There Will Be Light | GOTHAM

The Bat is back.

Well, almost.  The birth of the Bat is back and once again Batman returns to the small screen.  With this return I have been reinvigorated to dust the cobwebs off this site and begin anew.

So, to be more specific , we see the birth of the young Jim Gordon and his involvement with Gotham City.  Bruce Wayne is but a child and the series will start with the horrific murder of his parents.  This tragic event will forge an alliance that has gone down in pop culture and comic book history as one of the greatest partnerships in history.

But how much of this story do we need to know?

Catwoman as a child?  Poison Ivy also?  The Riddler and the Penguin?  All neophytes if not just children.  Gotham is an audacious undertaking.

Some of these figures I am sold on and others not quite as much.

Take Jada Pinkett Smith as "Fish Mooney."   A manufactured character to be sure.  Gotham will tell you they have to start somewhere.  None of Batman's adversaries are fully formed yet and crime never takes a holiday in Gotham.  Can Smith pull it off?  I'm not a big fan so the jury is out on this piece of casting.  She will have to convince me.

Gotham seems to have struck gold with the casting of Camren Bicondova as the young Selina Kyle.  Of course the question is, do we need a young Selina Kyle?  Bicondova has a natural onscreen intensity.  This should serve her well.  She'll no doubt act as a sounding board for the bereaved Bruce Wayne.  Should there be a chemistry?  Of course, let's just not take it too far.

 Additional gold was struck with the casting of Robin Lord Taylor as Oswald Cobblepot, aka, The Penguin.  Some fans may remember Taylor from The Walking Dead.  Oops, I don't, sorry!  None the less, we have a fully formed character here.   Better, perhaps, a sympathetic one at that.  Here is his teaser.

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"Did anyone ever tell you, when you walk you look just like a penguin."  That has to sting.  And that open sore will linger.  Love this character so far.  (Note Taylor's character is often pictured in a tuxedo.)

Let's stick with the bad guys.

Enough with the gold metaphors, but Cory Michael Smith's, Edward Nygma, is no less striking.

Perhaps it is a saving grace that we see some of Batman's foes as underlings.  Not in their infancy like Catwoman or Poison Ivy, but as foot soldier paying their dues. 

And suffering for it.

Smith's Nygma, aka, The Riddler, looks to be a curious sort.  A bit of a puzzle.  That's good, he has big shoes to fill.

 Here's one I am worried about, Clare Foley as Ivy Pepper, aka, Poison Ivy.  Hmm, much like Catwoman the mature version of this character is highly sexualized.  Can this be translated as a mere waif?  She looks damaged but growing into the character that is known to be a seductress is a daunting task.  How will her interactions with the young Master Wayne be portrayed?  Will it be too creepy?

Lastly, "Gotham" has teased us with the introduction of the Joker.  In fact, it could any number of mysterious characters they intend on introducing.  Be careful Gotham this is dangerous territory.  The Joker has become an iconic character thanks to Heath Ledger.  Back in the day he was just one of many bad guys. Now he is the bad guy.  The polar opposite to Batman but also the other side of the coin. This is one piece of casting you can't fumble.

Next up, the good guys.