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“A Bitter Pill To Swallow” is all about people accepting hard facts that they are not ready to come to grips with. Gotham provides bitter pills to Jim Gordon, Penguin, Tabitha, Bruce and more. They are forced to by circumstances and people to make big changes. This episode of Gotham was dark and violent but the story and the actors shone like beacons.
The past few weeks, we have discussed on the podcast, how the story has focused on one of our main characters. We’ve spoken about how the writers have challenged the actors and actresses to new levels and how they have stepped up because of it. This season is like a collected graphic novel with the storyline “Rise of the Villains.” But but in this episode we saw multiple characters shine. In my (Geoff) mind, this season could be called “Rise of Gotham.”
Season 1 introduced us to the main players, but between the frequent breaks in episodes, writing that left much to be desired and other factors it suffered. Many genera shows suffer in season 1 but now days most don’t have the opportunity to get a season 2. Gotham got a season 2. The stories are tight, the actors are amazing, and the show has become something new. Karen and I talk about how the show is an Elseworlds (click the link for an explanation) story. But in my mind it has become its’ own reality that is just as good as the comics. This episode is one of the many reasons why.
Jim is still reeling after the events in last week’s episode. Leslie and Captain Barnes both question him as to motives. He cannot seem to break himself away to really consider the implications. He is too busy with building a case against Theo. Lee tells him that she is concerned. “Most people fight against their dark side. You find ways to give in to your dark side.” When Jim and Barnes are in the lull between assassin attacks, Barnes calls Jim out. Jim says he almost crossed the line and killed Barbara. Barnes recounts a war story and tells him that Jim is just a man and there is no line. “No line the law is all that separates us from animals.” When confronted by the cannibalistic assassin Flamingo, Jim is still processing it all. He beats Flamingo and is about to kill him when the bitter pill of Barnes and Lee’s words hit. He spares Flamingo but has to live with the fact that that action costs the life of another officer. Will Jim change in the face of all he has seen and heard?
Bruce is still desperate to know the truth about his parents death. He deceiving himself and being deceived by Silver. He thinks she can get him the information he needs. She slips him the key to her hotel room and gives him the name of the hotel. He tries to slip out, but Alfred is on the ball. He has sent Bruce’s taxi away and taken the room key. He tries to tell Bruce that he doesn’t have the skills to work Silver to get the info. I’m not sure he has completely swallowed his bitter pill yet. But Selina stops him as he is sneaking out to give him proof of Silver’s wickedness. Bruce is a long way from being the Dark Knight or the great detective. The producers have said we will not see Batman on Gotham, but Bruce is taking his medicine and we will see him walk further down the road to being Batman.
Penguin awakes to find himself in Ed’s apartment. Ed is trying to nurse him back to health but all the Penguin wants is to leave Gotham. Ed injects him to keep him there. It is so amazing to see the chemistry of villainy start between these two. Ed shares his journey to becoming the Riddler. He is not quite there yet but close and it excites him. Penguin does not care. He does not even care when Ed offers up Leonard, one of Theo’s lackeys to be murdered. The tables turn when Ed played so wonderfully by Cory Michael Smith, forces the bitter pill of truth down Penguin’s throat. Penguin’s mother was his weakness. Without her he cannot be bargained with, cannot be betrayed, and is free. He shows Penguin how powerful he can be. Ed wants to be there for the ride and learn. They end the episode dragging pour Leonard out of the closet and the partnership begins.
Lastly Tabitha is in a bad way. Theo is in Blackgate Prison, Barbara is in a coma and being moved to Arkham, and she is wounded from Jim’s shot. She is desperate and turns to The Lady, played by Michelle Gomez. (Side note between the casting of Raul Castillo as Flamingo and Michelle as the Lady we see how good the producers are. They are casing so well and the writers are making the story so rich, that the actors are upping their craft. They don’t have a ton of dialogue but they are acting the pants off of the scenes they are in.) The Lady runs a service of assassins and they will stop at nothing to complete the job. When Jim & crew kill off rounds one and two, She reluctantly calls in Flamingo. He fails it kill Jim but The Lady & Flamingo have left a huge body count in their wake. Tabitha has to swallow the bitter pill and tell Theo what happened. He is furious at her for disobeying him and the plans he has in motion. He says if she tries it again he will kill her. We finish the episode with the Brotherhood landing in Gotham to take up The Court of Owls/Theo’s vendetta.
Yes, I’m biased because I’m podcasting on the show. However this season has been so rich and deep. I have been encouraging people who stopped watching last season to pick up this season. I feel like people who never watched could start with this season and be OK. The last few episodes have been so good, but for me this was the episode that cemented the fact that Gotham can be a great show.
Karen and I try to cover all these things in the podcast. Your feedback helped. But we would love more!
News
- Only 2 more episodes of Gotham in 2015. It will return Feb. 29, 2015
- Gotham’s episodes 2×4 and 2×5 were both nominated for American Society of Cinematography awards. In Strike Force, Michael Chiklis made his debut as Captain Barnes, while in Scarification, we saw the birth of Firefly and the first appearance of the Order of St. Dumas. The awards specifically look at the outstanding achievement in cinematography, meaning the way individual shots are framed and the use of the camera as a storytelling device. They will be given out on February 14, 2016. http://www.theasc.com
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