Gotham - S1E12 - What the Little Bird Told Him

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Previously on Gotham, ‘Rogues’ Gallery’

Synopsis

Ok now I know this is going to sound crazy but… Gotham is actually starting to get good! I know what you are about to say: “What happened?!” I don’t know because everyone is still yelling! But whatever it is, I am really starting to enjoy this show and that is a good thing. Makes writing about it so much easier. Ok enough of that, let’s talk about the show. In an attempt to get his job back, Gordon must track down and capture Jack Gruber, the deranged electrical genius who escaped from Arkham last episode. Meanwhile, Falcone struggles to hold on as threats from the inside threaten to rip his empire away from him.

Recap

James and Harvey’s Excellent Adventure

• We start off where we ended last week with Jack Gruber (AKA the Electra-cutioner) and Aaron Helzinger on the loose and Gordon needing to find a way to get them back into Arkham. So Gordon heads to GCPD and breaks up a briefing Captain Essen was giving about the escape. She tells Gordon he can’t be there, Gordon tells her that this is his case so he is not going anywhere as the police commissioner, Loeb (Peter Scolari), comes in the building. Is this the first time we have seen him in the show? He kind of looks like Commissioner Gordon in the comics! Anyway, he tells Gordon to catch the two escapees or he and his buddy - how did Bullock get caught up into all this? - will permanently walk the halls at Arkham. Love the new dynamic between Bullock and Gordon. Prior to this episode we saw flashes of what the writers wanted the relationship to be, but the actors just could not get there. Now, it is great how the two of them play off of each other; let the hijinks commence!
• Gordon is back and loving life; “It’s good to be back…” all Tony Stark like. He has no idea how he is going to find Gruber and Helzinger but hey, he has his badge back, for a little while anyway.

• Nygma gives the guys a clue as to how to find Gurber and friend. It seems Gruber wanted to be in Arkham. He was a criminal who got some help being transferred into Arkham. Gordon and Bullock determine if they find who helped Gruber, then they will find Gruber.
• A tip comes in that Gruber’s getaway van from Arkham was found. At the scene, Gordon and Bullock find an electrical store in the area. They investigate and find that Gruber had already been there and helped the owner find his inner Bart Simpson.
• Back at GCPD, Dr. Thompkins decides to pay Gordon a visit. Awkward. She brings Gordon a voodoo doll an Arkham resident (who thinks she is a sorceress) made for Gruber. It looks a lot like Marconi! So what do they do…bring Marconi to the GCPD as bait.
  • One of the best parts of the show. The awkward chemistry between Thompkins (Lea to her friends) and Gordon is endearing. Then you put Bullock in the mix and you have gold, Jerry!
• Meanwhile, Marconi, Oswald, and crew are hanging out at a restaurant when Gruber shows up. Gruber electrocutes Oswald as he tries to leave the restaurant. Gruber then sends an electric hand grenade into the restaurant to send Maroni a message. After the attack, Gordon asks Maroni to be bait for his trap for Gruber. Maroni complies.
• While at the police department, Cobblepot, still stunned from being electrocuted, makes a BIG mistake and lets it slip he is on his way to meet Don Falcone in front of Maroni. That can’t be good, right?
• So back to Gruber, who finds it a challenge to get Marconi out of the most protected building in the city. What to do? Electrocute the whole building, of course!

• Gruber and Helzinger go in to the precinct, where all the police are knocked out, to get Marconi but finds one cop still on his feet: Gordon. Seems Gordon had the forethought to wear rubber soled shoes showing us viewers that he is still the smartest person in the room. Wonder if he passed that tip to his partner? We don’t see him so I am guessing not. Gruber does not seem all that surprised and uses one of his gadgets he has on his chest to electrocute Gordon’s gun out of his hand. And at this point a fight ensues between Gordon and Helzinger with Gordon coming out on top.
• Next we have what all comic/superhero stories have: the super villain monologue! Gruber, who thinks he has Gordon on the ropes, decides to psychoanalyze him and forgets that he, Gruber, is not the smartest person in the room, and he pays for it. So how does Gordon get the upper hand… with a cup of water. That is right, a freak’n cup of water!
• So Gordon saves the day and gets to keep his job as a police detective. As only Gordon can do, as he gets his badge from Commissioner Loeb, he threatens to make anyone eat the badge if they try to take it away from him again.

It’s Time, Don Falcone

• We find Don Falcone on a war path, killing a random family member of his for some indiscretion. He later finds his way to Liza - “the weapon” - where they have a sweet, yet creepy talk about how she wants to stay with him.
• Flash forward, Liza is walking with her bodyguard down the street when a car pulls up and two masked men kill the guard and puts Liza in the car. Not good.
• This is Mooney’s move. She calls Don Falcone, with her voice disguised, to negotiate Liza’s safe return. Don Falcone calls his little bird, Cobblepot, to help get Liza back. Oswald is happy to help but Gruber has other plans. Oswald is electrocuted and off he goes to GCPD with Maroni. (This is when Gordon asks Maroni to be bait for his trap to catch Gruber.)

• Meanwhile, Mooney calls Don Falcone saying she will be the mediator to get Liza back. Don Falcone is not stupid and calls Mooney out saying this was her play to take over the family. Mooney owns up to it and tells him that if he leaves town forever he can take Liza and go in peace. He agrees. Butch is overjoyed, but Mooney tells him this is not a time for celebration because Don Falcone is a great man and she was just trying to give him a way out before someone tries to take him out.
• Before the transaction can take place, Oswald finally makes it to see Don Falcone and proceeds to drop the BIG bomb on his plans to leave the family to Mooney… Liza is working for Mooney. BOOM!
• Don Falcone shows up at Mooney’s place to sign over the family to her, not sure how that works exactly. Does she inherit the goons, too? Before Don Falcone will sign anything he insists on seeing Liza. Mooney allows it and Don Falcone apologizes to her about how she got wrapped up into all of this and he puts his hands around her neck and chokes her to death as his goons, led by Zsasz, come into the room with their guns drawn. Bet Mooney was thinking, “They were almost mine!” I guess Don Falcone never taught Mooney not to bring a knife to a gunfight.
• Don Falcone tells Zsasz to keep Mooney and Butch alive for now. He does allow a very special friend to see Mooney before she goes and our friend waddles into the room. Hello, Fish!

Wrapping Up

• At the end of the episode, Thompkins has not had enough of Gordon, yet and decides go pay him a visit in the men’s locker room where he has been spending his days and nights. She says she is there to get her sorceress’ doll back (wink). I think we all know better than that. After some more awkward moments she does say she has no idea why she is there and turns to leave when Gordon steps up. In his most grizzled, angry yet pinning voice he tells her to stop. Of course she does and he kisses her hard. Not sure how neither of them didn’t get a busted lip there. Aww…ouch!
• We do have a Barbara sighting. Well of course we did since Gordon is finding a new love interest; we have to see how he will ruin his new relationship with his old one. Poor Dr. Thompkins. Anyway, Barbara is having no place to go since Montoya kicked her out of her bed, so she visits her family in a very big house where the butler has no idea who she is. Curious. She asks if she can stay a couple of days and her mother lets her know she can stay for the weekend, but is afraid she might be frightfully bored.
• We also have Nygma trying to mac on his favorite records keeper, Kristen Kringle (Chelsea Spack). This time he gives her a cupcake with a bullet in it. He says it represents a woman, both deadly and sweet… a dangerous thing. Funny enough this seems to get to Kringle and she smiles although she denies liking Nygma’s advances to another GCPD employee later. Stay tuned…
• This was a very good episode with high points being Gordon and Dr. Thompkins’ budding relationship with Bullock sprinkled into the mix. Also, Oswald getting his gotcha moment with Mooney was cool to see. All in all, the show seems to be finding itself and I am really getting into all the characters and the story. Good thing too since I am supposed to be writing this review every week. Looking forward to where the show goes next week.