In last week’s episode of Gotham, Gordon lost Cat but found proof that she was a witness to the Waynes’ murders. Fish continued to plot against Falcone, while Montoya continued her mission to prove that Gordon is a bad guy. And Oswald returned to town and began working for Maroni, only to show up on Gordon’s doorstep in the episode’s closing moments.
In this week’s episode of Gotham, “Arkham,” Gordon and Bullock have to protect Gotham’s government officials when a crucial vote puts their lives in danger, and Oswald continues to gain footing in Maroni’s organization. And like last week, please let me know if I miss any moments of foreshadowing or overlook the introduction of an important comics character. Read on to find out if Gotham delivers the corruption and creepiness we have come to expect.
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Oswald Offers to Help Gordon
This week’s episode begins where last week ended, with Oswald showing up at Gordon’s home. Oswald makes nice with Barbara and introduces himself as “Peter.” Gordon claims “Peter” is a friend from work and rushes him out of there before Barbara gets suspicious.
Gordon is furious that Oswald returned to Gotham because if Falcone finds out Oswald is alive, he will kill them both. Oswald claims he returned to help Gordon, and that he is the only person who will tell Gordon the truth. Gordon is not interested.
But Oswald goes on to say that he can be Gordon’s secret agent in the upcoming war between Falcone and Maroni. Gordon wants to know what this war is all about and Oswald claims it is all about politics, which is really all about money. Oswald mentions something about Arkham before disappearing.
We Usually Just Bribe the Councilmen Here
Bullock and Gordon catch the case of a murdered city councilman. At first, the crime seems to be a “wrong place, wrong time” situation, but Gordon quickly realizes there is more to the story. He finds documents on the Arkham development project in the evidence file from the scene and starts to piece things together.
As Gordon is working the case, the mayor holds a press conference announcing his endorsement of the Waynes’ plan for the Arkham lands. Before their deaths, the Waynes’ wanted to build affordable housing on the Arkham lands for Gotham’s less fortunate. They also wanted to tear down the old Arkham asylum and build a state-of-the-art mental health facility in its place.
After the mayor’s announcement, Gordon goes to Alfred for information on the Waynes’ plan, and Alfred says that Falcone has taken over said plan in the wake of the Waynes’ deaths. Alfred also says that there is an opposing plan in the works and Gordon figures out that Maroni is behind it. After a second councilman is killed, Gordon tells Bullock and Captain Essen that the murders are the result of a land war between the rival mob bosses, each killing a councilman to try and sway the vote in their favor.
During their investigation, Gordon and Bullock learn that the same man killed both councilmen, meaning that someone is willing to go against both mob bosses. Bullock talks to a contact who points them in the direction of an independent hitman. This hitman, Gladwell, uses a metal spike in his killings, the same weapon used on both councilmen.
Alas, Gordon and Bullock learn that the real Gladwell has been dead for five years and the hitman assumed his identity. All they know about the actual hitman is what he looks like and that he had a note in his possession with the letters “C-L-M.”
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Gordon Saves the Mayor
While he struggles with the investigation, Gordon gets a call from Oswald. Oswald gives him a tip that the next target will be killed that night. Gordon does not think that is possible because all of the potential targets have police protection, but he realizes that some of that protection must have been bought off. Gordon cross-checks the “C-L-M” initials with the list of officers servicing as police protection and matches it to the men guarding the mayor.
Gordon shows up at the mayor’s place and sees that the cops meant to be protecting the mayor have all disappeared. Gordon tries to get the mayor out of there, but the hitman arrives before they can get away. Gordon and the hitman fight, but Bullock arrives to back Gordon up. The hitman is killed and the mayor is safe.
The next day, the mayor gives a press conference announcing that they will be merging the two plans in order to do what is “best” for Gotham. Gordon later learns that Maroni will get to build a waste-disposal site on the land, while Falcone will get to build low-income housing, thereby allowing both mob bosses to make a profit. The mayor also announces that the Arkham asylum will be re-opened so Gotham can have its own state-of-the-art mental health facility, which we all know will not be the place of hope the Waynes hoped it would be.
Trouble in Paradise
In a side plot, Barbara finally confronts Gordon about Montoya’s accusations. Gordon admits to keeping secrets from her, but claims it is all in the service of his job. Barbara asks who Oswald Cobblepot is and Gordon quickly realizes that Montoya told Barbara about him. Instead of answering Barbara’s question, Gordon asks her about her connection to Montoya. Barbara comes clean and tells Gordon that a long time ago, they were in a relationship that lasted a year before Barbara ended things. Gordon is angry, though he says it is because Barbara lied to him, not because she had a relationship with a woman.
Barbara shows up at the station later on and apologizes for keeping her relationship with Montoya a secret. She claims that she only lied because Montoya works with Gordon and she’s a woman, but Gordon knows something else is going on. Barbara once again asks him about Oswald Cobblepot, but Gordon says he cannot tell her anything, as it is related to his work. Barbara gives Gordon an ultimatum: let her in or let her go. Gordon does not say anything, so Barbara leaves.
Does this mean Barbara and Gordon have called it quits or will Barbara continue to stand by him despite her ultimatum? If they do break up, will Barbara turn to Montoya for comfort?
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Other Happenings
— After his visit with Gordon, Oswald continues his rise to power in Maroni’s operation. He stages a robbery at the restaurant so he can play the hero by “saving” a bag of Maroni’s money from the robbers. Maroni is impressed with Oswald’s quick thinking and promotes him to restaurant manager since the previous one was killed during the robbery. Oswald later visits the men he hired to carry out the robbery and thanks them for their good work. He then kills them and steals the money they got from the robbery.
— Fish is still plotting against Falcone, and this week, she is looking to hire a new employee. Fish auditions two female singers and asks each of them to seduce her after their performances. One girl is a good singer and the other impresses Fish with a little something special, but she cannot choose between them. Instead, she tells the girls to make the choice for her by fighting for the job. Liza, the girl with that something special, wins the fight and becomes Fish’s newest employee.
— Bruce spends most of the episode looking into his parents’ plan for Arkham. He tells Alfred that he is trying to find a connection between his parents’ murders and the murders of the councilmen. When Gordon tells him that the mayor had to make a compromise on the Arkham project, Bruce is upset because this is not what his parents wanted. Gordon points out that the compromise may have prevented a mob war and that he believes it is still worth it to try and save Gotham.
What did you think of this week’s episode of Gotham? Do you think Oswald is sincere in wanting to help Gordon or is he trying to set Gordon up for something down the line? Will Liza be an asset to Fish or will she betray her to Falcone? Is the Arkham development deal the compromise Gordon thinks it is or will it only jump-start the Maroni versus Falcone war? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
Gotham airs Mondays at 8pm on FOX.
(Image courtesy of FOX)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
