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Post by Fast Jimmy on Nov 13, 2015 7:45:01 GMT -6
What I find interesting about this show is that it's a got a lot of the bad things I expected it to... yet it not only works in spite of these things, but because of them.
The show is rife with cliched characters and scenarios. RIFE with them. Every character is a caricature of untold hyperbole. You have Jim Gordon, hothead cop fighting corruption who never lets his perp go, you have Bruce Wayne, who is the kid chasing down leads that is way over his head (think Harry Potter with a butler), you have Fish Mooney, who is so "I'm a woman and can't be controlled by any man" it's practically beating you over the head, you have Lenguin/Oswalk Cobblepot, who is the quintessential sleaze that is creepy almost just for creepy' sake, you have the nerdy, bizarro Edward Nygma who can't go more than three sentences without a riddle or awkward comment...
The thing is... in the Batman mythos? These characters totally fit. They transcend cookie cutter and become, instead, nearly iconic, giant personalities that clash in glorious fashion. It works really well at making these unrealistic personalities feel real, as odd as that sounds.
The writing has great pacing and throws a lot at the viewer, including dozens of characters, complicated corruption and power structures, cases which range from criminal scumbags to borderline super villains... somehow prevent losing steam or muddling the experience. The acting is also really good, where there are few scenes that ever feel phoned in or not well done. Some character arcs are, unfortunately, a little meandering (Barbara, Gordon's girlfriend, is one who receives the most flak in this department), but it's a fun ride regardless, even if you can see the writers floating about in their uncertainty where to go.
I find myself liking the chemistry between Gordon and Harvey Bullock, who is initially painted with a "bad guy" brush but has been more stylized as an anti-hero. And the adventures of (VERY young) Batman and Catwoman are, instead of schleppy comedic time wastes just because they have to talk about Bruce Wayne in a show about Gotham, actually are pretty engaging and integral to the plot.
All in all, a great show (in my mind) and one I'm glad is continuing to see into a second season.
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