“Gotham” is still the “Mad City” you remember as the Batman prequel returns for its third season. The premiere – “Better to Reign in Hell...” – mostly sets up what’s to come, but it’s still a pretty zippy start to the year.
We rejoin James Gordon (series star Ben McKenzie) six months after the monsters from Indian Hill escaped into the city. Apparently having decided the job was to blame for losing Leslie (Morena Baccarin), a jaded Gordon now works as a bounty hunter, only helping to recapture the escapees when the price is right. So when the Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor) offers a million dollar reward for Fish Mooney (special guest star Jada Pinkett Smith), Gordon is more than happy to join the hunt.
Oswald is unnerved that Fish is still on the loose, that she let him live that night, and he’s convinced she has a larger goal in mind. And he’s not wrong, as Fish has indeed taken charge of the Indian Hill patients. But before she can conquer the city with her army, she must solve a problem that’s plaguing them all.
Meanwhile, Bruce (David Mazouz) has spent his time researching the secret society he believes was pulling the strings at Indian Hill. He issues a bold ultimatum to the Wayne Enterprises board, but only ends up in danger. And all the while, his doppelganger (also David Mazouz) is roaming the streets.
A couple of teases about things I dug. There’s another awesome fight scene involving Alfred (Sean Pertwee). Lucius Fox (Chris Chalk) gets a new status quo that took me by surprise, but actually could be fun. I enjoyed Penguin’s visit with Edward Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) at Arkham. The set-up for the new Poison Ivy (played here for the last time by Clare Foley) was less silly than I thought it would be. And I really liked the introduction of Jamie Chung (“Once Upon a Time”) as Valerie Vale, a spunky and tenacious reporter for the Gotham Gazette who’s mostly unimpressed by Gordon.
On the flip side, ugh, Barbara (Erin Richards). The only thing of interest to me in the subplot about her lording over a nightclub was poor Butch (Drew Powell), who’s heartbroken that Tabitha (Jessica Lucas) dumped him to team with Barbara professionally and personally. And while I think being a bounty hunter is a much better fit for this interpretation of Gordon, his attitude towards the GCPD – and, in particular, Captain Barnes (Michael Chiklis), who nearly died protecting Gordon’s ungrateful ass – grates.
“Better to Reign in Hell...” takes its throne next Monday on FOX. Until then, share your hopes for the new season of “Gotham” in the comments section.
