Gotham - FOX TV Show Discussion

[ispacehead]

In the show he already has several marks so he has killed several people. In the comics he seems to get the idea that all people should be liberated from life the first time he kills. This will make him a pretty different character. It seems like he is just to be a good assassin who likes to killed that is hired by the mob. I hope I'm wrong.

I hope so too.

In the preview, it looks like we see him in a different setting marking himself, so perhaps those killings are not ordered. The whimpering in the room as he marks himself might mean he's doing his own jobs in his down time.

I think some people are misinterpreting the demographic Fox is going for.

How so?

[godisawesome]

I think some people are misinterpreting the demographic Fox is going for. Nobody watches the CW except for teenage girls (and now nerds because of Arrow and Flash), whereas Fox is a network that is legitimately competitive in the general 18-35 demographic. They might not be in the top spot, but I'm certain they're far more concerned with a more general audience, if probably a bit of a younger one than CBS. So CW-like teen melodrama probably isn't going to fly in Gotham, and won't be a major focus. Also, they don't care about us nerds any more than the movie studios who make superhero movies do. We'll watch Gotham regardless, but Joe and Jane Sixpack require pandering if this show is to remain on the air.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I do think that Arrow, Flash, Gotham and Shield are all competing just about equally at this point in that "all important" 18-35 demographic, and in such a way that it's not just the "geek vote" propelling that number. And while you're probably right in saying that the creators don't especially care what the most vocal fandoms say about the movies or shows, they do clearly utilize the nerds as free advertisements and all the shows have a powerful new media presence to capitalize on this.

And when I said shippers, I meant viewers who watch TV almost exclusively for the character relationships, not just the fanatical Tumblr people who make everyone else feel horribly uncomfortable. This group I think they're aiming at with the Barbara/Montoya subplot are the ones who watch medical dramas or stuff like Outlander, where a huge focus is put on emotional drama, but where there is at least an illusion of movement and maturity, as opposed to the CW-esque tween girl demographic. For instance, my buddy Chris's girlfriend is in the, er, more mature section of the 18-35 demographic, and isn't nearly the geek we are.

She's also definitely a Jane Sixpack in comparison to my sister, who is most definitely a shipper.

The first moment she got vocally interested in the show was when she realized there was a same-sex relationship with drama on the screen.

Contrast this with the more stereotypically male and "traditional comic book" audience of, say Gotham Central or 52, and you can see how the portrayal of Montoya in the show has favored the more "feminine" demographic in the show than the one that most of her vocal comic fans are a member of. It's not nearly as bad as Arrow, mind you, but it's still intended for a different audience than say, myself, or most of the geeky viewers.

Thus far, Montoya's screen time has been focused on giving viewers who may have been dragged into watching the show by geekier friends or family a reason to stick around. All her scene's have been quieter, more subdued, and generally more straight faced than the rest of the show's dark humored, Burton Noir stylings.

[heyevaxx]

So excited for this meeting in episode9!

Mad props to Trevel8182 who posted this in the Catwoman (Selina Kyle) Appreciation thread.

See the post below by chipsnopotatoes in the Catwoman thread for some episode 9 and 10 previews/SPOILERS.

[heyevaxx]

Gotham is appealing to a much broader demographic than just the comic book readers. In fact, it's reaching lots of the movie goer crowd (Nolan-ites and casuals) to get it's ratings.

godisawesome makes a great point about getting to a broad audience. Strictly speaking there should be no Selina no Ivy, and no Renee due to their ages in the comics. Based on comics canon, we should have *zero* female characters after Bruce's parents being killed. Except for Dr Leslie Thompkins in one timeline. Plus, Montoya being gay is actually canon so her relationship with Barbara is at least partially rooted in canon.

So I don't mind at all their making the show more appealing to woman and non-comic readers. It's the only way we'll get a big budget show with high production values.

[PretenderNX01]

So excited for this meeting in episode9!

Mad props to Trevel8182 who posted this in the Catwoman (Selina Kyle) Appreciation thread.

See the post below by chipsnopotatoes in the Catwoman thread for some episode 9 and 10 previews/SPOILERS.

Didn't read the spoilers but yeah, I think this pic is cute.

[ABH]

Forgive me if this was posted, but I thought this was pretty cool...


http://www.pinterest.com/pin/120752833734544724/

[Chrysalis_Changling]

Gotham is appealing to a much broader demographic than just the comic book readers. In fact, it's reaching lots of the movie goer crowd (Nolan-ites and casuals) to get it's ratings.

godisawesome makes a great point about getting to a broad audience. Strictly speaking there should be no Selina no Ivy, and no Renee due to their ages in the comics. Based on comics canon, we should have *zero* female characters after Bruce's parents being killed. Except for Dr Leslie Thompkins in one timeline. Plus, Montoya being gay is actually canon so her relationship with Barbara is at least partially rooted in canon.

So I don't mind at all their making the show more appealing to woman and non-comic readers. It's the only way we'll get a big budget show with high production values.

honestly though...this part of Bruce's life is usually skipped over and we only see little pieces of what bruce did after his parents were killed by way of flashbacks

we never spend too much time there because it's all about what's going on in the present and not what has already happened so it's interesting that this show is filling in the blanks that the comics either didn't care about or figured it wasn't worth mentioning

i doubt anyone would really care about this series if the only comic book characters involved were Bruce Wayne Harvey Bullock And James Gordon...You Gotta get them invested somehow! even comic book fans won't stick around if the show just turns into Gordon And Bullock Hunting Down Random No Name Criminals

you gotta learn to get everyone involved and give comic book fans something to enjoy and think about

[daBronzeBomma]

honestly though...this part of Bruce's life is usually skipped over and we only see little pieces of what bruce did after his parents were killed by way of flashbacks

we never spend too much time there because it's all about what's going on in the present and not what has already happened so it's interesting that this show is filling in the blanks that the comics either didn't care about or figured it wasn't worth mentioning

i doubt anyone would really care about this series if the only comic book characters involved were Bruce Wayne Harvey Bullock And James Gordon...You Gotta get them invested somehow! even comic book fans won't stick around if the show just turns into Gordon And Bullock Hunting Down Random No Name Criminals

you gotta learn to get everyone involved and give comic book fans something to enjoy and think about

QFT.

I think what we're going to see with GOTHAM is similar to what we saw with THE SIMPSONS, only in reverse. Kinda.

THE SIMPSONS clearly started out as the Bart Simpson show ... for about the first two seasons (1989/1990, 1990/1991). From the 3rd season onward, the emphasis shifted from the kid Bart to the show's true star (and my vote for greatest TV character ever): Homer Simpson.

GOTHAM will start out as the Jim Gordon show, but give it a few successful seasons and it will undoubtedly eventually become the Bruce Wayne show.

Also, I'm glad we're covering the fallout to the Wayne's murder bit by bit. In some versions of the Batman legend, young Bruce Wayne leaves Gotham pretty much right after his parents' funeral ... which, in hindsight, was utterly ridiculous even by Batverse standards. I hope we follow Bruce Wayne into high school, into his formal martial arts training, maybe as a proto-Robin afterhours, all leading up to a 21-year-old Batman on his first patrol.

[Tupiaz]

honestly though...this part of Bruce's life is usually skipped over and we only see little pieces of what bruce did after his parents were killed by way of flashbacks

we never spend too much time there because it's all about what's going on in the present and not what has already happened so it's interesting that this show is filling in the blanks that the comics either didn't care about or figured it wasn't worth mentioning

i doubt anyone would really care about this series if the only comic book characters involved were Bruce Wayne Harvey Bullock And James Gordon...You Gotta get them invested somehow! even comic book fans won't stick around if the show just turns into Gordon And Bullock Hunting Down Random No Name Criminals

you gotta learn to get everyone involved and give comic book fans something to enjoy and think about

Exactly! Besides people are way to concern about canon. It tells a part of the Batman mythos there has not been dealt with a lot (what can be brought into the comics will one way or another happen in the future if the success continues). The show has its own continuity and life let be with that and don't try to fit it in age wise with the current Batman books.

[protege]

QFT.

I think what we're going to see with GOTHAM is similar to what we saw with THE SIMPSONS, only in reverse. Kinda.

THE SIMPSONS clearly started out as the Bart Simpson show ... for about the first two seasons (1989/1990, 1990/1991). From the 3rd season onward, the emphasis shifted from the kid Bart to the show's true star (and my vote for greatest TV character ever): Homer Simpson.

GOTHAM will start out as the Jim Gordon show, but give it a few successful seasons and it will undoubtedly eventually become the Bruce Wayne show.

Also, I'm glad we're covering the fallout to the Wayne's murder bit by bit. In some versions of the Batman legend, young Bruce Wayne leaves Gotham pretty much right after his parents' funeral ... which, in hindsight, was utterly ridiculous even by Batverse standards. I hope we follow Bruce Wayne into high school, into his formal martial arts training, maybe as a proto-Robin afterhours, all leading up to a 21-year-old Batman on his first patrol.

What I'm finding ridiculous and a bit unsettling is that this kid stayed in town., with no one to look after him other than the Family butler. Where's the rest of his family? he's developing into the batman at this early age, and it's just uncomfortable for me to watch.

[Chrysalis_Changling]

Exactly! Besides people are way to concern about canon. It tells a part of the Batman mythos there has not been dealt with a lot (what can be brought into the comics will one way or another happen in the future if the success continues). The show has its own continuity and life let be with that and don't try to fit it in age wise with the current Batman books.

just look at agents of shield....the entire cast of characters are originals made for the television series(aside From Coulson who was created within the films)and having no prior attachment to those characters you don't really feel invested in what's going on they have to build up the characters and unfortunately they can't give every character an equal share of screen time so You'll always have that one character who you can't really care about one way or another

here?...there are expectations sure but I'd imagine there are a lot more people interested in seeing the penguin's rise to the top and selina's early start as a thief instead of seeing skye hack into something again while looking sexy doing it

[phonogram12]

What I'm finding ridiculous and a bit unsettling is that this kid stayed in town., with no one to look after him other than the Family butler. Where's the rest of his family?

Well, like the comics, movies, other tv shows, etc., it's quite likely this version of Bruce has no other living family. Considering what's come before, it's not terribly far fetched.

[Ceebiro]

My problem with the inclusion of Bruce Wayne thus far is that it feels far too limited. If they're going to use it him, I'd like it if they explored Bruce's life outside of the family study. Surely he had friends somewhere or at least play companions. Didn't he go to school or was he home-schooled?

[Chrysalis_Changling]

My problem with the inclusion of Bruce Wayne thus far is that it feels far too limited. If they're going to use it him, I'd like it if they explored Bruce's life outside of the family study. Surely he had friends somewhere or at least play companions. Didn't he go to school or was he home-schooled?

pretty sure he was home-schooled....Gotham doesn't really seem like it has much in the way of schools

[phonogram12]

My problem with the inclusion of Bruce Wayne thus far is that it feels far too limited. If they're going to use it him, I'd like it if they explored Bruce's life outside of the family study. Surely he had friends somewhere or at least play companions. Didn't he go to school or was he home-schooled?

One of the upcoming episodes has him returning to school.