As I review GOTHAM each week, I have noticed a significant problem in that the show continues to introduce characters from the Batman comics but in no way subtly. While some of the villains and ancillary characters have been handled well, Harvey Dent and the future Riddler, Edward Nygma, have been thrown right in our faces. While Scarecrow, Joker, and Mr. Freeze are on the horizon, showrunner Bruno Heller has given a heads up as to which characters we will see and which we will not.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Heller discredited rumors that Harley Quinn would be featured on the show this season while dropping the reveal that we will get to see Dick Grayson’s parents and learn how they got together. This “prenatal” debut for the future Robin is one of many character introductions that has had fans groaning as they watch the series week to week. But, Heller says they have to do it.
“We front-loaded [the show with iconic characters], which we had to do, both for story purposes and marketing purposes,” Heller says. “We had to let people know it’s not just a hum-drum police procedural, it’s about these larger than life characters. If you do that you can’t just say, ‘Here’s one larger-than-life character, now wait for next season.’ Once we introduced those initial characters—Penguin, Riddler, Ivy, Selina—then we’ve slowed down with those aspects and we’re bringing in those iconic D.C characters in a much more measured way, which was always the intention. You have to have that amount of spice in the show to make it pop and different. Once the wheels are turning, it’s much easier to bring those characters in in subtle, organic ways. That’s the plan, anyway.”
Other superhero series like ARROW and SMALLVILLE before it have been able to introduce characters more naturally but that is also because those shows are about the heroes and villains. GOTHAM is trying to not be a comic book series which may be why the approach is riling some fans of the Batman comics. There have been glimmers of hope on the show with some episodes coming across as very solid and others, like this week’s episode, falling completely flat. Here’s hoping we get more good ones and soon.
GOTHAM airs Mondays on FOX.