picture of the same woman he questioned at the party, who also happened to be the woman watching our two detectives at warehouse 39. Alfred, realizing this obsession may be the only way to bond with Bruce, grabs a seat and digs in.

The Fish out of Water: This week was light on Penguin, but what we did see in regards to him was probably the most exciting part of the episode. Hot off his victory with Arkham last week, Maroni is living large. Too large to let the robbery (that Penguin staged) by Falcone's men go. He wants his men to find a way to hit Falcone's casino, but they don't think it's a good idea. Cue an eavesdropping Cobblepot with a plan, see he knows a janitor who could get them in to said casino. When pressed a little further by Maroni about how he knows this contact, Penguin takes this as the best time to tell Maroni who he really is. Which prompts Maroni to take this as the best time for Penguin's face and the table to get accquainted. Later, Maroni's man, Frankie pays Gordon a visit at the station and tells him Maroni would like a word, letting slip they have Mister Cobblepot with them. Gordon goes with them and finds a bag over his face until it's removed and he is face to face to Maroni. Maroni just wants to eat his lobster and make sure that Cobblepot's and Gordon's story of how Penguin came to be his lowly dish washing boy pan out. And if it doesn't, they may be serving sliced Penguin on the menu that evening. The stories pan out and now Maroni is thrilled, he's got a detective in his pocket and a former Falcone insider. He later uses Penguin's knowledge to his advantage to hit up Falcone's casino and it appears that Penguin is one step closer to taking over Gotham.

The Gripe: This was filler episode. It set up very little and that can be frustrating. I know we are only five episodes in and we are still world building, but it's start to feel very paint-by-the-numbers how similar the episodes seem to play out. We something to shake things up, or else the shows viewers will continue to bleed out. Also, what was up with that worthless Selina Kyle cameo?

Overall thoughts: It was solid yet familiar paced episode. While a few things happened, it wasn't much and it just felt flat at times. The case was amusing, and came to a rather expected conclusion. (Do they ever just arrest the bad guy?) I still find Fish rather annoying, but I am interested to see how her attempt to play with Falcone's heart goes. Penguin took a big risk letting Maroni in on his secret, but he wasn't as deliciously malicious as he has been previously. Bruce is starting to show why he grows up to be the world's best detective, even if his obsession with Gotham's crime syndicates may be a little unhealthy. But in the end, not much happened to move things forward and this was just a mildly amusing filler episode. Let's hope the full season has less of these.

What did you think of Viper? Where do you think Bruce's obsession will lead him? What do you think will happen now that Maroni knows what Gordon did? Did you find that Selina Kyle cameo pointless? Are you excited or cautious about the full season order? Sound off below!

About the Author - Winston Mize

Winston is a 24 year old goofball, born in the north, and currently living in the south. He loves TV.... for some it's coffee, for him it's TV talk that gets his day going. He wants to be a screenwriter, and watches some of everything. You name it, he's probably checked it out. And he would like you to know that it is okay for a 24 year old to play with action figures... well, he does anyway.