On this episode of Gotham, titled “A Dark Knight: Let Them Eat Pie,” Penguin has Martin (Christopher Convery) spy on Sofia, Professor Pyg comes up with a macabre new scheme to punish Gotham’s elite and Alfred tries to help Bruce find his way.
Gordon is in as captain of Gotham Central, and Bullock is out. But Harvey has a few parting words for his pal. Gordon wants to be a hero, but the city doesn’t need heroes; it needs people who will do what is necessary. Gordon disagrees. All someone needs to do is show people the way, and they will follow. That remains to be seen.
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I Spy with Martin’s Eye
Sofia prepares for her fundraiser for the orphanage, but Penguin begs off because he has business to attend to. He informs Sofia that Mayor Burke promoted Gordon to captain of the GCPD. Penguin isn’t worried about Gordon. He’s much more concerned about the person who ordered the appointment. Sofia points out that the Mayor is a weasel, and someone must have paid him off, but she doesn’t understand why that means Penguin can’t attend her dinner. Penguin explains the Mayor has vanished. Oswald plans to find him, learn the name of his enemy and then there will be a reckoning.
Mr. Penn suggests that if Penguin thinks Sofia is responsible he should just have Victor Zsasz “question” her. But Sofia is Penguin’s only friend, so he’s determined to get proof of her betrayal first. Mr. Penn thinks it’s possible Sofia got rid of the Mayor, and Oswald realizes he could be chasing a ghost while Sofia is planning her next move. He decides he needs a spy; someone close to Sofia; someone quiet. He has an epiphany. Martin would be perfect for the job.
Penguin tells Martin that he worries Sofia is only pretending to be his friend, and that she’s using Martin to manipulate him. Either Martin is innocent, unaware of Sofia’s machinations.or he’s not. Penguin wants to believe the former, but he needs proof of their friendship. Penguin wants to know what Sofia’s planning, and who she’s planning it with. He asks Martin to be his eyes and ears.
Sofia calls Gordon to let him know that Penguin suspects her. She confirms she had the Mayor leave town. Jim thanks her for the heads up about Penguin and tells Sofia never to call him again.
A Modest Proposal
Gordon gets a call from Professor Pyg who has learned that Jim is the new captain. The Pyg warns Gordon that it’s time for Gotham’s elite to feel the pain. He arranges a surprise for Gordon outside the precinct. There’s a tent with two dead bodies inside (Professor Pyg poisoned a number of the city’s homeless), one of which is being consumed by two large pigs.
Gordon speaks to Mr. Fox to learn what he can about the victims. Lucius tells him the victims had been living outdoors for quite some time, and the Pyg removed their internal organs. Gordon is confused why the Pyg would be killing the homeless when he just announced his next victims would be the rich and powerful. Gordon reveals to Lucius that there was a card in the tent, and written in French was “Long live the Revolution.”
Gordon heads to the Narrows where the homeless population is the most dense. He and Harper get a tip from Lucius that leads them to an old paper mill. Inside, they find another victim with organs missing. They also discover a smoker, and Gordon figures out the Pyg is cooking them.
Out back, they find a van. As they close in on the vehicle, the Pyg appears, stabs Harper and holds a knife to her throat. The Pyg tells Gordon he found him too soon. The table isn’t set, and no meal should be served too soon. Gordon offers himself up as a hostage, but the Pyg wants the detective to witness his final act, along with all of Gotham. The Pyg shoves Harper in the van and takes off.
The press has gotten wind of Harper’s kidnapping, and that the Pyg is cooking his victims. Gordon promises the GCPD will bring the Pyg to justice, but it’s obvious there’s a leak on the inside. Lucius thinks the Pyg did it for the attention and assures Gordon that everyone in the department is on his side.
Lucius shows Gordon a quote from Jonathan Swift’s “A Modern Proposal.” Swift made an argument for cannibalism — the rich eating the poor. Gordon recalls that Swift specifically referenced orphans, and he figures out where the Pyg is going — Sofia’s fundraiser. Gordon refuses to involve any other officers, afraid the Pyg is setting a trap.
Alfred’s Dark Past
Bruce is deeply entrenched in his party boy phase which doesn’t please Alfred. He lectures Bruce about being lost. Without a purpose, he’s confused, angry and in danger of throwing his life away. By killing Ra’s al Ghul, Bruce finally closed the chapter on exacting revenge for his parent’s death — his raison d’ etre for so long.
Alfred reminds Bruce that this is the day he and his father used to go camping and put rocks on the top of Mt. Bristol. It was their special tradition. Bruce may prefer to hang with his new friends, but Alfred thinks it’s time Bruce remember that he’s Thomas Wayne’s son and insists that they’ll be going to Mt. Bristol, together.
Alfred drags an unwilling Bruce into the woods for camping and forced bonding time. He tells Bruce about how he met Thomas Wayne. Alfred had just gotten out of the army and was all about boozing and brawling. Most of it he doesn’t remember. One morning, he woke up in an alley in London covered in blood. He went directly to the police station, hoping they’d put him in jail and throw away the key.
While there, he encountered Thomas who asked Alfred what he’d done. Alfred found himself talking to Thomas, telling him things he was too frightened to think about. Thomas told the police that he was being attacked in that alley, and Alfred came to his rescue. Alfred knew it wasn’t true, but Thomas was giving him a chance to start over. Alfred knows what it’s like to feel alone, hoping the world will punish you and tells Bruce he can help him.
Bruce doesn’t want to talk about it. He begins rummaging through his backpack and says the rocks have gone missing. He thinks they may have fallen out in the car. Bruce takes the keys, but Alfred quickly realizes Bruce lied, so he could make a quick getaway.
People Pies
Sofia’s fundraiser is in full swing. The Pyg, posing as a chef, has prepared some “meat pies.” Penguin and Martin, who is looking more and more like his mentor, follow Sofia.
Gordon sneaks into the orphanage but is knocked out by the Pyg before he can warn Sofia. Gordon is locked in a closet with Harper who is still alive.
Sofia gives a speech, thanking all the orphanage’s benefactors. She invites them to sit down to eat. Penguin asks about Martin, and Sofia says he’s probably off getting ready since a group of the children have prepared a song.
Sofia tells Oswald that maybe things happen for a reason. Licensing crime was a bold move, but it would have destroyed him. Whoever had Gordon appointed captain may have actually saved Oswald. Penguin doesn’t think trying to destroy everything he’s built is a favor. He suggests that if Sofia is going to confess, she should just get on with it and face the consequences.
Their conversation is interrupted by Professor Pyg who’s ready to get the festivities started. He literally does a song and dance “The Meat Pie Tango” with Martin accompanying him. Sofia interrupts, demanding to know where the other children are, and the Pyg pins her hand to the table with a butcher knife. The Pyg warns Oswald that if he pulls it out, the next one will go in Sofia’s eye.
The Pyg informs the guests that they’ve fed upon the poor of Gotham for years. Now, they’re going to find out what they taste like. With each meat pie, the Pyg has included an envelope with photographs of his homeless victims inside.
Penguin refuses to engorge himself with people pie. Professor Pyg threatens to kill Martin if Penguin doesn’t open his pie hole. A man next to him comments that Martin is just an orphan. They can’t be expected to consume actual people just to save an “urchin.”
Penguin removes the knife from Sofia’s hand and puts it through the top of the man’s skull, saving him from some serious indigestion.
The Pyg reveals that Penguin is the reason he’s there. He could have chosen any occasion, but Penguin with his Pax Penguina is the biggest glutton of them all. With a cleaver held to Martin’s neck, Penguin has no choice but to comply. He’s not about to suffer alone, so he screams at the other guests to start eating, or he will hunt them down and kill them all.
The only one spared a bite is Sofia because Gordon pries the hinges on the closet door loose and races into the dining room. He shoots a few of the Pyg’s hired hands. The place erupts in chaos as all the guests make an escape. Penguin is able to leave with Martin.
Pyg vs. Pig
The only two left are Gordon and the Pyg who is very handy with cleavers. Gordon isn’t able to do much but try and prevent himself from becoming the ingredients of another pie. Gordon is finally able to stab the Pyg and knock him unconscious.
The Lost Boys
Penguin finally accuses Sofia of paying off the Mayor, and she doesn’t bother to deny it. She tried to talk him out of the license program, and he wouldn’t listen. She didn’t see another way. Penguin thinks it’s equally plausible that Sofia is his enemy, intent on his destruction (ding, ding, ding). Sofia says Oswald can choose to see the situation however he wants.
Penguin decides to spare Sofia because of what she’s doing for Martin. He warns her to never go behind his back again. Penguin insists that Gordon cannot be captain. Sofia suggests he pick someone else since Gordon means nothing to her.
The Pyg is taken into custody, but Gordon has bigger problems now. He’s got to deal with Sofia. She swears she isn’t his enemy and wants law and order restored to Gotham just as much as he does. She kisses him, but it seems Gordon’s feelings towards Sofia have cooled.
Martin checks in with Penguin and reveals that Sofia kissed Gordon. Poor Oswald, betrayed again. He vows that Sofia will answer for what she’s done.
Alfred arrives home only to find that Bruce left him in the wilderness, so that he could rush home and throw a rager. Even stupid, drunk teenagers know better than to screw with Alfred, so Bruce’s friends bail.
Alfred still wants to help Bruce, but Bruce insists he can’t. Bruce is upset that he avenged his parents’ deaths but nothing has changed. What the hell did he do it for? Alfred wants Bruce to face up to who he really is. Bruce suggests that if Alfred really wants to help, he can’t stop trying to be his dad and be his butler. And just to be a dick, Bruce orders Alfred to clean up the mess.
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Are you eager to find out more about Alfred’s past? Do you think Professor Pyg planned to get caught? Do you feel sorry for Penguin or find him despicable for corrupting a young boy? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
A new episode of Gotham airs Thursday, November 30 at 8/7c on FOX. Want more news? Visit our Gotham page on Facebook.
(Image Courtesy of FOX)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Jennifer has worked as a freelance writer in the entertainment field since 2012. In addition to currently writing feature articles for Screen Rant, Jennifer has contributed content ranging from recaps to listicles to reviews for BuddyTV, PopMatters, TVRage, TVOvermind, and Tell-Tale TV. Links to some of Jennifer’s reviews can be found on Rotten Tomatoes.
