Gotham is delivering with every episode and I would describe this episode written by Seth Boston as brilliantly bonkers. Seth Boston has written five episodes for Gotham including the fantastic season 4 finale ‘No Man’s Land’

This weeks director definitely needs a mention Ben McKenzie. Our star of Gotham is back behind the camera for the third time and Ben has proved both times what a talented visionary he is.

So what does this episode bring! An intriguing thief that brings my dream duo team up to life. A return of an old flame and Detective Harvey Bullock solves a riddle.

There are several elements in this episode alone that make Gotham one of the most engaging Dc television shows. It will use different strengths of its characters which brings us some fascinating scenes. 

The Hunt

The episode opens with a fantastic chase sequence with Jim being hunted down by controlled Ed and it continues with full on fight between them. The action doesn’t stop there Alfred Pennyworth and Bruce Wayne take on some of Delta force as two members escort them to an outer area of the GCPD. Bruce then later in the episode single handedly takes on another soldier on the roof of the GCPD whilst on a task for Lucius Fox. But the most brutal is between Captain James Gordon and Eduardo Dorrance, and he isn’t make life easy for Jim. Especially when he using Doctor Leslie Thompkins as bait.

Exposing Secretary Walker

Jim needs information from Ed on what Secretary Walker has planned next. But having no memory after being under control Ed can’t help Jim. Under control Ed has now be deactivated with a set of AED. The chip still in Nygma’s head contains the information to expose Walker. Jim takes Ed to The Sirens, Barbara reruns through what has happened and Ed asks if having a chip in his head the craziest thing Barbara has ever heard? Bruce has already reached out to Barbara looking for Jim and he agrees they need to meet up somewhere safe. Barbara can’t free up any of her people as she needs them to guard her territory. Ed and Barbara both offer their help. Jim doesn’t trust Ed with or without the chip in his head. Revenge is definitely something Nygma wants as he was used as pawn in the murder of innocent people.

Barbara notices a wound on Jim’s neck. He isn’t wanting any help from Barbara as he needs to keep moving and doesn’t want to wait around for anyone else to stab him in the back. Barbara is genuine in wanting to help and she would of already betrayed Jim. Ed volunteers to get the first aid kit as Barbara needs to know what it will take to get Jim to trust her again? Jim honestly doesn’t know after all the things Barbara has done.

Eduardo knew Jim would forget his military training. If someone is in trouble they go to a familiar place, this just happens to be Jim’s ex fiancé place. Barbara places her foot on a pedal as Eduardo says it’s finally nice to meet her. He comments on how Jim has lost his tail, meaning psychopath Nygma and how Jim lost his chance to join Eduardo and Delta Force to make the world a better place. Jim doesn’t see how murdering hundreds of civilians makes Gotham a better place. Eduardo doesn’t see them as civilians just criminals and believes in a clean house.

Ed appears through some double doors acting like he is under control again. The humorous part of this scene is that Ed is acting more robotic then when he is under control. Waving a meat cleaver at Jim and threatening to kill him has Eduardo convinced. Winking his right eye a couple of times Ed manages to convince Jim he is pretending. Jim reveals he has evidence to Dorrance to expose Walker to the government. Eduardo is willing to take the risk and orders Ed to murder Jim but he throws the meat cleaver into the head of a soldier. Which leads into a fantastic shoot out. Barbara has some pretty impressive weapons hidden behind the bar.

Phase 2

Eduardo decides to move on to Phase 2, executing people at the GCPD. He isn’t here to play nice and hold people’s hand. Bullock is horrified at Eduardo’s actions. Harvey is locked up with Detective Alvarez until they purge the criminal element from the streets of Gotham.

Reporting to Secretary Walker about moving on to Phase 2 and loosing Jim and Nygma, Eduardo believes that Jim has the evidence to expose the truth. Walker has an idea to bring Jim and Nygma to them.

Ed, Jim, Barbara, Alfred, Lucius and Bruce working together was balanced beautifully. Bruce checks with Jim if he is sure to have Ed and Barbara working with them. Lucius is surgically removing the chip from Ed’s brain and he is very vocal about it. In a fun moment because of where the chip is placed against Ed’s speech sensor it makes him mix up his words. Barbara and Alfred find this amusing and asks Lucius to do it again. Their location is Ed library and there is some impressive Wayne Enterprises equipment to be used. Lucius scans the chip to look for data tying Walker and Dorrance to Haven and why they did it. Lucius does find a audio log of the verbal communication with Ed. Eduardo radios through to Jim as he has someone who wants to say hello. The black hood over their face reveals a very scared and confused Doctor Leslie Thompkins.

Our Queen of the Narrows had been hiding out in a run down hide away on the north side of Gotham. Jim asks Eduardo to leave Lee out of this but he refuses as Lee is classed as a criminal in Dorrance eyes. Eduardo is willing to trade Lee for Nygma, which is a deal but Jim wants to meet Eduardo at Haven so he can see the carnage he caused.

Ed is furious that he is going to be traded but Jim knows Eduardo doesn’t want actual Ed just the chip. Their mission is broadcast the information on the chip to the press on the mainland where Bruce has connections. Lucius knows an antenna would be needed and the only one working is on the roof of the GCPD.

Goth like chicken?

Magpie is my standout character in this episode. When announced this character would be joining Gotham I was genuinely excited as i didn’t know a lot about her. Magpies character connection also brought together a dream team up that I had been waiting for since season2. Penguin catches an unknown thief to him stealing a large diamond. With her hands behind her back she reveals in one hand the Rosaifer Diamond and in her other hand a duplicate. Magpie has an impressive way of escaping, she easily somersaults over the top of Penguin. Oswald thinks he is holding the real diamond until it heats up in his hand and causes a small explosion as it hits the ground.

Selina and Oswald, we were given a small indication that maybe she was working for Penguin back in season 2. Oswald going to Selina for help because of this thief. Selina sharing with Penguin that maybe killing Jeremiah wasn’t the best idea she has ever had as everyone now is trying to kill her. Needing a new place to live Oswald offers his humble citadel in return for helping with the miscreant. Selina instantly knows who Oswald is talking about and describes her as a white haired, feather collared Goth like chicken.

Why should Selina help Penguin especially after he killed Tabitha? Oswald knows Selina believes in an eye for an eye and he believes Tabitha made her bed when she killed his mother.

Selina isn’t afraid to negotiate her working terms with Penguin as she wants to keep the diamond. If Oswald doesn’t agree on her terms he will never find Magpie and word will get round that Penguin is easy to steal from. This of course irritates Oswald because Selina knows him a little bit too well.

Selina cautiously enters a room. Oswald being himself barges his way in. Magpie runs out pushes Oswald over but with a quick crack of her whip Selina catches Magpie. Like a bird Magpie’s voice sings as she talks and she recognises Selina, as she is famous now that she has killed Jeremiah. Magpie considers taking a shot at Selina to make herself famous but Oswald intervenes as he hasn’t got time for this. Magpie shows them a pocketwatch and warns them they are in her workshop where she makes her boom booms. The whole room could go boom boom, Oswald thinks Magpie is bluffing. She throws the pocketwatch at Oswald who goes to catch it then remembers it could be an explosive and drops it. Magpie locks the door behind her and admits the pocketwatch was an original piece of work and it won’t go boom boom.

As Oswald paces the room looking for the diamond. Selina moans about Penguins stupid revenge as the diamond won’t be worth anything in Gotham. But clever Cat manages to work out Oswald is planning to leave Gotham. He congratulates Selina on being a genius. Oswald reasons for leaving? Well he has nothing left to achieve in Gotham and some things he has done twice. Selina wants out as well as she can’t even walk around the city without some lowlife wanting to take her out. Selina doesn’t want to be the person who killed Jeremiah Valeska. She wants to be herself again and that isn’t going to happen in Gotham if she stays. Oswald rolls his eyes but it’s a no. Selina can get them out of the room. Oswald makes a deal if that’s true he will give her a cut of 10% and promises not to murder her when they reach the mainland. Selina kicks open the door as Magpie said “anything in the room could be a bomb. Not the room itself.”

If Magpie did return to Oswald’s to steal more he knew she wouldn’t get very far. Magpie lays injured by a booby trap and she asks for her wings to be clipped to fly free. Bang Bang, Oswald shoots Magpie dead. Selina is shocked as she doesn’t think Magpie deserved that. But it’s a warning from Oswald to Selina to show what happens when people steal his things.

Riddle Time!

Everyone has a role in our second team up. Jim distracts Eduardo away from the GCPD, Bruce needs to go the antenna, Barbara and Alfred are back up for Lucius to go to the extractor fans to put the gas canisters through. Edward Nygma uses his talents to the full. He walks in wearing a full bomb disposal suit and carrying a black case declaring it a bomb. To turn it off they have to solve the riddle. Bullock and Alvarez, still locked up are unsuccessful in their own ways of getting free. Ed announces pay back on Deltra Force as they messed with the wrong genius. With only 2 minutes to solve the riddle, Delta Force look perplexed.

Harvey solves Ed’s riddle that wasn’t supposed to be solved. Bullock knew the answer because she had to write an essay at school about the Pallid Beach Mouse. Ed try’s his best to convince Bullock he doesn’t know the answer. Telling everyone the mouse is extinct, Ed expression drops as the answer to deactivate the fake bomb is 0. In a typical Ed moment possibly where he is thinking ‘oh crud’ Delta Force fire at him and falls flat on his back. The gas starts to come through the air vents knocks out the soldiers and Ed manages to grab his gas mask out the case in time.

Jim returns to the GCPD with Lee. Harvey isn’t thankful for his heart being put through more strain. Bruce informs the audio was successful in reaching the mainland but won’t know the outcome until the next day. He decides to stay at the GCPD over night to help. An important question has been answered as I had been wondering about it. Bruce and Alfred have been staying at an apartment in Gotham as Wayne Manor is on the mainland.

Barbara questions where Lee has been in the last 3 months. Ed isn’t going to hang around for their touching reunion. Lee’s memory is not clear and she doesn’t know that 3 months has passed. Jim briefly explains they have not been getting any help and it’s been hell. Lee goes over the pieces of her memory and remembers being stabbed by Ed and she stabbed Ed.

Eduardo is on his way to being Bane after being injured by Jim in their fight. Secretary Walker turns up and explains to a barely alive Eduardo her recording to Nygma have been exposed. Walker assures him Professor Strange will have him fixed in no time and places a mask over his mouth. It lights up and Eduardo voice deepens as he wants to kill Gordon but Walker has another option. Lee also has a chip in her head. Walker switches on her remote to order Lee to kill Jim.

Lee starts to feel weird, Jim goes to get her a blanket. But she is being taken under control. Lee picks up a letter opener and in a robotic voice tells Jim that she has to kill him. With a few near missies Jim manages to remove the electrical lead from his desk lamp and electrocute Lee to deactivate the chip.

Jim and Harvey are speculating how Lee got a chip in her brain and decide that she must of been a plan B for Secretary Walker. Lee wakes and Jim is there to reassure her and can answer what is happening to her. Barbara needs to talk to Jim, but it’s not a good time. Barbara continues to talk about the night they enjoyed together in Jim office, which gets Lee and Harvey intrigued. Jim doesn’t really want them to talk about it. With this ignored Barbara bluntly announces she is pregnant. Silence and looks of surprise in the office brings Harvey Bullock to deliver a line so perfectly and wishes them both “congratulations.”

Alfred leaves the apartment cautiously but he knows he isn’t alone. Dropping the overnight bag to the floor he draws his gun. The atmosphere of this scene is creepy and thrilling. Jeremiah appears behind Alfred and injects him with sedative. Jeremiah needs a butler and he is pleased with Alfred references as he has a job for Mr Pennyworth.

Jeremiah removes the hood from Alfreds head. Alfred comments he thought Jeremiah was dead. Jeremiah is sorry to disappoint. Alfred doesn’t hold back and makes sure that if Jeremiah hurts his boy he will bite his face off. Jeremiah hysterically laughs as Bruce will be along shortly. In the meantime Jeremiah would like the manor to have some old fashioned butler attention. Alfred asks how did Jeremiah make it on the mainland, a tunnel under the river but that’s enough questions from Alfred. With the biggest grin on his face yet Jeremiah tells Alfred today is the big day.

This is a thrilling and insane end to an extraordinary episode. There are elements of this episode with characters that should never work but the writing and direction proves it does.

Another solid 10/10 from me for this episode.

Are you ready for Ace Chemicals?