There's an episode in the eighth season of The Simpsons where the animated show within a show (within a show), "The Itchy & Scratchy Show," airs a landmark episode introducing a new character named Poochie. The Simpsons clan and friends all gather around the television to watch the episode; and it starts true to form, with the cartoon cat and mouse -- who are a more exaggerated form of Tom and Jerry -- driving to a fireworks factory. They pass signs that say "Fireworks Factory, 2 Miles," then one mile, then half a mile... And then they're interrupted by Poochie, who proceeds to start rapping about his name ("The name's Poochie D, and I rock the telly. I'm half-Joe Camel, and a third Fonzarelli"). Cutting back to the "real" world, Bart's best friend Milhouse pounds the floor with his fist, and whines, "when are they going to get to the fireworks factory?" before bursting into tears.
In Season 4 of Gotham, they finally get to the fireworks factory.
Not Itchy & Scratchy, mind you. They never get to the fireworks factory. But watching FOX's Batman origin series the past three seasons, for some fans, has felt akin to that Simpsons scene: knowing that this show is about Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) before he dons the cape and cowl, the feeling was that the show would end before we'd see Batman; or worse, get canceled first.
Personally, I haven't always felt that push. Bruce's story has often been a sideshow (sometimes literally) to the main action of Gotham, which very quickly became all about the villains. And even more rapidly, it became clear that Gotham wasn't playing by the rules of established Batman continuity when they killed off Sarah Essen (Zabryna Guevara), a character who decidedly had more to do... At least according to the comics.
The show moved on and continued to find its footing, and it became a delightful mix of arch performances and over the top action, with some deliciously soapy character plots mixed in. But as the villains embraced their destinies, from Edward Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) becoming The Riddler to the intros of Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy and more, Bruce Wayne's slow journey became all the more glaring.
While Mazouz's performance has grown in leaps and bounds worthy of a superhero, Bruce's trip to becoming Gotham City's caped crusader has been agonizingly slow. Season 1: I'm sad about my parents dying! Season 2: Maybe I should be a detective, sort of? Season 3: I don't know, should I learn how to punch and leap rooftops? Thankfully, the second half of Season 3 sped things up considerably, jettisoning the canon Batman timeline -- Bruce, just past his teens, spends years traveling the world and training before returning to Gotham, ready for some dark vengeance -- in favor of a sped up training arc that introduced his mentor/antagonist Ra's al Ghul (Alexander Siddig) significantly earlier.
That means that as Season 4 kicks off (the first two episodes were provided early for review), Bruce is Batman in everything but name. Think about how Clark (Tom Welling) was The Blur in the final seasons of Smallville, and you've got the gist. And as much as I've loved following the villains' storylines the past few seasons, watching Batman finally begin is thrilling.
Mind you, he still has a ways to go. Mazouz doesn't have the hulked out physical presence Ben Affleck does in the movies, or the guttural growl of Christian Bale (thankfully, some might say). But seeing Bruce leap into an alley and handily take down a gang of thugs terrorizing innocent Gothamites is so eminently satisfying, it's hard to begrudge the 16-year-old Mazouz that he still might have a few inches of growing left to go. And without getting into spoilers, there's an iconic Batman moment that happens for the first time halfway through the season premiere that made me clap with delight.
That's not to say the villains (or other heroes) are forgotten. Robin Lord Taylor's Penguin is also embracing his destiny in a big way, and the Purge-esque twist he brings with him allows the versatile actor abundant room to play. A more traditional twist on classic villain Scarecrow appears, and works as a neat physical metaphor for the fears Gotham City continues to face. Ben McKenzie's still, sadly, mustache-less James Gordon is back to being good cop to the rest of the Gotham City Police Department's bad cop -- which ditches the fun, dark Gordon who came out in Season 3; but also grants a moral clarity to the character that's been a long time coming. And Donal Logue's earnestly corrupt Harvey Bullock, as well as Sean Pertwee's wry, trusty butler Alfred are consistently even presences in the first two episodes.
But the bad women of Gotham are where the show really shines. The series figured out early that keeping characters like Barbara Kean (Erin Richards) pining after their man in an apartment was extremely less interesting than what happens when all the ladies are together. This frequent mix of characters that's populated the past few seasons has delivered some of the best character work on the show, as Camren Bicondova's Selina Kyle has shifted alliances, slowly learning her way towards becoming Catwoman; or Kean and Tabitha Galavan (Jessica Lucas) have struck up a complex romance that stacks as one the most fascinating on the show. This season is no different, and suffice to say that once a key character returns from the "dead" with a new lease on life, those complex and rewarding dynamics continue to grow in dramatically satisfying and surprising ways.
Ultimately, though, villains are only as good as the hero who tries to stop them. And finally -- finally! -- Gotham has the hero it deserves, and the one it needs right now. This season may be all about how the Dark Knight rises, but once Bruce starts clashing with his now established rogues gallery it has the potential to make Gotham one of the most exhilarating shows on TV.
HVFF 2017: Interview With David Mazouz, Bruce Wayne From ‘Gotham’
Heroes and Villains Fanfest (HVFF) swept into the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey this past weekend. Stars of TV’s most “super” shows like Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow and Gotham were there. Amongst the guests was David Mazouz, the star of Fox’s hit show Gotham. Mazouz was only 13 when cast to play the role of young Bruce Wayne in the Batman prequel series, which debuted in 2014. Coincidentally, he shares a birthday with the fictional Wayne. Mazouz was part of the Gotham panel that packed the room early Saturday afternoon and spent the rest of the weekend meeting and greeting fans, taking pictures and signing autographs. We got a few minutes to speak with him about his experience on the show and the upcoming fourth season.
Check out our interview below.
Geeks of Doom: We caught the panel yesterday and Drew (Powell) was talking about what he went through to get ready for season 4. Did you go through any specific training to prepare for the upcoming season?
David Mazouz: Not really, I don’t think any more than normal. I started working with a trainer last year, and we just continued with that.
Geeks of Doom: What’s the training regimen like?
David Mazouz: We focus on basic boxing, jiu jitsu and martial arts, so that when I move it looks like I know what I’m doing, even though I don’t actually.
Geeks of Doom: Last season you played two characters. You played Bruce and “fake Bruce”. What was it like acting off of yourself?
David Mazouz: Oh my god, it’s so hard. The hardest thing for me was that, as an actor, my process is to not plan my acting decisions, unless they’re really important prior to our shooting. I like to have everything be based on instinct, I like to have everything be in the moment. I like to only learn my lines before, I don’t like doing a lot of preparation. But that had to change because if we were shooting Bruce first and then Bruce 2, I’d have to know what acting decisions to make as Bruce 2 so Bruce can react to them. So I had to actively plan, and that was hard for me to wrap my head around and figure out.
(At that point a loud crowd erupted in cheers from behind us.)
David Mazouz: They just found out I was here. (We all laughed)
Geeks of Doom: Is there a lot of tension this season between you and Commissioner Gordon (Ben McKenzie) now that you’re going to be a vigilante?
(We then joked about what actual rank Jim Gordon had at the end of season 3 before eventually becoming Commissioner of course later on.)
David Mazouz: A ton of tension, that is THE focus of the second half of this season. The second half of the season focuses on Bruce beginning to hunt down Gordon because he does things that are morally suspect. And Gordon starts to hunt down Bruce; well he doesn’t know it’s Bruce, but he’s hunting down Bruce because as we’ve seen, Gordon has a very specific vision of how Gotham should be protected. I think that’s the major theme this season; the idea of what is the correct way to keep Gotham safe. Penguin has his way, Gordon has his way, the Gotham PD have their way, and Bruce has his way, and they’re all going to be competing to see who’s is best.
Geeks of Doom: Your show has such a unique cast of actors with the younger stars and then a group of great adult actors. What is like on set, do you stay together or…?
David Mazouz: No, there’s no divide.
Geeks of Doom: Comics wise, do they ever give you homework on set?
David Mazouz: I wish they would do that. That would give me a hint as to what they want. No they don’t do that at all. They give me leeway to interpret it myself.
Geeks of Doom: Are we going to see Bruce and Selina reunite?
David Mazouz: No, no. We are going through a very rough patch.
Geeks of Doom: Yeah I was rooting for you guys, she was reaching out for Bruce.
David Mazouz: The thing is that scene wasn’t supposed to be like that. Originally, Selina comes to Bruce and says that Alfred is in the hospital, and Bruce says he was brainwashed and admits to everything, and gives her the whole spiel. I actually am the one who talked to John Stephens (Gotham EP/writer) and said I didn’t think it made sense. I mean she’s abandoned me several times, so many times in the course of the season. Alfred kicked her out of the manor in episode 3.17 because she wouldn’t stop and think about Bruce. Selina has always looked after herself, that’s part of her character, that’s expected, but at a certain point Bruce has to put his foot down and say ‘listen I’m now looking after myself.’ And they have a give and take relationship, but there comes a point and Bruce has realized that. At a certain point Selina is going to go to Bruce asking for a very big favor and Bruce is going to put his interests ahead of hers, because his are more important and they’re for the benefit of Gotham. And so their relationship is going to crumble. But Bruce might have another relationship.
Geeks of Doom: One more question, for school, do you go between shoots or do you have tutors?
David Mazouz: I go to school in Los Angeles and I have a tutor on set.
Geeks of Doom: Well thanks for your time, and just want to let you know, I saw the panel yesterday and you should totally be Damian Wayne.
David Mazouz: My man! Write about it please, support it.
David Mazouz is a calm and collected young man, wise beyond his years. He is tasked with playing one of the most beloved and famous characters ever, and he’s done a great job so far. This season he finally dons a mask and becomes The Dark Knight. The new season of Gotham starts this coming Thursday night, September 21st at 8:00 EST on FOX
Gotham interview: David Mazouz on Bruce’s Batman evolution, hopes for Jerome return
Gotham season 4 will be coming back to Fox starting on Thursday, September 21, and based on all of the promotional material out there, this looks like an enormous season for Bruce Wayne. At the end of season 3 he seemed ready to step into the role of crime-fighting vigilante, and that’s something that the show will be exploring in the new season. Bruce will move towards becoming Batman (as he’s destined to be), but also more than likely experience some bumps and bruises along the way.
In leading up to the premiere, we had a chance to discuss all things Bruce Wayne with none other than David Mazouz, who knows the show and this character very well after 4 seasons of being on Gotham. Below, Mazouz explains why this season feels so different, the rift coming between Bruce and Alfred, and also a particularly exciting episode for his character that you’re not going to want to miss!
CarterMatt – The last season of the show ended with Bruce putting on the mask for the first time, and then you’re coming back this season with all sorts of Batman hype and even ‘A Dark Knight’ as the tagline on the promotional material. Does this season feel different or more special in some way?
David Mazouz – Bruce is a vigilante this year, which is a huge change from anything that I’ve gotten to do on the show previously. Bruce is becoming Batman in every sense there is. I really feel like all of his morals, and his public persona are going to be developed this year. I feel like at the end of [season 4], he will be extremely similar to the Batman that we know. We’re getting there rapidly, and the writers aren’t shying away from that narrative. They’re pushing some of the decisions that they made at the end of last year with Bruce as a vigilante. It’s beyond exciting for me and I’m over the moon doing it. I couldn’t express more how, for Bruce at least, very, very different this is from previous seasons. Bruce is out there kicking butt and wearing a mask and creating gadgets and making allies. He’s becoming very involved in Gotham.
I would assume that with all of that, you’re going to be more involved in some of the action this season. Has there been different training for that?
There’s way more fighting among the main characters this year, and the stunt guys actually got us some pads and some boxing bags [to practice]. Whenever we’ve got any free time on set and we want to hit the bags and practice our kicks, they really encourage it. Training has become much more intense; everyone’s more focused on it. For me specifically, I’ve continued with my routine, but whenever I have any free time I really try to learn some new martial-arts moves and everything in that regard.
I feel like relationships really are at the heart of what Gotham is, so after what happened to Alfred in the finale with [Bruce effectively killing him] thanks to Ra’s al Ghul’s manipulation, where is their relationship going to be?
It’s funny that you bring up relationships being the foundation, because I really agree with that. With Bruce in general this season there’s an overall theme of his relationships being broken in harsh and brutal ways. When it comes to the people on the show he is closest to, he will go long periods of time where he is completely disconnected to them — especially Alfred. He is the closest character to Bruce on the show, but they go through an extremely rough patch this year, rougher than we’ve ever seen times five.
Starting season 4 things seem to be normal on the surface, and both characters don’t want to talk about [Bruce killing him]. I think that’s kind of normal, and that’s something that you see a lot of early on in, Characters don’t want to talk about tragedies and the horrific things that happened. Everybody is kind of pretending that everything is okay, but really it’s not and those demons start to come out as the season progresses.
Alfred and Bruce Wayne are no exception to that. They’ve obviously went through a really difficult time at the end of season 3, and it was kind of surprising when I first read season 4 and thought ‘oh, they’re kind of normal again. This feels like a conversation that they could’ve had at any point in the show.’ Yet slowly, you see the effect that [Bruce killing Alfred] has on Alfred in terms of what it meant, in terms of the Lazarus Pit, and in terms of their relationship being shattered in such a harsh way. Bruce actually had the capability to kill someone who looked after him for his entire life.
Aside from Bruce the vigilante, what’s coming up for Bruce the person? Will he cultivate his public life more? Has he become better at compartmentalizing these two worlds?
Yeah. I love this idea in the Batman mythos that Batman wears the mask, but Bruce Wayne is really Batman’s mask. Batman is the real guy. That’s the real version of Bruce and who he wants to be and vigilante Bruce is what he is becoming. Absolutely there is this other side of him, this public side, that he’s portrayed to the rest of Gotham. That becomes very different from the Bruce we’ve known and seen the past few years.
But Bruce having the mask and having this vigilante identity will impact all of his relationships, whether it be with Selina, Gordon, with Lucius, and especially with Alfred. I think that the vigilante Bruce is the real Bruce in season 4.
I know that for me, one of my favorite episodes and performances of yours was the end of the Jerome arc in season 3 with the carnival scene and the showdown. After all of that, are you asking the writers when Cameron [Monaghan] is coming back?
I have asked, I don’t know the answer myself. I haven’t gotten a straight answer.
The truth is that last year he came in at the end of episode 12 and was there [until episode 14]. I didn’t know he was coming back until we started shooting episode 11, and I don’t think any of us knew for sure. I think it was very much a last-minute thing and the writers didn’t want to reveal anything before they knew for sure and everything was 100%.
I remember shooting episode 10, though, and ever since his big arc at the start of season 2 our set dressers will always put little ‘ha ha ha’ signs at the back of any location that we were in. I took a picture in front of one, and I thought that maybe he could be coming back — I had heard rumors, but I didn’t actually think it would happen. I had just put it on Instagram to tease the fans. Then a couple of days later I found out he was coming back (laughs). I do remember when [I learned]: John Stephens had sat me down and told me that Jerome was coming back and I was like ‘okay, great.’ I was so excited. Then, he told me what I was going to be doing with him and I was over the moon.
If he’s coming back this year I don’t know about it yet, but it wouldn’t surprise me, because last year it was so last-minute. I really hope they explore the Bruce – Jerome storyline even more.
After he was gone for so long, did you expect to ever see Scarecrow on the show again?
Yeah, I did. I’ve been wondering when it would come ever since season 1 after Jonathan Crane had the arc with his dad. I figured they would bring him back eventually. I was waiting for it for a long time, and a couple of weeks before we came back for shooting I read an article that somebody did with one of the writers saying that Scarecrow would be back. I was like ‘finally.’ It’s been three years.
Is there any scene coming up this season that you’re especially excited for people to see?
I feel like everything I do I’m really proud of, but there’s something in episode 7 that was one of the most fun days of work that I’ve ever had. I don’t know how it will look. Let’s just say this: I thought fight scenes were fun. When you see it, you’ll be like ‘oh, I know what he means’. It was a blast. I can’t freaking wait to see what it looks like.
'Gotham’ season 4 premiere: 5 spoiler-free teases from ‘Pax Penguina’
Gotham season 4 premiere “Pax Penguina” sets off a new era for the city as Penguin lowers crimes but uses a controversial method that makes the Gordon and the GCPD look useless. Here’s a few non-spoiler teasers ahead of the episode!
Time Jump:
The start of Gotham season 4 kicks off three months ahead of the season 3 finale. The city has had time to get over the attacks of the virus from Alice Tetch’s blood. There’s a brand new mayor, Penguin is back in charge over the gangs and criminals, and Gordon is still as broody as ever.
Bruce begins his work as a vigilante:
Can we call him Baby Bat? Because that’s what I’d really like to call him. Bruce is out in the streets working to protect the citizens of Gotham. It’s obvious that he’s still very new to his mission though.
His get up is pretty obviously that of a newbie and he’s sure as heck confusing the criminals he tries to stop. However, he does now have the skills to stand to-to-toe with the baddies on the streets.
Unfortunately, all his new work on the street doesn’t make him any better at dealing with his feelings for Selina.
Jonathan Crane is back:
Remember this guy from season 1? It looks like he’s been shoved away in a institution thanks to his father messing with his fear receptors. He’s still very much obsessed with and scared of scarecrows.
When a group wants to get their hands on his father’s work, Jonathan is taken and forced to help them. It has some serious repercussions though!
Selina is living with Tabitha:
Fans will probably remember that iconic moment in the season 3 finale where Tabitha showed Selina how to use a whip for the first time. They’re still working together and Selina is getting even better at using the weapon that will become her signature tool.
However, they’re both kind of on the outs right now. With Tabitha against Penguin and her former allies gone, all they have is each other. That might be changing though!
Victor Zsasz:
Probably one of the best parts of the premiere (for me at least) is how many great scenes Zsasz gets. He’s one of my favorite characters and offers some awesome comedic lines in the season 4 premiere. With Penguin back in power, I hope to see lots more of him this season!
Mini review:
Unlike some of the previous season of Gotham the season 4 premiere didn’t feel like the show was getting a huge reset. The characters have made some developments since we last saw them, but not so many that it feels like the viewer is just catching up to what is going on.
This gave the season a much more relaxed feel and there was time for them to fit in a good amount of comic relief to offset the tension. It’s interesting to see how Gotham has kind of come full circle on the corruption in the GCPD. Gordon worked hard to get rid of it and now it seems to be creeping back in.
I’m looking forward to seeing how the rest of the season plays out!
GOTHAM’S DAVID MAZOUZ ON BECOMING BATMAN THE MASKED VIGILANTE TAKES ON RA’S AL GHUL AND THE PENGUIN IN SEASON 4 — BUT WILL BRUCE WAYNE HAVE HIS DRIVER’S LICENSE?
When Gotham premiered three years ago, David Mazouz had just turned 13. His Bruce Wayne had just lost his parents outside the theater, and it seemed like he’d be years away from seeing a bat and deciding to fight crime himself.
Now entering season 4, Mazouz is a 16-year-old man. He’s all grown up and barely recognizable as the boy who began the show. He’s not Batman yet, but even Batman-lite is a force for Gotham City’s villains to reckon with. The last scene of Gotham’s third season showed Bruce taking on a mugger on the street wearing a homemade mask. So he’s still figuring out his costume too.
Mazouz spoke with Rotten Tomatoes before the season premiere of Gotham and confirmed that Bruce is going to continue as a masked vigilante and gave some hints about Bruce’s new toys and the big villains who’ll traumatize this teenager even further.
Fred Topel for Rotten Tomatoes: Where does season 4 pick up with Bruce?
David Mazouz: It picks up where he is really taking on the masked vigilante persona. He will be very close to Batman when we pick up with him at the start.
RT: Does that feel to you like you’re nearing the end of this journey?
Mazouz: No, because there’s a lot more to come. Something very, very emotional is going to happen towards the beginning, and it’s going to send him on a downward spiral that’ll change him forever. It’s going to suspend, put a hold on the masked vigilante stuff for a little bit. He’s going to be darker than we’ve ever seen him before.
RT: How did you feel the first time you saw yourself in the masked vigilante costume?
Mazouz: I was excited, as any 16-year-old would be, of course.
RT: Excited by how similar or different it is to a full Batman cowl?
Mazouz: Both. Obviously, being similar is really exciting to get close to that canon iteration, but also excited that I’m going to be able to do my own version. Gotham is embracing its own unique version of this character.
RT: How is Bruce’s relationship with Alfred at this point?
Mazouz: They’re partners. They’re going on this journey together. Alfred’s there to help because Alfred realizes that Bruce is going to do this with or without his permission, so might as well help him. Might as well be there to patch up his wounds when he gets home.
RT: Is Jim in Bruce’s life right now?
Mazouz: No, actually. Well, Bruce is doing his own thing at the beginning of the season but there will be a point when they link up. Especially towards the end of this season, they’re going to be allies. They’re going to be together, working together to fight crime, this masked vigilante and Jim Gordon.
RT: Is Selina still around?
Mazouz: Yes, but in a very different capacity. His masked vigilante persona and her proto-Catwoman persona are going to be interacting much more, as opposed to the childhood friends of Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle.
RT: Will Bruce face any new villains this season?
Mazouz: Ra’s al Ghul is his biggest villain. He’ s going to be putting him through mental torture, but also he’s going to take on The Penguin pretty early on.
RT: We’ve seen Liam Neeson as Ra’s in Batman Begins and Matt Nable on Arrow. Is Alexander Siddig the darkest, meanest Ra’s al Ghul we’ve seen in DC shows or movies?
Mazouz: Yes, absolutely. I would say this is the most evil Ra’s al Ghul. This is the Ra’s al Ghul that will do awful, awful, very, very controversial things that I’m surprised they’re letting us do on national television.
RT: When Ra’s and the Penguin are battling Bruce, does it phase them at all that this is still a kid?
Mazouz: I think at this point, people realize that Bruce is more than a kid. He’s mature beyond his years, and he can survive in the adult world. I think it does phase them, especially with Ra’s. He’s really taken an interest in Bruce, and he has been chasing him for thousands and thousands of years. So he’s realized exactly who Bruce is and how he can manipulate him and how he can mold him into that monster he wants him to be.
RT: Is Bruce driving yet?
Mazouz: He will be, yeah. Very soon, yeah.
RT: Do you know what kind of car it will be?
Mazouz: I’m not supposed to say.
RT: Whether it’s a Batmobile or not, does the idea of Bruce driving excite you?
Mazouz: It’s going to be teased.
RT: For any 16-year-old character, is driving as big a deal to Bruce as it is to you, David?
Mazouz: I don’t think they’re going to make a big deal about getting his license because that’s not a very Batman story line, but he will be driving. He will be in the front seat of a car. I don’t know much about it, but I know that it’s coming.
Gotham - Episode 4.04 - The Demon's Head - Press Release
Quote:
THE DEADLY DAGGER ON AN ALL-NEW "GOTHAM" THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12, ON FOX
Bruce Wayne puts the lives of Gotham Natural History Museum historian Niles Winthrop (guest star Dakin Matthews) and his grandson, Alex (guest-star Benjamin Stockholm), in danger in an attempt to uncover the meaning behind his prized knife from the auction. Meanwhile, Ra's Al Ghul (Alexander Siddig) proves he'll take deadly measures to achieve what he wants. Also, with Sofia Falcone (Crystal Reed) in town, she is on a mission to win back Gotham from Penguin in the all-new "A Dark Knight: The Demon's Head" episode of GOTHAM airing Thursday, Oct. 12 (8:00-9:01 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (GTH-404) (TV-14 L, S, V)
Cast: Ben McKenzie as Detective James Gordon, Donal Logue as Harvey Bullock, David Mazouz as Bruce Wayne, Morena Baccarin as Leslie Thompkins, Sean Pertwee as Alfred, Robin Lord Taylor as The Penguin, Erin Richards as Barbara Kean, Camren Bicondova as Selina Kyle/the future Catwoman, Cory Michael Smith as Edward Nygma/the Riddler, Jessica Lucas as Tabitha Galavan, Chris Chalk as Lucius Fox, Drew Powell as Butch Gilzean/Solomon Grundy, Alexander Siddig as Ra's Ah Ghul, Crystal Reed as Sofia Falcone
Guest Cast: Dakin Matthews as Niles Winthrop, Benjamin Stockham as Alex Winthrop, Nathan Darrow as Mr. Freeze, Anthony Carrigan as Zsasz, Kelcy Griffin as Detective Harper
Gotham: Ben McKenzie says Gordon is a 'man alone' in the fight to save the city
Picking up a few months after the spread of the Tetch Virus, Gotham is on the mend — at least in some ways. “The virus has been quelled,” showrunner John Stephens says. “But there are whole new problems.”
One of those problems comes in the form of a new friendship between Solomon Grundy (formerly Butch) and Ed Nygma, who does get out of that block of ice. “He gets out but not without some damage,” Stephens says. “He’s not quite the man he used to be. He has to work his way back to his former self.”
Then there’s Selina, who has teamed up with Tabitha and Barbara to form what Stephens calls a “little family.” According to Stephens, “They both function as almost a mother for mentor figure for Selina, both teaching her different elements that will become part of the Catwoman psyche.”
All that being said, as far as Jim Gordon is concerned, the biggest issue is the fact that the Penguin is the most powerful man in the city. “Gordon feels even more isolated than he’s been before because the will to fight this system is non-existent in Gotham,” Ben McKenzie says. “The rest of the city has given over. The citizens of Gotham aren’t in the mood to fight back, so Gordon’s a man alone on an island.” That loneliness will lead him to make some questionable alliances, including one with Carmine Falcone’s daughter, Sofia (played by Crystal Reed). “An unlikely alliance is formed to take down Penguin,” McKenzie says. “But once you’re in bed with a gangster, you’re in bed with a gangster.”
