Bodies start dropping as the conflict between Falcone and Maroni escalates, with Mooney and Cobblepot waiting to take advantage of any opening.

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“KILL ME NOW, OR TRUST ME.”

Note: The following review goes into detail about the episode. SPOILER ALERT!

By far the most enjoyable aspect of Gotham’s debut season has been its ever expanding gallery of rogues, and this week’s installment has me wishing for a little bit more time with them. The devilish antics of Oswald Cobblepot have been a joy to behold, but others such as Fish Mooney, Falcone and Maroni all have important parts to play in the story going forward. The ongoing battle between Falcone and Maroni, along with the power grabs from Mooney and Cobblepot, are far more interesting than the struggles of the incredibly corrupt GCPD. Gotham could really take a leap in quality if it somehow found a way to balance its “heroes” and villains effectively.

I have to admit that I didn’t expect Cobblepot to rise so rapidly through Marconi’s ranks. I guess it shouldn’t be too surprising considering the man he will soon become, but I think I would have liked to see him struggle for a little while longer. Cobblepot’s side of thing was still as strong as ever though, with him first pleading with Gordon for help and later returning to his dastardly, murderous ways. I can’t even be certain whether he is genuinely fearing for his life when he talks to Gordon or is actually using the detective as another one of his pawns. He definitely used those three poor fools anyway, as they first stole a bag full of money for him and were rewarded with some poisoned treats. Cobblepot is ruthless and cunning, and nobody is going to see him coming. His rise to power continues to be Gotham’s most entertaining storyline.

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A little more light was shed on the ongoing conflict between Falcone and Maroni, as the two fought a little proxy war over Arkham. The villain of the week continued a trend of uninspiring weekly threats on Gotham, but it was good to see Gordon and Bullock once again working as a team to take him down. Their partnership is by far the best thing about the police side of things on the show, and they’ve struck up a pretty good chemistry already. I feel like Ben Mckenzie is forcing the tough side of Gordon a little bit at times, but otherwise he’s doing a pretty good job showing us a different Jim Gordon than we’re used to. Now if only they could give him and Bullock something a little bit more interesting to do each week.

Fish Mooney held one of the most interesting auditions I‘ve ever seen this week. At first it may have appeared like she wanted a new singer for her club, but when seduction became one of the key skills needed for this particular job, it became clear she had something a little bit more devious in mind. The two starlets who ended up beating the hell out of each other look like they’re being primed to get close to Falcone. Mooney did have Falcone’s girlfriend killed last week, so this shows she’s quite the forward thinker. Right now we can’t be certain whether she wants the new girl, Liza, to just get close to Falcone or actually kill him. Either way is sure to open up a whole load of interesting new avenues for our villains.

THE BREAKDOWN

For all of its faults, Gotham is an enjoyable show that has a handful of entertaining characters. I’ve been a little bit down on the show so far, but I think that has more to do with my own high expectations rather than the show being bad. Characters like Cobblepot and Mooney have been very fun to watch so far, and I’ve decided to just strap in and let Gotham take me wherever it wants to go. The power struggle between Falcone and Maroni is coming along nicely, while Mooney bides her time from the sidelines. Most of all though, I’m looking forward to seeing what Cobblepot does with those big bags of cash!

Will Mooney’s quest for more power succeed or is her time on the show already numbered? Let us know in the comments below.

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