Posted in: DC Universe, Movies, TV | Tagged: Barbara Kean, bruce wayne, entertainment, gotham, HRL, Jim Gordon, Lucius Fox, scarecrow, television

Gotham Season 4, Episode 2 Recap: Jim Gordon Takes On The Scarecrow Alone

This article contains spoilers for the Gotham episode 'A Dark Knight: Fear the Reaper', so continue at your own risk!

Last night was the second episode of Gotham Season 4, and they jumped into things pretty quickly. Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie) releases Bruce (David Mazouz) to Alfred (Sean Pertwee) after he gets arrested at the end of the first episode. Lucius (Chris Chalk) notices Bruce looking beaten up, and isn't stupid. But more on that later.

Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor) confronts Gordon about Scarecrow (Charlie Tahan) and the GCPD and Harvey (Donal Logue) turn their back on Gordon. Barbara Kean (Erin Richards) returns with a room full of weapons and an offer for Tabitha (Jessica Lucas) and Selina (Camren Bicondova). She also has a meeting with Penguin who wants a cut and to know who her backer is. Ivy (Maggie Geha) is just about done with Penguin and wants to join up with Selina again.

Bruce hits the streets and gets into a fight that he barely escapes from. Gordon confronts Crane, AKA Scarecrow, and gets doused with fear gas, which leads to an appearance of Lee (Morena Baccarin). But Jim is able to overcome his fears and fights off the other inmates using water. Lucius shows up at the mansion with an outfit for Bruce to do his "rock climbing" in. Ivy goes and gets some chemicals to make herself stronger. Gordon and Bullock have a drink that leads Jim to go talk to Carmine Falcone (John Dorman), and that's where we leave off.

Now some thoughts:

Bullock was the smart one in the episode; he knew when to not back Gordon's moralistic B.S.

Barbara's return was interesting; her personality is very different, and I think the backer will be important part of it. I wonder if she was dead and revived by Ra's al Ghul and he's backing her.

It's still really hard to like Gordon; he just makes one bad decision after another. He's now going to run to Falcone after having just murdered his son. Of all the characters, Gordon is the least like the comic version — with the exception of Victor Zsasz.

This episode was a good reminder that Ivy may physically be an adult, but mentally she's still a child.

Penguin seems to be overplaying his hand. I really like how manipulative and conniving he was in Season 1. It's like he's gone from playing chess to checkers.

Scarecrow was scary — until he spoke. They could've pulled a trick from The Flash and have a different actor speak when the mask is on.

I love the way Lucius played in his scenes; very much like the Morgan Freeman version.

I'll have to get used to kick-ass Bruce.

This and the first episode seem to be putting a lot of pieces into place. The Scarecrow story, where interesting, was secondary to setting up everything for the new season. We just about have the Gotham Sirens with Barbara, Tabitha, Selina, and Ivy. And the war between Gordon and Penguin grows as Jim heads to meet his new ally and love interest next week in Sofia Falcone.

https://youtu.be/jGBJxFGN67A

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