I like the idea, but Penny Arcade's comment on the writing also kinda resonates We fucking get it, you said that he looks like a penguin like 200 fucking times in 2 episodes. The riddler? WE FUCKING GET IT. Cat woman is homeless neko-chan, her name is Cat, gotchya. Your fan base is 90% fucking adults - we can handle a little fucking subtlety. You can drop a fucking hint, it's ok.
My girlfriend and I were talking about the show and she mentioned how she was trying to get a grasp on who all the characters were and all I could think was "How do you not know who Oswald Cobblepot, Selina Kyle, and Edward Nigma are in the Batman universe." Then I realized that she's not a nerd like me and most people probably don't know these characters by those names. That being said they did lay it on pretty damn thick.
Only one that was really bad that annoyed me was the penguin, sure the other ones they said a few times which I am ok with.
I've had just about enough of the Penguin acting nebbish. He's getting entirely too much screen time to be so one dimensional. Also, Jada Pinkett Smith is fucking terrible.
This latest episode just felt really terrible for some reason. I think it really started when The Balloon Man had the Lieutenant cuffed to the balloon and he doesn't think to just use his gun to shoot the stupid thing. But of course, that then becomes exactly how Gordon is able to escape at the end. And I know they're pretty much doing the best with what they're given, but jesus christ, can somebody learn how to write some basic dialogue between two people on this show?
I actually was fond of the balloon plot, overall. It was original enough to actually raise some intrigue in a show that so far doesn't really have strong enough scripting or acting to do it.
Honestly, I think it would be more of an interesting show for them to NOT lay it on thick, so that people can come to the understanding on their own. Kind of like how non-book readers of A Song of Ice and Fire are surprised when shit happens in GoT, non-comic book nerds could be surprised when certain characters turn out to be villains.
I'm having a really hard time liking this show. I want to like it, I want it to be good. It just isn't. Too much shit bothers me. It makes no sense for "cat" to be sliding over a car all ninja like and pickpocket a random guy, in broad daylight, with no other person around them just so we can hear Gordon yell at her. It bothers me that a girl, looking for a simple singing job, becomes a master seductress/succubus/weapon for Fish Mooney in 2 episodes. It bothers me that they need to throw so much Batman lore and history at this show that we not only have Penguin, Catwoman, The Riddler we now have added the VENOM drug that makes Bane what he is.
And it looks like from the 2second preview of next weeks episode, it looks like maybe scarecrow. WTF are they going to do with the last half of the season, let alone next season if they are throwing stuff at us so quickly.
I heard the second half of the season they will be showing the new batman trilogy in 42 minute chunks.
I watched it live last night in my hotel room. I too thought it would be scarecrow from the previews, but it wasn't. Is there a female villain that is a hypnotist? I really hope the next episode will at least have a moment of that lady cop eating some crow. Knife and fork or between two slices of bread, I don't care.
If you take away the stupid fucking Riddler/Edward Nigma shit that was being tossed in your face constantly I thought it was a pretty good episode. I liked how they fleshed out Bullock and gave a little peek into why he is how he is. I really think if they took a step back and lessened the superhero/Batman over saturation this would be a good show.
I get the feeling that the people behind this show aren't especially familiar with the source material yet still feel compelled to pander to the fans. It seems to be getting better as the writers are getting a sense of who they want their version of these characters to be. Nygma is growing on me. Beyond the clumsy way they introduced him he seems like a good fit for the odd but brilliant forensic guy that every police procedural seems to have. Penguin works because his origin story isn't dependant on Batman and he isn't the sort of super villain the regular cops can't handle. He also isn't usually depicted as insane and isn't even always a bad guy. I'd much rather they give him an arc than trying to do the joker or Mr Freeze. The venom reference was exactly the sort of reference I'd like to see them make. It didn't really affect the story and was just a nice thing to throw out there for the fans. The catgirl stuff has been stupid and pointless so far. I hope they have a plan for her beyond conspicuous background parkour.
I like it but I want to love it. The last few episodes have been pretty good and the penguin is growing on me...a little. I'm enjoying the focus on Gordon and his partner and the way they are portraying young Bruce Wayne, but it could go to complete shit in a hurry. I'd like to see the writing get a little more serious with a darker tone and more of a turn toward the Chris Nolan style rather than camp.
I don't think the producers have a script for season 2 yet. They're just trying to not get cancelled. What will bring in more viewers- a slower, more complex story arc with Batman subtleties or a bukkake of Batman lore with the revelation of the Joker being the money shot? One will get you critical acclaim and one will get you a second season.
I understand it's Batman and it's fiction but does anyone else find it hard to believe that 40 cops are so afraid of Carmine Falcone that they will let 1 guy and 2 girls come into the police station and snatch up a cop?
I don't know. If they are anything like Donal Logue, he was pissed when he found out the truth. He saw it as a betrayal. The corruption was that systemic, and it is a way of life. You have one dude that comes along and bucks the system, he is probably going to be seen as foolhardy and why risk becoming a target (or your family targeted) for someone like that? This was literally the first time anything like this has happened, and so they were paralyzed. The longer Gordon sticks around and continues to succeed, then maybe the other cops will start finding their balls. It's far-fetched, sure, but so is what makes Gotham what it is - a city so far down the tubes that Bruce Wayne became Batman to save it.
If they're anything like Donal Logue, they'd spend all day eating sandwiches while looking exasperated at having to get out of their chairs.