Gotham

:

Season 1
  • Network: FOX
  • Series Premiere Date: Sep 22, 2014
Season #: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
User Score
7.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 730 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 545 out of 730
  2. Mixed: 91 out of 730
  3. Negative: 94 out of 730
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  1. vikesh2206
    Dec 21, 2014
    6
    Sporadically solid but not without it's flaws, Gotham's relation to it's Batman mythology is unfortunately what sets it apart from other similar shows.
  2. Perxoda
    Oct 28, 2014
    6
    Gotham adds up nicely to the stream of recent Marvel and DC films. While in their own right these movies are fairly good (exceptions there), compared to the rich atmosphere of the universes they are extracted from, they lack in more than one way. Gotham will most likely be fine for those who aren't that familiair with the Batman universe since it has it's own strenghts as an action series,Gotham adds up nicely to the stream of recent Marvel and DC films. While in their own right these movies are fairly good (exceptions there), compared to the rich atmosphere of the universes they are extracted from, they lack in more than one way. Gotham will most likely be fine for those who aren't that familiair with the Batman universe since it has it's own strenghts as an action series, the characters and acting not being among those strenghts.

    I myself grew up in the 90's with the old classic Batman cartoons and comics. There always was a strong sense of character and personality. And the Gothic atmosphere in Gotham was so thick you could slice it with a knife. Gotham, for me, is a city that has a lot of features from a dark 1920's New York or Seattle. Gotham itself has a completely different uptake. The series takes place before Batman excists, but the city itself is now set in a 2014 like enviroment. This makes some of the characters feel out of place, since they still look like 1920's mob bosses.
    To add to this the characters feel forced and out of place. They often act or behave in ways that make no sense and I get the feeling that this series is dumbed down a lot (so much even a chimp could get the plot lines).
    The strong point this series has is that it shows minor stories and can build up a very interesting character in the to-be-police-chief Gordon. Right now they don't really work with that though, but so far I'm five episodes in. The fact that they shamlessly flounder about young supervillains (poins ivy to name one) just to show that it's actually a Batman show is just distracting from this strong point, stand alone that Bruce Wayne seems to be a major character.

    Conclusion: Watch this if you're looking for a simple and easy to follow action series. If you're not demanding of your shows Gotham will be something new and can at least entertain you.
    However if you're looking for something cleverly written with good characters and screenplay move along. Not to mention the old Batman fans who most likely will trip over this and see it as a blatent insult to their hero.    … Expand
  3. manofthemoon
    Feb 20, 2015
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Take away the excellent Penguin and Harvey Bullock and you're left with the truly awful Barbara, Fish, and enough other cardboard characters to make you wonder how much people get paid to work on this show when no money went on the script or acting classes? A major disappointment that wastes a great premise. The show needs a major reboot and a plot.… Expand
  4. horcrux2007
    Sep 23, 2014
    5
    Very disappointingly, "Gotham" isn't anything new or interesting. The constant introductions of characters was aggravating and pretty cheesy, and there were also a lot of subplots to keep track of that really went nowhere. You might like it if you're a fan of the comics, but as just an average viewer, I didn't enjoy it.
  5. v0nd3
    Nov 11, 2014
    6
    Gotham is what happens when a Network wants to create a buddy-cop, monster of the week television show that's set in the world of Batman.

    While no one can truly blame a superhero show for feeling 'fake,' the overall motivations of characters, stories, and general happenings that occur throughout Gotham leave one feeling like shaking their head rather than clapping. Gordon, the main    Gotham is what happens when a Network wants to create a buddy-cop, monster of the week television show that's set in the world of Batman.

    While no one can truly blame a superhero show for feeling 'fake,' the overall motivations of characters, stories, and general happenings that occur throughout Gotham leave one feeling like shaking their head rather than clapping. Gordon, the main character, is the typical do-right cop that is set in a system that is working against his fight for law and justice rather than helping and/or encouraging it. His partner, Harvey, is also the typical veteran cop that, in his earlier years, was much like Gordon before being ground down into the reality of what Gotham is.

    None of the acting in the show particularly grabs the attention beyond Robin Lord Taylor as the Penguin, whose strange, awkward acting style really sells the character. Some scenes do invoke feelings of over-acting however, especially with Jada Pinkett Smith as Fish Mooney, who feels forced rather than natural in most of her scenes.

    Beyond a very weak overarcing storyline that involves the deaths of Bruce Wayne's parents, the show invokes a monster-of-the-week format that is trite in its delivery. Most of the episodes have very little connection to one another, and leave little for the viewer to be invested in; since the show is set in the past, any scenes of life-or-death for Gordon or other named characters, like Penguin, provide no tension.

    Overall, while the show is not objectively terrible viewing, it leaves one wondering 'what if' the show had been more daring with its story and characters, more intense and realistic. However, it failed to break outside of the cookie cutter cop-show mold, and because of that, it's hollow and boring, adding little to the Batman mythos or to the genre as a whole.    … Expand
  6. LordMark
    Sep 22, 2014
    6
    A good start to a promising new network TV show. The Penguin was particularly excellent. Catwoman was also great. Here's hoping that Alfred will have a bigger role in future episodes.
  7. tvnewsguido
    Sep 24, 2014
    5
    Gotham will have to become the best police/crime show ever to survive.

    I'm disappointed they didn't roll with something more subtle. Fox can't possibly keep a series going with those silly villain cameos from the Batman mythology week after week.
  8. Dustin4u
    Mar 8, 2015
    5
    BAD, BAD, BAD. I had to stop after 9 episodes. It was tough to get through the last couple of them. Will Smith's wife is the worst character in history.
  9. livious
    Oct 25, 2014
    4
    This show had so much going for it. A ready made fan base in a very interesting world. But there are a multitude of problems.

    Besides Jim Gordon, there really aren't any characters that are either likeable or unlikeable. Gotham PD (the good guys) are chock-full of thugs and crooked cops. Major Crimes (the rivals) are more honest, and in my opinion, sympathetic than GCPD. And that is    This show had so much going for it. A ready made fan base in a very interesting world. But there are a multitude of problems.

    Besides Jim Gordon, there really aren't any characters that are either likeable or unlikeable. Gotham PD (the good guys) are chock-full of thugs and crooked cops. Major Crimes (the rivals) are more honest, and in my opinion, sympathetic than GCPD. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. Even Gordon (The main character) suffers from truly unlikeable faults. It isn't a matter of any character being an anti-hero or complex- it is simply a matter of every character being somebody you don't want to see.

    In addition to poor characters, there is a myriad of other problems with this show. Some of the acting is well done, but the show suffers from abysmal writing and despite being a huge comic book fan, as much as I tried, I simply could not bring myself to like anything about this show.

    All I could think every episode I tried watching was "Is Batman here yet? This is beyond saving. Maybe Ra's al ghul is right."    … Expand
  10. radamanthys
    Sep 29, 2014
    4
    wtf its in the 1 episode and already got thousands of plot holes and man , where is the gotham gothic style ,where is the characters spirit , and what an awful alfred , what an out of character penguin what an horrible writing , i´ve tried to like it but its just too bad
  11. GreenChum
    Sep 25, 2014
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gotham do not deserve all the attention that it get. It isn't a terrible show, but it's certainly not a great show either.

    I like the concept, sort of a cop show with the characters from Batman during the youth of Bruce Wayne.
    But too many characters are introduce so the story a little "all-over the place" for me.
    Also, Ben McKenzie isn't convincing in his role. His eyes are almost inexpressive, it's creeping me out! Thankfully, they are some good actors on the show (like Jada Pinkett-Smith, Robin L. Taylor and even David Mazouz (I must admit that I thought he would be horrible, but I'm pleasantly surprised)).
    I also didn't like how the chase scene was shoot, the close-ups on Gordon face were strange.

    Anyway, I'll continue watching for now (mainly because of the villains and young Bruce, but also 'cause of the great visual effects), hoping it will get better.    … Expand
  12. Garfoodle
    Sep 23, 2014
    5
    While it is good,it's not great. It has its flaws,and really,it isn't interesting. Fans of Batman and then super hero shows should give this a try. But if you're just someone looking for a good show,look elsewhere.
  13. AlessioSclok
    Oct 5, 2014
    6
    It seems a good start for this series. The city is very well built and you can sense it from the beginning. Sometimes the acting is not so good. Hope to see the real batman in the future of the show.
  14. connor3999
    Oct 15, 2014
    5
    The programe was okay. There were good and bad points to the episode . I think the start was too fast for one villain to die in the first episode the timing was really bad. (.the cop(gordon) was really good
  15. Erazor
    Nov 23, 2014
    6
    Edit: It is actually picking up a little and getting better with some character developement, some characters are actually interesting to watch now, we'll have to see where ti goes.

    Original: Gotham without Batman is like... Batman without Batman. Don't really see the point of watching the Universe of a Super Hero... without the Super hero. I'm calling this series Dull... It's kind of    Edit: It is actually picking up a little and getting better with some character developement, some characters are actually interesting to watch now, we'll have to see where ti goes.

    Original: Gotham without Batman is like... Batman without Batman. Don't really see the point of watching the Universe of a Super Hero... without the Super hero. I'm calling this series Dull... It's kind of like a crappier and unrealistic version of other detective shows such as "True Detective" or "CSI", etc.    … Expand
  16. Ravens1294
    Sep 30, 2014
    5
    A really good and interesting start to the only new show I was really going to watch. The second episode was good and better than the pilot. Definitely can't wait for the rest of the season.
  17. Jimmus
    Oct 12, 2015
    6
    What a mess. "Hey, let's throw all the Batman story, throw it up in the air, and make a show about the villains! Naw, we don't have to pay any attention to the origins of anyone, nobody will care if we mess with that."
  18. MEFzelder
    May 22, 2016
    6
    "Gotham" es una buena serie, con sus altas y bajas, con elementos cuestionables para fans de Batman pero que en general logra entretener y representar con el estilo Nolan a personajes como el Pingüino y el Acertijo.
    La serie nos introduce justo en el evento que más definió la vida de Bruce Wayne, el asesinato de sus padres, de aquí se pone el foco de la cámara en un joven James Gordon    "Gotham" es una buena serie, con sus altas y bajas, con elementos cuestionables para fans de Batman pero que en general logra entretener y representar con el estilo Nolan a personajes como el Pingüino y el Acertijo.
    La serie nos introduce justo en el evento que más definió la vida de Bruce Wayne, el asesinato de sus padres, de aquí se pone el foco de la cámara en un joven James Gordon (Ben McKenzie), policía del departamento de Gotham, quien inicia la investigación sobre el homicidio en contra de las ideas de su compañero, Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue).
    De aquí se van introduciendo los personajes más llamativos de la saga de Batman, como los ya mencionados Pingüino (Robin Lord Taylor) y Acertijo (Cory Michel Smith) entre otros como Selina Kyle (Camren Bicondova) y Poison Ivy (Clare Foley) quienes aún no han desarrollado el personaje en que se convertirán en el futuro.
    Uno de las fallas más grandes que tiene la serie son los protagonistas, Ben McKenzie y Erin Richards, quien interpreta a Barbara Gordon, son malos actores. Ben al menos añadió una expresión tras la primer mitad de la temporada, mostrar los dientes; pero Erin fue tan mala que la hicieron desaparecer luego de la primera parte y cuando reapareció le dieron un rol donde su conducta era no expresar emociones.
    En general la serie es entretenida, te atrapa más por los villanos que por los héroes y esta bien producida, aunque la serie hace ver a Batman irrelevante, ya que su forma de impartir justicia causó que los villanos imitaran su método dramático para ser criminales a su altura, aquí parece que es a la inversa.    … Expand
  19. trooper1993
    Feb 16, 2015
    6
    It started of strong with an interesting plot line that entertained the audience but the new episodes feel childish and boring, the grim and serious effect is long gone as much as each episode has become stale and predictable

    It still is fun to watch but its far from being on top of the list considering the current shows
  20. Nikola
    Jun 24, 2015
    6
    My biggest criticism of this TV series is in my opinion a very bad choice of actors for the main roles.
    However, I am a big fan of Batman franchise, and for this TV series I can not give a totally bad score, although essentially a very average TV series.
  21. EnderA
    Sep 24, 2015
    4
    Pros:
    *The backgrounds and styling are cohesive and smooth, with the classic Batman Film-Noir feel.
    *You get to see nearly all of the classic Batman characters together. *Penguin's plot line is a lot of fun, with interesting twists. (Literally the only reason I kept watching was because of Penguin.) Cons: *There is almost no character development or depth. *The plot stretches    Pros:
    *The backgrounds and styling are cohesive and smooth, with the classic Batman Film-Noir feel.
    *You get to see nearly all of the classic Batman characters together.
    *Penguin's plot line is a lot of fun, with interesting twists. (Literally the only reason I kept watching was because of Penguin.)

    Cons:
    *There is almost no character development or depth.
    *The plot stretches itself pretty far in terms of actions being in-character.
    *Very little real action, mostly just posturing.

    As much as I wanted to keep watching the Penguin story line (I watched 11 episodes hoping it would get better,) I couldn't justify watching a show for just one plot line.    … Expand
  22. andarial6670
    Dec 10, 2014
    4
    I can't believe I actually sat through this entire thing. Do you like child actors? Neither do I. Now I WILL ADMIT. Some background story about how all the characters of Gotham developed into the characters we know today is interesting. We get to see penguin rise to power, and Jim Gordan's wife when she was still young, hot and walking. I just didn't really know what to expect out of aI can't believe I actually sat through this entire thing. Do you like child actors? Neither do I. Now I WILL ADMIT. Some background story about how all the characters of Gotham developed into the characters we know today is interesting. We get to see penguin rise to power, and Jim Gordan's wife when she was still young, hot and walking. I just didn't really know what to expect out of a Batman themed TV show that wasn't centric around Batman and set in a time before Batman existed. The main plot is mainly just about the mafia warfare that plagued Gotham before the Batman years. This actually makes Arrow look like a fantastic superhero show.… Expand
  23. diendjap
    Aug 8, 2015
    6
    The show balances between realism and fantasy in a very awkward way, showing some realistic gruesome murders in one episode, and (light spoiler) green gas that gives you super-strength in the other. What the hell? Also, there are some plot holes, and the writing is pretty bad at times. However, sometimes little stories are really interesting, yet it still feels very overstuffed withThe show balances between realism and fantasy in a very awkward way, showing some realistic gruesome murders in one episode, and (light spoiler) green gas that gives you super-strength in the other. What the hell? Also, there are some plot holes, and the writing is pretty bad at times. However, sometimes little stories are really interesting, yet it still feels very overstuffed with characters. My biggest problem with the show, however, is the editing. Some shots go for too long, while others are cut away abruptly. Soundtrack is very bland, as well as overall directorial style. The best thing about the show are actors. Every single one of them (maybe with the exception of Gordon), disregarding the actual dialogue, are amazing.
    Overall, first season is a mediocre start to Gotham series, with occasional flashes of greatness. I'd recommend to watch it, if you don't have anything better to do. Otherwise, don't waste your time.    … Expand
  24. Jamison12
    Mar 27, 2015
    5
    From the start, Gotham is great and exciting. It's very well made throughout the entire season, but this premise of Jim Gordon before batman can only go so far. It continues to introduce super villains while we still have no Batman. If the series fails to introduce Batman at some point, it's only going to lose the audience and become boring.
  25. eagleeyeviking
    Sep 26, 2016
    6
    Sporadically solid but not without it's flaws, Gotham's relation to it's Batman mythology is unfortunately what sets it apart from other similar shows.
  26. flametail23
    Dec 14, 2014
    6
    This show is a hit or miss for me, At this time 10 episodes have aired and I have liked 5 of them. Some of them are really boring. The Penguin is the best part about this show in my opinion.
    6/10
  27. AxeT
    Jul 19, 2015
    6
    Moody, adult, big production value, and an interesting bizarro world chronology of props, locations and technology unfold in this dark comic book appropriate in tone for both television and its "The Dark Knight" origins. What's missing is truly original and compelling story telling that ultimately goes beyond formula.
  28. CoNn3r_B
    Sep 15, 2015
    6
    This show is OK but it is let down by all the inaccuracies for the sake of plot for example Fish Mooney is a non-person in all the comics which honestly I wouldn't mind if the character had depth and a decent actor.

    Penguin, though very well acted I have to say, is a very poor portrayal of the character, Penguin is short and fat, while the Penguin isn't tall in the show per say he is    This show is OK but it is let down by all the inaccuracies for the sake of plot for example Fish Mooney is a non-person in all the comics which honestly I wouldn't mind if the character had depth and a decent actor.

    Penguin, though very well acted I have to say, is a very poor portrayal of the character, Penguin is short and fat, while the Penguin isn't tall in the show per say he is still a good 5ft 8 while the penguin in the comics is 4ft something, the actor is also very lean and should have a British accent due to him being sent away to boarding school. All in all the story is similar though where he rises up through the ranks of the mob and despite the character inaccuracies it is a compelling story.

    I don't like the way Gordon is portrayed though in this, if the city was as corrupt as they say he would be dead by now, he should be dead but he was saved by ridiculous technicalities so the plot can go on, instead of a cop who is squeaky clean and fights the system I would rather see a good cop forced to do bad things and has to fight to keep himself on the 'right' path, and while Gordon does make some deals from time to time it is so clean it is ridiculous, his character is just too Hollywood.

    The kid they got to play Bruce Wayne was a good choice, I'm not a fan of child actors as of 99% of the time they suck but this kid has potential. I do see him as a young Bruce Wayne.

    Alfred is a joke in this, the actor they got to play him (Sean Pertwee) has the wrong type of accent, as an English person I can tell you his accent is a British accent it isn't the right kind, pretty much every role Sean has had in the past (from what I've seen) is that of a Villain due to the aggressiveness of his accent.

    And another problem I have with this show is that it's too pretty. We're supposed to be looking at a city on the verge of collapse due to corruption with people living in fear and get beat up by cops and thugs and live in poverty and then you get a young Catwoman with an immaculate pretty face. (before you go on she's 16 which is legal in the UK and I'm 18 so don't start.) the homeless kids didn't look homeless, Gordon got battered and his face his back to normal in a few hours and the city itself looks too clean.

    I want to make something clear there IS something compelling about this show but they chose the wrong franchise, if it wasn't Batman this show would feel more natural but alas it is Batman and all I can do while watching is notice the inaccuracies and the extremely obvious foreshadowing that they ram down your throat, "You need help Nigma" give me a break.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

63
#63 Best TV Season of 2014
5
#5 Most Discussed TV Season of 2014
14
#14 Most Shared TV Season of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
71

Generally favorable reviews - based on 34 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 34
  3. Negative: 0 out of 34
  1. Slant Magazine
    Reviewed by: Chuck Bowen
    Sep 26, 2014
    50
    Though it abounds in diverting window-dressing, Gotham is literally all dressed up with nowhere to go: It's a derivative copy of a copy in search of a real governing identity.
    Read full review
  2. Sioux City Journal
    Reviewed by: Bruce Miller
    Sep 22, 2014
    80
    An absorbing, intelligent new drama that gives the Batman mythology one more layer of depth.
    Read full review
  3. Newark Star-Ledger
    Reviewed by: Vicki Hyman
    Sep 22, 2014
    91
    The city--neon-washed, Chanderlesque, somewhat anachronistic--is itself also a character, and it turns what could be "Law & Order: Gotham" into something infinitely more layered and watchable.
    Read full review
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