Octopus Overlords

OK I can take a good amount of comic book-ishness here, but the exposition on why the guy is after Bruce Wayne is really, really dumb.

"And then we'll kill... Bruce Wayne!" Dude, he's a kid. Your sister's some kind of bad ass assassin. Just wait for him outside of school and shoot his ass or something.

Depends - do they just want a dead teenager, or are they looking for more? To take control of his company and/or other holdings (Wayne Manor, for instance)? To discredit his family and smear their name?

Or maybe not - it's true that villains in these situations tend to go about things in the most overly-complicated way possible. Perhaps it's a symptom of whatever mental illness causes them to act out in the first place.

It's because Bruce Wayne is irrelevant, and the writers know this, so they are struggling to give him continued relevance.

He's irrelevant to the main story right now, but watching his growth into the Batman is something I enjoy.

If the show continues, I predict that he'll disappear in about 4 or 5 years as the actor grows into a young man. That will be the period in the comics during which Bruce Wayne went out into the world to train with others. Which will work perfectly for this show. I'd like to see it end with his return and the first few appearances of the Batman.

I read an article that had an interview with the creative forces behind Gotham. They said that origionally they planned for Bruce Wayne and Alfred to be almost an afterthought in the series but the kid playing young Bruce so knocked it out of the park in the introductory episodes, that the decided to increase his part in the story line.

hepcat wrote:He's irrelevant to the main story right now, but watching his growth into the Batman is something I enjoy.

Yeah. I actually wish he'd get a little more screen time. I liked when he was digging into the ill deeds of Wayne Industries, and looking for evidence about the deaths of his parents. I also liked when he would actively train with Alfred. This season, I believe literally the only training he's had was to be forced to run home from school (which actually seems rather overly-trusting on Alfred's part, from a personal security perspective).

I don't want to take away from Gordon and all the crazy baddies, but I wouldn't mind seeing just a little more of Bruce. I also really like his chemistry with Selina Kyle.

Odin wrote:

hepcat wrote:He's irrelevant to the main story right now, but watching his growth into the Batman is something I enjoy.

Yeah. I actually wish he'd get a little more screen time. I liked when he was digging into the ill deeds of Wayne Industries, and looking for evidence about the deaths of his parents. I also liked when he would actively train with Alfred. This season, I believe literally the only training he's had was to be forced to run home from school (which actually seems rather overly-trusting on Alfred's part, from a personal security perspective).

I don't want to take away from Gordon and all the crazy baddies, but I wouldn't mind seeing just a little more of Bruce. I also really like his chemistry with Selina Kyle.

+1

It makes me feel like a perv but I find Selina scorching hot.

Rip wrote: +1

It makes me feel like a perv but I find Selina scorching hot.

Well, she turned 16 just before this season filmed, so I guess if you're in the right state...

Blackhawk wrote:

Rip wrote: +1

It makes me feel like a perv but I find Selina scorching hot.

Well, she turned 16 just before this season filmed, so I guess if you're in the right state...

Its a bit scary that you are tracking her age. You had an Olsen twins countdown meter when you were younger, didnt you?

rshetts2 wrote: Its a bit scary that you are tracking her age. You had an Olsen twins countdown meter when you were younger, didnt you?

Either that or she seemed awfully young, and I looked her up when Rip commented.

"I hate how this smells like good barbecue"

Yeah, this last episode was a bit...off. I think the Nygma / Kringle story was the one that bothered me the most. It seemed rather...abrupt, though I guess it follows his creeping insanity.

Yeah I didnt like the turn of events with Nygma. I was hoping, especially after Miss Kringles heart to heart with Leslie, that she would have a darker side and actually help Nygma swerve in the inevitable direction he is headed. Instead.... meh.

Something needed to happen in order for Nygma to make that final leap to pure insanity. I thought they handled it quite well. It was actually pretty heartbreaking in its execution.

It just seemed rather quick, that's all. I sort of figured they were going to have some more time together. It was a week of weird character behavior - Jim tuning up the guy in the alley while the A-Team (or whatever they're called) stood there and watched seemed off as well. It just seemed out of character for him.

I think Gordon has been heading down this road for a while though. He made a deal with Penguin, remember. Gotham has been slowly eating at his morality. I also believe that's why Vic Mackey is there. He's a version of Gordon that came out the other side with a renewed sense of what's right and wrong in the pursuit of justice, if his little slip in this last episode about having been down the road Jim is apparently heading is any indication.

Now if they'd just add Walter Goggin's Shane to the cast...

That's a good point. As someone that just hammered through the first season on Netflix, my sense of time and character progression is a bit twisted.

Yeah, I think they take into consideration the spaced out nature of 23 or 24 weekly episodes when pacing a show like this. For example, in the case of Nygma, I watched him pine away for a woman and a normal relationship, while trying to fit in and make friends at the same time, over the space of almost a year. He had his first break with reality when he killed Kringle's ex months ago in my eyes. This season I've seen him attempt to maintain a relationship with another person over the space of weeks. But he's just too broken to do that. It had to end the way it did...and it had to happen within that time frame, not one that spanned years, or even months. Otherwise he wouldn't be as psychotic as we know him to be/become.

And now I'm thinking back on the numerous scenes of that actor who plays Nygma and I'm realizing he's every bit as good as the actor playing Penguin. The guy just nails that sense of "I want to belong, I want to be normal...but I know I can't." perfectly. You know an actor has succeeded in a role like that when you find yourself wishing he could be saved.

Wow, that episode was eventful. Bruce's training is underway. It was a major step for Catwoman, it created Firefly, and it was the breaking point for the Riddler, all within the span of 15 minutes. The bit at the end, with Indian Hill could be the set up for all sorts of villains, and probably for Hugo Strange.

Funnerer and funnerer.

/edit - also, I loved the dialogue between Alfred and Bruce: "I'm, tired of patience, Alfred. I'm ready to Begin!" (My caps, and possibly my imagination, but it sounded like a reference to Batman Begins to me.) Alfred: "Told ya. Not ready."

I also thought the Riddler thing went a little quick, but the scene of him holding her crying with the green neon in the background was pretty great.

Why on earth would you hire the insanely talented and hilarious Michelle Gomez...then only feature her for a few minutes???

Hopefully they'll rectify that in future episodes. I need my Gomez fix!

hepcat wrote:Why on earth would you hire the insanely talented and hilarious Michelle Gomez...then only feature her for a few minutes???

Hopefully they'll rectify that in future episodes. I need my Gomez fix!

The funny part is she was essentially playing the same character as Missy. Even her costume could have worked on Missy.

So i DVRd this season and am about 5 episodes in, and i am struck by how great the acting in this show is. I loved the dude who played the jerome/joker and really hate what they did with him. really thought he had nailed that role. And seriously think they missed an opportunity with him.

I am really enjoying this show, they have a lot of really good actors involved in this and hope they keep it up. Yeah its cheesy in a few parts, but i really see no weak link in the cast. Even Barbara who I couldn't stand last season cracked open a can of whoopass with her evolution. Really solid show and am enjoying the hell out of it.

In the finale, at the end. In the tube. Was that...

That was my first thought based on the hair, but even hitting replay it was pretty inconclusive.

Also, this season rocks to hell and back. Really, really good stuff.

Agree. It's the only logical conclusion. Interesting stuff.

And yes, it was a great half season! Getting a bit tired of the Gordon/Morena Baccarin stuff where she's always looking at him like he's a disappointment, but the show has been really entertaining. I love when Nygma gave his riddle and Fox answered it quickly, and Nygma looked at him like he killed his puppy. Hopefully there'll be a bit more Donal Logue in the next half. He didn't have much of a presence in this half. Also, the kid is doing a fantastic job with Bruce Wayne.

I think Morena is there to remind us that Jim is not the man she originally fell in love with at this point. The city has changed him to the point where she's not even sure who he is anymore. I suspect that will turn into a major plot point at some juncture as he struggles to regain his soul.

cheeba wrote:...Morena Baccarin stuff where she's always looking at him like he's a disappointment

Inara and Mal.

Adria and everyone.

Jessica Brody and Nicholas Brody.

And now Leslie and Gordon.

I think Morena Baccarin looking disappointed in people is her thing.

Her announcing that she
As to the Lady in the Tube, I went back and watched the end of last season's finale again.

That does not delight me.

Well...crap.

Something coming this week I can't wait for.

Finally Oswald can laugh again.

It's a minor thing, but I thought it was kind of silly how before when they made a big deal about how Gordon was fired in disgrace and forced to be a guard at Arkham and then voila, he was a detective again by the end of the next episode. Last night I asked my son "What are the odds he's cleared his name and back on the police by the end of the episode?" At least he spent (almost) one whole episode in prison.

I'm happy to see evil Penguin again but his conversion/de-programming seemed really sudden.

Daveman wrote:...his conversion/de-programming seemed really sudden.

Psychotic breaks can be like that.

Both of the major story lines seemed to rush to their conclusion last night. I would've preferred some more time with the Penguin plotting his revenge, as well as the Riddler feeling the noose tighten at work.

I'm still mesmerized by an inexplicable attraction to Selina. In all the Batman stories I have never really been attracted to Catwoman until now and I can't seem to shake it.

It's because she's 16, isn't it?

But seriously, she looks like a young Michelle Pfeiffer . I don't know if that was intentional casting on their part or it's just happenstance but the resemblance is uncanny.