TV Review: GOTHAM: Season 2, Episode 6: By Fire [Fox]

Fox‘s Gotham By Fire TV Show Review. Gotham: Season 1, Episode 6: By Fire plays out like a rebellious feminist diatribe. The angsty tone makes it a compelling watch, but ultimately, it’s a villain-of-the-week-episode; the likes of which Gotham viewers could do without by now.

As established last episode, Bridgit Pike (Michelle Veintimilla) has been coerced by her abusive brothers into doing some terrorism for The Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor); himself being blackmailed by Theo Galavan (James Frain) by threatening his captured mother. The police have obtained footage of her earlier rampage as the young pyro, Firefly, and upon watching it, Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie) is horrified to discover that she is working alongside Selina Kyle (Camren Bicondova), and is forced to jeopardize a past friendship in order to bring Firefly to justice. Even as Selina moves further into the abyss, though, her strong–albeit illegal–sense of morality is rubbing off on Bridgit, who thus inspired, burns her abusive brothers to death, and then goes after a sex slavery ring in an attempt to free its captive women.

The ensuing conflict yields plenty of girl-to-girl conversation, sass, and Selina’s first real fight scene in the series, although it’s a short one. Unfortunately, while Firefly may come off as empowering to some, her own scenes are more dramatic than exciting, and the amount of time she spends suited up and blowing flames is disappointingly small compared to what the publicity suggested.

Meanwhile, Butch Gilzean (Drew Powell) begins his mission of spying on the Galavans, though his ultimate loyalty is a bit in question, Edward Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) reaches an important point in his relationship with Kristen Kringle (Chelsea Spack), Alfred Pennyworth (Sean Pertwee) teaches Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) to fight dirty, and Jim Gordon is brought every closer to a conflict with Penguin.

If that sounds like a lot to cover in under an hour, it’s because it is. While the episode has a solid theme of Gordon facing the unexpected consequence of being estranged from old allies as his wish for a more ethical police force comes true, it’s widely-touted female firefly simply takes too much time away from the show’s main plot points to justify her own qualities. Good thing next month, it looks to be back to business as (for this season, anyway) usual.

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