Gotham Gotham Season 3 was definitely intended to be the last

[DalekbusterFitz]

I've been watching Gotham Season 3 ready for the Season 4 premiere on E4 tomorrow, and I noticed how the finale featured a scene at the end of Bruce Wayne in costume as Batman which the series showrunner Bruno Heller originally said would be the last shot of the show.

This confirms that Season 3 was originally intended as the last season before Bruno Heller was offered a ton of money to produce a fourth season.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

I've been watching Gotham Season 3 ready for the Season 4 premiere on E4 tomorrow, and I noticed how the finale featured a scene at the end of Bruce Wayne in costume as Batman which the series showrunner Bruno Heller originally said would be the last shot of the show.

This confirms that Season 3 was originally intended as the last season before Bruno Heller was offered a ton of money to produce a fourth season.

That's actually been shown?

 

[Arachnerd]

He means the vigilante suit. Bruce never put on the actual cowl.

But yes, I'm also certain the season 3 finale was intended to be the end of the series just in case it didn't get renewed.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

He means the vigilante suit. Bruce never put on the actual cowl.

Thanks

 

[Ozbridge]

This confirms that Season 3 was originally intended as the last season before Bruno Heller was offered a ton of money to produce a fourth season.

I think it's the other way around: they wanted to have a fourth season but weren't sure that it would be renewed, so they wrote the season finale to serve as a series finale. Not that they no longer wanted to work on the show and only agreed to continue after a better deal.

 

[DalekbusterFitz]

That's actually been shown?

It's literally the last shot of Season 3 and the first shot of Season 4.

 

[DalekbusterFitz]

I think it's the other way around: they wanted to have a fourth season but weren't sure that it would be renewed, so they wrote the season finale to serve as a series finale. Not that they no longer wanted to work on the show and only agreed to continue after a better deal.

In which case, wouldn't they have gone for a different ending that concludes things and saved the Bruce as Batman one for later on the off-chance it did get renewed?

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

It's literally the last shot of Season 3 and the first shot of Season 4.

Full-on Batsuit? Cowl/ears, cape, belt, boots etc?

 

[Ozbridge]

In which case, wouldn't they have gone for a different ending that concludes things and saved the Bruce as Batman one for later on the off-chance it did get renewed?

Bruce as Batman? I think it's said from the beginning that Bruce will only be Batman at the very last moment. But if you meant "Bruce battling robbers like Batman" then I think the writers have plans for higher stake in the next season if it's renewed. The ending scene of season 3 can serve as season finale but since they are renewed for season 4 they add more development in season 4, and if they're renewed for season 5 it's already been said that they will up the stake even higher.

 

[Arachnerd]

It's literally the last shot of Season 3 and the first shot of Season 4.

Again, that's his vigilante suit, not the Batman suit.

 

[Guts]

Full-on Batsuit? Cowl/ears, cape, belt, boots etc?

Nope. Just a trench coat, turtle neck, and ski mask.
[YT]3HgAKhPis4c[/YT]
Season 3 ending scene sets up Bruce starting his vigilante career.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

Nope. Just a trench coat, turtle neck, and ski mask.
[YT]3HgAKhPis4c[/YT]
Season 3 ending scene sets up Bruce starting his vigilante career.

Yeah, not exactly "in costume as Batman" but it's a cool clip all the same. Thanks for posting

 

[ComicBookNerd]

Nope. Just a trench coat, turtle neck, and ski mask.
[YT]3HgAKhPis4c[/YT]
Season 3 ending scene sets up Bruce starting his vigilante career.

That scene gave me chills like no scene in any show since,
[YT]q9dS6vV-WZ8[/YT]

 

[DalekbusterFitz]

Bruce as Batman? I think it's said from the beginning that Bruce will only be Batman at the very last moment. But if you meant "Bruce battling robbers like Batman" then I think the writers have plans for higher stake in the next season if it's renewed. The ending scene of season 3 can serve as season finale but since they are renewed for season 4 they add more development in season 4, and if they're renewed for season 5 it's already been said that they will up the stake even higher.

It's clearly meant to be Batman, which is why I said Season 3 was clearly intended to be the last season. He becomes Batman at the very last moment of Season 3.

 

[DalekbusterFitz]

Again, that's his vigilante suit, not the Batman suit.

That's not how its communicated to the audience. He's on a rooftop overlooking Gotham in a vigilante suit. That imagery suggests to most viewers 'Batman'. If it was just meant to be a vigilante suit and not say 'Bruce is now Batman', they would have him street level rather than on a rooftop.

 

[DalekbusterFitz]

Also: in the first episode of Season 4 you can see further proof. Suddenly Bruce Wayne is acting all like Batman, with tense confrontations with the Penguin and more of an older-Batman/Commissioner Gordon vibe between younger-Batman and not-commissioner James Gordon. You've also got the Iceberg Lounge mentioned at the end of Season 3 and officially opened in Season 4.

 

[Ozbridge]

It's clearly meant to be Batman, which is why I said Season 3 was clearly intended to be the last season. He becomes Batman at the very last moment of Season 3.

You think he becomes Batman in that scene? Ok sure. But coming back to our original discussion Season 4 still has extra development, like Bruce had his playboy persona or had hallucination and saw bats, and in Season 5 there will be even more development (I think they said in a recent interview that season 5 will be a totally new Gotham, not sure if that's an attempt to goad WB/ Fox to another season).

I think all showrunners know how unlikely it is for a show to be canceled after 3 22-episode seasons and they knew that they would likely get season 4 (last year Gotham could be renewed based on its rating alone without the incentive of syndication), but they did write season 3 finale with the idea that it could be series finale in mind.

 

[Arachnerd]

I think they meant a new Gotham as in, whatever the Joker does in the last three episodes affects the city so much that it'll never be the same (until Batman shows up, that is).

 

[Ozbridge]

I think they meant a new Gotham as in, whatever the Joker does in the last three episodes affects the city so much that it'll never be the same (until Batman shows up, that is).

I think so too, but they probably also meant that the storytelling will go in a different path, not only the city and the characters.

 

[Arachnerd]

That too. A loose adaptation of Batman: Year Zero, maybe?

 

[Ozbridge]

Yeah it could be.

 

[DalekbusterFitz]

I think they meant a new Gotham as in, whatever the Joker does in the last three episodes affects the city so much that it'll never be the same (until Batman shows up, that is).

That would be pointless, as Batman has already turned up.