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Review of Gotham Episode “The Fearsome Dr. Crane” (Spoilers)

Last weeks theme was supposed to be about friendship.   Sadly too many “complications,”  left a bad taste in my mouth.   This weeks theme discussed fear.  Giving us The Scarecrow no less. Or at least his father.   You see Johnathan Crane did appear.  In teenage form, and knows about his fathers “experiments,” on phobias.   It opens with Dr. Crane hanging a unknown man in a chair over a building.  Dr. Crane, uses his instruments to detect his heart beat.   Jotting down the vitals.   This is possibly the best Gotham introduction to a classic D.C. character yet.

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More on the Crane’s in a little bit.   Let’s discuss Fish Mooney’s situation.   She’s on a boat, with The Captain taking her away from Gotham’s waters.   We do know that her right hand man Butch.   Was captured by Victor Zazz, and fate still unknown.   We do know that its Captain is doing his best to protect her. We also know before she boarded. She called Don Maroni from a payphone.   To rat out Penguin, after he ratted her out to Don Falcone.   We don’t know who hijacked the ship she was on.   Or the silent man who entered her cabin.   Ready to engage in battle with her.   For all it’s worth, she still comes off with that “I’m still in control,” attitude.

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Speaking of “control,” the whole Don Maroni/Penguin interrogation.   The Don knew things have been a tad suspicious.   Penguin was making too many mistakes.   So The Don, took Penguin upstate.   Just the two of them, two go up, one comes down.  What made the whole, let’s play I got a secret game.   Is that it reminded me of the first ten minutes of Pulp Fiction.   Or Inglorious Bastards, where one person knows the truth.   But he’ll/she’ll play a little game first.   Needless to say it was intense.   Penguin did try to pull a “Starscream.”   Where he hid a gun in his clothes and was ready to kill Maroni dead.   However, the gun contained blanks.   Something that the audience knew.   The point is, what it lacked in predictability.   It made up for two of the strongest performances.

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Another great sub-story was the whole Edward Nygma/Medical Examiner affair.   Eddie does come off as an male version of Abby from NCIS.   Granted he has different quirks.   Like using medical equipment to pick his vegetables out of his Chinese noodles.  Or trying to ask out The G.C.P.D. file clerk Ms. Kringle.   Tonight he decided to go over the medical examiner’s head.   After he was caught with his hand in the cookie jar, per say.   He got suspended, thus starting his decent into the other side.   After picking the examiners locker, and placing dead hands inside.   Edward got to keep his job.   Granted this wouldn’t hold water in r-e-a-l life.   Yet, it is Gotham.   And Eddie is growing on me.   Not to mention we got more social awkward-ness with Eddie and Kringle.

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Onto Jim and Bullock.   Well Jim did return to his old loft.   Only to find Selena there.   We’re left to assume that Jim and Barbara are through.   As stated before as long as Jim is the father I’m good.   Meaning Barbara (Batgirl), will probably be introduced in season two.   Who will her mother be, then?   Why Dr. Leslie Tompkins I’m guessing.  You see Jim and Leslie have started to express their feelings.    This actor/character is a lot more interesting than Barbara.   Or Batgirl could end up being Jim’s niece.   As long as Barbara is gone, I’m happy.   Selena admitted to Jim, that she never saw the Wayne’s killers and takes off.  Which was kind of pointless.   Only for her to tell Jim, what she told Bruce last week.

Jim then heads over to Wayne Manor.   Only to have a disappointed Bruce, dismiss Gordon.   I can’t say that I blame Bruce.   Jim’s and Bruce’s relationship with mend in time.   Like twelve to fifteen years later hint, hint, wink, wink.   Leaving Jim and Bullock to track the phobia killer.   It gives Harvey Bullock, a chance to go undercover.   Attending phobia support groups.   As well as possibly meeting a potential love interest.   Harvey talking to an support group member before and after meetings was sweet.    It shows, Bullocks softer side.   I also think that Julian Sands, was perfect casting as Scarecrows father.

I remember him as Dr. James Atherton from Arachnophobia.   Ironically, he was in a movie about the fear of spiders.  Now he’s portraying the father.  Of one of the greatest D.C. Villains ever.   Studying fear, killing people by what they fear the most.   This is also a two part episode.   And from what I get next week.   Dr. Crane will experiment in fear toxins.   I can’t wait to see, how he passes the family business over to Johnathan.

The Fein-Al Verdict.

After Edward was bullied by the G.C.P.D.   He finally mustered his courage, to fight back.  Granted he did it his way.  But hey, that’s the Riddler for ya.   Penguin was afraid for his life.  After his Starscream-esque take over fell flat.  Yeah, the whole Penguin taken to the scrapheap.   Being placed in a car getting crushed, was all Batman ’66.   But he found the courage to escape.  F.Y.E. Batman and Robin were placed in a compactor in Batman ’66.   Their escape was more entertaining, still I’m satisfied.   Jim was afraid his life was falling apart.   He and Barbara split, the G.C.P.D. is in fear.  Due to both The Don’s control over Gotham.   Yet, Jim is not willing to back down.   Last week, he took down Detective Flass.  He’s afraid he ruined the relationship with Bruce.   But, well you know.   Hopefully if the writing will remain as tight as this.   It will put my fears to rest.

Review Overview

5.0

Nothing to Fear

One of the more "tighter," episodes for season one. The back and forth between Don Maroni and Penguin. Riddler begins.

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