Gotham: Review: Series 1 Episode 17: Red Hood

There’s a new gang in Gotham, and an old friend comes to visit Alfred…

Lots going on in this episode of Gotham, with the main plotline following the Red Hood Gang as they raid various banks almost taking a back seat to the developments in the other stories. Fish gets a chance to meet with some of those responsible for her incarceration and takes drastic action (if you’re at all squeamish, look away for a few seconds when she says that they’re forgetting option 3 – although I suspect that Channel 5 will do some similar surgery to the episode before it airs); Penguin learns that being a club owner in Gotham means that some accommodation with the crime bosses – even those who want him dead – may be necessary.

But it’s the Alfred and Bruce story that grabs the interest most – and the clips chosen for the “previously on Gotham” point you in the direction the story’s going to take, delving into Alfred’s past in the SAS (which is not, contrary to what a number of fan sites seem to think, the same thing as the Secret Service!). Sean Pertwee and David O’Hara, as Alfred’s former colleague Reggie, bring out all the subtext to their scenes with David Mazouz, and there’s some well-shot misdirection regarding Reggie’s motives – although much becomes clear by the end of the episode. (Compare that with the incredibly unsubtle Barbara/Selina scene – you do wonder sometimes if that plotline has been inserted from a different show!)

Verdict: The focus on Wayne Manor works for a change – but let’s hope the show remains centred on the city rather than the growth of Batman! 8/10

Paul Simpson