TV Show Review

TV Review: GOTHAM: Season 1, Episode 9: Harvey Dent [Fox]

David Mazouz Sean Pertwee Gotham Harvey Dent 12 350x164

Fox‘s Gotham Harvey Dent TV Show Review. Gotham: Season 1, Episode 9: Harvey Dent is another case of what feels like false-advertising, and unlike Penguin’s Umbrella, it doesn’t quite compensate with surprises. The title makes clear what one of its selling points is; that’s Harvey Dent

(Nicholas D’Agosto), a straight-shooting lawyer who, as many Batman fans know, becomes Two-Face after his ideals are shaken by tragedy. D’Agosto plays the role well; if a bit too conservative compared to some of the other characters–he even takes out his double-headed coin–but he’s unfortunately not given much to do. His actions mainly consist of railing against dirty businessman Dick Lovecraft (Al Sapienza), whom he suspects was involved in the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne; based on the testimony of Selina Kyle (Camren Bicondova), and as there so far is no actual evidence indicting Lovecraft in the crime, this plot is essentially a dead-end until further notice.

Advertisement
 

Meanwhile, the real action of this episode is in the actual field police work. This time, the Villain of the Week being chased by Detectives Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie) and Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue) isn’t really a villain. Ian Hargrove (Leslie Odom Jr) is a compulsive bomb-maker who, ironically, hates ballistics and death. He was arrested for blowing up a number of munitions factories, and had no idea any people were killed in the process. As such, Hargrove isn’t adamant about escaping his captors from Blackgate Prison, but as it happens, Russian gangsters spring him out and force him to build and detonate more bombs for them; pretending to uphold his no-kill policy but not really caring.

Meanwhile, Gordon sends Selina Kyle off to live with Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) and Alfred Pennyworth (Sean Pertwee), and she makes quite a nuisance of herself; particularly getting on Alfred’s nerves. Bruce, though, finds her intriguing, even if he doesn’t quite accept her nitpicking at his survival training being too civilized for Gotham. Eventually, the two start playing; Selina letting on that she might be in love with Bruce, and Alfred, seeing how much happier Bruce has become, finally accepts Selina. The Bruce-Selina romance obviously isn’t new to this franchise, but here it’s done rather more cutely than before; to the extreme that it actually seems alien to this series. It’s probably the best thing about this episode.

Sadly, nothing else comes close. There are some crucial developments here, as Penguin and Fish Mooney continue their drives to power, and Edward Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) continues to be awkward and insensitive, but helpful, but few of them lead to much immediate fun action. Scenarios involving the planting and detonations, bombs tend not to; as weapons go, they’re just too predictable to audiences who have been made aware of their presence. Meanwhile, mere conversations between characters, even weighted ones, tend to feel underwhelming when we’ve been shown those characters are capable of more.  Hopefully, the Season Finale next week will tie up many of these loose ends.

Leave your thoughts on this review and this episode of Gotham below in the comments section. For more Gotham reviews, photos, videos, and information, visit our Gotham Page, our Gotham Google+ Page, subscribe to us by Email, “follow” us on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, or “like” us on Facebook for quick updates.

FilmBook's Newsletter

Subscribe to FilmBook’s Daily Newsletter for the latest news!

Thank you for subscribing.

Something went wrong.

Thomas Fairfield

Thomas Fairfield writes some things sometimes on some sites; this one included.
Back to top button
Share via
Send this to a friend