TV: Gotham: Season 3 – “Executioner” Takeaways and Predictions

Photo Courtesy of Fox.

Photo Courtesy of Fox.

Gordon and Captain Barnes – Barnes begins the episode having three criminals bound, gagged, and hanging from a noose.  As he lectures them, concerning their crimes, he kicks the chairs out from under them, brutally killing them.

 Gordon begins his follow-up from Simmon’s revelation that Captain Barnes threw him through a wall.  He lets Harvey in on his concerns, seeming skeptical of the captain.  Later Barnes blames Simmon’s death on the mob and asks Gordon to go into the field with him.  Gordon calls Harvey telling him the address as he is obviously unsure of the situation.  Gordon and Barnes continue having a conversation about how to handle criminals, yet this time when Barnes mentions Theo Galavan he and Gordan take a much different stance on how criminals should be dealt with.  Barnes and Gordon have switched roles in this aspect.  As the two go to confront another criminal, Sugar, Barnes shoots him for no apparent reason and turns his gun on Gordon!  Gordon asks Barnes why he has changed, and the Captain answers that he has always been this way, but it was never unlocked until now.  Barnes tells Gordon that he will frame him for the murder of Sugar, unless Gordon joins him.  Barnes thinks he will join him because of how he killed Galavan.  Gordon reveals his remorse for the situation and how he regrets it.  When he refuses to join Barnes, the Captain attacks him trying to kill him!  Barnes calls the GCPD blaming the death of Sugar on Gordon, and Harvey goes to find Lee and asks for her help. With Lee stating that Barnes was behind the murders, and revealing that he has the Alice Tetch blood in him, the GCPD comes to arrest Barnes.  Gordon shoots him in the shoulder in self-defense as Harvey and the GCPD arrive in the building.  Captain Barnes lives and is last seen wearing a straight jacket in Arkham.

Predictions – I figured this was the route the writers were going to go, but how many times will Gordon be framed / on the run?  The idea of him being framed did not last long in this episode, but seems fairly played out at this point.  The Barnes storyline hasn’t been very appealing.  Yes, he is a stark contrast from his original characterization, but it has been obvious the route this was going to take.  Honestly, it was fairly anticlimactic.  It would have been better if the writers focused from the Jervis Tetch story line directly into the Court of Owls focus.  Season 3 seems like it jumps to me.  The stories don’t seem as cohesive as the last two.  Expect the focus from here to be back on the Court of Owls.  This should also bring Bruce back into the fold on a regular basis.

Photo Courtesy of Fox.

Photo Courtesy of Fox.

Bruce, Selina, and Ivy – Ivy returns and is shown seducing a rich man using a perfume she made from her plants.  She then smashes a vase over his head in order to steal some of his personal belongings.  To her surprise, he is not dead and he promises to find her after she narrowly escapes.  Ivy returns to Selina’s place and reveals what had happened to her.  Selina had contacted Bruce in order to come see Ivy’s changes.  The three come under attack for the jewelry Ivy stole.  Bruce decides to buy it from her in order to return it.  As the three go to return the jewelry, they find the owner murdered, with an arrow to his eye, by the same masked people who attacked them earlier in the episode.  Selina throws the necklace, which breaks, revealing a key hidden inside.

Predictions- The early portrayal of Ivy has been good.  She is new at using her looks in order to gain what she wants, which is seen when she only asks for a couple thousand dollars from Bruce in return for the jewelry.  While her character is fine, and it is neat to see the early interactions of Ivy, Bruce, and Selina, I originally thought the character of Ivy was going to have a larger role in the season.  Much of the promo for Season 3 focused on her, but this was the second episode that had her as a semi-focus.  With the focus shifting to the Court of Owls, it seems as if Ivy’s role was unnecessarily rushed and introduced just for the sake of being introduced.

Photo Courtesy of Fox.

Photo Courtesy of Fox.

Cobblepot and Nygma – Nygma is called to GCPD in order to confirm the death of Isabella.  Cobblepot plays into the situation, acting as if he is truly sympathetic for Nygma’s situation.  Nygma is seen being depressed, which Cobblepot finds annoying, and tells him that he needs to come to terms with what happened to Isabella and move forward.  As Nygma goes to the scene of the accident in order to pay his respects, he begins to survey the scene and finds that Isabella was screaming for help prior to her death meaning that she did not fall asleep behind the wheel as Cobblepot had said. Through further investigating, Nygma finds that her break lines were cut.  He knows someone with money and power must be behind it.  Nygma returns to Cobblepot revealing all he has learned about Isabella’s accident.  He tells Cobblepot that he knows who did it…Butch!  He feels that Butch did this in order to get back at him for setting him up earlier in the season.

Predictions – While it was interesting to see Nygma think that it was Butch who killed Isabella in order to seek revenge, this storyline is dragging on to me.  The interaction between Cobblepot and Nygma was amazing last season.  It has turned awkward this season and is dragging on.  Yes, Cobblepot is Mayor, but he is at his best when he is manipulating others and controlling Gotham’s underworld.  Let’s bring that Cobblepot and Nygma back rather than this political aspect.  Brining back Carmine Falcone into the picture could shake this storyline up and give it the action it desperately needs.

 

This wasn’t one of Gotham’s better episodes, which only fuels the speculation that it may not last unless the writers change something soon.  After a few dull episodes, expect Carmine Falcone and the Court of Owls to pick up the action starting next week.  What were your thoughts of the episode?  What does Gotham need in order to get back on track?  Leave your thoughts in the usual spot, and thanks again for reading!

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