Gotham returned last night from the winter break refreshed with a new look for the new year. Showrunner Bruno Heller has made some changes to the show in the second half that may prove to be more than simply cosmetic.

The episode begins with Gordon in his new position in Arkham Asylum. Due to the results of last year’s mid-season finale, he has been demoted to a security guard position in the notorious mental institution. Gordon was placed there so that he wouldn’t be able to cause trouble, however he quickly finds a way to stir the pot. 

Since there is a new recurring setting in Arkham Asylum, we are introduced to a host of new supporting characters. None are more important to the Batman mythology than Dr. Leslie Thompkins, who is played by Morena Baccarin. She acclimates Gordon to how things operate in the Asylum and suddenly Gordon has found another ally in his fight against corruption. 

It was surprising how much time was spent on Barbara’s thread in the first episode back. The character is poorly written and acted, while not being relatable. The addition of Baccarin makes sense in a lot of ways. When she is on screen it really illuminates how Barbara brings the show and Gordon down. Baccarin is scheduled to appear for the remainder of the season, so we will see how these two plotlines affect each other.

The most interesting aspect of the episode for Batman fans is the origin story of Arkham Asylum itself. The writers are setting up the foundation for how the institution fosters and encourages insanity, while being able to operate with autonomy. There is even a brief explanation for why the criminals are able to escape so easily, which is a running theme from the comics. Taking Gordon out of the penthouse and spending time with him in one of the most undesirable locations in Gotham, should pay off greatly during the course of this season and beyond. It was also fun to get a reunion with Harvey Bullock who gets a few moments to shine in the episode.

 

There is a strong procedural element to this episode, with Gordon trying to figure out who is experimenting on patients in Arkham. All the clues lead to a very familiar character who is seemingly using a false identity to carry out his crimes. His affinity for experimenting on humans, scientific mind, and iconic appearance all signal that the villain who got away and is responsible for the crimes, is in fact DC Comics’ Hugo Strange. He is one of Batman comics’ oldest foes and in his original appearance, Strange uses a machine that creates lightning to rob banks. It appears that they will be riffing on his origin in the next episode as well.

We also see what is happening on the mob side of things, as it appears that the noose is tightening around Fish Mooney from unexpected directions. Then again, double crosses are expected from everywhere in a crime family. It is possible that Mooney is acutely aware of the pool of deception that she wades in. The Penguin learned a similar lesson from Maroni also, as the writers continue to have the two mirror each other, as they continue on their collision course..

Many characters were left out of the episode altogether, including Bruce Wayne and Alfred, while others like Selina Kyle and Ivy got small moments to get involved. We have suggested this in previous reviews, but this is exactly how they should be handling the show. All the characters do not need to show up every episode, aside from Gordon. The episode was flawed, but it had room to breathe and time to introduce all of the new elements that it did.

This was not one of the series’ stronger episodes, but it did a lot to set the table for the remainder of the season. It seems that while the mob influence will stay, they are ramping up the fantastic nature of Gotham as well, which has proven to be a difficult balancing act in the past. While “Rogue’s Gallery” doesn’t stand up as particularly memorable on its own, it does get you ready for a more adventures in Gotham.

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