“You need to learn to work with what you have.”
And there’s the rub; Gotham doesn’t necessarily know what it has, which has been one of the show’s main issues. A two season search for identity comes up inconclusive as the show has been challenged to define what it is and what is offers every week. In today’s TV landscape identity and definition are very important, as superhero shows are revered with the same piety and awe as esteemed dramas. In the age of Peak TV (or Glut TV, depending on your point of view), superhero shows are even more popular, thanks to their recipe of episodic and serialized storytelling; this blend fits both models of binge watching and weekly viewing.
It’s not unusual, like Tom Jones sang, for shows to struggle with identity and what’s on the menu. However, shows such as The Flash and Arrow pushed forward and found a vision of what they are; even the (unfortunately) now-cancelled Marvel’s Agent Carter is to be considered, as viewers know what to expect in terms of tone, themes, look, feel and storytelling. Daredevil is one of the rare shows that didn’t struggle to define what it is; the show hit the ground running with equal measures of grittiness, violence, and a myopic scope limited to New York’s Hell’s Kitchen. It’s about as far from The Avengers as you can get and is more akin to The Wire and True Detective than anything in the MCU, which is why it’s the best offering on the Marvel menu. The same can’t be said for Gotham, however. D.C. has a pretty decent track record for its TV shows; even Supergirl, while not a ratings juggernaut, has definite identity. But Gotham seems to be in constant flux, heading off in new directions only to abandon them and start a new path.
I know I’ve mentioned Gotham’s inconsistent storytelling before, but “Wrath of the Villains: Azrael” is a rather fun episode despite not feeling like a part of the larger whole. “Azrael”, like a few of this season’s episodes, stands out because of its cohesiveness. That’s the good part. The not-so-good part is that this episode, much like the other few good ones, highlights the inconsistency of the season. Buckshot is less scattered than some of the episodes. That may sound like sour grapes, but one expects more out of a big time network show. Despite any strong forward momentum and creativity, can one enjoy the standout episodes from an otherwise inconsistent season?
“Azrael” does draw attention to the fact that Gotham has some redeeming qualities despite a hodgepodge attempt to combine a superhero show, lengthy origin story and police procedural. Gotham seems to work at its best when it isn’t taking itself too seriously, especially when the supporting characters are allowed to cut loose. “Azrael” is fun to watch precisely because of the performances, and they shine in this episode. B.D. Wong and Tonya Pinkins spar in a rapid, His Girl Friday patter as Hugo Strange and Miss Peabody, Arkham’s dynamic duo. Corey Michael Smith has crafted an interesting Nygma/Riddler the last few episodes; where once he was mousy he now brims of confidence and gaiety. And James Frain returns as Theo Galavan, reborn as Azrael, who fires on all cylinders now that he is allowed to have some fun.
When this season of Gotham premiered in the fall, one was led to believe these twenty two episodes would introduce terrific and menacing villains for Gordon and the city itself. It is only this episode where the villain has seemed big enough and bad enough; Azrael strikes an impressive pose with his armour, cape and mask. That alone signals he is a threat, never mind his displays of speed and strength that leave Gotham’s police and citizens in awe.
The Gordon/Galavan tête-à-tête never hit the high notes in terms of tension in the season’s first half, but using Galavan as Azrael is a smart move to raise the stakes in the story. Throughout the season we’ve been subjected to Gordon’s sins and his atonement, but he’s been let off the hook just when there is an opportunity to turn it up to eleven; never mind his brief stint in Blackgate and Lee leaving him, Gordon has never really confronted his actions head on. What we get instead is a serving of sledgehammer subtlety with a side of pseudo seriousness that can give even the casual Gotham viewer indigestion.
Gordon visits Strange, and what started as another potentially juicy cat-and-mouse game deteriorates into more on the nose exposition that we and the characters already know. In a supposed serious beat about how law and order have failed the city, Gordon warns Bruce about vigilantism – “it will make you more like the evil you’re trying to fight.” It’s strange how Gordon opens up to a kid rather than to Lee when he had the chance, but that is a discussion for another day. Even Strange gets in on the act as he practically recites the opening credits from The Six Million Dollar Man; he boasts, like a proud father, how the newly resurrected Galavan/Azrael is “better, stronger, faster.” I half expected Galavan to be sent on his Gordon kill mission wearing a red jumpsuit.
Azrael is the personification of Gordon’s sin and that saves the episode, since a mental battle only has a certain amount of legs; that and the fact Gotham has never gone full court press with a mental battle, so it’s a moot point. Azrael is a physical threat, a force to confront, and now things can get interesting. We can hope Gordon is pushed to the extreme and watch what happens when his worldview and ethics are challenged. A minor setback is the shoehorning of Penguin, Babs, Tabitha and Butch into scenes where they don’t need to be, as if to remind us they’re still around. But that’s the problem; they’re still around, waiting for something to happen. Is it e a deal breaker? No. This is still a decent hour of Gotham, but we go full circle and realize the show’s challenge to define itself on an almost weekly basis. But the show needs some Go Juice to move on towards the finale and “Azrael” accomplishes that job well.
Tune in next time – same Bat-time, same Bat-channel.
