Mad Grey Dawn may be our favorite episode of Gotham so far.
Producers cut the gore and violence and turned up the mind games and heartbreak as Edward Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) emerged as the series most intriguing villain.
This episode could be hailed as the true “Birth of the Riddler” it felt like a twisted-filled finale with huge impact on Jim, Lee, Harvey, Bruce and Penguin.
And someone scary locked up in Arkham Asylum woke up!
Before we continue here’s a SPOILER ALERT!
If you have not watched this week’s episode of Gotham (do so right away) but stop reading now.
Seriously.
OK.
Here it comes.
The forensic scientist’s slow burn transformation really took hold as Nygma plotted to keep the police from learning he killed Miss Kringle. In an elaborate set of schemes within schemes, Nygma framed Jim Gordon for a murder he didn’t commit. Nygma’s secret criminal behavior has been ultra violent and often gross but this episode gives us the Riddler comics fans love: puzzles, mind games and traps. Gordon follows the clues and is snapped up right into Nygma’s trap.
In a time jump past a speedy trial, Gordon is found guilty of killing Theo Galavan and a Gotham City police officer and broke it off with Lee (featuring a heart-ripping performance by Morena Baccarin) and was on his way into Blackgate Prison with Harvey Bullock vowing to discover the truth and set his partner free.
As Jim’s great love cried over losing him, a lost love awakened by news of his imprisonment. Barbara (Erin Richards) woke up in Arkham Asylum. Gordon’s twisted ex turned homicidal rogue was greeted by a nasty nurse who was about to summon Doctor Huge Strange.
The big question: Is Barbara free of her insanity? Did she forget her campaign of crazy crimes? What does Strange have in store for Barbara after the “treatment” that turned Penguin in a domesticated bird?
Is Oswald Cobblepot really cured in what appears to be cured in a “A Clockwork Orange” homage? Oswald meets his father (Paul Reubens) and is “adopted” by his new family but is the vicious bird of prey ready to strike if pushed too far by his new step-siblings or a a prompt by Strange?
This episode was a showcase for Riddler, Gordon and Lee but this is a before he was Batman show!
David Mazouz took a beating in a painful and powerful moment as Bruce and Selina attempt to steal from criminals. The teen stands up for Selina while remembering Alfred’s lessons in a fight that changes young Master Bruce.
Gordon is set to take a beating in Blackgate, Penguin is in a new nest of scheming ravens, and Bullock has a new mission. Erin Richards emerged as a femme fatale force of nature. Let’s hope her coma didn’t cure the crazy and inject some of her wacky wickedness into Strange’s long game.
Most importantly, this is the Riddler Batfans love. There are plenty of outrageous rogues to attack, let Nygma do what he does best.
By Editor