Finally watched Gotham
last night and it’s … okay. Little more than an average police procedural, with
lots of gratuitous name-dropping (or should that be bludgeoning?).
That pointy-nosed fellow with the umbrella was called ‘Oswald’
enough times (and then ‘Penguin’ a couple more just in case we missed the
subtleties) that even someone who didn’t have a clue about the Batman universe (and
why should they even be watching in the first place?) would be feeling over-informed.
A young girl with an obvious thing for plants declared “I’m
Ivy!” in a clear, strong voice – just in case those at the back didn’t get it. Young
Bruce Wayne – even though traumatised at witnessing his parents’ deaths –
managed to give Jim Gordon a description of the murderer that was forensic in
its detail. A young girl dressed in black – with an uncanny climbing ability –
was the only one who wasn’t verbally identified, but her feeding a stray cat
with stolen milk might just be a
clue.
Everyone’s future characters were underlined in such lumpen,
clumsy fashion that it felt like I was constantly being nudged violently in the
ribs and winked at whilst the programme makers shouted “You get it?” loudly
into both ears.
And why is Sean Pertwee talking in a lousy Mockney accent?
Does he think he’s going to grow up into Michael Cain, or something?
In fact the most intriguing facet of the whole unsubtle
shouting match was the physical resemblance shared by Alfred and Jim Gordon – I
can’t believe it was accidental. Someone trying to say something about the two
surrogate fathers in Bruce Wayne’s/Batman’s life?
It’s early days yet but at the moment the programme is
managing to be arch whilst at the same time too much on the nose. I’ll keep
watching, of course, in the hope that like Agents of SHIELD and Arrow it’ll
grow stronger as the series progresses. Then again, it could be the next
Smallville; that’s a depressing thought…