***SPOILER DISCUSSION*** Our new Batman series is finally here but this time it's centered around a young James Gordon, years before the caped crusader shows up. Along for the ride will be a young Bruce Wayne, some familiar villains and hopefully a few surprises. If you haven't already, check out the special sneak peek posted below… It reveals something interesting about James Gordon and his relationship to Gotham City and touches on what looks to be a new twist to his relationship to his future wife Barbara, something that could only be covered with a TV show like this. Looks like we'll be getting a lot that you couldn't do with a two-hour movie actually, and unlike other origin pieces, Gotham doesn't appear to need a lot of filler. With a lot of villains getting their start, there's a lot to explore that won't seem contrived. I still have some concerns about that though. I hope that Catwoman and Bruce Wayne don't end up feeling shoehorned in. Then there's the city itself. The special covers that the most and talks about how New York has been augmented through CGI to have that timeless gothic look. Ben McKenzie is happy to be shooting there and can't imagine the show being shot anywhere else. He'll have to swallow those words when season 2 rolls around and production moves to Vancouver. I kid. Maybe. The show looks expensive and it'll needs its ratings if it's to keep things up or not get cancelled. The show will premiere on Monday September 22nd on FOX and is slated to run for 16 episodes in its first season. 'Gotham' deemed 'most promising' new fall show For the second year in a row, the Television Critics Association is betting on a superhero show. The TCA named Fox’s Gotham, which focuses on the origin stories of Commissioner Gordon and Batman’s legendary foes, the “most promising” new show of the fall TV season. In the inaugural poll last year, the TCA named Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.— another show that’s not actually about superheroes but is set in a superhero world—the most promising. - Entertainment Weekly Ben McKenzie and Donal Logue Respond to "Gotham" Critics What the actors and series executive producer Bruno Heller probably were not anticipating was the reaction of some critics, that "Gotham's" pilot is essentially a grim cop show missing the key element that makes this particular universe special: its headliner, Batman. For the record, this writer disagrees with that assessment. Sure, the pilot isn’t perfect, but I found it to be true to the Batman universe and would confidently recommend it to fans of the Dark Knight. A full review of "Gotham" will post closer to its premiere at 8pm on Monday, September 22. In the meantime, I sat down with McKenzie and Logue at the Beverly Hilton earlier this week to find out what they thought about a few early and very vocal critical reactions to the pilot. Spoiler alert — they were not amused. Read their reactions here. Netflix Nabs Rights To New Drama ‘Gotham’ In Precedent-Setting Deal In what is believed to be the first SVOD deal for a broadcast series made before its premiere, Netflix has reached an agreement with Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Distribution for the upcoming Fox drama series Gotham. Each season of the series will be available to Netflix members following their broadcast run. In the U.S. that is expected to be in September 2015, coinciding with the potential Season 2 premiere. Noone is discussing figures, but I hear the deal is worth about $1.75 million an episode in the U.S.. Read more. Fox Developing "Gotham" Young Jim Gordon Series Official Website | IMDb Page | Gotham Wiki
This is easily one of my most anticipated new series. I love the Batman world, and this looks like a really interesting new take on his villains and supporting characters. I haven't had a chance to check out that BTS special, but I hope to eventually.
I think Donal Logue makes a good point, in that there shouldn't be the same frustration of knowing there's a Batman out there that we can just never see, unlike on Agents of SHIELD or the old Birds of Prey series, where you knew those superheroes were out there and couldn't help but constantly wonder why they never showed up. And unlike those critics, I actually really like the idea of it being essentially a grim cop show set within the crazy world of Gotham. Seems like actually a pretty cool idea to me.
Well, in Birds of Prey, Batman had basically undergone an emotional breakdown due to the death of Selina Kyle (who in that continuity was the mother of his daughter) and the shooting of Barbara Gordon, so he'd given up the cowl and left Gotham (or New Gotham, as it was called). So Bruce was still out there somewhere, but it was explained why Batman wasn't in play anymore. It could be -- and it's been done in the comics as Gotham Central, a series that Gotham is clearly influenced by, given its inclusion of Crispus Allen and Renee Montoya in the cast. I just hope they don't overdo the "Here's the origin of a future Batman rogue" trope every week, but allow the show to be simply the adventures of Jim Gordon, with occasional foreshadowing.
The problem with Birds of Prey was not the premise, it was the writing and tone of the entire series. I have full expectations that Gotham will disappoint in every way, but like with Arrow will be very pleased if I am wrong.
I've decided not to watch. It doesn't seem to fit in with anything else, and I've given up on Arrow anyway. To be honet, an elongated origin for all the Batman characters just doesn't appeal. Still deciding whether to go and see Batman Superman. I believe I may have quit DC completely...
Birds of prey gets a bad rap. Every one forgets that it gets a bump for making Harley Quinn the big bad.
I'm looking forward to this show. My daughter has worked with Camren Bicondova and says she's phenomenal. I hope this works out.
Yes, Mia Sara had some of the best moments of the show. It has been a few years, but I seem to remember the show started to find its footing after a bumpy beginning (mentioned in my previous post), but had already been cancelled. I should mention that I really liked the entire female cast.
The cast of Birds of Prey was its strength overall, with one or two exceptions. Quoting my blog review from last year:
Christopher, I think your points about network influence regarding Ashley Scott are probably most apt. Scott herself is a competent actress and if the series had been given time I think the character could have been fleshed out more. I thought the weakest link was the girl who played Canary--but that could have been the intent of the series as well.
Where the show lost credibility with me is when they had Nightwing guest yet couldn't get permission or pay the licensing fee. Kristoffer Polaha as Darkstrike.
If you mean Rachel Skarsten, she didn't actually play Black Canary -- she played Dinah Redmond (nee Lance), the psychic daughter of Black Canary. Canary herself, named Carolyn Lance in this version, was played by Lori Laughlin in one episode. Dinah never got a code name of her own. And yeah, her acting was kind of weak at the time; as I said, she's improved greatly since then.
Yeah, that's right. But do you agree that the show deserved the chance to find its footing and an audience?
You say that she was the weakest link, but consider the character... Hopeless, scared, runaway in over her head, coming of age with complex dangerous supernatural changes to her body. If she does that perfectly, Rachel is going to look like a stammering dipshit with confidence, which is what a bad actress looks like.