Gotham: Season 1, Episode 18

Gotham

Episode Title: “Everyone Has a Cobblepot”

Channel: Fox

Director: Bill Eagles

Writer: Megan Mostyn-Brown

Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller

Runtime: 42 min

Rated: TV-14

Original Air Date: March 2, 2015

My DVR didn't record the tail end of last week's episode, the recap at the beginning of the episode clued me in to the fact that Alfred's attacker was working at the behest of Wayne Enterprises Board of Directors. This tidbit had me excited for the rest of the episode, this was an open door into what this season has really been about. The audience was finally going to get some answers and the plot was going to really move forward. There's one scene featuring Bruce, Alfred, and Gordon, who's asking a couple of questions. Alfred and Bruce lie about the attacker and Jim left with nothing to go on. Alfred determined to exact his own revenge tried to leave, but could barely stand and Bruce orders him back to bed. Aside from one additional scene in which Alfred is asleep with Bruce reading to him until Selina shows up to offer her help in Bruce's investigation that was the extent of the movement we saw in the central plot.

So, what took up the remaining 37 minutes of air time? Well Harvey Dent is back, sort of. He pops in and accompanies Gordon on half of an investigation into Commissioner Loeb and the dirt he has on the police and powerful people of Gotham. Evidently he's scared away after their one failed attempt and is barely mentioned again as the episode proceeds. At least this time around we avoided the crazy emotional shifts that they included during his introduction. He's supposed to be stable, and a friend to Gordon until his eventual fall, there's no need to ham it up. When other avenues prove fruitless Gordon goes to Penguin for help and promises him a favor down the road. Penguin takes Gordon and Bullock to a location he believes houses the files. Instead of files they come upon two elderly caretakers who turn violent when Gordon's story isn't believed. While the files weren't there Gordon does uncover a secret damaging enough for him to gain some leverage on Loeb. He blackmails Loeb into giving him Harvey's file and supporting him as Police Union President. It's another moment in the “How far will Jim Gordon go to fix the city” file that leaves him dirtier than I think he'd be comfortable being.

I can't help but feel like this is all a wasted story line. The audience knows that Jim is going to be unsuccessful in cleaning up the police and government of Gotham. I acknowledge that his attempts at ending the corruption should start in his early days, but taking as much time as they have in showing this detracts from the other, more interesting things that are going on. After the big reveal last week, in a story line that, as far as I know, is unique to the show, I expected something more out of the follow up. It did, eventually, lead to a good Penguin moment. He had some unfortunate witnesses he needed to take care of, and did so in an interesting way. Maybe this marks a return to form for the character, as he's been well neutered in recent weeks.

To top it off, there was more of Fish Mooney's ridiculous predicament this week. There was no question that she was going to succeed in earning Dr. Dulmacher's (ugh) trust. It was preordained the moment they showed that he had already replaced her eye. The whole scenario is getting harder to believe as time goes by. Now the prisoners are going to stand idly by as Fish sends fresh bodies up stairs, placated by an empty promise that some of them will make it through? That tiny knife she has wouldn't stop them from tearing her to pieces, and that's discounting the fact that it still would have been easier for the whole operation if they'd killed her. She's being kept alive and on the screen solely because she's the one character that the creators have complete control over.

Conclusion: The big set-up from the end of last week's episode is almost completely ignored in “Everyone Has a Cobblepot.” Instead of finally finding out more about what's happening at Wayne Enterprises this episode focuses on the wrong stories. One that can't have the outcome that's being hoped for, and the other a failed attempt to keep a character relevant.

Rating: 6.5/10