For an episode called “Selina Kyle,” the titular character was hardly featured. In fact, Gotham was really scattered this week; the narrative was all over the place, and the tone seemed to shift almost on a whim. There were easily three or four stories to follow, which isn’t that tall of an order for forty-two minutes, but when one story gets an inordinate amount of attention, the others are bound to flail.
The main story of “Selina Kyle” isn’t about Selina Kyle – although, much like the Waynes’ murder, she is involved, at least as a witness. There’s a rash of child abductions in Gotham, perpetrated by two milquetoast folks in their thirties, who go by the names Patty and Doug. Come on, Gotham, everyone is #90skid now, you might as well have named them Alpha and Zordon. They’re snatching the kids at the behest of the Dollmaker, so between that and everyone calling Oswald “Penguin” already, it looks like Gotham is wasting no time in getting to its villains (I was going to block-quote a description of the Dollmaker, but then it started going into shit like Composite Superman, and I do not have the patience to pull the relevant quotes. Here’s a link).
Anyway, Gordon and Bullock find the kids, as they must. This is more or less a “case of the week,” but to be fair, it does help Gotham‘s overall narrative; Gordon and Bullock are starting to mesh more as partners (Ben McKenzie is finally starting to show some life, while Donal Logue remains a standout), Selina Kyle is given a proper introduction (naturally her nickname on the streets is “Cat”), and with mention of the Dollmaker, we can start imagining a grander mythology at work here. Problem is, with the apprehension of Patty and Doug, is that the last we’ll hear of the Dollmaker? And if so, why bring him up at all?
Once again, Gotham‘s major hindrance is its script. It might be time for Bruno Heller to let someone else handle writing duties, especially because director Danny Cannon (Nikita, Dark Blue) is well-suited to this material. But Heller’s script has bad guys like Patty and Doug saying “We did good!” to each other, before high-fiving, and when Bruce is talking to Gordon, he tells the detective, “I’ve been following your adventures in the newspaper.” HUH?
There’s some stuff about a coming mob war that I won’t even get into. Fish Mooney vs. Carmine Falcone, who do ya got? That’s the thrust of it. The rest of “Selina Kyle” concerns itself with Oswald Cobblepot, who is making a very rapid transition to outright villainy. Being a henchman is one thing, but in the last two episodes he’s killed two people and is currently holding another for ransom (Carol Kane, dressed like an extra from Sweeney Todd, shows up in a nicely goofy turn as Oswald’s mother Gertrude Kapleput). I like that the Penguin is getting his start in a little ramshackle trailer miles outside of Gotham, but the whole thing feels rushed. This isn’t much of an “origin story” for him, because he’s pretty much already a villain.
Gotham doesn’t have to be a bad show, but right now it’s so damn frustrating. McKenzie and Logue continue to be bright spots, and Jada Pinkett Smith is doing fine work in a role that as of now is pretty one-note. I don’t need this to be about Batman. I need this to be better.
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