Gotham: The Mask
November 11, 2014 10:19 AM - Season 1, Episode 8 - Subscribe

Gordon and Bullock investigate the murder of a man who died in a battle royale in an office for a position at an investment firm, but Gordon is still distrustful of his colleagues for not defending him when Zsasz came to take him to Carmine Falcone. Bruce gets bullied at school and decides to fight back. Cobblepot tries to make peace with Fish Mooney.
posted by Small Dollar (17 comments total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
This was an OK episode, but it felt like way too much stuff was going on. Especially the shoe-horned Selina story. Overall the main detective storyline about the office fightclub didn't do much for me.

Was I the only person who felt really unnerved and weirded out by the Bruce brutally beating one of his classmates at his home scene? With Alfred lovingly looking on?
posted by codacorolla at 11:55 AM on November 11, 2014


By classmate do you mean the unkind bully who made fun of Bruce's dead parents and then assaulted Bruce? I actually enjoyed that scene. That bully got what he deserved, and there's more where that came from. Nice use of Mr. Wayne's wristwatch, Bruce.
posted by Rob Rockets at 12:04 PM on November 11, 2014


I can understand Bruce doing it, but Alfred gleefully watching on and providing the wristwatch to do it is pretty at odds with what I perceived his character to be in previous iterations of Batman.
posted by codacorolla at 12:07 PM on November 11, 2014


I kinda liked this one. There is still a bit of layering in stuff that may be interesting and may be important long term but is extraneous to the episode. That still feels weird. I wish they'd incorporate the stuff more organically.

But Bruce pummeling that kid and Alfred's reaction made total sense to me. I am not saying I would approve were this a real kid/guardian. But dramatically, it was very satisfying. And we are talking about a future vigilante here.

As for Alfred, his reaction and the subsequent conversation about learning to fight reinforce what many have been saying all along: this is essentially the Earth One Alfred, the Cockney tough guy (and possible ex-intelligence operative). And as lost as he has been trying to help Bruce deal with his grief, I think it makes tremendous sense that he is relieved that Bruce needs/wants something he can help with.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 12:07 PM on November 11, 2014 [4 favorites]


I hope people stay with this as it really seems to be inching towards being the show we were hoping to see.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 12:08 PM on November 11, 2014 [2 favorites]


Note to Jim Gordon: When you know someone is lying to you, you don't necessarily have to immediately confront them with it. Sometimes it's more useful to let them think you believe them. You'd think a detective could grasp that concept.

this is essentially the Earth One Alfred, the Cockney tough guy (and possible ex-intelligence operative).

Also, his dad knew Venusian aikido.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 1:27 PM on November 11, 2014 [5 favorites]


Also, his dad knew Venusian aikido.

Related: Sean Pertwee's Halloween costume from this year.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 1:41 PM on November 11, 2014 [5 favorites]


Oh, they are actually trusting that we the viewers can actually figure some things ourselves. That's nice.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 4:06 PM on November 11, 2014


I've just got to ask, how the hell can Gordon afford that apartment? That view?

I thought that the Black Mask was supposed to be a smarter, tougher, and more anonymous guy, but I've never read any comics featuring him that I can recall.
posted by Catblack at 12:21 AM on November 12, 2014


I've just got to ask, how the hell can Gordon afford that apartment? That view?

He can't. He doesn't. They've said several times that Barbara is from a wealthy family and that she owns the swanky apartment.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:25 AM on November 12, 2014


Hmmmn. That changes the class dynamic of the character quite a bit. (And the dynamic of the relationship with his rich lesbian until graduation wife, too.)

I'm remembering how Gordon was handled in Batman: Year One, where Gordon was just a young detective with a pregnant wife who lived in the bowery, amongst the crime in the city. Though it's been years since I've read that comic.

Guess it's just another thing among many this show gets wrong.
posted by Catblack at 11:32 AM on November 12, 2014


I'm pleasantly surprised that I've actually enjoyed the last couple of episodes. The show still isn't great, but for a the last two episodes it has been at least as good as a middling episode of Arrow.

Fish Mooney's Eartha Kitt impersonation continues to be the best part of this show.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 11:50 AM on November 12, 2014 [2 favorites]


I'm pleasantly surprised that I've actually enjoyed the last couple of episodes. The show still isn't great, but for a the last two episodes it has been at least as good as a middling episode of Arrow.

One thing the show has going for it is production value. It definitely beats Arrow on look if not necessarily heart or narrative competency.
posted by codacorolla at 1:38 PM on November 12, 2014


another thing among many this show gets wrong.

According to whom? Batman has been reinterpreted at least a dozen times since he was created. He's a much more fluid character than Hannibal Lecter was before his TV series, where the only portrayals were the original author's novels and a single line of movies.
posted by localroger at 7:08 PM on November 12, 2014




Fish Mooney's Eartha Kitt impersonation continues to be the best part of this show.

Yes. I've stuck with this show as long as I have largely to see what happens with Fish. Bullock's also really growing on me, has been since The Goat.

Shame what they're doing with Barbara, though - yet another episode where she's just baggage. :(

And as lost as he has been trying to help Bruce deal with his grief, I think it makes tremendous sense that he is relieved that Bruce needs/wants something he can help with.

I got that impression too. Messed up as it is, that whole thing felt like bonding time. (Of course, Batman is not a healthy person in most incarnations. This being profoundly unhealthy is appropriate under the circumstances.)
posted by mordax at 10:39 AM on November 13, 2014 [2 favorites]


I loved the story with Bruce and Alfred. Straight-up fucked up. In no way is surprising the kid at home and beating him with a watch wrapped around your knuckles a reasonable or just response to some school bullying. It's not normal kid behavior either. It's straight up brutal, vigilantism, and an adult's participation in it is unconscionable. So I love it, because this is a comic book TV show. Gotham's twisted in all sorts of terrible ways and now we know a bit about why Batman will be twisted, too.

Apparently there was some story about a financial office? With fighting? Dunno, I wish they'd leave that part out and just focus on the episodic story. If they're going to go with this format then the one-off stories need to be a lot better. They did at least try to use it as a foil to get us to know more about Gordon's character, but it was pretty weak.

Jada Pinkett Smith is delicious, isn't she? She's channeling the 60s over-the-top TV performance better than anyone on the show and it's wonderful. I assume, actually I hope, she's done for by the end of the season. A candle can't burn this brightly forever. But oh is it wonderful. She even managed to upstage Robin Taylor in the Penguin/Fish faceoff. Or perhaps that's credit to him for letting her steal that scene, as Fish would overshadow Penguin.
posted by Nelson at 8:53 AM on November 15, 2014 [1 favorite]


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