Even with (in a series first, I believe) all the mob-related characters taking the week off, there’s still plenty of bad guys to “Knock, Knock” on the doors of Gotham City as “Gotham” moves forward with the “Rise of the Villains.”
The episode’s A-plot is structured around three attacks on the city by the Arkham Asylum escapees, with Gordon (despite the clear conflict of interest given his ex-fiancée is one of them) charged by Commissioner Essen to stop their rampage. The first serves as a calling card – seven bodies spray-painted to spell “Maniax!” tossed off a roof. It’s very “Gotham,” macabre with anachronistic touches. The second – where they douse a school bus full of kids in gasoline and attempt to set them ablaze – is less fun. Yes, Gordon of course shows up in time to save the day, but the tableau of teenagers wailing in terror while Jerome “entertains” is unsettling and goes on so long. Finally, they launch a direct assault on the police precinct. Gordon survives, having been lured from the building moments earlier by Barbara (though he suffers a brutal beating at the hands of her lapdog Aaron), but a number of cops are killed, including Essen.
As you might have guessed, Jerome gets a big chunk of screen time in this one. He’s front and center during the Maniax’ sprees, cackling and cracking jokes. And in between capers, he’s impressing Galavan with his theatrical laugh and out-crazying the crazy during a game of Russian Roulette. He even, in the closing scene, pays homage to Heath Ledger’s Joker with a shaky handheld video of him ranting and raving, his smile smeared red with blood. Monaghan is, again, great with everything he’s given and is clearly relishing the hell out of the role. But I feel like the show is serving Jerome to us for breakfast, lunch, and dinner when he might be better saved for dessert. And it’s a lot of time to be spending on a character who isn’t actually the season’s Big Bad.
Speaking of, we don’t get any real insight into what these seemingly random acts of mayhem are getting the Galavans. They now have the mayor as their prisoner and puppet (in an amusing aside, Tabitha and Barbara take turns whipping him as he bumbles around with a lockbox on his head). And Tabitha is keeping tabs (heh) on the Maniax, even putting a bullet in one before he spills the beans to Gordon about his bosses. But mostly, Galavan’s just giving wordy speeches that say nothing.
I am pretty bummed they bumped off Essen. Just last week, I said I hoped her promotion to commissioner (and sidebar – it weakens the potential drama that she won’t be around if and when it comes out about Gordon murdering that mob flunky to secure their positions) didn’t mean we’d be seeing less of her and now she’s dead. I’ve always liked the character, and Zabryna Guevara in the part. At least she went out feisty, unimpressed and unyielding in the face of Jerome’s crazy. But killing her off to give Gordon a sad (and presumably clear the way for Michael Chiklis’ incoming character) seems like a waste.
At least Gordon will have Bullock by his side. Earlier in the episode, he had gone to see his former partner, hoping to get him to come back to the GCPD given the new regime. Bullock was reluctant to reenter the muck. Even more against the idea was his aforementioned lady friend who, in a nice bit of continuity, turned out to be Scottie from last year’s “The Fearsome Mr. Crane.” But Essen’s death leads to Bullock donning his familiar fedora, claiming to Gordon that “we are who we are…no use fighting it.” It’s a bit quick, but I’m happy the character (and Donal Logue) is getting off the sidelines.
Over at Wayne Manor, Bruce is like a kid on Christmas morning, eager to dig into the contents of his father’s secret office. But Alfred – his uneasiness with his ward’s obsession written all over his face – finally takes action, smashing up the computer with a hammer. He rightfully points out that they’re standing in a hidden room full of blood and guns and that he’ll be damned if he stands by while Bruce walks himself into harm’s way. Bruce, obviously, isn’t having that and angrily fires Alfred, which…I’m pretty sure you can’t fire your legal guardian. Anyway, they both stubbornly go through the motions, but Bruce is the one who breaks first. A compromise is reached – Bruce will play by Alfred’s rules (he even agrees to return to school) and Alfred will resume his training so Bruce can tackle the danger ahead as prepared as possible.
Bruce’s one condition is that Alfred find a way to repair the computer so Alf decides to reach out to Lucius Fox (new series regular Chris Chalk, best known from “The Newsroom”), who he blames for Bruce finding the secret cavern in the first place. He delivers a very long, very British (Lucius finally breaking in to ask what the hell a kipper is cracked me up) speech, basically saying that if Lucius violates Alfred and Bruce’s trust, he’ll cut his balls off. Unsurprisingly, Lucius has no concrete information re: what Thomas Wayne was up to and says the repairs will take some time (I’m speculating until November sweeps). And so the wheels of the Wayne Enterprises corruption story continue to slowly spin.
Finally, the never-ending saga of Edward Nygma and his crush on Ms. Kringle continues. He does save her life during the Maniax’ assault on the precinct, but even his new split personality isn’t enough to resuscitate this subplot. And can someone seriously explain this to me – why are they writing the Riddler’s descent into madness exactly like Two-Face’s, especially when Harvey Dent is now part of the regular cast? Makes no sense.
Now that I’ve finished “Knock, Knock”-ing around this week’s “Gotham,” head over to our comments section and tell me what you thought.
