Gotham TV Show

[Jeff Brady]

You won't see Batman in the Gotham TV series because Bruce Wayne is only 12 years old.

The show is about Jim Gordon and the city.

[MajorHoy]

The TV show was probably trying to avoid having "Batman" because of licensing $'s . . . if you have a TV show that's all about Batman's world but doesn't include the actual "Batman", WB/DC doesn't have to worry about having things conflict with licensing and any movie versions. (Marvel has that problem with properties like X-Men and Fantastic Four, which they licensed out when they were desperate for money and weren't making their own movies . . . now they can't get the licenses back in-house yet, so anything included with those license agreements can't be used in any Marvel-produced movies at present.)

[Jack Flag]

You won't see Batman in the Gotham TV series because Bruce Wayne is only 12 years old.

The show is about Jim Gordon and the city.

I think they went way too young and far back in time with Gotham. It should have been college aged or just graduated college Bruce Wayne - maybe 5 years before he becomes Batman - how he trained 5 years before he donned the costume and why he did - maybe have efforts of a young idealistic Bruce Waybe attempt to better Gotham be thwarted via the curropt broken legal system (zoning rules working against him, attempts on his life - which then gives him the excuse to become a recluse, etc).

Update the story a little bit - have Lucius Fox be young - like Diggle is for Arrow - be is partner in helping Bruce stay alive as people try and kill him by providing gear to prevent assassinations, etc. A good way to add racial diversity in the WASPish Batman origins. Lucius Fox as an underappreciated engineer at Wayne Enterprises until young Bruce notices him. I would shake the story up some more - have a Betty and Veronica triangle going with Bruce - between Selina Kyle and Gordon's daughter Barbara - it is a TV show - we need relationship triangles which the current Gotham is doing with Gordon (and failing - I can't stand how they have written his ex - she is worse than Rick's dead wife Lori from The Walking Dead).

I put these suggestions out free of charge.

[kalorama]

I think they went way too young and far back in time with Gotham.

They did so with the pretty clear intent of making it obvious that Batman was never going to be a part of the show (barring the unlikely event that the show runs for 13 years), with the goal of heading off the carping and complaining from him not appearing.

I could have told them that wasn't going to work.

[Jack Flag]

The TV show was probably trying to avoid having "Batman" because of licensing $'s . . . if you have a TV show that's all about Batman's world but doesn't include the actual "Batman", WB/DC doesn't have to worry about having things conflict with licensing and any movie versions. (Marvel has that problem with properties like X-Men and Fantastic Four, which they licensed out when they were desperate for money and weren't making their own movies . . . now they can't get the licenses back in-house yet, so anything included with those license agreements can't be used in any Marvel-produced movies at present.)

Warner Brothers - unlike pre Disney Marvel - owns all the rights since they own DC.

[Jack Flag]

They did so with the pretty clear intent of making it obvious that Batman was never going to be a part of the show (barring the unlikely event that the show runs for 13 years), with the goal of heading off the carping and complaining from him not appearing.

I could have told them that wasn't going to work.

The thing I hate - and it is approaching hate level - is how in a big city like Gotham, all the Batman villians he will face seem to have all known each other or come across each other. Poison Ivy knows Selina Kyle from a young age. Bruce knows a young Selina - childhood sweethearts and so on. It shows that they can't do a Gotham true crime story without the mythos of Batman. Why bother when SUV and Law & Order do it better?

It should have been college aged or just graduated college Bruce Wayne - maybe 5 years before he becomes Batman - how he trained 5 years before he donned the costume and why he did - maybe have efforts of a young idealistic Bruce Waybe attempt to better Gotham be thwarted via the curropt broken legal system (zoning rules working against him, attempts on his life - which then gives him the excuse to become a recluse, etc).

Update the story a little bit - have Lucius Fox be young - like Diggle is for Arrow - be is partner in helping Bruce stay alive as people try and kill him by providing gear to prevent assassinations, etc. A good way to add racial diversity in the WASPish Batman origins. Lucius Fox as a young engineer type in the bowels of Wanye Enterprises and under appreciated at Wayne Enterprises until young Bruce notices him. I would shake the story up some more - have a Betty and Veronica triangle going with Bruce - between Selina Kyle and Gordon's daughter Barbara - it is a TV show - we need relationship triangles which the current Gotham is doing with Gordon (and failing - I can't stand how they have written his ex - she is worse than Rick's dead wife Lori from The Walking Dead).

I put these suggestions out free of charge.

[kalorama]

The thing I hate - and it is approaching hate level - is how in a big city like Gotham, all the Batman villians he will face seem to have all known each other or come across each other. Poison Ivy knows Selina Kyle from a young age. Bruce knows a young Selina - childhood sweethearts and so on. It shows that they can't do a Gotham true crime story without the mythos of Batman. Why bother when SUV and Law & Order do it better?

Of course they could do a Gotham true crime story without delving into the Batman mythos. But why would they want to? The Batman connection is the show's primary hook. It's the foundation on which the show is built. It's not like they wracked their brains trying to figure out how to do it without Batman-ties before reluctantly admitting they couldn't and relenting. The Batman connection is the entire reason for the show's existence.

[Jack Flag]

You won't see Batman in the Gotham TV series because Bruce Wayne is only 12 years old.

The show is about Jim Gordon and the city.

Why I think they screwed that up. Jim is shown cleaning up the city and inspiring police. Why hold out for a Batman when Gordon is being Batman before Batman? He has yet to not solve a case.

Secondly, they made Gordon almost like Batman in that instead of being from a blue collar Irish cop family living in low rent conditions because he won't accept bribes they had him be the son of an influential District Attorney (he was at least upper class) who decided to take the blue collar life of a low paid cop rather than a lawyer and DA like his dad. Again, not out of the question but kind of reaching the improbable (I have cops in my family). They had Gordon live with a glamorous artist hottie in a skyrise for millionaires - yes, not his place but still it was an off note. And Barbara - a rich artist - and she seems to only date cops. Gordon should have zero connections with living in a high rise or around rich people. Also, having Gordon come from money or be associated with money like that lessons his sacrifice in not accepting bribes. See the recent "Better Call Saul" episode where Mike talks about cops stealing money and taking bribes and how cops do it because they make little money, etc.


So they have Gordon be Batman in almost all ways without him being Batman and it just feels wrong. They got Bullock right all the way though.

[Jack Flag]

Of course they could do a Gotham true crime story without delving into the Batman mythos. But why would they want to? The Batman connection is the show's primary hook. It's the foundation on which the show is built. It's not like they wracked their brains trying to figure out how to do it without Batman-ties before reluctantly admitting they couldn't and relenting. The Batman connection is the entire reason for the show's existence.

I would have done Gotham without Batman like the X-Files and have Gordon and Bullock go through it the way Scully and Fox solved cases while being **** upon by the system and also making it creepy. That approach would have worked. They decided to try and be Gotham, CSI and it sucked. And I don't get how Bruce Wayne a tween - just has a bulter be in his life. No maids? No gardner? No school pals? It just seems they ran out of money and just show Bruce and Pennysworth in the mansion and that is about it. The kid is a billionaire - he can't hire some ex Mossad body guards?

[kalorama]

I would have done Gotham without Batman like the X-Files and how Scully and Fox solved cases while being **** upon by the system and also making it creepy.

You do realize that's pretty much a spot-on description of "Gotham" right?

They decided to try and be Gotham, CSI and it sucked.

I see no meaningful parallels whatsoever between Gotham and CSI.

[Immortal Weapon]

Orge gets a three part arc while the excellent Electrocutioner only gets an episode and a half. I don't understand this show sometimes.

[90'sCartoonMan]

Maybe this is just me coming off a recent episode of Arrow, but was I the only one who thought it was messed up that Gordon told Lee he loves her and she didn't say it back?

I know they're building him up as this incredible threat but....the Ogre is so nonthreatening and such a Villain Sue I despise the character

I feel like he's bordering on Villain Sue because he can somehow spy on cops and get away with so much killing, but I'm glad they brought in the aspect that no one knows what he used to look like.

Also, second The Nanny alumni on: Niles the Butler played Ogre's dad after Maggie played Loeb's daughter. Random trivia.

Ha! Man, I didn't even recognize him! Thanks for that.

The show is not Batman-less, Bruce IS the future Batman and shows all the signs of what he will become. He is honing self-taught detective skills while realizing how corrupt Gotham is, he is learning to fight, he has even already firmly decided that he will never kill.

And hello Batcave judging by the previews!

I think they went way too young and far back in time with Gotham. It should have been college aged or just graduated college Bruce Wayne - maybe 5 years before he becomes Batman - how he trained 5 years before he donned the costume and why he did - maybe have efforts of a young idealistic Bruce Waybe attempt to better Gotham be thwarted via the curropt broken legal system (zoning rules working against him, attempts on his life - which then gives him the excuse to become a recluse, etc).

If you do that, though, you run the risk of the audience wondering why Bruce isn't Batman already, especially if he's back in Gotham and doesn't need to leave the city to learn any additional skills. And you'd REALLY need to hold off on the costumed and gimmicky super villains.

And I don't get how Bruce Wayne a tween - just has a bulter be in his life. No maids? No gardner? No school pals? It just seems they ran out of money and just show Bruce and Pennysworth in the mansion and that is about it. The kid is a billionaire - he can't hire some ex Mossad body guards?

Didn't we see a gardener in the Copperhead episode? And he seems to have withdrawn from his school pals, but we know they still exist. Plus he's too stubborn for bodyguards.

[Jack Flag]

You do realize that's pretty much a spot-on description of "Gotham" right?



I see no meaningful parallels whatsoever between Gotham and CSI.

Gotham is not at all like the X-Files. Ghosts? Zombies? Monsters? Aliens? Demonic possessions? Do you even remember the X-Files?

[Jack Flag]

Maybe this is just me coming off a recent episode of Arrow, but was I the only one who thought it was messed up that Gordon told Lee he loves her and she didn't say it back?



I feel like he's bordering on Villain Sue because he can somehow spy on cops and get away with so much killing, but I'm glad they brought in the aspect that no one knows what he used to look like.



Ha! Man, I didn't even recognize him! Thanks for that.



And hello Batcave judging by the previews!



If you do that, though, you run the risk of the audience wondering why Bruce isn't Batman already, especially if he's back in Gotham and doesn't need to leave the city to learn any additional skills. And you'd REALLY need to hold off on the costumed and gimmicky super villains.



Didn't we see a gardener in the Copperhead episode? And he seems to have withdrawn from his school pals, but we know they still exist. Plus he's too stubborn for bodyguards.

LOL! We are wondering now why this show exists without Batman! And seeing a young Bruce struggle to learn skills and build up a Batman arsenal is way cooler than tween Bruce at a social ball with a tween Serina. I think they ran out of money or just want to keep it simple between Bruce and Pennysworth. Anyway, the show is just OK and has obvious flaws.

[PretenderNX01]

I could have told them that wasn't going to work.

Except is does work for most people and is coming back for a season 2 since it's worst ratings are on par with Agents of SHIELD and yet it's on FOX which nobody watches.

Orge gets a three part arc while the excellent Electrocutioner only gets an episode and a half. I don't understand this show sometimes.

Electrocutioner doesn't have much to offer right now. Ogre is getting to be a part of Barbara's story which makes him a part of Gordon's story, who's tied into Leslie and Bullock.

Gotham is not at all like the X-Files. Ghosts? Zombies? Monsters? Aliens? Demonic possessions? Do you even remember the X-Files

Well, we've had hypnotists faking resurrected killers, phony carnival psychics and proto-Venom goons. They're not quite up to that but they are laying the groundwork for a Batman who could deal with stuff like he does in the comics.