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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User Reviews

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  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  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. 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
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. Olzar
    Nov 16, 2015
    3
    Show premise has it as a prequel, but since creators seem to regret the show's very premise, they make unrealistically convenient reasons to keep would be important villains and heroes around and have turned the show into a bad Muppet Babies of Batman.
  12. xolve
    Sep 28, 2014
    3
    Pretty poor. I mean, introducing all the major villains in the first episode?
    Just shoehorned in there?
    Granted, comics aren't known for their subtlety, but jeez, they could've made something grim, strong, and unpretentious with this. Instead, we get every major Gotham city character's backstory in the first episode. Poor showing, fan-service, at-best.
  13. MarcioTadeu
    Oct 10, 2014
    3
    Bad writing, bad acting, really bad ideias with my favorite characters. Gotham should get axed before it makes more damage. Episode 3 of Gotham and I`m still not liking at all. Beginning to think this show should get cancelled before they screw even more with my favorite characters.
  14. Thebuzz
    Dec 1, 2014
    3
    It's dark version of all the Batman series going back decades...If your depressed you'll like this stuff...
    I left Batman long ago, much better programs, with better action and drama and content, that doesn't offend your sensibilities...
  15. maxtotal22
    Feb 18, 2015
    3
    I had high hopes for this show, but after watching until the mid-season I somehow lost all hope. For me, there are too many inconsistencies in story telling, concept of the show, character design and screenplay.

    Our view on Batman and Gotham has been mainly influenced by the recent movies of Nolan and of course by the early Tim Burton movies. Now imagine you would try to mix both    I had high hopes for this show, but after watching until the mid-season I somehow lost all hope. For me, there are too many inconsistencies in story telling, concept of the show, character design and screenplay.

    Our view on Batman and Gotham has been mainly influenced by the recent movies of Nolan and of course by the early Tim Burton movies. Now imagine you would try to mix both movies. Imagine to take the crazy characters with their quirks from the Burton movies and put them in a criminal and corrupted city like the Nolan Gotham. It just doesn't work. And that is why the show Gotham doesn't work.

    While Detective Gordan is depicted as a down-to-earth always grim looking goodiegoodie cop, a character that could work in bad drama show, interacting with Enigma "Fish" or the "Penguin" makes him look out of place. Gotham looks great. The town, the cars and the light makes you feel that you are in gothic-like New York of the 70ies, but why the hell does every one have cell phones of the late 90ies?

    The dialogs are dumb and shallow, due to the tendency to follow a comic-like character design the dialogs are mostly accompanied by very bad overacting. The shallow diologs might be attributed to the fact, that the show might be for inattentive viewers who do not care for inconsistent plot turns, dumb and overacting dialogs. I don't know and at this point, I don't care.

    The show looks so good, but there is no sparkle, no soul and no suspense that could catch my attention.    … Expand
  16. boubadiop
    Feb 19, 2015
    3
    Watched every episode to this date think am about half way through the first series so I cant really give up now. But with every episode my motivation decreases a little more its really not that great, the main actor in the show is just bad and the story for the whole thing makes no sense, all of sudden one of the characters is a leader of some slaves on a boat? The whole stupidity of theWatched every episode to this date think am about half way through the first series so I cant really give up now. But with every episode my motivation decreases a little more its really not that great, the main actor in the show is just bad and the story for the whole thing makes no sense, all of sudden one of the characters is a leader of some slaves on a boat? The whole stupidity of the main story just angers me and really not worth the time and effort even if you are batman fan… Expand
  17. ikkei
    Mar 21, 2015
    3
    Where no AAA dared go before... A cheesy collection of evident cliches, all but redeemed by a predictable void in lieu of intrigue: unfortunately, that statement doesn't even begin to cover how Gotham fails at pretty much everything.

    I find it hard to believe that one of the highest-budget show would get such an awful treatment. Yet, that's what happened here. Most of the writing,    Where no AAA dared go before... A cheesy collection of evident cliches, all but redeemed by a predictable void in lieu of intrigue: unfortunately, that statement doesn't even begin to cover how Gotham fails at pretty much everything.

    I find it hard to believe that one of the highest-budget show would get such an awful treatment. Yet, that's what happened here. Most of the writing, directing, storytelling, the vision really, feels rushed and unspeakably shallow. When most of something is so bad, what little good there is feels stained, slightly out of place.

    For a twisted cultural interest, you really owe it to yourself to watch episode 1, just to appreciate how bad money can be spent on a huge license.    … Expand
  18. mams2000
    Jan 14, 2015
    2
    Honestly, I couldn't see more than 1 episode of Gotham. It was enough for me to see that the show is thousand of miles away from the high standards set by Nolan or the new comic books editions (Renaissance).
  19. vvcrazy01
    Sep 30, 2014
    2
    The pilot was not intriguing at all. The direction was mediocre. It is like the worst cop show ever. I expected more from Gotham. It just failed to entice me. One show off my list. Not going to watch again. Poor acting, except for Ben.
  20. Disbelief
    Sep 22, 2014
    2
    If you ignore the dialogue, acting, writing, casting, music as well as the attempt to awkwardly introduce every character from the Batman universe in just one episode, then you would have at Gotham's core an interesting show. Magically in the midst of the Gotham train wreck the Penguin happens to be a well acted decent character. Not quite hopeless as a show, however, it's pulse isIf you ignore the dialogue, acting, writing, casting, music as well as the attempt to awkwardly introduce every character from the Batman universe in just one episode, then you would have at Gotham's core an interesting show. Magically in the midst of the Gotham train wreck the Penguin happens to be a well acted decent character. Not quite hopeless as a show, however, it's pulse is beating very faintly.… Expand
  21. doughsleyes
    Sep 26, 2014
    2
    The only part I like was how awesome Gotham City looked... Though it was like a preschooler easteregg hunt for comicbookies.... yup... take Batman outta Batman and you get crap
  22. Bgrod
    Oct 3, 2014
    2
    A real downer of a comic book inspired series. If Gotham spent even half as much time on developing characters I could care about and interesting stories with at least a little tongue in cheek humor rather than self consciously emphasizing how great its film noir looks are, it might be a bearable hour. Otherwise, this is a depressing, dour and boring way to spend an hour.
  23. TomaAmer
    Aug 24, 2015
    2
    This show is way overrated here. To be clear, i'm no fan of the Batman universe, I've seen and loved Burton and Nolan's movies but that's it.
    After the pilot, which is really really bad, I tried to go on and see if the show becomes better, but here i am, 3 episodes later, still confused about why this show is rated 71 here. It is terrible, the acting is bad, the dialogues are poor. Ok the    This show is way overrated here. To be clear, i'm no fan of the Batman universe, I've seen and loved Burton and Nolan's movies but that's it.
    After the pilot, which is really really bad, I tried to go on and see if the show becomes better, but here i am, 3 episodes later, still confused about why this show is rated 71 here. It is terrible, the acting is bad, the dialogues are poor. Ok the stories aren't so bad, but it's always uselessly brutal and bloody, with horror movie music in the back, and that's only because this is what keeps people in front of the tv today, and i love bloody shows but it just feels terribly wrong and useless here. I'm gonna watch marvel's daredevil now, hopefully it'll be better. I'd even prefer watch the entire Smallville series all over again than this ****    … Expand
  24. Baudim
    May 30, 2016
    2
    I couldn't get through the first episode. Too cliché, too predictable, too "hey look that character is gonna be a villain, can you guess which one?!?". Also the old cop / young cop dynamic is not modern at all and just made me roll my eyes the whole time.
  25. Garon010
    Oct 1, 2014
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. For a life-long fan of comic books - particularly, Batman, I might add - this was a major letdown. The grit of the comics, recent movies and games has been abandoned in favour of sloppy scenes and senseless and random violence. There is hardly any build-up to the shaky-cam chase scenes (guess, they needed to fill the hour) and comic regulars are dropped in here and there - perhaps 'crammed in' is more apt. Even if one could ignore the cheap treatment of the source material, one is left by a badly produced show: many scenes are brief and utterly pointless. For example, when Gordon's future wife goes to the GCPD in hopes of discovering the whereabouts of her dearest, Gordon's cookie-cutter-dirty-cop partner informs her that he is on a stake-out and "his phone ran out of juice". Without batting an eye, she except his word and leaves. These are minutes of my life I lost forever...… Expand
  26. ana_melinte90
    Nov 17, 2014
    1
    I tried watching two episodes but it was pure torture. The actors play so bad. And the script is full of cliches. I don't get why people praise this show, especially the critics.
  27. GSpark
    Nov 2, 2014
    1
    Honestly, the worst show I've watched in a long time. Terrible, cheesy acting. Ridiculous plot elements. I know you're meant to suspend your disbelief when watching a TV show, but for the writers/directors of this debacle to expect you to do so is plain insulting.
  28. Evan2814
    Sep 22, 2014
    1
    Holy foreshadowing, Batman! Where do I start? This show is decaffeinated Batman. (Batman without the actual Batman) It is 80% nods and references to existing characters and 20% poor dialog and acting.
    The plotline is weak as it is overshadowed entirely by introducing characters we already know in the corniest fashion! (ex. Ivy stroking her plants in the background) Gordon is the    Holy foreshadowing, Batman! Where do I start? This show is decaffeinated Batman. (Batman without the actual Batman) It is 80% nods and references to existing characters and 20% poor dialog and acting.
    The plotline is weak as it is overshadowed entirely by introducing characters we already know in the corniest fashion! (ex. Ivy stroking her plants in the background) Gordon is the goody-goody cop cliche that makes up for his lack of tact with the charming desire to do the right thing, and somehow prevails despite the fact that he should have died at least twice so far. Stupid writing loopholes! Not to mention his terrible motivational speech to heart-broken Bruce Wayne. And at the end, that awful, poorly scripted scene where he tries to earn the trust of young Bruce. I don't know what to hate more, the cheesy dialog or the actors' unconvincing attempts at their characters.
    Penguin struts his psychopath side in this episode as he becomes the most freakish moron to grace the scene. And why does Alfred sound Austrailian all of a sudden? "Good on you, mate." Totally not Alfred's character! But I'll get back to that later.
    In general, the characters all have their quirks but lack truly compelling personalities. I guess there's still time to establish that, though. But seriously, I was laughing the whole episode at the ridiculous attempts to make it cool or suspenseful by illogical turns of events and 'edgy' dialog. Whenever a character was trying to sound cool they wound up dusty as my grandma's dentures. Serious, who says "keep it frosty" seriously when they're not at Wendy's?!?
    Oh, and the soundtrack! I don't know who's idea it was to hire a drunken amateur rock group, but it was worse than dubstep soundtracks! I have never in my life heard a soundtrack that made me cringe in that way before! And it didn't even fit the mood in the least bit!
    The Star Wars prequels were more clever and gripping, for crying out loud! I found it at a total lack of quality! If Batman weren't already famous, this show couldn't have aired at all. All in all, I'd say this show is worth watching, if only for laughs with a buddy who knows Batman.
    This show is the true reason Batman is haunted by his past.    … Expand
  29. pete1977
    Nov 14, 2014
    1
    What a horrible show. To the writers and producers of the show i just want to say, please stop wasting our times with such bs, and cancel this stupid show. This show is exactly how i expected it to be.
  30. Lirezh
    Apr 6, 2018
    1
    We have one great Season one, one good Season two and two horrible seasons 3 and 4.

    The series started well thought through, well done and greatly acted. It turned out into a stupid mess of repeated high phantasy acts. It's really a shame how such a nice start can be so extremely ruined. They didn't even want to get new actors, they keep killing the same actors over and over    We have one great Season one, one good Season two and two horrible seasons 3 and 4.

    The series started well thought through, well done and greatly acted.
    It turned out into a stupid mess of repeated high phantasy acts.

    It's really a shame how such a nice start can be so extremely ruined.

    They didn't even want to get new actors, they keep killing the same actors over and over again to find a new way of making them "alive again" again and again.
    Stay away from it.    … Expand
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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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