Penultimation
Gotham 5.11 They Did What?
It all kicked off in the previouslies and then we had Nyssa taunting Babs with the threat of her bringing up baby (plus killing her and Bruce after destroying Gotham). Over an injured Alfred, Selina tried to point out to Bruce that no, this was not his fault and that she had his back. I loved the silhouettes in the scene where Oswald rediscovered his heart at the docks and that was a great delivery of the ‘I love Gotham’ speech. They mentioned ‘nightwing’ and ‘legacy’ if anyone was playing bingo and we sort of ended up where the season had begun, only with added Bane on the other side.
“Neros? What’s that? Has Lee been brainwashed again,” thought I, and then realised it was the Narrows, bearing the brunt of the bombardment.
The battle of thirty or so cops against masses of soldiers with bigger and more weapons went as you’d expect - Bruce not using a gun and Oswald getting bombed and then being a whiny baby about it. I rather loved Bruce’s bright idea being to use Jeremiah’s bomb to slow down the army. Let’s pretend there were no breathing people in the way of the collapsing buildins.
Selina was so on point, having called ahead with the news about Babs and the baby and automatically going along with Bruce. Lee thinking she and Lucius could stop the wee battle couple was hilarious.
Babs and Jim combined well as parents for a few seconds until Nyssa and thugs overpowered them.
That scene at Wayne Enterprises was just beautiful. Not so much the emotional quality, although ra-rah, Bruce WAYNE doing the right, if destructive thing for Gotham, but the location they’d found/created, the space used and the use of light and shadow. Then running and BOOM!
As Jim observed, Nyssa loved the sound of her own voice. With that coat flying about dramatically, her fighting looked cool, but was no match for…handcuffs!?!? I dunno, symbol for law and order, yes? Jim and Babs again combined well, and I was chuffed Barbara got to use Chekov’s knife again, even if they didn’t really go after the Heir of the Demon business. However, Nyssa was only wounded and the folly of Jim coming along was again shown up by the ‘failsafe’ removing Wade from the equation.
Nope, Bruce, Selina is not leaving you, and given that they were fighting Bane, two against one was fair enough. He liked to talk too (monologuing, will villains never learn?) so she could stab him and Bruce could call on the bats. Great visual of Bane swarmed by them, Bruce looking up siginificantly to the moonlit sky. He later confirmed his vow to protect the city to Alfred, with the bonus of the son becoming the protector of the father, and thus a man. Close up of the hand gripping!
Back at the GCPD, Jim came up with an escape route for mothers, newborns and refugees, mainly from the Narrows. He and the last few standing (including Selina who is taller than Oswald) faced their firing squad, until Lee turned up - she has no intention of being ordered about all her marriage to Jim, however long it lasts. Then even Barbara got a conscience (although I was giving her a free pass to leave because BABY!) The soldiers couldn’t stomach killing children and piles of civilians. Everyone cheered, the baby had a cute close-up and I fretted about keeping an eye on Bane.
And indeed Nyssa, who hadn’t had her own back-up escape route, but used the submarine. I find myself wondering about the fate of Edward the dog.
With all made right with the army, Bruce started reverting to ‘it’s all my fault’ and nothing Selina could say could make it right. This felt as if it came suddenly, from nowhere, as did Oswald and Ed’s ‘Let’s be uncommon criminals’ scene. Ed got a speech, and another example of tying it back to the very beginnings when he was a crime scene investigator and Oswald was Fish’s lackey. I was getting déjà vu of Ed’s encounter with Lee at the end of last season, but he showed character growth because he couldn’t kill Oswald. Ditto.
This was a very huggy episode.
I’ve presumed since forever that Babs would die, but she didn’t, making the name of Barbara Lee Gordon seem like an act of narcissism writ large. (Tabitha would be the obvious name in this scenario if it weren’t for the weight of comics lore.)
Babs and Lee had great coats at the ceremony, Jim got promoted to Commissioner. I tried to suppress all the bad police work we’ve seen over the seasons to go along with Harvey’s sentimental claim that Gordon deserved this.
And then…Bruce sent Selina a dear John letter. Ouch. (If she turns villainess in the next episode, I’ll blame him for every bitterness she shows.) So, for all that I was touched at Alfred being left behind and pretending he wouldn’t eat his heart out as he looked after the Wayne legacy, I couldn’t help but snark about Bruce’s ability to blame himself for everything and be so chicken about not facing Selina as Alfred praised him. I presume he’s gone to train somewhere.
One ep left.
This entry was originally posted at https://shallowness.dreamwidth.org/394632.html.
It all kicked off in the previouslies and then we had Nyssa taunting Babs with the threat of her bringing up baby (plus killing her and Bruce after destroying Gotham). Over an injured Alfred, Selina tried to point out to Bruce that no, this was not his fault and that she had his back. I loved the silhouettes in the scene where Oswald rediscovered his heart at the docks and that was a great delivery of the ‘I love Gotham’ speech. They mentioned ‘nightwing’ and ‘legacy’ if anyone was playing bingo and we sort of ended up where the season had begun, only with added Bane on the other side.
“Neros? What’s that? Has Lee been brainwashed again,” thought I, and then realised it was the Narrows, bearing the brunt of the bombardment.
The battle of thirty or so cops against masses of soldiers with bigger and more weapons went as you’d expect - Bruce not using a gun and Oswald getting bombed and then being a whiny baby about it. I rather loved Bruce’s bright idea being to use Jeremiah’s bomb to slow down the army. Let’s pretend there were no breathing people in the way of the collapsing buildins.
Selina was so on point, having called ahead with the news about Babs and the baby and automatically going along with Bruce. Lee thinking she and Lucius could stop the wee battle couple was hilarious.
Babs and Jim combined well as parents for a few seconds until Nyssa and thugs overpowered them.
That scene at Wayne Enterprises was just beautiful. Not so much the emotional quality, although ra-rah, Bruce WAYNE doing the right, if destructive thing for Gotham, but the location they’d found/created, the space used and the use of light and shadow. Then running and BOOM!
As Jim observed, Nyssa loved the sound of her own voice. With that coat flying about dramatically, her fighting looked cool, but was no match for…handcuffs!?!? I dunno, symbol for law and order, yes? Jim and Babs again combined well, and I was chuffed Barbara got to use Chekov’s knife again, even if they didn’t really go after the Heir of the Demon business. However, Nyssa was only wounded and the folly of Jim coming along was again shown up by the ‘failsafe’ removing Wade from the equation.
Nope, Bruce, Selina is not leaving you, and given that they were fighting Bane, two against one was fair enough. He liked to talk too (monologuing, will villains never learn?) so she could stab him and Bruce could call on the bats. Great visual of Bane swarmed by them, Bruce looking up siginificantly to the moonlit sky. He later confirmed his vow to protect the city to Alfred, with the bonus of the son becoming the protector of the father, and thus a man. Close up of the hand gripping!
Back at the GCPD, Jim came up with an escape route for mothers, newborns and refugees, mainly from the Narrows. He and the last few standing (including Selina who is taller than Oswald) faced their firing squad, until Lee turned up - she has no intention of being ordered about all her marriage to Jim, however long it lasts. Then even Barbara got a conscience (although I was giving her a free pass to leave because BABY!) The soldiers couldn’t stomach killing children and piles of civilians. Everyone cheered, the baby had a cute close-up and I fretted about keeping an eye on Bane.
And indeed Nyssa, who hadn’t had her own back-up escape route, but used the submarine. I find myself wondering about the fate of Edward the dog.
With all made right with the army, Bruce started reverting to ‘it’s all my fault’ and nothing Selina could say could make it right. This felt as if it came suddenly, from nowhere, as did Oswald and Ed’s ‘Let’s be uncommon criminals’ scene. Ed got a speech, and another example of tying it back to the very beginnings when he was a crime scene investigator and Oswald was Fish’s lackey. I was getting déjà vu of Ed’s encounter with Lee at the end of last season, but he showed character growth because he couldn’t kill Oswald. Ditto.
This was a very huggy episode.
I’ve presumed since forever that Babs would die, but she didn’t, making the name of Barbara Lee Gordon seem like an act of narcissism writ large. (Tabitha would be the obvious name in this scenario if it weren’t for the weight of comics lore.)
Babs and Lee had great coats at the ceremony, Jim got promoted to Commissioner. I tried to suppress all the bad police work we’ve seen over the seasons to go along with Harvey’s sentimental claim that Gordon deserved this.
And then…Bruce sent Selina a dear John letter. Ouch. (If she turns villainess in the next episode, I’ll blame him for every bitterness she shows.) So, for all that I was touched at Alfred being left behind and pretending he wouldn’t eat his heart out as he looked after the Wayne legacy, I couldn’t help but snark about Bruce’s ability to blame himself for everything and be so chicken about not facing Selina as Alfred praised him. I presume he’s gone to train somewhere.
One ep left.
This entry was originally posted at https://shallowness.dreamwidth.org/394632.html.