Greetings Gothamites! Welcome to this week’s Gotham Recap! This week I will be discussing this season’s 4th episode, Arkham. Last week’s episode was a little bit all over the place. Fortunately, tonight’s was far less so. So without further delay, let’s get started. By the way, this week I’m going to only give away minor spoilers.
The Episode:
The episode opens where last week’s left off. Oswald has come to visit Jim Gordon. Visibly surprised by his arrival Jim watches Oswald introduce himself to Barbara as Peter Humboldt and says he is an old friend of Jim’s. After some forced pleasantries, Jim escorts Oswald outside and proceeds to get a bit rough with him. Oswald claims to want to help Gordon mentioning Arkham and that a war is about to break out. Before Gordon can press him further he disappears.
Meanwhile, a councilman and his aid are walking to their car and a man stops them. He says he is a constituent and wants to talk to them. They try to brush him off but he continues to talk to them. He pulls out a mechanical contraption and tells them he made it himself. The aid inspects it and let’s just say it was a brief inspection. The councilman runs but is speared with the same contraption and dies. With such a high profile case, it’s no surprise that the police chief wants Bullock and Gordon on the case. It turns out that it was Councilman Jerkins and his aid. Was it a case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time or is there something more?
As Bullock and Gordon are starting their search, Fish Mooney is on a search of her own it would seem. A new singer is auditioning for Fish. Fish likes her voice and asks her to try to seduce her. She doesn’t pass that test and Fish sends her on her way saying she will keep her in mind. She is looking for more than just a singer; she is looking for a “weapon”.
Back at the station, evidence from the Jerkins murder arrives. Gordon starts to thumb through it and notices proposals for the Arkham District. The proposal promises housing and a new state of the art mental health facility. Across town Oswald listens to Don Maroni also discuss Arkham and how lucrative it could be for him. In an effort to learn more about the Arkham Plan, Gordon goes to visit Wayne Manor to talk to Alfred. He learns that the original Arkham Plan was brought to light by Thomas and Martha Wayne but now it is backed by Falcone with Maroni opposing. Bruce chimes in mentioning that his parents’ idea would give Gotham hope.
Finally we arrive at Arkham! Our killer has another man in a barrel, seemingly another councilman as the man promises to change his vote if the killer spares his life. The man doesn’t listen and proceeds to set the man and barrel on fire. The next morning while investigating, Gordon thinks this councilman (who we find out is Councilman Zeller) had a vote opposite of Jerkins. This would mean the killer is provoking both sides. Bullock and Gordon continue their investigation and while interrogating an inmate they finally get a name, Gladwell.
While investigating Gladwell, they find his place of employment and almost catch him, but he ducks out. Fortunately while going through Gladwell’s desk they find some evidence linking him to the murders, 2 articles mentioning the two councilmen. They also find a time card with the letters C, L, M. Back at Wayne Manor, Bruce is doing his own investigating (more foreshadowing?). He asks Alfred for all of the files on the Arkham Plan because he wants to see if there is a connection between the murder of the councilman and his parents.
At Maroni’s restaurant, a group of Falcone’s thugs attack, killing several of Maroni’s men and stealing some of Maroni’s money. When Maroni’s men come to fight back and assess the damage they find Oswald in the freezer, hiding with a bag of Maroni’s money. He says he wishes only that he could have saved more of it and they tell him that Maroni will be pleased. As you would think Maroni is livid about the situation, but seeing Oswald’s loyalty he promotes him to restaurant manager.
Back at home, Gordon and Barbara are having a bit of relationship trouble. Remembering what Montoya said, Barbara asks Gordon about Oswald Cobblepot. Gordon doesn’t want to talk about it and then asks who told her and if it was Montoya. Once Barbara admits that it was she also admits to her relationship with Montoya. Gordon isn’t happy and accuses her of lying to him.
It would seem Gordon can’t escape an argument. Back at the precinct, Bullock and he are back to bickering. Gladwell appears to be just a name and the true Gladwell has been dead five years. Jim wants to investigate his way and Bullock wants to go see Fish.
Bullocks heads over to see Fish, she is still looking for her “weapon”. This time it is a singer named Liza. She performs and Fish gives her the same test as the previous girl. She wants her to seduce her. Liza then kisses her, takes a sip of her drink and walks out. Fish, a little shocked seems to like this attitude. Bullock asks Fish if she knows who Gladwell is and if she can find him. She only knows him by reputation but given enough time she says she can find anyone, but it won’t matter because if Gladwell is gone Falcone will find someone else. Apparently this vote is a huge power play by Falcone. If Maroni gets even a piece then it will show Falcone’s weakness.
While sorting through evidence and leads Gordon gets a call from Oswald saying another murder will happen tonight. This time it will be the Mayor. Gordon rushes to the Mayor’s house and sees that none of the cops assigned to the Mayor are there. He pounds on the door and alerts the Mayor who insists on grabbing papers. As they are trying to head out the door, Gladwell is there. A chase ensues and Gordon is grabbed by Gladwell. Fortunately Bullock shows up at just the right time and Gladwell lets go but lunges towards the Mayor. Both open fire and Gladwell is dead.
The episode ends with Barbara confronting Gordon about his secrecy. She tells him to let her in or let her go. He doesn’t chase after her when she walks away. Fish finds her new weapon in Liza after telling the 2 girls to duke it out. Oswald gets Maroni back the rest of his money with the assistance of some cannolis and scared by the attack the Mayor combines the Arkham plans leaving Falcone with low income housing and Maroni with waste management and the mental facility.
Analysis:
Another episode has passed and we are left once again with questions:
- What is Fish Mooney planning?
- Will we see more Arkham?
- How will the Falcone and Maroni rivalry play out?
- Just whose side is Oswald on?
- Is this all connected to the murders of Thomas and Martha Wayne?
The procedural aspect of this show is very reminiscent of Law and Order. With Law and Order being as popular as it is and the world of Batman being equally as popular it stands to reason that this type of show would be popular. The mafia rivalry continues to get interesting and it will be great to see where Oswald will land in all of this. Fish’s new “weapon” may gain her some traction but against who?
The Verdict:
Gotham continues to draw me in. Each week the story gets better and better. I like Oswald and Edward Nygma more and more despite knowing that they will inevitably be villains. Perhaps that is what makes this show great. It takes a pre-existing world and somewhat shakes it up. We know who will end up bad but we can’t help but like them. Well that about wraps up this week’s recap.
Until Next Time, Same Bat Time, Same Bat Channel!
DC
