“She’s a real wiz with stains!”
Gotham will need a few of those in the coming weeks as the claret will likely flow due to vengeance and feuds and all things mad. Time Bomb drops everyone down the ladder a few pegs because, let’s face it, it’s much more entertaining to watch. Plus, said peg dropping should anger enough people to start a war in Gotham that few will survive intact, and Time Bomb already claimed it first victim. This week’s episode sees a threat to Lee and Mario’s engagement, Nygma’s revenge for Isabella’s murder, and Bruce learning more about the Court of Owls. However, disappointment is a bell and it tolls for thine own self as sarcastic Harvey takes a back seat for much of the episode, seemingly weighed down by the burden of acting captain as Barnes in Arkham. Hopefully that’s a momentary lack of reason on the producers’ part for Mad City.
It’s full steam ahead for Lee and Mario’s wedding, despite everyone knowing she and Gordon belong together. El Predicto states the show will slow play things out until Lee reaches the altar. Could have happened in this episode, considering the Court of Owls targeted Mario. Turns out they are blackmailing Big Papi Carmine Falcone into doing work for them; what said work is or why it is to be done remains a mystery, for now. So we see the Court of Owls seeping further into the Gotham narrative, as revealed with Falcone’s association and Bruce’s investigation. More on that later.
Mario has been rather hot under the collar as of late with Gordon continually saving him; that has got to be a blow to the ego, and Mario lets off a little steam when, using himself as bait, kills one of two assassins “in self-defense” as Gordon arrives on the scene to arrest the other. We also see more of Mario’s anger management issues when he spies Lee leaving Gordon’s apartment and is approached by two thugs. Mario demonstrates some super rage and super strength in handling said thugs. Could he be really angry because Lee just left Gordon’s place and he has been around a lot lately? That’s a contributing factor, but more likely Mario was infected with the Tetch blood virus, for we see the same vein bulge in his temple, the same ‘roid rage look in the eyes and same super strength as we saw in Barnes. Let’s see if he decides to use it on Gordon.
Meanwhile, Nygma has Butch and Tabs tied up in a secret location, and tortures him for Isabella’s death. Now, we know it wasn’t Butch, and Butch knows it wasn’t him, but Nygma is convinced and we get a glimpse of how sinister and malevolent he can be; wanting Butch to feel the same loss as he, Nygma sets up a mini guillotine with a choice for Tabs – she can save her hand or Butch, but not both. Tabs seizes the opportunity and tells Butch she’s not in a love place. Butch, in a marvellous turn of acting from Drew Powell, tells Tabs the last several weeks together were the best of his life, he loves her and he can die a happy man. This moved her so much she sacrificed her hand, but not before Nygma changes the rules of the game; if Tabs gives up her hand, he will let both of them go free. Butch, in a final, middle finger act of defiance, takes the blame for Isabella’s death. However, Butch tipped off Nygma that he genuinely wasn’t responsible for Isabella’s death. Nygma leaves Butch and Tabs, and her hand, in the lurch as gal pal Bat-crazy Babs shows up just in time to take Tabs, and hand on ice, to the hospital. During Babs’ search, she learned from Penguin’s maid Olga that Penguin loves Nygma, and correctly deduced it was Penguin who had Isabella killed. Erin Richards was delightfully playful and intense in portraying Babs’ search for Tabs and Butch. So much that it behooves me to state again that Gotham’s best players are Richards, Powell, Robin Lord Taylor, and Cory Michael Smith, and that said actors need, nay, deserve more screen time as things get particularly nasty and entertaining when they are present.
The third story sees Bruce, Selena and Alfred exchange the key they found last week for Ivy’s life. There’s a cute juxtaposing of Bruce and Selena arguing over their is-it-or-is-it-not-a-relationship (cute) with the purpose of the key (ominous), then they head off to find Ivy. But rather than meet with the Court of Owls, the trio are introduced to the Whisper Gang, Gotham’s most notorious smugglers who are out to destroy the Court as they have no honour. After some exposition, an alliance is forged between Bruce and the Whisper Gang, only to have the gang killed but the Court’s top assassin. Is it me, or is Ivy a bit of a useless character? I get she is still emotionally a teenager, but how many times must we see her do foolish things that are out of character for the Poison Ivy we all know and love? I’m not sure this twist on Freaky Friday works, and it doesn’t look like Ivy will get any smarter any time soon. So we are left with a teen in an adult’s body who apparently can’t spell “cat” unless you spotted her the “c” and the “a”, but uses her new womanly curves and instantaneous botanist skills to dupe men into doing her bidding. And why does Alfred always either get duped or beaten up? He’s not Thomas Magnum or Jim Rockford, nor is he that gullible. So let’s see him really let loose and open up a can of whoop ass, at least once.
I still think the Nygma/Penguin story should be the top story. But if that were the case I fear it would be played out way too quickly for my liking. I know, I’m a fickle man. I will enjoy that storyline and continue to hope the coming war and fallout will see Nygma finally become Riddler and Penguin become more Penguin.
Not a lot of sarcastic Harvey this week. I would include a sad face emoji, but am too depressed.
Tune in next time – same Bat-time, same Bat-channel.
