Gotham Gotham Season 1, Episode 1 "Pilot" General Discussion

I think the Pre-Joker has already been introduced...did you see the amount of eye-liner on the Waynes killer's face?
 
I want to see Jack Napier on this show. Give me a Jack Napier that's along the lines of the BTAS and B'89 Napiers. That sounds awesome to me. They can introduce Napier as the Red Hood, but I don't want Joker to be sympathetic like in The Killing Joke.
 
I liked the pilot. It certainly wasn't anywhere near the level of some other crime shows like The Sopranos or Boardwalk Empire, but it was pretty good. I did find it too fast-paced for my liking, with scenes being very quick, up to a couple of lines in some cases before BOOM...on to the next scene. I prefer a more deliberate pacing, allowing time for the plot to develop.

It did get better towards the end of the episode. The conversation with The Roman, and the following scene with Gordon, Bullock, and Oswald at the docks were my favorites of the episode.
 
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The visuals and the use of yellow in the shooting is great. The major downside to the series is the writing. It seems like their lifting it from a dime store novel without the Sin City look and feel to it. They really need to spend some money on the writing as much as they do to the location and visuals dept.

Side note: Anyone notice the comedian in 1st ep was the rapper off Fresh Beat Band LOL

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3482690/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t30
 
I want to see Jack Napier on this show. Give me a Jack Napier that's along the lines of the BTAS and B'89 Napiers. That sounds awesome to me. They can introduce Napier as the Red Hood, but I don't want Joker to be sympathetic like in The Killing Joke.

He could totally be a guy on Fish Mooney's crew...
 
Just watched the pilot. I didn't like the writing/dialogue, it was pretty bad which surprised me since Heller usually does good stuff on the mentalist. It seemed like they were just trying way too hard. Something about the visuals just looked off to me as well, couldn't put my finger on it though. For instance in the graveyard the tombstones looked way too big and went on as far as the eye could see. Just looked stupid to me. The first half was pretty terrible all the way around but I did feel like they were getting on the right track by the end of the episode though. Arrow and AoS took a while to find their groove so I'm assuming it will be the same with this show. Not going to give up on it I was just expecting more.
 
I liked the pilot. It certainly wasn't anywhere near the level of some other crime shows like The Sopranos or Boardwalk Empire, but it was pretty good.
It's a shame that they don't aim for that level of quality with shows like this.
 
Just watched the pilot. I didn't like the writing/dialogue, it was pretty bad which surprised me since Heller usually does good stuff on the mentalist. It seemed like they were just trying way too hard. Something about the visuals just looked off to me as well, couldn't put my finger on it though. For instance in the graveyard the tombstones looked way too big and went on as far as the eye could see. Just looked stupid to me. The first half was pretty terrible all the way around but I did feel like they were getting on the right track by the end of the episode though. Arrow and AoS took a while to find their groove so I'm assuming it will be the same with this show. Not going to give up on it I was just expecting more.

These are my thoughts also. The wide shots of the city looked really fake and bad. The acting was pretty bad also, except for Donal Logue who is awesome in nearly everything. It reminded me of the cheesy stuff that Syfy has on Saturdays.

I would have liked to have seen the Thomas & Martha Wayne developed as characters before they were killed off later in the season. It was really off-putting to have so many (pre)villains introduced so fast and early in the series (as in the pilot episode. lol)

I'll keep watching to see if it improves. I did like that the show kind of reminded me of Batman the animated series. I hope Gotham has a chance to become as great as that B:TAS was.
 
Agree on the Waynes...they could have been develop more, so we could have felt some kinship to them, and some empathy with Bruce when they are killed. They should have last 4 or 5 episodes, to feel the impact they had on the city, and how tragic their loss would be.
 
I also thought the opening scene with the crazy guy and Gordon "subduing" him was beyond stupid. Don't really agree on the too many villain cameos though, I thought it was pretty organic.
 
I'm not ready to give up on the series yet, but I thought the pilot was pretty terrible.

I thought the set design and general atmosphere of the city were outstanding, to start with. They really nailed the look and feeling of the city, and the timeless elements (older phones and cars) are a nice TAS throwback.

I also thought Donal Logue's portrayal of Bullock was good, even though I didn't like most of his actual dialogue. And I was glad to see Montoya and Crispus Allen made the transition to live action, even though Allen didn't really do anything and Montoya's scene with Barbara seemed quite forced.

But that aside, I really couldn't find much to like about the pilot. The abundance of future major rogues acting in stereotypical manners was pretty hard to stomach. There was no reason for all of them to be tied so heavily into the Wayne murder, especially in the first episode. Selina Kyle and Ivy in particular stood out as not offering much to the flow or pacing of the pilot.

The acting wasn't anything special, either. Bruce and Alfred's scenes were cringeworthy, especially right after the murders. Gordon was stiff and Fish Mooney couldn't decide whether she had an accent.

Like I said, I'll give it a few more episodes and keep an open mind. I hated Arrow until they finally came off the "evil capitalist of the week" shtick.
 
I also thought the opening scene with the crazy guy and Gordon "subduing" him was beyond stupid. Don't really agree on the too many villain cameos though, I thought it was pretty organic.
Organic?

Catwoman slinking around in the background (in broad daylight), making cat poses, stealing milk, and interacting with cats?

Riddler actually speaking in riddles?

Penguin eating sardines and waddling?

Poison Ivy actually being named Ivy, and standing in the background watering plants?

What's next, Floyd Lawton crying in the corner with a picture of his family? Waylon Jones in a skin moisturiser commercial?
 
Agree on the Waynes...they could have been develop more, so we could have felt some kinship to them, and some empathy with Bruce when they are killed. They should have last 4 or 5 episodes, to feel the impact they had on the city, and how tragic their loss would be.

They could still utilize the Waynes in flashback.
 
I just finished watching the pilot and wasn't that impressed. The plot was getting good towards the end but I think this show would only really work well if you took away the Batman elements from it and just left it as a crime drama.

Alfred seemed way off character. Why wasn't he sympathetic to Bruce just after his parents died? Shouldn't Alfred have been upset too? And why was he being sarcastic to Gordon?
The opening scene with Selina Kyle was cool and it was fine having her at the funeral but there was no need for her to have been there at the end.
Appearance-wise, I'm okay with Cobblepot's casting but there characterisation needs working on. Nigma and Ivy were not really not necessary for the pilot; they should have made their first appearance further on in the show.

They need to work on the tone and pacing as well which were just a tiny bit inconsistent. I like how they really got Gotham's look right though. Gordon was probably the best thing about the pilot.
 
I just finished watching the pilot and wasn't that impressed. The plot was getting good towards the end but I think this show would only really work well if you took away the Batman elements from it and just left it as a crime drama.
It honestly seems to me that this is what they were originally going to do, but then they lost faith in that premise and decided to shoehorn in as many Batman references as possible at the last moment.

Nothing worse than a TV show/movie/game/etc. that doesn't have faith in its own premise. If anyone's played the Assassin's Creed games, that's a major criticism I have about those games. The whole dream machine nonsense is just needless exposition that demonstrates a lack of faith in the original concept (of course, I think all those games are terrible anyway, for myriad reasons).
 
It was a lot better than I was afraid it would be, though it does have some flaws. The cameos were pretty heavy-handed (though I could see a casual fan shrugging them off), and there are a few acting/writing moments that feel a little stiff. That said, the acting was actually pretty good, and I do find myself invested in the story.

Gordon takes some time to break out of Bland Hero mode, but I think he does eventually get there. The child actors are surprisingly good when they're on screen, and I like how Bullock, Mooney and Penguin are gradually developed beyond their basic character types (Mooney is actually pretty frightening by the end).

The visuals are also pretty good (though the running close-ups of Gordon during the chase scene are a little odd).

All in all, I'm looking forward to the new episode tonight.
 
The visuals are also pretty good (though the running close-ups of Gordon during the chase scene are a little odd).
I forgot to mention this in my complaints.

The Gordon head cam and the ridiculous swinging light interrogation scene were extremely jarring.

What were they thinking?
 
I liked the pilot. It certainly wasn't anywhere near the level of some other crime shows like The Sopranos or Boardwalk Empire, but it was pretty good. I did find it too fast-paced for my liking, with scenes being very quick, up to a couple of lines in some cases before BOOM...on to the next scene. I prefer a more deliberate pacing, allowing time for the plot to develop.

Yes, I just finished the pilot and that is my thought too. The scenes were very quick and jumped about - it seemed like poor editing and very "clunky".

I did like it - locations, characters, style - but it wasn't put together very well.

Also, I thought it was supposed to be the story of one good cop against a tide of corruption - yet with that scene at the docks Gordon has advertised himself as a murderer.

Shouldn't he be defying the Mob and not, even in pretence, be alleging himself with them?

It did get better towards the end of the episode. The conversation with The Roman, and the following scene with Gordon, Bullock, and Oswald at the docks were my favorites of the episode.

The Roman? Wasn't that Carmen Falcone?

Is the stand up comic meant to be a future villain? I assume not the Joker though :p

Poison Ivy, Catwoman, Penguin and the Riddler. Did I miss anyone else?

Actually, in further reflection, while I did like Pertwee's portrayal Alfred, the writers and director really botched the introduction. The most trusted, loyal and loving friend Bruce ever has just marches him away the alley with a "don't let them see you cry"?

Can't forgive the makers for that one.

They've also rushed Bruce a bit.
 
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It was a lot better than I was afraid it would be, though it does have some flaws.

Yeah, I was worried it might be bad, but I thoroughly enjoyed it despite some things that made me wince.

I'm really hoping that the showrunners listened to the criticisms of the pilot and have already made some quick adjustments.
 
Yes, I just finished the pilot and that is my thought too. The scenes were very quick and jumped about - it seemed like poor editing and very "clunky".

I did like it - locations, characters, style - but it wasn't put together very well.

Also, I thought it was supposed to be the story of one good cop against a tide of corruption - yet with that scene at the docks Gordon has advertised himself as a murderer.

Shouldn't he be defying the Mob and not, even in pretence, be alleging himself with them?



The Roman? Wasn't that Carmen Falcone?

Is the stand up comic meant to be a future villain? I assume not the Joker though :p

Poison Ivy, Catwoman, Penguin and the Riddler. Did I miss anyone else?

Actually, in further reflection, while I did like Pertwee's portrayal Alfred, the writers and director really botched the introduction. The most trusted, loyal and loving friend Bruce ever has just marches him away the alley with a "don't let them see you cry"?

Can't forgive the makers for that one.

They've also rushed Bruce a bit
.
Yeah,I mean I prefer Alfred as the "kindly old grandfather" version.The recent years interpretation of the character seems to be as a sarcastic hard ***.
 
Yeah,I mean I prefer Alfred as the "kindly old grandfather" version.The recent years interpretation of the character seems to be as a sarcastic hard ***.

I'm the opposite. Bruce to turn into batman doesn't want someone to coddle him. He wants someone that will turn him, not just into a man, but a batman.

Alfred can care and grow to care more. But he has got to be able to accept what Bruce is turning into.

Not a dithering old grandpa - yes Bruce you play with your Batorangs. Good boy. Just going to have a nap.

He's his bodyguard/guardian. He has to be tough enough to see Bruce through these years.
 
I forgot to mention this in my complaints.

The Gordon head cam and the ridiculous swinging light interrogation scene were extremely jarring.

What were they thinking?

That's what my wife said when we were watching the show. The Gordon head cam made no sense at all. For a second I thought I was watching Crank. lol

Does the actor who plays Gordon have an accent? It sounded like he was Irish or Scottish in some of the conversations.

On a side note, if the Waynes are so filthy rich why did they need to hail a cab? Wouldn't they have a driver waiting for them outside the theater? Why would they walk into a dark ally at night?
 
That's what my wife said when we were watching the show. The Gordon head cam made no sense at all. For a second I thought I was watching Crank. lol

Does the actor who plays Gordon have an accent? It sounded like he was Irish or Scottish in some of the conversations.

On a side note, if the Waynes are so filthy rich why did they need to hail a cab? Wouldn't they have a driver waiting for them outside the theater? Why would they walk into a dark ally at night?

The Wayne's have been murdered in an alleyway in nearly every version of Batman. It isn't something just gone for Gotham.

However, maybe it is partially meant to be like a real life situation, as well as for atmosphere.

Plenty of real life victims are attacked in areas where normally they would not go, but are for various reasons.

I'm the opposite. Bruce to turn into batman doesn't want someone to coddle him. He wants someone that will turn him, not just into a man, but a batman.

Alfred can care and grow to care more. But he has got to be able to accept what Bruce is turning into.

Not a dithering old grandpa - yes Bruce you play with your Batorangs. Good boy. Just going to have a nap.

He's his bodyguard/guardian. He has to be tough enough to see Bruce through these years.

True, but in that moment in the alley, he comes across as cruel.

I feel it is done to make Gordon seem more important, more of the mentor.
 
Organic?

Catwoman slinking around in the background (in broad daylight), making cat poses, stealing milk, and interacting with cats?

Riddler actually speaking in riddles?

Penguin eating sardines and waddling?

Poison Ivy actually being named Ivy, and standing in the background watering plants?

What's next, Floyd Lawton crying in the corner with a picture of his family? Waylon Jones in a skin moisturiser commercial?

:funny:

This post is excellent.

I finally watched the pilot and I was expecting it to be a lot worse, but some things were far too cringe worthy.

The score has to be changed, sounds like they picked generic music made in the late 90s.
 
The Wayne's have been murdered in an alleyway in nearly every version of Batman. It isn't something just gone for Gotham.

However, maybe it is partially meant to be like a real life situation, as well as for atmosphere.

Plenty of real life victims are attacked in areas where normally they would not go, but are for various reasons.



True, but in that moment in the alley, he comes across as cruel.

I feel it is done to make Gordon seem more important, more of the mentor.

To you. Not to me (maybe cause I'm English). He knows they are surrounded by enemies. They can't show weakness to the world. They need to get home to mourn.
Remember there are press there aswell. Bruce is now the owner of the Wayne foundation and can't look like a crying child. Or else shareholders could lose confidence.
Lastly he is not Bruce's father. He e is an ex British soldier who probably doesn't know how to handle Bruce's grief. So back straight, head up and march.

Their relationship will grow. Alfred will become a father figure to him, but it will never be a normal relationship. Bruce becomes an avenging Dark Knight. He never deals with his grief properly.
 

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