Gotham
The Teaser:
It's Masterpiece Theatre, Batman style. "How did it all come... to this?" the voiceover asks. We see a small side-cavern at night, full of momentos of times past. The voice is that of Alfred Pennyworth, who explains that he begins this narrative to explain what led himself and his employer to get to their current remarkable state of affairs. The aged hand is holding a photo, full of young people with "faces full of promise." The image fills the frame and dissolves into the "present day" setting.
Cut to a police station is London. Alfred is bailing young Bruce Wayne out of jail. He's gotten in a fight, yet again. Bruce is only a few days away from his 18th birthday; he's rich, and a noted celebrity as big as JFK Jr. or Prince William. "Master Bruce has 'issues'," Alfred tells the police superintendant who asks if this sort of thing happens often.
As Bruce is released, he tells his cell mates "so long," that his ride is now here. It is at this time that Alfred tells him that the trustees have called. Bruce Wayne's presence is required in Gotham City "as soon as possible."
"I'd rather stay here," Bruce tells Alfred. "We have no choice," he is told. Alfred looks grim. Bruce sees that he's serious. He's angry, but he nods. It's time to leave. Cue credits.
Act One:
Act One begins with a flashback to the fateful night when Thomas and Martha Wayne were gunned down in front of their small boy on Crime Alley. They were exiting a neon-lit theater; there to see "The Mark of Zorro." In the shadows lurks a dark figure...
...then young Bruce Wayne wakes up. He's having a nightmare about the night that his parents were killed. Bruce is now safe, in a private jet, in flight with Alfred.
Bruce looks at the book Alfred is reading. "Troubled Teens." He gives Alfred a "give me a break" look. Alfred highlights passages and tsk-tsk-tsks. Really, this take on Alfred Pennyworth is by far the best part of the Bruce Wayne pilot script. For a show about something as dark and foreboding as Batman it's almost a refreshing surprise to see such humor. It must be pointed out that the humor and wit are not camp; although a bad actor could easily ruin it.
For those curious, when reading this I (the writer of this article, Craig Byrne) was picturing an Anthony Stewart Head type. Granted, Head was busy with Buffy at the time but it's someone with that Giles-like dry wit.
Bruce turns on the television, and this is where the viewer learns more about what a big celebrity Bruce Wayne is in this world. Every station he turns to, talks about Bruce's return to Gotham City for the first time in 12 years. Oprah, MTV, Wall Street shows... he's the topic of conversation. One of the programs Bruce passes is the gossip show Gotcha! hosted by a young Vicky Vale.
Not only is Bruce known for his millions but he's somewhat of a teen idol as well. Young girls gossip about him and lust after him the same way a girl of 1999 would carry on about N-Sync.
Alfred warns Bruce that the U.S. media is a lot more offensive than their counterparts in Europe.
The plane lands in Gotham City, and Bruce looks out. "Who in their right mind would want to live there?" he asks Alfred. "Five generations of Waynes, sir. Not counting you, of course." Bruce tells Alfred he wants to sign the papers which would give the Waynecorp trustees the right to continue running his company and get out of there.
Bruce says something to Alfred about feeling like he's supposed to do something with his life, but that running "some stupid company" is not part of the plan.
As they deplane at the private aviation terminal, Alfred and Bruce are mobbed by the press. Photographers are everywhere, and it's a frenzy. Finally, at night, the two arrive at Wayne Manor.
Everything is covered in dust. Alfred apologizes that there was no time to bring anyone to clean. Again, the wit of Alfred shines through, though in this scene he almost evokes C3PO.... right up to continuing talking even after Bruce is far down the hallway.
Bruce stares at a portrait of his family. He broods and his eyes water. Suddenly, someone is behind him. It's Alfred. A jarred Bruce snaps at Alfred to please make some noise when he approaches. "Habits of a lifetime, not easily broken," Alfred tells him.
Alfred's a man of many hats. It's not very long before he's in the kitchen, in fancy chef whites, preparing a souffle. Bruce tells Alfred he's going out. Alone. Alfred looks alarmed.
The scene cuts to Bruce hurrying out, and already - there's Alfred, in a chauffeur's uniform, holding open the door to the Rolls. Bruce comments on Alfred's changing of uniforms so quickly. Alfred tells him it's because he was a tenor in the Footlights Club in Cambridge, and he played many parts. "I thought you were a medic, in the British Commandos," Bruce says. "Indeed I was," Bruce is told. It seems Alfred's past is shrouded in mystery, because there's no way he could have done all of these things in his previous days.
Bruce instructs Alfred to go to the seedier part of town. The mean streets look awful. At a certain point, Bruce tells Alfred to stop. They've arrived at Crime Alley.
The old movie theater is boarded up now. Bruce visits the very place where his parents were killed. More flashbacks. Bruce talks to Alfred about the night, reveals that he was the one who insisted on seeing "The Mark of Zorro" in that part of town. His parents said no, but be threw a tantrum. "I had to see Zorro," he explains. "A silly movie about a 'hero' who wears a costume and fights crime."
Some thugs come up the street. Alfred tells Bruce that they should go, but Bruce, of course, wants a fight.
The thugs ask him "Who do you think you are? Think ya own this street or what?" They start fighting. Alfred interrupts to remind him that actually, with all the "subsidiary of WayneCorp" signs on the buildings in development on the street, he actually does own the street.
One thug demands Bruce's wallet. Bad move. Bruce uses some martial arts moves against the thug. The thug drops his gun, and Bruce mocks it and starts making fun of the "gangsta" way the thug was holding it. He starts tormenting and teasing the thug, who demands his gun back. "Sure," Bruce tells him, but not after dismantling the gun into several parts.
"May I point out that engaging ignorant hoodlums in violence is no substitute for qualified, professional therapy," Alfred tells Bruce. "Therapy takes years," is Bruce's response. It's at this time that it is revealed to the viewer that Bruce has had 12 years of martial arts training all over the world. "I appreciate your need to never feel weak and helpless again, but you're rich! Hire a bodyguard!" Alfred tries to tell Bruce. Bruce tells him that he likes fighting because he's good at it. Alfred suggests opening a karate school. Bruce then K.O.'s the last thug and adjusts his clothes.
Now that the thugs are properly taken care of, they've got to be taken someplace. So, it's a trip to the Gotham police station. On the way there, Alfred tells Bruce that he really needs to cover up that martial arts ability or the next time, they'll either attack in greater numbers or shoot first. Not to mention, the potential for lawsuits.
Bruce and Alfred drop the thugs off at Gotham PD. The desk sergeant asks for the gun, which is now in parts. Their report is ignored for the most part. They are told they need to talk to a detective, and all of the detectives have already gone home. Bruce asks what they are then supposed to do. The desk sergeant shrugs. A young voice is heard. "My dad's still working...." It's a spunky young red-haired girl, around 13 years old. Her name is Barbara Gordon.
The desk sergeant is annoyed. "My dad's a detective," Barbara tells them. "He's gonna be Commissioner someday." Then she looks at Bruce, and immediately recognizes him. She's very excited, and tells him she has saved many teen magazine articles about him.
The desk sergeant, upon hearing it was Bruce Wayne that he just blew off, suddenly pays attention. He offers to call Lieutenant Flass, who will come and take Bruce's statement personally. Bruce tells the desk sergeant to forget it. He's going upstairs to see Barbara's dad and talk to him. Barbara takes him upstairs, babbling the whole way up. She tells Bruce that her mother died a year earlier and so now it's just the two of them, and if she doesn't take her dad dinner upstairs, he's not going to eat. As Barbara's babbling, the desk sergeant is speaking quietly on the phone, warning somebody that Bruce Wayne is there talking to "you-know-who."
Bruce and Barbara get upstairs, and Bruce recognizes the cop behind the desk. He remembers one rookie cop who comforted him the night of his parent's murder, a fellow whose nametag read "J.W. Gordon." Now, Jim Gordon isa detective for the police.
Gordon doesn't recognize Bruce at first, but upon being introduced, he needs to cover up some "sensitive information" on a chalkboard in the office. It's a diagram with all arrows and lines leading to WayneCorp. Bruce notices it. What is it? What's going on?
Bruce brings up the fact that he recognizes Gordon. "You were there. When my parents were murdered." Gordon acknowledges it. "So. Who killed them?"
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