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Gotham - S3E9 - Mad City: The Executioner

Previously on Gotham, “Blood Rush”

Gotham - S3E9 - “Mad City: The Executioner” | Starring:  Ben McKenzie, Donal Logue, David Mazouz, Morena Baccarin, Sean Pertwee, Robin Lord Taylor, Erin Richards, Camren Bicondova, Cory Michael Smith, Jesica Lucas, Chris Chalk, Drew Powell, Michael Chiklis, Benedict Samuel, and Maggie Geha.

When last we left Gotham, people were getting shoved through walls, falling to their deaths, and getting hit by trains. In the case of Dr. Symon, with his dying breath he points the finger at Captain Barnes to Gordon’s surprise. And as we know all too well, when Gordon gets a bone in his mouth he cannot let go. This week, Gordon is asking questions that focus on Barnes’ whereabouts during the party and rubbing some people the wrong way. So where is Barnes? He is just hanging out with some of the local scum and doing his best Sly Stallone impression, “I am the law!” (Judge Dredd, 1995).

Images: FOX

Gordon thinks Barnes is the killer and Barnes is not too sure that Gordon is not on to his vigilante ways.  Barnes drops the name of a confidential informant who may be the killer or knows who did the killing.  Barnes asks Gordon to keep it between them and wants him to go with him to find the CI. Gordon seems apprehensive, and to calm him down Barnes brings a big sawed-off to the party because you never know what could go down.

On the car ride there, Barnes questions Gordon about what he is willing to do to clean up the city.  He even brings up Galavan as Gordon is looking at him like “why you bringing up old stuff.” They go see the CI, Sugar is his name because why wouldn’t it be, who seems to know nothing about a dead plastic surgeon but gets shot anyway because Barnes knows he is guilty of something. Barnes gives Gordon a choice: join him or die. Gordon chooses death, but thanks to one of Sugar’s friends, Gordon gets away. The chase is on.

Barnes tracks down Gordon, but before he can kill him, Bullock shows up with all the information of what Barnes did thanks to Thompkins’ embellishments. Barnes does not want anyone else to know about, the Tetch virus, killing those criminals, and killing Dr. Symon, so he tells Gordon to let him get away. Now Gordon has another choice to make: allow Barnes to escape or bring him in. He chooses to bring him in.  Old Gordon may have let Barnes go, but Gordon’s character is growing and changing into more of the Gordon the Batman fans are used to. Gordon goes back to the office and he finds Thompkins waiting. He thanks her for what she did taking Gordon’s word over Barnes’. They share a moment that they both know will turn into something they both are trying to saying no to… for now.

Ivy has a doctorate in botany that she earned somewhere between 10th grade and the drainage pipe she took her big people ride in.  She now knows how to take the essence out of plants to get men to do whatever she wants them to do. And what she wants is things. Big shinny things.  She wants to bring Selina and Bruce in on her thieving ways. The problem is, though, that someone is after her and they are carrying crossbows. Yes, crossbows all Daryl Dixon like.

The necklace Ivy stole has to go and Bruce is willing to pay for what Ivy refuses to let go of. One million dollars? No, she just wants $5,000. As they attempt to return the necklace, they find the owner dead with a crossbow bolt in his eye. Selina says enough and throws the necklace on the ground and the necklace breaks. The Scooby Gang finds a key in the broken necklace. What a strange place to put a key. Anyway, they make their way back to Bruce’s place to hide while the guys trying to kill them are at the owner’s place looking for something.  Inside a box they fine a newspaper clipping about the Wayne murders.

Nygma is worried about his lady at her librarian conference. The GCPD called and has him go down to identify the body. I was not expecting that.   figured she would find a way out of the car or something, but nope. She dead! But Penguin is here for him. Nygma is depressed and driving Penguin up the wall. He says he needs to heal and Nygma decides to go to the scene of her passing. He gets suspicious, due to the convenient blind man saying he heard a lady screaming for help right before the crash. And he discovers that the break lines were cut and now he wants answers. Nygma lets Penguin know that he knows that Isabella was murdered and he knows who her killer is… Butch!  Wait. What?

Best Scene:  So looks like Butch killed Isabella according to Nygma. And of course Penguin vows to find Butch and make him pay.

Worst/Best Line(s):  “I am the law!”  Barnes says to the criminals he has strung up in a warehouse.

Honorable Mention:  “Oh sweet gentle virgin.”  I have no idea what that means, Bullock, but it was funny for some reason. 

Most Ridiculous/Funny Scene: Nygma is checking his watch waiting to hear from his lady love.  Penguin tells him “I imagine librarian conferences are hectic affairs.” Nygma is thinking not.  Nygma asks if he thinks something happened, to which Penguin replies, “No…”

Honorable Mention:  Even Bruce can see Ivy is all grown up now. He thinks she looks “nice.”  Not the best thing the say with your kind-of girlfriend around.

Honorable Mention: Gordon is on the run with half the GCPD after him due to Barnes framing him for a murder that Barnes committed.  Gordon Calls Bullock to tell him what happened.  Bullock says, “I was gone for like an hour.”  Indicating he can’t leave Gordon alone for a second.

Best Geek Moment: The Captain seat is empty again.  I wonder who is going to occupy it next?  Captain Gordon, anyone?

Gotham S3E9
  • 6/10
    Plot - 6/10
  • 6/10
    Dialogue - 6/10
  • 6/10
    Action - 6/10
  • 6/10
    Performances - 6/10
6/10

Summary

Not sure how I feel about this episode. Was it good?  Maybe. Was I entertained? Possibly. I am not a fan of turning Barnes into a villain just to catch him a couple of episodes later. Chiklis is a pretty big actor to have turn and get caught right away. I hoped they would use him a little more or even stretched out the story line as a longer mystery as to who was killing Gotham’s criminals. But Barnes is in Arkham now and talking to himself and the captain’s chair is open for Gordon. 

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About Michael James (88 Articles)
An Air Force brat and former bluesuiter, Michael was raised all over the country, but calls the southwest his home… although you would not know it since he currently resides in the nation’s capital! (For now…?) He is also a reformed government black suit and tie guy who now gives back to the world one child at a time as a child therapist. He was brought up on Star Trek NG, Buck Rogers and old BSG TV shows and he loves most things Geek (TV: GoT, BSG, Fringe, Walking Dead; Comics: Image, DC, Marvel; Movies: Empire Strikes Back, Aliens, Serenity, The Avengers, Man of Steel (I know!), Pacific Rim, and Edge of Tomorrow. His perfect time would be traipsing around the world with his family and his two dogs, discovering and experiencing all kinds of ridiculous adventures. Too bad he doesn’t have William Bell money!

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