Gotham: Review: Series 1 Episode 13: Welcome Back, Jim Gordon

Jim Gordon learns the hard way that deals with the devil – or in his case, the Penguin – come with a price.

I was beginning to wonder if Jim Gordon was going to get an unalloyed victory over the system during this episode, but I should have trusted in the producers who ensured that he understood the old adage “If you lay down with dogs, you will get up with fleas” by the time that he encountered a desperate repentant cop at the end of the hour. He’s learned some of Harvey’s tricks during his time in the GCPD, but perhaps hasn’t always comprehended how much compromise and turning a blind eye is involved. One thing’s for sure: he knows now. Ben McKenzie gets to run the gamut of emotions across the episode, and centres the story nicely.

Bruce Wayne also learns a lesson about trust, after an encounter with Selina; the scene between David Mazouz and Camren Bicondova is painful to watch, particularly since, as an audience, we can see what Bruce can’t about what Selina is saying. With developments in the Fish/Butch storyline, it’s easy to see why the Wayne murder needs to take a back seat for the time being. Penguin’s rise through the ranks continues unabated, and a major confrontation with the two crimelords he pretends to serve must be coming in the next few weeks – with Robin Lord Taylor continuing to ensure that, even when drunk on power and champagne, Penguin never quite goes too far over the top.

Verdict: More of a crime-focused episode than the recent supervillain theatrics, this is a solid hour that moves the plot forward steadily. 8/10

Paul Simpson