When Last We Were in Gotham:
Fish Mooney is in a relationship with Nikolai, both business and pleasure. They’re planning on taking over after Falcone “retires” from being mob boss. Little Bruce Wayne is going after the board of Wayne Enterprises. He wants answers as to why mob bosses are now in charge of the Arkham District. Selina ‘Cat’ Kyle is on the loose, last spotted stealing a wallet from a man in a business suit near Gotham’s best sandwich cart. Maroni has found out who Oswald Cobblepot really is and his connection to Gordon. Maroni has promised to keep in touch with Gordon, and Cobblepot has proven his worth to Maroni. Edward Nygma revealed a bit of his malevolence by taking joy in watching Viper destroy its users. Gordon and Bullock have faced off against Balloonman and the viscious drug Viper, what’s going to hit the streets of Gotham next?
It’s Been… Ten Years
Ten years ago, Bullock was on the case of the Goat. Someone had been capturing and killing the children of Gotham’s richest families. Along with his partner Detective Dix (Dan Hedaya), Bullock charges into an old theater and takes down the man behind the Goat. Before Bullock takes the killer down, Dix takes a fall that permanently injures him.
Apparently, the Spirit of the Goat possesses a normal person and compels them to kill while wearing a creepy mask. Flash forward to present day and there’s a copycat killer. It has to be a copycat because Bullock killed the original Goat.
Carla Wouldn’t Take Him Back
Dan Hedaya’s Detective Dix is a truly interesting role model for Bullock. Back when Bullock was new, he was a brash white knight type. Dix teaches Bullock “Gotham’s Golden Rule” is no heroes. After Dix is injured when Bullock kills the original Goat, Bullock feels some form of guilt. He internalizes the “no heroes” rule, which becomes his mantra. He allows the criminal underbelly to swallow him up. But he never forgets Dix. Gordon and Bullock visit Dix in Van Green Manor, which Bullock is paying for. Dix believes there’s a conspiracy, someone causing the Goats to come out of the woodwork. Dix also reveals to Gordon that how Bullock used to be the type to rush headlong into any situation. I liked the banter between Gordon and Dix, they both know Bullock in very unique ways.
Boomerang Kid
Oswald Cobblepot finally comes home to his mother, Gertrude Kabelput (Carol Kane). She is initially angry at him and suspects he ran off with a “painted lady”. He lies to her and tells her he was bullied and almost killed. Later, he takes a bath and she comes in to have a nice conversation. Oswald reveals he has a friend who is a cop. Gertrude doesn’t like this one bit.
That’s Mz. Kringle to You!
Edward Nygma actually gets to help out on this case! Hooray! After the connection is established to the original Goat killer, Nygma goes to the Records Annex to dig up evidence from the 10-year-old murders. Kristen Kringle (Chelsea Spack) runs the Records Annex and Nygma has a crush on her.
I’m afraid this will end badly for Nygma, or Kringle. He spends some time revelling in the fact that her name is so close to Kriss Kringle before reorganizing all of her files. He thinks he is helping, and she thinks he is trying to scare her out of the job. Nygma realizes he’s overstepped his boundaries and leaves, rejected. My prediction is either he will murder her in season two, or she’ll eventually join his riddle-filled crime spree.
#Gaytham
Barbara and Gordon have resolved to stay together as long as Gordon shares the burden of his work secrets with her. She argues that they must share half, and she’ll love him no matter what. Before he runs off to a crime scene he promises to tell her everything he can.
Montoya and Allen have finally found a credible witness that saw Gordon shoot Oswald. Later, Barbara is chasing after Montoya, pleading with her that whatever she thinks is wrong. Montoya tells Barbara to pack up and leave Gotham and wait until this all blows over. Montoya has the warrant for Gordon’s arrest. After Gordon has caught the Goat, he returns home to see Barbara all packed up. She begs him to run away with her and tells him about the warrant. He won’t back down, and answers the door only to be arrested.
She’ll Put a Spell on You
Eventually, Gordon and Bullock figure out who the new killer Goat is with the help of Nygma. They capture him and take him in for questioning, but he won’t talk. Bullock watches him and notices he does a strange gesture with his hand. He squeezes his hand into a fist compulsively. Bullock noticed the father of the first victim did this. He figures out the connection is that they both have the same hypnotherapist!
Gordon goes to confront Dr. Marks and she reveals her entire plan. She hypnotized the original Goat and the new Goat because she wanted to stop corruption in Gotham. She was giving negative reinforcement to the rich by killing their kids. She then sets her current patient on Bullock and runs. He manages to knock-out the patient and shoot her. Captain Essen has trouble seeing the connection but something interrupts their dispute.
“Now that’s how you make an entrance!”
Montoya and Allen are bringing in the now handcuffed Gordon into GCPD. Captain Essen takes this as an attack on her police squad. She won’t stand to see one of her men treated like the criminals they fight. Gordon is shouting how he didn’t shoot Oswald, and Bullock is backing him up. Gordon then tries to persuade Bullock that he really didn’t shoot Oswald. Bullock is also arrested for accessory to murder. At that moment, Oswald Cobblepot walks into the precinct and announces who he is. Bullock is incensed with Gordon.
Side Lines
While at the first crime scene of the new Goat, Bullock asks Nygma, “Where’s Gordon?”
“Apparently he’s not answering his phone,” Nygma replies.
“He’s not answering his-” Bullock sputters. “You mean I’m on the clock before the boy scout?”
All Nygma can do is grin and nod while Bullock curses.
While Gordon and Bullock are visiting Dix, Bullock becomes frustrated with the answers he is getting. Dix believes the Goat killing are part of a conspiracy. “A conspiracy to hang rich kids off of local landmarks, yeah right!”
Dix remarks, “He always thinks he’s the smartest one in the room.”
“That’s because I’m always in a room full of idiots,” Bullock retorts before storming out.
Next Week
Gordon and Bullock can’t be held for the murder of someone who is alive, but now Bullock knows Gordon didn’t go through with the initiation rites. This is obviously a power move by Oswald, but to what end? It will only be a matter of time now before Falcone and Fish find out about his survival. Now that Montoya has no evidence of Gordon doing anything wrong, how will she fight to win back Barbara? Next week also sees the first appearance of Victor Zsasz who should prove to be an exciting foe.
I rate this episode with Jim Carrey’s Riddler
Because he’s the villain Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now.