Gotham Review: “The Blind Fortune Teller”

Gotham

Spoiler Review –

A family feud fight at a circus ruins Gordon’s date and continually gets in the way of his chances at getting laid until he faces off with a Joker. That’s literally the nitty gritty of another so-so Gotham episode, “The Blind Fortune Teller.”

Ending Gotham TV Show Reviews (9/26/15)

I probably should’ve done this more formally back when I called it quits with the show after its umpteenth break during the first season, but I won’t be reviewing this series anymore. I had been holding out hope the show would get better for the second season and the creative team behind it were saying all the right things, but the S2 premiere was just more of the same. Sure, there’s some promise for better things ahead in it so I’ll be tuning in, but this is more in regards to my own personal time constraints and my sanity. Sorry and thanks for checking out Mynock Manor for details on Gotham and I seriously hope the show hits its stride soon. We still have plenty of content on the site so browse around before heading somewhere else!

GothamAs full of fun possibilities as having a circus setting and the Flying Graysons around can be, the case of the week doesn’t get terribly inventive here. What made it entertaining was just how excited Thompkins, Lee for short, was regarding the case. Her enthusiasm was a little much in the beginning of the hour, with dialogue feeling forced, but the material got better and scenes got funnier thanks to Baccarin’s performance. It was surprising Gordon dismissed the blind fortune teller’s message, considering the much thinner leads he’s followed up on over this season…and after he unleashed the snake to locate the dead woman in the beginning.

GothamBut of course the big deal here was Jerome, who was teased to be a Joker-type character appearing on the show. Bruno Heller, the showrunner for Gotham, has been coy about Jerome ever actually being The Joker, considering he said the character is supposed to be part of the long game for the show, so it’s possible Jerome is just another tease of the character. Whether or not he is, once Cameron Monaghan turned into the familiar psychopathy one equates with the Joker, it was quite the decent performance. It had a little of what came before him, but he added his own little twists to it. Though Monaghan didn’t get a lot of room to breathe into that part of the role, just from his short bit here I was pretty pleased with his performance. If he were to become the Joker on the show, I don’t think I’d mind that much. UPDATE 2/24/15: I guess we’ll see more of him in “Red Hood.” Nope.

GothamThe other little plotlines included the return of Barbara, who continues to be the worst handled character on the show. Even Butch got a more entertaining and nuanced role and all he had to do was dance like an idiot when Penguin or Zsaz told him. It seemed like the whole idea of Penguin switching from having rock concerts like he did last episode to having his mom play was just an excuse to reintroduce Butch, which honestly, they just could’ve done without including Penguin’s mother again.

GothamSpeaking of mothers, Mooney played mama bear to the people she’s imprisoned with, somehow magically getting them organized and willing to die for her after one somewhat rousing speech. I guess trying to do something is much better than waiting to find out if your organs will be harvested next. The standoff between Mooney and the head guard escalated nicely and quickly, but it was very disappointing all of that led to Mooney walking off and no reveal on who this manager is. It reminds me of watching Fish and the man on the boat go tearing after one another only for the scene to cut and the following week we don’t even get to see the fight.

But let’s not forget about Bruce, who…well it looks like he was just fishing for information from the board members. Besides his little questions in his notebook and all those documents he’s been shuffling about with authority, you’re telling me he doesn’t have any evidence yet? I’m hoping he was just playing everyone, letting them think he had no information, and he’ll shock the crap out of them at the shareholder’s meeting.

Gotham

Here are a few other things:

  • Mark Margolis classes up anything he appears in (recently in Breaking Bad and Constantine) and he had a fun role as the blind fortune teller who happened to be Jerome’s father. I mean, when he’s wearing a purple hat, who else would he be?
  • So Gordon basically got to play match-maker and ensure Robin will be born to help out Bruce in the future as Batman. Kinda crazy when you think about it.
  • The Hellfire Club was an interesting name to bring up, considering it being used in the X-Men comics and it’s actual real-life origins.
  • Was I the only one who thought Lee broke doctor-patient confidentiality?
  • The visual of the snake cozied up to the Jerome’s dead mom was chilling and well-done.
  • Who can blame Jerome for killing a person over their constant nagging…I’m sure we’ve all felt that way at one time or another.
  • While I found the dinner scene with Lee and Gordon to be the best part of the episode (besides Jerome going all Joker), their conversation was basically (in my mind) this: “You have to believe! Supernatural stuff is coming Gordon!” – Lee. “But I just want to get laid right now…” – Gordon.

GothamCameron Monaghan had a lot to prove and he definitely owned his role as Jerome, while Lee added fun and humor to the procedural elements in “The Blind Fortune Teller.” But what has Bruce done and will Mooney finally meet her match?

+ Jerome

+ Lee adding fun to the show

 Barbara hanging with Ivy and Selina

 Quick to follow Mooney

 Penguin sub-plot

Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website @MynockManor.

GOTHAM REVIEWS:
S1, Ep. 15: “The Scarecrow
S1, Ep. 14: “The Fearsome Dr. Crane
S1, Ep. 13: “Welcome Back, Jim Gordon
S1, Ep. 12: “What the Little Bird Told Him
S1, Ep. 11: “Rogues’ Gallery
S1, Ep. 10: “Lovecraft
S1, Ep. 9: “Harvey Dent
S1, Ep. 8: “The Mask
S1, Ep. 7: “Penguin’s Umbrella
S1, Ep. 6: “Spirit of the Goat
S1, Ep. 5: “Viper
S1, Ep. 4: “Arkham
S1, Ep. 3: “The Balloonman
S1, Ep. 2: “Selina Kyle
S1, Ep. 1: “Pilot

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