Directed by Wendey Stanzler
Gordon: “And what do I owe you in return?”
Oswald: “Friends don’t owe friends, silly. They just do favours because they want to. Because they’re friends.”
So, this week, Oswald got Gordon in the palm of his little flipper and Gordon found his morality slightly compromised upon having to team up with the Penguin in order to take down a corrupt cop.
I liked that this episode didn’t waste time in portraying Arnold Flass as a horrible so and so, who had no problem killing innocent janitors and running his own little drug empire with easily persuaded lackeys like Delaware in the mix. I even liked the fact that after going on and on about police corruption for the millionth time that Gordon played a little dirty to get Flass, even if he went further than he intended to.
Having Oswald as a friend certainly paid off this week but now he’s going to be the very friend that Gordon will have a famously hard time shaking off. Just ask Fish. Even with her best attempts and Butch at her side, she can’t seem to shake Oswald off and now he has her club to lord it over her as well.
I wasn’t expecting Fish to actually die in this episode but I did think that her ‘torture’ session with Bob would last a bit longer than a few scenes. Butch came through for her twice in this episode – first by getting her away from Bob and then from Victor Zsasz and his 1980s female cronies as well. Clearly, this is one Fish who won’t be scaled any time soon, that’s for sure.
As for Butch – I assume for now that he still lives, even if he’s getting tortured rightly by Zsasz but I do love the fact that even in hiding, Fish was determined to do right by her right hand man. Over the last few episodes Fish and Butch’s rapport has been fun to watch and it’s nice that she does actually have his back too.
I also liked the fact that when she wasn’t vowing to kill Penguin multiple times over (good luck with that one) that we got a tiny glimpse into her and Bullock’s dynamic as well. Was I surprised that the two of them share a romantic/sexual history? Of course not, but again, there’s an interesting dynamic with the two of them. That being said, Fish still desperately needs a back-story and preferably soon as well.
Keeping with relationships, while Fish’s ones with Bullock and Butch deepened a little, Bruce and Selina’s ultimately hit the skids in a big way. I can actually see why Selina rejected Bruce as harshly as she did, given that she was nearly killed by assassins the last time but I still couldn’t help feeling bad for the kid either. I guess it’s back to the drawing board for Bruce in terms of trying to find his parents killer though.
Also in “Welcome Back, Jim Gordon”
Fish’s name was revealed as Maria Mercedes Mooney in this episode. It only took thirteen episodes but at least we have that mystery resolved.
Fish (to Bob): “Only my friends call me Fish, darling, and you and I, we’re not friends, yet.”
Ivy managed to creep out both Bruce and Alfred this week with one little scene. She also got 20 bucks for relaying a message to Selina. Intentional nod to Batman Returns this week?
Ivy: “Look who it is, billionaire Bruce Wayne. Who are you, his bodyguard?”
Alfred: “If needs be, miss, yes.”
Bullock: “You’re making some statement?”
Gordon: “Damn right I am.”
Nygma seemed to make a little progress with Kringle this week over a less creepy greetings card. He also seems to hate onions in his takeout – I totally get that one.
Nygma: “This is for you.”
Kringle: “Doesn’t say anything weird, does it?”
Fish (to Oswald): “Not bad. I do believe you need to project more, create a bit more excitement for the audience. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Fish Mooney’s. Like that.”
Oswald had a bit of a rock star moment in this episode when he wasn’t showing off to his mother and fawning over Gordon as well.
Selina: “You’re beginning to bug me.”
Bruce: “I thought we were friends.”
No signs of Barbara, Falcone, Maroni, Montoya or Allen this week and it’s been ages since we’ve seen the Mayor or Harvey Dent, hasn’t it?
Victor (re Butch): “What do you think girls? Shall we kill him or take him home to play with?”
Chronology: From where “What The Little Bird Told Him” left off I think.
I liked this one. “Welcome Back, Jim Gordon” wasn’t perfect but it had so many little moments I couldn’t help enjoying and I also liked that Gordon did get a little dirty to take out a corrupt cop (along with Essen eventually having his back). However, I’m more excited about the next two episodes and the villain that’s going to be a big focus in them.
Rating: 7 out of 10
No comments:
Post a Comment